Vacation time in Münsterland: Protect yourself from TBE!

Vacation time in Münsterland: Protect yourself from TBE!

With the start of the holiday season and the welcoming sunny weather, health care is more relevant than ever. The Coesfeld district health department urges people to check vaccination protection, especially with regard to tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). In Germany in particular, there is an increased risk of TBE, which is particularly noticeable in designated risk areas. How kreis-coesfeld.de reported, the frequency of TBE cases is increased from March to October, with the peak occurring in the months of July and September.

Isolated cases of TBE have already been documented in Münsterland. In addition, the spread of the TBE virus has expanded to higher altitudes and northern regions, such as the Netherlands and Great Britain. Inspecting your own vaccination protection is therefore highly recommended.

Proven protective measures

To prevent the risk of TBE, vaccination is the most effective method, especially when traveling to risk areas such as southern Germany, parts of Austria, Switzerland and Central and Eastern Europe. The RKI points out that three vaccinations are usually required for basic immunization. To ensure rapid protection, rapid immunization can take place within two weeks.

Additionally, experts recommend wearing long clothing and using repellents to protect yourself from tick bites during outdoor activities, but these measures only provide limited protection.

Symptoms and risks of an illness

The symptoms of a TBE infection can initially be asymptomatic or appear with non-specific signs such as muscle and limb pain, fatigue, headache and fever. These signs usually appear 7 to 14 days after a tick bite. The infection can lead to severe inflammation of the nervous system, which can be fatal in 1% of cases. The RKI emphasizes that the risk of a severe course increases with increasing age and high blood pressure.

Particularly worrying is the neurological sequelae, which can occur in 30 to 40 percent of cases in adults, while in children they only account for around 2 percent. In general, illnesses in children are milder than in adults; Severe outcomes are expected in two out of ten children affected.

Vaccination recommendations and advice offers

Vaccination against TBE is available for children aged one year and older, and the indication for vaccination should always be based on the risk of exposure. Fever can occur after vaccination, especially in young children - around 15% of one to two year old children are affected, compared to 5% of three to eleven year olds.

General practitioners, internists and other specialists are the right contacts for comprehensive health advice. There, those wishing to be vaccinated receive information about vaccination protection as well as the available vaccination options.