GPs URGED TO BE TICK ALERT

General Practitioners are being alerted to a potentially life-threatening disease in central and eastern Europe this summer.

The ‘Tick Alert’ campaign has been launched to raise awareness among the medical profession of Tick Borne Encephalitis (TBE), a viral disease contracted via the bite of an infected tick. It can lead to meningitis and in serious cases result in paralysis and death, with about one in 30 cases proving fatal.

The warning identifies 16 central and eastern European countries where the TBE infected tick population is officially endemic and therefore poses a high risk to visitors who have not been immunised or taken bite prevention precautions. This includes many of the new popular European holiday destinations such as Croatia , the Czech Republic , Slovenia and Slovakia .

Tick Alert is encouraging GPs to advise patients visiting endemic countries, and planning trips to rural and countryside areas in spring and summer, of the disease risk and to seek adequate protection before travelling.

TBE-infected ticks are found typically in rural and forest areas from late spring and throughout summer. At-risk groups include all visitors to rural areas of endemic countries, particularly those participating in outdoor activities such as trekking, hiking, climbing, cycling and camping.

Activities and events being planned to support Tick Alert include an information campaign for GP surgeries and health centres.

The Foreign Office advises that travellers to TBE endemic regions seek medical advice from their local surgery or clinic well before travelling.

Details and a map of TBE endemic countries are available at www.masta.org/tickalert.

Notes

·       The virus type is Western European TBE and is also known as Central European Encephalitis.

·       TBE is fatal in about one in every 30 cases (Patient UK , 2004).  The case fatality rate in those developing symptomatic disease is 0.5%-2% for the Western subtype (National Travel health Network and Centre, 2004).

(10/3/06)