Tick-Borne Encephalitis (TBE): Erratic Epidemiology-Persistent Threat

VIENNA, Austria, January 28 - While risk areas keep changing and case numbers fluctuate, the danger of
tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) persists. However, highly effective and well
tolerated vaccines are available, offering 99% protection against TBE,
experts of the International Scientific Working Group on Tick-Borne
Encephalitis (ISW-TBE) say.

The ISW-TBE is holding its 12th Annual Meeting in Vienna,
Austria, from 28-29 January 2010. In recent years, risk areas of TBE have
expanded northward and to higher altitudes - a development thought to be due
to climate change. At the same time, TBE incidence has fluctuated
considerably: Europe and Russia reported 12,733 TBE cases in 1996-the highest
annual number between 1990-2007. Although case numbers dropped to 5,462 in
2007, some countries continued to witness an upward trend, such as Sweden,
reporting the highest incidence in Swedish history in 2008. TBE continues to
pose a significant threat. The lack of antiviral treatment and the grave
health consequences of TBE - 35%-58% of adult patients suffer long-term
neurological sequelae - underscore the importance of prevention, the most
effective preventive measure being vaccination: Research indicates that the
effectiveness of TBE vaccination is in the order of 99%. The ISW-TBE has been
recommending that everyone living in or traveling to TBE-endemic regions be
vaccinated. Failure to do so may have a price: Dr Vera Weld contracted TBE in
1995. Unvaccinated, her illness took a particularly severe course, taking her
some 3.5 years to recover. Thanks to Austria's high TBE vaccination rate,
such tragic incidents have declined from around 700 in the prevaccination era
to below 100 cases annually. In view of safe and effective vaccines being
available, every single case of TBE is one too many.

www.ISW-TBE.info, www.TBE-prevention.info, and
www.tick-victims.info.

Michael Leitner, Public Health PR-Projektgesellschaft mbH
Tel:+43(0)1-6020530-0, Email: michael.leitner@publichealth.at

Michael Leitner, Public Health PR-Projektgesellschaft mbH Tel:+43(0)1-6020530-0, Email: michael.leitner at publichealth.at