CXCL8 and tick-borne encephalitis: However, the differences in serum levels of proinflammatory (GROα/CXCL1, and IL-8), Th2 (IL-4), and B cell (BAFF, BCA-1/CXCL13, and SDF-1α+β/CXCL12) immune mediators between VBT TBE patients and healthy controls remained significant in S3 (up to two months after hospitalization) (p<0.05) (Figure 4).