Diseases

Tickborne encephalitis (TBE)

Tickborne encephalitis (TBE), also known as spring-summer encephalitis, is a viral infection of the central nervous system transmitted by bites of ticks. Human infections follow bites of infected Ixodes ricinus ticks, usually in people who visit or work in forests, fields, or pastures. Infection also can be acquired by consuming unpasteurized dairy products from infected cows, goats, or sheep.

Occurrence: Risk of acquiring the disease is greatest from April through August, when Ixodes ricinus, the principal tick vector, is most active.

TBE is common in:

Austria
Estonia
Latvia
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Germany
Hungary
Poland
Switzerland
Russia
Ukraine
Belarus
Yugoslavia.

Manifestations: After an incubations period for usually 28 days illness begins with a nonspecific grippe with:

Fever
Malaise
Headache
Myalgias
Nausea
Vomiting

In most cases these symptoms resolve spontaneously in a week.

In a few cases the disease progress into a neurologic infektion with:

Headache
High fever
Neck stiffness
Stupor
Disorientation
Coma
Tremors Convulsions (especially in infants)
Spastic paralysis
Death in about 1 % and serious neurologic sequels in 30%

Diagnose and treatment: Diagnose is verified by demonstrating of virus. Treatment is not available. Vaccine is effective.

Prevent tick-borne encephalitis by:

Vaccination
Avoid tick-infested areas
Protect yourselves from tick bites by dressing appropriately
Using repellents. Repellents containing N,N-diethylmetatoluamide (DEET) can be applied directly on the skin. Compounds containing permethrin have an acaricidal and repellent effect and should be used on clothing and camping gear.
Consumption of unpasteurized dairy products should be avoided.

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