Quarter of EU's tick-borne encephalitis cases from CzechRep

Prague, Feb 7 (CTK) - The tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) incidence in the Czech Republic has long been the highest in the European Union and Czech TBE patients have made up a quarter of all EU cases in the past 40 years, Rastislav Madar, member of the European TBE working group, told reporters Thursday.

The Czech Republic is the original endemic country from which the disease has spread.

A high TBE incidence has also been reported in the Baltic countries, Germany, Hungary, Russia, Slovenia and Sweden.

"Last year, the European Commission declared tick-borne encephalitis a serious disease and added it to the list of diseases that must be reported within the EU," Madar, chairman of the Coalition in Support of Vaccination, said.

In 2012, 573 new TBE cases were registered in the Czech Republic, which was the highest figure in the EU. In 2011, even 861 cases were diagnosed.

"Owing to the current humid weather and not very low temperatures below zero, we can anticipate a rise in the (TBE) cases. Besides, it is typical for this disease that a decline in one year and a rise in the next one alternate," Madar warned.

Ticks more and more often appear close to residential areas, for instance, in gardens and municipal parks. They are active from March to November.

Sufficient clothes, such as boots, long sleeves and caps, along with an insect repellent are recommended as TBE prevention.

"However, the only certain prevention is vaccination. The vaccine is highly efficient if administered to people of all age groups, including the elderly," Madar pointed out.

The EC and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have recommended the vaccination for all inhabitants, including children, in the localities with more than over five TBE cases per 100,000 inhabitants a year, which applies to the Czech Republic.

However, only 20 percent of Czechs have been vaccinated. It does not suffice to decrease the TBE incidence, Madar said.

In Europe the highest share of people (88 percent) have been vaccinated in the neighbouring Austria, which prevented over 4000 TBE cases and more than 30 deaths in the past ten years, Madar said.

TBE is a serious disease afflicting the neurological system. Its first symptoms are similar to common influenza, but later infected patients suffer from neurological problems accompanied by fatigue and weariness.