{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,24]],"date-time":"2026-07-24T01:58:34Z","timestamp":1784858314815,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"18","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,19]],"date-time":"2022-09-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1663545600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"the Open Access Publication Fund of the University of Freiburg, Germany"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Tickborne-encephalitis (TBE) is a potentially life-threating neurological disease that is mainly transmitted by ticks. The goal of the present study is to analyze the potential uniform environmental patterns of the identified TBEV microfoci in Germany. The results are used to calculate probabilities for the present distribution of TBEV microfoci in Germany based on a geostatistical model. Methods: We aim to consider the specification of environmental characteristics of locations of TBEV microfoci detected in Germany using open access epidemiological, geographical and climatological data sources. We use a two-step geostatistical approach, where in a first step, the characteristics of a broad set of environmental variables between the 56 TBEV microfoci and a control or comparator set of 3575 sampling points covering Germany are compared using Fisher\u2019s Exact Test. In the second step, we select the most important variables, which are then used in a MaxEnt distribution model to calculate a high resolution (400 \u00d7 400 m) probability map for the presence of TBEV covering the entire area of Germany. Results: The findings from the MaxEnt prediction model indicate that multi annual actual evapotranspiration (27.0%) and multi annual hot days (22.5%) have the highest contribution to our model. These two variables are followed by four additional variables with a lower, but still important, explanatory influence: Land cover classes (19.6%), multi annual minimum air temperature (14.9%), multi annual sunshine duration (9.0%), and distance to coniferous and mixed forest border (7.0%). Conclusions: Our findings are based on defined TBEV microfoci with known histories of infection and the repeated confirmation of the virus in the last years, resulting in an in-depth high-resolution model\/map of TBEV microfoci in Germany. Multi annual actual evapotranspiration (27%) and multi annual hot days (22.5%) have the most explanatory power in our model. The results may be used to tailor specific regional preventive measures and investigations.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph191811830","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,19]],"date-time":"2022-09-19T21:47:27Z","timestamp":1663624047000},"page":"11830","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":21,"title":["Decoding the Geography of Natural TBEV Microfoci in Germany: A Geostatistical Approach Based on Land-Use Patterns and Climatological Conditions"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"19","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1175-4778","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Johannes P.","family":"Borde","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine II, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg Medical Center, D-79106 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany"},{"name":"Praxis Prof. Dr. J. Borde & Kollegen, Gesundheitszentrum Oberkirch, Am Marktplatz 8, D-77704 Oberkirch, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6819-2764","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"R\u00fcdiger","family":"Glaser","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Environmental Social Sciences and Geography, University of Freiburg, Schreiberstr. 20, D-79098 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Klaus","family":"Braun","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Environmental Social Sciences and Geography, University of Freiburg, Schreiberstr. 20, D-79098 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0100-5615","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nils","family":"Riach","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Environmental Social Sciences and Geography, University of Freiburg, Schreiberstr. 20, D-79098 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7880-2271","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rafael","family":"Hologa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Environmental Social Sciences and Geography, University of Freiburg, Schreiberstr. 20, D-79098 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Klaus","family":"Kaier","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, University of Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Stra\u00dfe 26, D-79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lidia","family":"Chitimia-Dobler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"German National Reference Laboratory for TBEV, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Neuherbergstra\u00dfe 11, D-80937 M\u00fcnchen, Germany"},{"name":"Parasitology Unit, University of Hohenheim, Emil-Wolff-Stra\u00dfe 34, D-70599 Stuttgart, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7461-293X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gerhard","family":"Dobler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"German National Reference Laboratory for TBEV, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Neuherbergstra\u00dfe 11, D-80937 M\u00fcnchen, Germany"},{"name":"Parasitology Unit, University of Hohenheim, Emil-Wolff-Stra\u00dfe 34, D-70599 Stuttgart, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"430","DOI":"10.12998\/wjcc.v3.i5.430","article-title":"Tick-borne encephalitis: A review of epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and management","volume":"3","author":"Bogovic","year":"2015","journal-title":"World J. 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