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In times of Covid-19 with many leisure activities in nature and little foreign tourism, the TBE vaccine is more important than ever in Austria. Last year there was a record 215 illnesses. This was explained by experts in an online press conference on Wednesday.
Covid and TBE vaccines don’t get in the way of each other
The figures, as explained by Rudolf Schmitzberger, Head of the Immunization Affairs Department of the Austrian Medical Association: “Early summer meningotic encephalitis is the most common virus-induced encephalitis in Europe. In 2020, the number of cases in Austria was altogether -Record time of 215 cases “. In 2019, 108 illnesses (hospitalizations) were reported, in 2018 154 cases of TBE were registered. Weather conditions and, in 2020, certainly also changes in leisure time behavior due to Covid-19, including increased holidays in Austria, have likely been the causes.
The focus of the “tick disease”, the prevention of which is carried out by an annual vaccination campaign for about 30 years, was Tyrol in 2020 with 51 cases. Then followed Upper Austria (50). “There were three people in whom the disease was fatal,” Schmitzberger said.
Relatively severe symptoms of the disease.
In the case of infection with the TBE pathogen after a tick bite, severe symptoms of the disease appear relatively frequently. Bettina Pfausler, neurologist at Innsbruck University Hospital: “30 percent of those infected have no symptoms. About two-thirds develop disease, half of them develop neurological symptoms. Half of them develop meningitis (meningitis; note). With headaches, high fever and nausea, among other things. In 40 percent, the disease progresses dramatically with encephalitis (inflammation of the brain; note). ” Involving the spinal cord and brainstem is particularly difficult, reminiscent of polio in terms of symptoms. A significant proportion of those affected suffer permanent damage.
Last year, 105 patients (49 percent) in Austria were diagnosed with a serious illness in which the central nervous system (CNS) was severely affected. 20 patients had a particularly severe form (an acute inflammation of the brain or spinal cord nerves). 90 percent of them were over 50 years old.
Only protection through vaccination
The only protection is and continues to be vaccination. Herwig Kollaritsch, Viennese travel and tropical medicine specialist: “The issue of ‘protection of the herd’ cannot be reached in TBE. Only those who are vaccinated have protection.” The effectiveness of the TBE vaccine is extremely high. The Expert: “We know that with proper vaccination, the frequency of ‘vaccination breakthroughs’ (disease despite immunization; note) is less than one percent.”
Therefore, immunization is urgently recommended, especially in times of Covid-19. “The two vaccines against TBE and against Covid-19 do not ‘get in the hair,'” said Kollaritsch, who at the age of twelve was ill with TBE. “I was in the hospital for four weeks, I had leg paralysis for weeks and migraines for decades,” said the expert. We recommend an interval of 14 days between the two vaccinations, but not for possible interactions, but only to be able to differentiate the vaccination reactions to one of the two vaccines in case of doubt.
Basic immunization with three partial vaccinations.
The basic vaccination consists of three partial vaccinations (two of them in the first year at intervals of one to three months, the third approximately one year after the second partial vaccination). For people over 60 years of age, a shorter refresh interval of three years applies, and below five years. So an additional dose of vaccine is sufficient in each case. This also applies to people who update beyond the recommended interval.
This year’s TBE vaccination campaign will run until August 31, as explained by Gerhard Kobinger from the Austrian Chamber of Pharmacists. Health insurance companies provide subsidies that are immediately deducted when the vaccine is purchased at the pharmacy. Vaccines for adults (FSME-Immun FSPR and ENCEPUR FSPR) cost 35.80 euros at the pharmacy (instead of 49.85 euros). Vaccines for children cost 31.30 euros (also reduced). The contribution paid by health insurance companies is deducted immediately after purchase.
(WHAT / red, Photo: WHAT / WHAT (dpa))
