In the view of the authors, the present map showing the distribution of the high-risk areas for tick-borne encephalitis is no longer compatible with state of the art information. They therefore call for a re-evaluation of present definitions and a new risk map. Detection of the virus in ticks with the aid of PCR should be given the same weight as an individual clinical case. In future, a differentiation into low-risk, risk and high-risk areas should be avoided.