The primary feature during the initial phase of TBE in serum was a rather heterogeneous response involving innate (CXCL11), B cell (CXCL13, BAFF), and T cell mediators (IL-27 and IL-4) whereas growth factors associated with angiogenesis (GRO-α and VEGF-A) were the most discriminative feature of serum responses in the second phase of TBE. The gene discussed is VEGFA; the disease is tick-borne encephalitis.