Symptoms of tick-borne encephalitis in an adult
Tick-borne encephalitis (TE) is a viral infection characterized by a predominant damage to the central nervous system. Infection with tick-borne encephalitis occurs through a tick bite. The carriers of the virus are ixodid ticks, which are infected by carriers - wild and domestic animals. There are three different subtypes of the virus: European, Siberian and Far Eastern. People are mostly infected in spring and summer, so doctors also define the disease as "spring-summer encephalitis".
Tick-borne encephalitis: ways of infection, symptoms of the disease
The virus is present in the saliva of an infected tick and enters the blood of a person when bitten. Since the saliva of the parasite contains natural anesthetic substances, the moment of the bite remains unnoticed. Sometimes infection occurs after consuming raw goat's milk.
Blood analysis allows you to find out whether there are specific antibodies (IgG and IgM) to the virus in a person's blood. The presence or absence of antibodies is considered in conjunction with the clinical manifestations of the disease. Immunoanalysis allows diagnosing the disease at an early stage.
The incubation period of tick-borne encephalitis ranges from 2 to 30 or more days. Its duration depends on the number of pathogens and their activity. Symptoms of tick-borne encephalitis in an adult usually appear 1-2 weeks after the bite. The disease can take place in different clinical forms - from asymptomatic to severe forms with paralysis.
Depending on the symptoms, the following forms of encephalitis are distinguished:
- febrile;
- meningeal;
- meningoencephalitis;
- polioencephalomyelitis;
- polioncephalitic;
- polio.
The clinical picture of the European type of tick-borne encephalitis is characterized by two phases of the disease. The first wave lasts about five days and is accompanied by symptoms that are observed with the flu: fever, muscle pain, headache. Then comes a remission that lasts a week, and the disease moves into the second phase, which is characterized by damage to the central nervous system (meningitis, encephalitis).
Signs of tick-borne encephalitis:
- rigidity (increased tone) of the neck muscles;
- headache;
- drowsiness;
- poor coordination;
- tremor (shaking) of limbs.
The consequences of a tick bite can be very serious. Most patients recover completely, 6% remain disabled for life, 2% die.
Who needs to be vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis
Unfortunately, there are no drugs for etiotropic (specific) therapy of tick-borne encephalitis. For treatment, the use of immunoglobulin against tick-borne encephalitis is recommended. However, this method of therapy is debatable, since there is no evidence base for the effectiveness of the drug in the treatment of patients with tick-borne encephalitis. Immunoglobulin is sometimes used for prevention: it is administered before possible contact with the KE virus in an endemic area.
Vaccination against the tick-borne encephalitis virus is still the only reliable way to protect against infection. An inactivated vaccine does not contain live organisms. Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis is recommended for people who live in an area with high endemicity according to KE, as well as for tourists who go to such regions. Vaccination efficiency is 95%.
Vaccination is carried out according to two schemes:
- standard. After the introduction of the first dose, the vaccination is repeated after 1-3 or 1-7 months (depending on the selected vaccine);
- emergency. Two doses are administered with an interval of 14 days. Immunity is produced after 21 days.
In both cases, vaccination is repeated after 1 year. Revaccination is carried out after 3 years.
The vaccine against tick-borne encephalitis for children is recommended to be given to babies under 1 year only in case of a real threat of infection. FSME-Imun Junior vaccine is approved for use in children from 6 months to 16 years. Vaccination with the drug "Entsepur Children's" is carried out for patients aged 1 to 11 years. For children from the age of 12, a vaccine intended for immunization of adults is used.
Prevention of tick-borne encephalitis in humans
A reliable method of specific prevention of tick-borne encephalitis is immunization with vaccines certified in Ukraine. Read more about vaccines against tick-borne encephalitis on our website Dobrobut.com.
Prevention of tick-borne encephalitis in humans is to be careful when outdoors. Before going to the forest, it is recommended to use a repellent that is effective against ticks. You should choose the right equipment. Standard "anti-tick uniform" - trousers, high boots, headdress, long-sleeved shirt. Every 1.5-2 hours, it is necessary to check the skin and clothes for the presence of ticks. Parasites usually live in the undergrowth and can easily get on clothes, so you shouldn't walk on grass or wade through bushes - it's better to use wide paths. A tick can also attach to a dog, so after a walk, the animal is carefully examined. In regions endemic for tick-borne encephalitis, unpasteurized dairy products should not be consumed.
If you find a tick that has stuck to itself, you must immediately pull it out. The earlier the parasite is removed, the lower the risk of infection. The tick is pulled out by grasping the abdomen with tweezers and twisting it counterclockwise. The procedure is carried out carefully so as not to crush the tick. Then the wound is treated with alcohol or a solution of diamond green.
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