Evaluation of immune response and protective effect of four vaccines against the tick-borne encephalitis virus.

•The tick-borne encephalitis virus Siberian subtype is currently dominant in Russia.•The vaccines are based on heterologous subtypes isolated 40–77 years ago.•Cytokine gene expression profile revealed Th2 mainly humoral immune response.•Cross-specific antibodies were detected in immunized mouse sera.•Maximal protection was afforded by the vaccine “Encevir” (“Microgen”, Russia).