Travel Clinic with Dr Jane

While symptoms of tick-borne encephalitis can be as mild as a headache, they can also be deadly, so make sure you’re tick aware if enjoying the countryside

- Dr Jane Wilson-Howarth

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a disease known in continental Europe, Siberia and northern Asia, but until 2019 no confirmed cases had been recorded in the UK. Towards the end of last year though, British national newspapers ran headlines including, “Deadly brain disease passed on by ticks now in Britain.” Then, a visitor from Europe became ill after a tick bite in the New Forest and it is possible that he acquired the infection in England.

The virus is transmitted by way of a tick, most likely one that has first bitten a deer. In 66% of human cases, the person notices no symptoms whatsoever. In the third who do become ill, the victim feels as if they have a touch of flu 3-14 days after the tick bite. There is seven days of improvement before neurological symptoms begin.