Tick-borne Encephalitis: A New Pandemic in Europe?
European scientists, observing one of the most dangerous tick diseases: tick-borne encephalitis, said that the spread of the disease can lead to a pandemic in the future. According to them, ticks are conquering new territories. Tick-borne encephalitis cases were found in just 300 km from the center of the Arctic Circle and even in 1800 meters altitude, where grazing animals have been considered as sources of organic products.
There is no cure for the disease and its' after-effects for one third of patients are very painful.
The disease attacks the brain
Tick-borne encephalitis is a viral origin of disease caused by tick-borne encephalitis virus, which is transmitted to humans by ticks. It can be also transmitted through unprocessed cow and goat milk.
Human, infected with tick-borne encephalitis virus mostly gets ill after 1-2 weeks after the bite of infected tick. The shortest period after infection before the onset of the disease may be two days, the longest - 30 days. The disease usually begins with flu-like symptoms - rise in body temperature, pain in joints and muscles, head, weakness. Within a few days, these events resolve spontaneously but the nervous system is damaged.
Approximately one-third of infected individuals after 3-7 days from the recovery suffer temperature rise again. This means that the virus reached the brain. Then various neurological symptoms occurs - headache, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, orientation, language disorder, may develop paralysis, seizures, impaired consciousness.
Therefore, tick-borne encephalitis is called nervous system disease.
Tick-borne encephalitis is found in 27 European countries. The highest number of registered cases of the disease in Europe and Russia was in 1996 (12 733 cases), minimum - 2007 (5 462 cases). Every year an average of 13 thousand cases in central Europe and Russia is recorded. From 35 to 58 percent of patients suffer long-term neurological disorders - language and memory disorders, concentration problems, paralysis. Up to 2 percent of adult patients die.
Ticks are nearing the Arctic Circle
Ticks expansion of residential areas is associated with climate warming. For example, in Germany, during the period of 10 years, the rate of tick-borne encephalitis cases increased from 63 to 136. Tick-borne encephalitis "fireplaces" are expanding to the north. They are found in New Zealand and even 300 km from the Arctic Circle.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tick-borne_encephalitis
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/Spb/mnpages/dispages/TBE.htm
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/mor_tic_bor_vir_enc-mortality-tick-borne-viral-encephalitis
Published by John Rivers
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