Months of problems

TBE: Long suffering after a tick bite

Many people like to spend time outdoors in spring. Then check the body.(Bild: Heiko Barth – stock.adobe.com)

The first ticks have already bitten! Unfortunately, this has serious consequences for some people - not only in the short term, but also in the long term. Some people are still struggling with the consequences of TBE (tick-borne encephalitis) 18 months later. Older people struggle more with symptoms than younger people.

A study from Germany shows that more than half are still struggling with the consequences three months after the onset of TBE (tick-borne encephalitis). Even if these diminish as the disease progresses, they are still present in a small proportion even after 18 months. In the worst cases, this leads to job restrictions, loss of working hours and early retirement.

High number of unreported cases
In Austria alone, between 100 and 250 hospitalized cases are registered every year, in Europe there were almost 4000 in 2020. "The many mild illnesses are often not even diagnosed as TBE and are not even included," explains OÄ Priv. Doz. Dr. Bettina Pfausler, Department of Neurology at the Medical University of Innsbruck (T).

A wide range of symptoms
Basically, the symptoms range from a feeling of summer flu to severe inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. "Fortunately, the disease is rarely very severe, usually as meningitis. In more serious cases, especially infections of the spinal cord, the symptoms can resemble polio," emphasizes the neurologist. "Those affected often have to be artificially ventilated in the long term. The mortality rate is 30 percent, and a full recovery is usually no longer possible."

"All of this can be prevented. The only thing you have to do is get vaccinated and go for a booster in good time."

OÄ Priv. Doz. Dr. Bettina Pfausler, UniKlinik für Neurologie der Medizinischen Universität Innsbruck (T)

Children are less likely to have sequelae
A rapid, complete recovery after TBE is hardly possible, and not only for very severe forms of the disease. In surveys, not even half of those questioned stated that they had fully recovered after three months. After 18 months, two thirds (67.3 percent. According to the study, people with a mild acute course recovered better than those with a moderate or severe course (85.4 percent, 69.4 percent and 44.9 percent respectively). Only in rare cases did children still have sequelae after 18 months. Doz. Pfausler: "In our experience, the older someone is - especially from the age of 50 - the more severe the course is in many cases."

Fatigue is the most common symptom
According to the study, fatigue (persistent tiredness and weakness) is the most common symptom in the acute phase (91 percent), followed by headaches and balance problems. Even after 18 months, 17 percent of those affected still reported fatigue, 13 percent reported a lack of concentration and general weakness, 12 percent reported muscle pain and 12 percent also reported balance problems. Experts recommend the TBE vaccination.