Tick Borne Encephalitis
What is Tick-borne Encephalitis?
Tick-borne encephalitis is a viral disease spread by infected tick bites. The ticks live in the undergrowth and long grass and attach themselves to humans as you brush past them. The infection is passed into the bloodstream from their infected saliva when they bite you.
As the ticks are also carried by goats, sheep and cattle, the infection can also be caught by eating or drinking unpasteurised dairy products from infected animals. Other carriers of ticks include mice and small birds. The ticks are most active from April to October.
The symptoms of the disease usually appear between 4 and 28 days after an infected bite and include Nausea and Vomiting, Tiredness, Sore Muscles, Fever, Headache and Flu-like symptoms. These can last between 1 and 8 days but usually, a full recovery is then made.
However, in a small percentage of cases, a further set of symptoms may occur up to 20 days after the 1st illness-causing brain swelling (Encephalitis) or Meningitis, Paralysis which may be permanent or even death. The TBE virus is found in temperate parts of the world, particularly in forested areas throughout Europe, Central Asia, Russia, China and Japan.
There is no treatment for the disease but it can be prevented.
The Vaccine
Vaccination dosage schedule:
TicoVac: The primary vaccination schedule is the same for all persons from the age of 16 onwards and consists of three doses of TicoVac 0.5 ml. The first and second doses should be given at a 1 to 3-month interval. If there is a need to achieve an immune response rapidly, the second dose may be given two weeks after the first dose. After the first two doses, sufficient protection for the ongoing tick season is to be expected. The third dose should be given 5 to 12 months after the second vaccination, essentially at the start of the next transmission season. After the third dose protection is expected to last for at least 3 years.
TicoVac Junior: TicoVac Junior 0.25 ml is indicated for the active immunization of children aged from 1 year to 15 years. The first and second doses should be given at a 1 to 3-month interval. If there is a need to achieve an immune response rapidly, the second dose may be given two weeks after the first dose. After the first two doses, sufficient protection for the ongoing tick season is to be expected. The third dose should be given 5 to 12 months after the second vaccination. After the third dose protection is expected to last for at least 3 years.
