Tick infection affects various cell types in brain: Study

Depending on whether the affected person's immune system is activated or not, the dreaded tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus infects different types of brain cells in different parts of the brain. This is demonstrated in a new study from Ume University in Sweden.

"This increased understanding of how the virus behaves in the brain and how it activates the immune system is a crucial step in the development of effective treatments and preventive measures against this difficult disease," says Anna Overby, professor at Umea University and leader of the research group behind the current study.