Is it tick-borne encephalitis? Five key symptoms

Ticks are dangerous to humans not only because of Lyme disease. Tick-borne encephalitis is also associated with a serious health risk. How to recognize them? Can it be prevented?

1. The season for ticks in Poland is in full swing. We can meet them not only in forests
2. The tick is easy to overlook. Especially tick nymphs are difficult to see
3. When an arachnid twists under the skin, it can infect us with serious diseases
4. More information can be found on the Onet homepage.

The first symptoms of tick-borne encephalitis

The first symptoms of tick-borne encephalitis usually appear within two weeks of being bitten by an infected tick. Unfortunately, you may not pay attention to them at all or ignore them, as they are often mild and rather not specific – indicating, for example, a “common” cold or flu. These include, among others:

1. headaches, 
2. fever, 
3. nausea and vomiting 
4. muscle and joint pain, 
5. catarrh of the upper respiratory tract. 

“If viruses enter the central nervous system, a second phase of the disease may develop with symptoms of spinal cord meningitis or encephalomyelitis shortly after the infection has cleared. In most cases, tick-borne encephalitis is mild, but there may be complications with permanent consequences, ”warn specialists from the National Institute of Public Health-National Institute of Hygiene (NIPH-PZH).

What symptoms may indicate the development of the second phase of TBE?

It is worth knowing that the first phase of infection usually lasts 1-9 days. After it, some patients recover, but some people may develop a second, more dangerous phase of the disease after a short, several-day remission period – associated with the entry of TBE viruses into the nervous system. It can last for weeks or even months, with symptoms such as:

1. sudden jump of fever (about 40 degrees),
2. change of mood
3. nagging headaches and dizziness,
4. photophobia, nystagmus, double vision,
5. hearing loss 
6. drop in blood pressure 
7. paresis, 
8. disturbances of consciousness. 

Unfortunately, this is not the end. As a result of the involvement of the central nervous system by the virus, patients may experience many serious complications, including: paralysis of the spinal and cranial nerves, sensory disturbances, limb paralysis, disturbances in cognitive processes (e.g. attention, memory, association ), mental disorders (e.g. depressive and neurasthenic syndromes, characteropathies), as well as vegetative disorders (nervous excitability, fatigue, explosiveness, mood swings, sweating).

It is encouraging, however, that the very severe course of the infection and the aforementioned complications occur in a relatively small percentage of the total number of people infected with the TBE virus. Maciej Kondrusik from the Department of Infectious Diseases and Neuroinfections of the Medical University of Bialystok states that symptomatic infections constitute a maximum of 30 percent. all TBE infections. The NIPH-PZH assesses this issue in a similar way, which in its latest epidemiological report on TBE also informs that in the group of people with symptomatic course of the infection, “only” in about 40 percent. In cases, the symptoms of the second phase develop (with involvement of the central nervous system). Even at this stage, however, we still have a good chance of getting out of the oppression unscathed.

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“Permanent neurological complications occur in 35-58% of women. patients with central nervous system involvement, and in about 1/100 patients the infection ends in death, ”reads the professional study on TBE available on the“ Vaccinations Info ”website.

Thus, the vast majority of TBE infections are asymptomatic, mildly symptomatic or mild, similar to infections with the new coronavirus.

“Symptomatic infections are most often found in people over 20 years of age. The severity of the disease increases with age. Adolescents and adults are more ill than young children. The older a person gets, the more complications and fatalities occur. Most of the sick are men ”- experts from NIPH-PZH inform.

Prevention, diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne encephalitis

Although the above statistics give some reasons for optimism, in practice no reasonable person should underestimate the risk associated with a potential TBE infection. Fortunately, you can protect yourself against it.

“Vaccinations are the only effective way to prevent TBE and its consequences. They can be started at any time of the year, but it is best to do it in winter or spring “- reminds the Ministry of Health, pointing to specific social groups for which such vaccination is particularly recommended (including farmers, foresters, employees of uniformed services, but also participants summer camps or colonies, especially in areas known for a large number of ticks).

1. New species of ticks from Africa. They are active almost all year round

“Tick-borne encephalitis vaccines are highly effective – out of 100 vaccinated, more than 95 people produce protective antibodies against complications,” we read on the “Vaccinations Info” website.

It is also worth adding that in order to obtain a strong and lasting immunity, vaccinations against TBE are carried out by administering several doses of the vaccine at appropriate intervals (basic and booster doses).

Other preventive measures, such as the use of repellants (repellants for ticks), appropriate clothing, or avoiding areas where ticks are the most common (such as thick thickets in or around forests, tall grasses) are also recommended by medics, although they do not guarantee protection as high as vaccination.

In the context of TBE, it is also worth knowing that there is really no causal treatment for this disease.

“Treatment is only symptomatic“- experts from NIZP-PZH emphasize.

In practice, therefore, if someone wants to avoid serious complications of this disease, he cannot rely too much on drugs. High effectiveness of protection can only be ensured by vaccination – doctors emphasize.

It is also worth adding in the context of TBE that due to the lack of symptoms differentiating tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) from other viral neuroinfections, the diagnosis of this disease requires laboratory confirmation.

1. Also check: Are tick larvae dangerous?

“The basis for laboratory confirmation of TBE disease is the detection of specific antibodies in serum and / or cerebrospinal fluid” – NIPH-NIH experts inform, specifying which types of tests are currently most often used to diagnose TBE infection (these are, among others, among others, specific enzyme immunoassays – ELISA, indirect immunofluorescence tests and tests of haemagglutination inhibition).

Occurrence of tick-borne encephalitis in Poland and Europe

Finally, it is worth mentioning the latest epidemiological data on the occurrence of TBE in our country.

“200-300 cases are registered annually in Poland. For many years, the disease has been limited to approx. 30%. area of ​​Poland. Endemic areas are located mainly in the following voivodeships: Podlaskie and Warmińsko-Mazurskie and coincide with the highest number of TBE cases – approx. 45%, respectively. and 25 percent all reported cases of TBE, and also in the following provinces: Mazowieckie, Lubelskie, Świętokrzyskie, Małopolskie, Opolskie and Dolnośląskie, Śląskie, Wielkopolskie and Zachodniopomorskie, and in central Poland “- we read in the latest report by the NIZP-PZH on the occurrence of KZM in Poland.

The authors of the report admit, however, that the above data on the occurrence of TBE are certainly underestimated. Why?

“For years, there has been a high percentage of diagnoses of neuroinfections without etiological confirmation, which results in underestimation of the actual number of cases and, consequently, a reduction in the sensitivity and specificity of the epidemiological surveillance of TBE” – reads the above-mentioned report, which means that for various reasons, in most of the identified cases of neurological infections the specific pathogen causing them is not known.

The study shows that there is an upward trend in TBE disease incidence across Europe, which is the result of the territorial expansion of ticks and the extended period of their activity. It is related to climate change, including, in particular, global warming.

However, there is no need to panic. It is worth remembering that not all ticks are infected with the TBE virus. Scientists estimate that in Poland this applies to no more than one in six representatives of this species.

Wiktor Szczepaniak, Zdrowie.pap.pl

Also read:

1. Did you catch the tick? Absolutely don’t do these things!
2. What are the tests for Lyme disease?
3. The “missing element” of Lyme disease was discovered. When is the vaccine?

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