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Between 1978 and 1984 there were 299 serologically confirmed cases of tick-borne encephalitis in the Federal Republic of Germany (180 males, 119 females; aged 1-82 years). A previous tick bite was recalled by 258 (86.2%). The illness had taken the form of a feverish infection in 13, meningitis in 161, meningoencephalitis in 13, and meningomyeloencephalitis in 14. There were three deaths (1%), and permanent neurological sequelae in 20 (7%). The incidence of new cases cases between April and October varied from eight to 118 per year. The Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) was the place of infection in 239, other European countries in 52 (42 in Austria). In the FRG the disease occurred predominantly in Bavaria (156), half of the cases in Lower Bavaria and eastern and northern Upper Bavaria and in Baden-Wurttemberg (78), concentrated in the regions around Freiburg and Karlsruhe, a few (3) in Hessen and Rhineland-Palatinate (2). No cases were noted in other parts of the FRG. Antibody studies on 8526 persons in the endemic regions of Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg produced rates of 2.0 and 1.2%, respectively. The rate increased with age, to a peak of 2.4% in the seventh decade. Those working in forestry and agriculture had a higher antibody rate, at 4.6 and 3.3% respectively, than civil servants, employees and housewives (0.4-0.9%). In some areas the antibody rate varied from less than 1 to 6%. Those with higher antibody rates also had higher infection rates, and vice versa.

Katharina Schmid and Miles Hewstone gratefully acknowledge support from the Leverhulme Trust that facilitated the writing of this paper. Two studies tested the prediction that more positive intergroup contact would be associated with reduced aggressive intergroup action tendencies, an effect predicted to occur indirectly via reduced intergroup threat perceptions, and over and above well-established effects of contact on intergroup attitudes. Study 1, using data based on a cross-section of the general population of eight European countries (France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and the UK; N=7,042), examined this hypothesis in the context of aggressive action tendencies towards immigrants. Study 2, using longitudinal data obtained from a general population sample in Northern Ireland, considered effects on aggressive action tendencies between ethno-religious groups in conflict. Both studies confirmed our predictions, showing that while perceived threat was associated with greater intergroup aggressive tendencies, positive intergroup contact was indirectly associated with reduced aggressive action tendencies, via reduced intergroup threat. Findings are discussed in terms of the theoretical contributions of this research for understanding the relationship between intergroup contact and intergroup aggression. Postprint

Almost every second patient seeing a primary care doctor suffers from arterial hypertension and about every fifth has diabetes mellitus. These diseases often occur at the same time. They are associated in more than 80% of the cases with other severe concomitant and subsequent diseases (heart attack, stroke, renal failure, neuropathy etc.). The magnitude especially of subsequent and concomitant diseases, the dimension of the personal suffering and the immense diagnostic and therapeutic challenges for the doctors have been massively underestimated so far. The article informs about the prevalence of the above disease, and structure of the problem. Before the background of an extremely high patient load seen by German General Physicians, the mainstay challenge is highlighted how to achieve further improvements of the quality of care on the basis of scientific guidelines alone, without a concomitant change in the system structure.

With regard to the management of hypertension and diabetes, HYDRA reveals that doctors report multiple problems in their everyday practice. Being confronted with an average of 73 patients a day, with almost every second having either diabetes or hypertension, frequently associated with multiple comorbid conditions, the core obstacle is the time factor. Doctors do not have sufficient time to perform diagnostic tests and especially no time for non-drug interventions of any type. Further available treatment guidelines are only used in 1 out of 2 doctors. Further they seem not to affect doctors performance significantly.

Aim of the study is a comprehensive clinical-epidemiological description of the prevalence of arterial hypertension and diabetes among primary care patients along with an assessment of doctor's recognition rates and prescription behaviour. The paper describes methods and design of the study and provides background information on the sampling process, instruments used as well as characteristics of doctors and patients. The study is based on a nationally representative sample of 1,912 primary care doctors and 45,000 patients that attended the doctors' office on the target days. The patients were also characterized by laboratory tests. The first stage of study consisted of a comprehensive description of the doctors' characteristics in terms of psychosocial, qualification- and provider aspects as well as attitudes towards hypertension and diabetes and their management. In the second stage all patients completed a questionnaire to describe their health behaviour and attitudes as well as the treatment history and therapy. In the third stage all patients were characterized by their doctors in terms of their diagnostic status and their past and current interventions.