TICKED OFF
Warning as deadly brain swelling disease infects UK patients for the first time without travel abroad
Plus, other infections that can cause the brain swelling disease
FOR the first time, a deadly brain swelling disease has been detected in British patients with no travel history - which proves it's now spreading locally.
The disease, which can cause brain inflammation, seizures, and long-term brain damage, was previously thought to be confined to mainland Europe, but has now made its way to the UK.
3
3
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a viral infection spread through tick bites.
Ticks that spread it are most commonly found in most Europe, Russia, and parts of China and Japan.
But the virus has now been confirmed in British patients, as part of a study published in the journal .
Ticks are well known for transmitting disease such as Lyme disease.
Read more on encephalitis
But UK researchers have now warned a threat of TBE is emerging.
The new study looked at the first confirmed locally acquired human case of TBE in the UK and the public health implications.
The researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of cases diagnosed between 2015 and 2023.
They identified 21 TBE cases in humans in the UK between 2015 and 2023, including three possible, seven probable, and 11 confirmed cases.
Most read in Health
Of these, 12 cases were diagnosed in 2022 to 2023.
One patient contracted TBE after tick exposure in Scotland, and another was infected in Yorkshire.
Tips to best remove ticks
Both confirmed patients developed initial flu-like symptoms followed by neurological symptoms, including ataxia and confusion.
But they were able to recover with supportive care.
Surveillance also confirmed TBE in ticks collected from these locations, which supports evidence of an enzootic cycle - the continuous transmission of a disease within a specific geographic region.
Since 2023, testing for TBE has been expanded to include all referred cases of unexplained encephalitis, regardless of travel history, marking a significant change in public health policy.
The researchers believe while the overall risk remains low, TBE should now be considered in cases of unexplained encephalitis, even in patients without recent travel.
Symptoms of TBE
Many TBE infections don't cause symptoms, or symptoms are considered mild.
According to the NHS some people get flu-like symptoms about a week after being bitten, such as:
The symptoms usually go away on their own, but in a few people the infection spreads to the brain and causes more serious symptoms a few days or weeks later.
These can include:
- a stiff neck and a severe headache
- pain when looking at bright lights
- a fit (seizure)
- a change in behaviour, confusion or slurred speech
- weakness or loss of movement in part of the body
3
How to reduce your risk of TBE
There are things you can do to reduce your risk of being bitten by a tick when you're outside.
You should regularly check your clothes and skin for ticks that might be crawling on you, and brush them off before they can bite you.
Wearing light coloured clothing can make it easier to spot ticks.
Opt to walk on clearly defined paths so you can avoid brushing against plants that might have ticks on them.
Using an insect repellent such as DEET on your skin can also deter ticks from biting you.
And wearing long trousers and long-sleeved tops is advised.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Treating TBE
There's no specific treatment for TBE. It's best to manage symptoms with rest, fluids, and pain relievers.
But TBE can be life-threatening if it spreads to your brain, and you'll need to be treated in hospital if you're seriously unwell.
Infections that can cause encephalitis
ENCEPHALITIS can happen if an infection spreads to the brain.
Many of the infections associated with the condition are quite common and usually mild.
Encephalitis only tends to happen in rare cases.
The condition is most often caused by a virus, such as:
- herpes simplex viruses, which cause cold sores (this is the most common cause of encephalitis)
- the varicella zoster virus, which causes chickenpox and shingles
- measles, mumps and rubella viruses
- viruses spread by animals, such as tick-borne encephalitis, Japanese encephalitis, rabies (and possibly Zika virus)
Encephalitis caused by a virus is known as "viral encephalitis".
In rare cases, it's caused by bacteria, fungi or parasites.
You can catch these infections from someone else, but encephalitis itself is not spread from person to person.
Source: NHS
Topics