GPs WILL SOON BE DIAGNOSING THE UK ’S FIRST CASES OF TBE

GP surgeries and health centres in the UK are likely to see patients returning from holidays in Europe with potentially life-threatening Tick-Borne Encephalitis (TBE), according to the world’s leading experts on the disease.

The International Scientific Working Group on Tick-Borne Encephalitis (ISW-TBE) warns the viral disease, caused from the bite of an infected tick has spread to 27 countries, an increase of 11 on 2006. And it says this rise in TBE areas combined with growth in outdoors and adventure tourism is increasing the risk of exposure to ticks as UK travellers visit countryside areas.

ISW chairman Professor Michael Kunze said at its annual conference: “Given the continual growth in the numbers of UK tourists to endemic countries, it is only a question of time before this group finds an increase in the number of TBE cases”.

“Travellers from the UK need to be made aware that, once the disease has broken out, there is no effective treatment for conditions that can develop in consequence. Immunisation with a TBE vaccine, in the context of preventive travel medicine, is the only method that offers lasting protection over the longer period.”

The ISW is also urging health authorities in non-endemic countries to raise awareness of TBE and has provided a common European definition of the terms “endemic TBE area” and “TBE case” to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

The Tick Alert campaign is urging GPs to advise patients visiting any of these European countries and planning trips to rural and countryside areas in spring and summer, of the disease risk and to seek adequate protection before travelling.

At-risk groups include all visitors to rural areas of endemic countries, particularly those participating in outdoor activities such as trekking, hiking, camping and cycling.

Visit www.masta.org/tickalert for further details.

Notes

·        The ninth annual meeting of the International Scientific Working Group on Tick-Borne Encephalitis (ISW-TBE) took place in Vienna (25-26 January 2007).

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

·        TBE-endemic countries are: Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and Ukraine.

·        The Czech Republic registered an increase in TBE cases of 58 per cent from 2005 to 2006.

·        Poland registered an increase in TBE cases of 77 per cent from 2005 to 2006.  

·        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 chances of being bitten are greater as global warming increases the number of ticks in the countryside.

·        It is estimated that there are over 10,000 cases of TBE each year in endemic countries.

·        Measures which can reduce the risk of infection include: using an effective insect repellent, covering exposed areas of skin, regularly inspecting for and removing any ticks found and avoiding unpasteurised milk.

 (3/2/07)