- Last year was a peak year when we had 19 cases.
That is a doubling of what we usually have.
Year after year, TBE appears in new places in Skåne and we have several areas where there is a higher risk of becoming infected, says Mattias Waldeck, assistant infection control doctor in Region Skåne, in a press release.
Especially in north-eastern Skåne, the risk of infection for TBE is high, but several cases around Sandhammaren, Höör and Järavallen have also been discovered.
TBE is spread via ticks and is transmitted via tick bites.
- Therefore, anyone who is out in the wild or lives in areas with a higher risk of infection is recommended to get vaccinated, says Mattias Waldeck.
May cause long-term problems
Most people who are infected with TBE get fairly mild symptoms and recover after a couple of days with fever and muscle aches.
But up to a third of those infected get their fever back after a week.
The virus has then spread to the brain or meninges where it causes an inflammation.
- Since some only get mild symptoms, it is far from everyone who seeks medical care when they are infected.
Therefore, it is difficult to get a complete picture of where TBE is and how many have been infected.
In cases where you get an inflammation in the brain or meninges, the risk is significant that you get long-lasting symptoms or even permanent damage, says assistant infection control doctor Mattias Waldeck.
A TBE infection can heal on its own and the health service can mainly provide treatment that relieves the symptoms.
At present, there are no drugs that cure the disease itself.