Warning of diseases caused by tick bites

Number of dangerous diseases due to tick bites increases

01/04/2014

With the rising temperatures, the danger of tick bites increases. The Bavarian health minister Huml has now warned against dangerous diseases that are transmitted by tick bites.

Dangerous diseases caused by tick bites
Rising temperatures also increase the risk of dangerous diseases transmitted by tick bites. For example, the Robert Koch Institute has already documented five cases of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in January and February 2014. Usually such values ​​would only be reached in May. Bavaria's Health Minister Melanie Huml (CSU) said on Monday in Erlangen: „FSME is no trifle. Inflammation of the meninges, brain or spinal cord can be the result. Especially in elderly patients, the disease can be difficult.“ There were 175 TBE cases in the Free State last year. This was 85 more than in 2012.

Expert recommends vaccination
The President of the Bavarian Society for Immune, Tropical Medicine and Immunization, Nikolaus Frühwein, explained: „We recommend the TBE vaccine for every person in Bavaria who is in nature.“ However, vaccination could also be useful for people who go on holiday frequently in the TBE risk areas. These include 80 of Bavarian districts. But other areas of southern Germany are affected. Three vaccinations require the primary immunization against TBE. A refresher will then be due every three to five years, depending on your age.

TBE can take months
FSME is usually characterized by two phases. The first one begins after an incubation period of up to two weeks and is characterized by flu-like symptoms. This leads to headache and body aches, fever and tiredness. In addition, complaints in the digestive tract and nausea and loss of appetite may occur. Since it usually comes after the first phase to a symptom-free period of up to 20 days, many think the disease is over. However, the subsequent second phase lasts considerably longer (weeks to months) and, in addition to the new symptoms of the first phase, is additionally characterized by an attack of the neuronal system and the symptoms of meningitis and encephalitis. The mentioned flu-like symptoms as well as dizziness, sleeplessness and light-shyness are leading symptoms. It also causes joint pain and neck stiffness. Furthermore, the neuronal infestation shows speech disturbances, emotional disturbances, walking disturbances, paralysis of the cranial nerves and essential changes in the patient.

Ticks also transmit Lyme disease
A causal therapy of FSME does not exist so far. After the onset of the disease there is only the possibility of alleviating individual symptoms. In addition to FSME, ticks also transmit Lyme disease. Although there is no vaccine against this disease, it can be treated with antibiotics. The Bavarian Minister of Health commented: „The sooner this happens, the better.“ It is important to remove ticks as quickly as possible, ideally with a fine tweezers as possible without rotational movements or pinch of the body of the tick. In Bavaria, there were about 5,500 cases of Lyme disease last year. (Sb)

Picture credits: Tamara Hoffmann