Tick-Borne Encephalitis (TBE) Vaccination Service

• Infected Tick Bites: The overwhelming primary transmission route is the bite of an infected hard tick—most commonly Ixodes ricinus (the castor bean tick) in Europe and Ixodes persulcatus (the taiga tick) in Asia. Ticks live in wooded areas, tall grass, shrubs, and forest undergrowth, attaching themselves to passing humans or animals.

• Unpasteurized Dairy Products: In rare instances, humans can contract TBE by consuming unpasteurized milk, cheese, or dairy products made from infected goats, sheep, or cows grazing in risk zones.

• Non-Transmission: TBE cannot be caught directly from another person through casual contact, air droplets, or coughing.

TBE often follows a distinct two-stage illness pattern after an incubation period of 7 to 14 days (ranging from 4 to 28 days):

• First Phase (Viraemic Stage): Resembles a mild flu, featuring sudden fever, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, and general malaise lasting for about 2 to 7 days. This is often followed by a brief remission period with no symptoms.

• Second Phase (Neurological Stage): In a percentage of cases, the virus crosses into the central nervous system, causing high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, confusion, sensory disturbances, tremors, or paralysis.

Note: While many infections cause mild symptoms or resolve completely, severe cases can lead to long-term neurological damage, cognitive issues, balance disorders, or fatal outcomes, particularly in older adults.

Because TBE carries a risk of serious brain inflammation and there is no specific antiviral treatment once the infection takes hold, proactive protection is essential for travellers visiting endemic regions:

1. Tick-Borne Encephalitis Vaccination: Getting the private TBE Vaccine course builds reliable active immunity against the virus before you depart. It is highly recommended for campers, hikers, forestry workers, and travellers spending time outdoors in rural endemic areas.

2. Tick Bite Avoidance & Removal:

   • Wear long-sleeved shirts, tuck trousers into socks, and wear closed shoes when walking through wooded or grassy areas.

   • Apply insect repellent containing DEET or Picaridin to skin and clothing.

   • Inspect your body thoroughly for ticks after outdoor activities, and promptly remove any attached ticks using fine-tipped tweezers by pulling straight up without twisting.

TBE is endemic across large swathes of Central, Eastern, and Northern Europe, as well as parts of Asia:

• Central and Eastern Europe: High-risk forested regions in countries such as Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, and the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania).

• Northern and Western Europe: Endemic zones in parts of Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, and select pockets of the UK (such as Thetford Forest and parts of Hampshire, though overall UK risk is extremely low).

• Asia: Forested regions across Russia, northern China, and Japan.