Due to the changing climate, increasingly warmer winters and higher temperatures, ticks appear more often in new places from year to year. Therefore, the number of cases of tick-borne diseases is increasing significantly: Lyme disease or tick-borne encephalitis.
- Every sixth tick can transmit the tick-borne virus encephalitis
- In Poland, the percentage of people infected with TBE is growing. In 2016, the disease was recorded in 14 provinces
- Vaccination protects 99% of tick-borne encephalitis.
The most dangerous disease caused by the virus transmitted by these arachnids is tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). Even one in six ticks can transmit the TBE virus. If it overcomes the immune mechanisms and enters the central nervous system, it can wreak havoc on the body and sometimes lead to death. Experts emphasize that the most effective way to prevent the disease is vaccination, which can protect up to 99 percent.
TBE is less frequent, but from a medical point of view it can be more dangerous. Lyme disease can be effectively treated with antibiotics, while in the case of TBE there is no causal treatment, only symptomatic treatment – says prof. Joanna Zajkowska from the Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfection of the University Hospital of Infectious diseases in Białystok.
Modern medicine has not yet found a cure for particularly dangerous tick-borne encephalitis, which may have very serious health consequences. KZM virus belongs to the genus of Faviviruses, which also includes, among others Zika virus lives in the salivary glands of ticks, so you can get infected almost immediately after being bitten.
Experts say the immune system will eradicate the TBE virus quickly in most cases. For some people, the infection will stop in the first stage of development, which is characterized by flu-like symptoms. Unfortunately, in the case of people with weakened immunity, this virus has a good chance of penetrating the nervous system, which can result in: encephalitis, meningitis, spinal cord inflammation or radiculitis, which can lead to disability or even end death.
The virus is now spreading all over Europe, even in countries that previously considered themselves completely free of TBE. The percentage of people infected with TBE is also growing in Poland. In 2016, the disease was recorded in 14 provinces, most of them in the southern and north-eastern parts of the country.
Currently, ticks are not only found in forests, but we can also come across them in a fairly humid environment with access to hosts, which include mainly mammals, including humans and birds. In Warsaw, for example, a tick can sting us not only in the Kampinos National Park, but also among others. in the Młociny Forest, Bielański Forest, in the Zoological Garden, and even in Łazienki Park – emphasizes Dr. Marta Hajdul-Marwicz from the Chair and Department of General Biology and Parasitology of the Medical University of Warsaw (MUW).
Climate warming is contributing to the expansion of ticks to areas that were previously not considered endemic areas of the disease. People who spend their time actively outdoors, such as runners, cyclists, gardeners and mushroom pickers, are also at risk of TBE.
In Poland, the awareness of the risk of TBE is still very low. While more and more people are aware of the threat of Boleriosis, we still know too little about TBE, against which we can effectively protect ourselves thanks to the possibility of preventive vaccinations.
Prof. Zajkowska emphasized that vaccination protects us most effectively against TBE. So far, however, no vaccine against Lyme disease has been developed, so protection against ticks (appropriate clothing, repellants) applies even to people vaccinated against TBE. – The vaccine protects 99 percent. before KZM, so it is very effective The specialist said.
In order to raise awareness about TBE, on the initiative of the To Live Foundation, the Institute of Patient Rights and Health Education and the Pfizer company, an educational and social campaign was launched: “Don’t play with a tick – win with tick-borne encephalitis”. Its purpose is to provide as many people as possible reliable information about the symptoms and course of the disease, as well as ways to prevent it. The campaign is aimed at all those who are exposed to tick bites during spring and summer activities in the bosom of nature (also within cities). And also people who travel to the regions of TBE incidence in the spring and summer time.
Tick-borne encephalitis – a dangerous disease that must not be taken lightly
Tick-borne encephalitis [TBE] is a severe tick-borne infectious disease of the central nervous system, caused by the RNA virus from the Flaviviridae group. TBE is a seasonal disease due to the activity of the parasite in April – October. Human infection occurs as a result of being bitten by an infected tick. Another natural form of infection, although much less common, is through the ingestion of unpasteurized goat, sheep or cow milk.
The incubation period of the disease lasts from 4 to 28 days [8 days on average], and the infection takes place in two phases: in the first phase the virus is in the blood, in the second it reaches the central nervous system. The first phase of the disease begins suddenly with uncharacteristic flu-like symptoms accompanied by fever, headache, and nausea and vomiting. This disease phase lasts 1-8 days [4 days on average]. The disease ends in the first phase in 30-50 percent. infected.
In other people, the disease continues to develop. After 1-33 days [8 days on average] of well-being and no disease symptoms, TBE goes into the neurological phase. There is a fever reaching 40˚C, severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, meningeal symptoms and pain in muscles and joints. This course of the disease develops in about 30 percent. infected. Complications after TBE may include permanent paresis and neurological symptoms. 13 percent people after TBE struggle with damage to individual nerves, as much as 13 percent. after TBE he has hearing impairment. The same number of patients may be confronted with mental problems such as depression and neurosis.
There are currently no effective drugs against TBE. Treatment consists of the use of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs that reduce intracranial pressure and, in severe cases, also corticosteroids. The only way is to prevent TBE infection by avoiding tick bites and, above all, by immunizing immunization.