Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a viral infection spread by tick bites. Ticks infected with the virus are found in parts of Europe including the UK and Asia. In England, the risk of getting it is very low however infected ticks have been identified in Thetford Forest, Hampshire/Dorset border, New Forest, and New Yorkshire Moors. Currently the UK health authorities do not have recommendations for vaccination of the local population.

As ecologists, we are generally aware of the risks of Weil’s disease, rabies and Lyme disease, but there’s rising concern that tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) could become a problem.

Map Source: Centers for Disease Prevention and Control

Most people infected with tick-borne encephalitis do not feel sick. When symptoms occur, they may include fever, aches, loss of appetite, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Some people develop swelling of the brain and/or spinal cord, confusion, and sensory disturbances. Tick-borne encephalitis can sometimes cause death.

The NHS website has a list of steps to take if you think you’ve been bitten by a tick: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/tick-borne-encephalitis/

At Ecology by Design we often work on the Hampshire/Dorset Border and New Forest, therefore we ensure our relevant team members are vaccinated to reduce the risk. We also let our subcontractors know the risks so they can make informed decisions about fieldwork in the area. It has been costing us £65 per vaccine and three doses are needed to achieve full protection (two a month apart and the third within a year). In our experience, travel clinics which issue the vaccine generally do not allow the vaccine to be given to those who are not going on holiday to one of the high risk zones, so a lot of our team will conveniently be ‘camping in Czechia’ in the coming months…

Aside from the vaccine, we also ensure all team members are provided with Smidge! which we find to be highly effective at reducing risk of ticks.

We wear long-leg and long-sleeve clothing in high tick risk areas, tuck everything in and tape our ankles. Using tape stuck in reverse is an effective way of reducing the number which make their way up your trousers too!

With climate change we may well see that it becomes more prevalent in the UK and something which, as an industry, we routinely need to consider as part of a standard risk assessment.

Better safe than sorry in our opinion!