Cycling UK Forum

Has anybody bothered with this for longer tours in Europe. Some (reputable) travel sites (e.g. Scottish NHS) recommend this vaccination for those higher risk e.g. outdoor activities (like camping?), rural areas, etc. in countries including France, Germany, Belgium, etc. so extended tour sounds possibly included.

But looking at number of infections per population e.g. in France or Germany) it's low. I'm not somebody collecting every vaccination going but at the same time I wont avoid preventing preventable diseases. As it's a private vaccination (travel clinics your pay) asking them will likely say to have it if their current guidance lists it.

Only reason I thought about it is I'm due a couple of boosters to take previous courses to much longer validity and web site listed it and made me wonder.

I do check for ticks but after a long day, camp setup walked into town for a meal got back, tired, travelling alone probably not 100% ...

Has anybody doing longer camping tours in EU bothered with this vaccination?

Ian

It's a nasty disease.
I've never had it but I picked up a tick in South Africa wearing short socks walking in grass - fortunately it was removed without any ill effects.
My mother had tick fever and was seriously ill.

If I'm in an area where there are animals I'm very circumspect about walking in long grass.
I'd be careful in most areas - there are plenty of areas in Europe where it is possible to pick up a tick.
I'd suggest that an official camp site is unlikely to harbour ticks as the grass is kept short and there aren't many grazing animals.

ANTONISH wrote: ↑18 Feb 2022, 9:01amI'd be careful in most areas - there are plenty of areas in Europe where it is possible to pick up a tick.

Wise words. Everyone should know about the risk, about reducing it, and about removing all types of tick. (Cue discussion of favourite tools and techniques... )

Decisions about vaccination for a particular location boil down to whom do you trust. NHS Advice suggests TravelHealthPro:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/tick-borne-encephalitis/
https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/countries

Jonathan

PS: See also Lyme disease:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease/

NHS Advice: "Removing a tick":
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/insect-bi ... treatment/

Jonathan

I had a tick lodged on the back of my knee for roughly a year. It only irritated at first (I thought it was just a bite) but, as its a very difficult place to see, and the irritation died away quickly I soon forgot about it. When it was eventually removed it was quite a monster! No ill effects though

ANTONISH wrote: ↑18 Feb 2022, 9:01am It's a nasty disease.
I've never had it but I picked up a tick in South Africa wearing short socks walking in grass - fortunately it was removed without any ill effects.
My mother had tick fever and was seriously ill.

If I'm in an area where there are animals I'm very circumspect about walking in long grass.
I'd be careful in most areas - there are plenty of areas in Europe where it is possible to pick up a tick.
I'd suggest that an official camp site is unlikely to harbour ticks as the grass is kept short and there aren't many grazing animals.

E.g. our garden. Our dogs used to pick a few up every year. We've been living in this house for >30 years but neither of us has ever had one.

If you're worried you could always buy a tick collar.

Audax67 wrote: ↑18 Feb 2022, 2:14pm

ANTONISH wrote: ↑18 Feb 2022, 9:01am It's a nasty disease.
I've never had it but I picked up a tick in South Africa wearing short socks walking in grass - fortunately it was removed without any ill effects.
My mother had tick fever and was seriously ill.

If I'm in an area where there are animals I'm very circumspect about walking in long grass.
I'd be careful in most areas - there are plenty of areas in Europe where it is possible to pick up a tick.
I'd suggest that an official camp site is unlikely to harbour ticks as the grass is kept short and there aren't many grazing animals.

E.g. our garden. Our dogs used to pick a few up every year. We've been living in this house for >30 years but neither of us has ever had one.

If you're worried you could always buy a tick collar.

I seem to pick them up but not as many as the dogs. Got used to checking, dogs checked daily spring & autumn when I used to live in France because of piroplasmose (normally fatal and will kill within a few days). They don't bother me too much as I just remove them and all done. I understand it takes 24 hrs from attaching before you'll catch anything (or at least risk is a lot lower for the 1st 24 hrs) - my understanding but I claim no expertise and open to be corrected on this).

But TBE is not Lyme disease so unsure of risks or need for vaccination.

Ian

TBE is predominantly a risk in forested landscapes. It originated in Siberian forests, where it's endemic, and used to make them uninhabitable except by indigenous communities, who were largely immune. For several decades it's gradually been spreading westwards through the forest belts of eastern and central Europe. It's now reached southern Scandinavia and parts of France, Switzerland etc. Always in forested zones.
So it's only if you're likely to be spending time in that sort of environment that you need to be seriously worried about TBE. And it is serious. If Lyme is nasty, TBE is nastier.

Thanks everybody for the responses.

Got 2nd dose today (now 5-12 months before booster).

Bit of a hunt round to find somewhere that could get vaccine. But finding vaccines seems to have become harder these days, last autumn JE was difficult to find, then cholera was a really hard search (eventually found some in a pharmacy that used to do travel vaccinations but stopped and they happened to have some doses left in stock). More recently the medical place who managed to get the JE previously now can't get Tick Borne Encephalitis but managed to find somewhere else that had some (but apparently now "it's a problem").

Anyway, thanks and done (mostly).

Ian

Slowtwitch wrote: ↑18 Feb 2022, 9:19am I had a tick lodged on the back of my knee for roughly a year. It only irritated at first (I thought it was just a bite) but, as its a very difficult place to see, and the irritation died away quickly I soon forgot about it. When it was eventually removed it was quite a monster! No ill effects though

A year ?
I thought they were fully engorged after about a week and fell / jumped off / abandoned ship. sort of thing

I always remember talking to a woman who had been in Africa, and she spoke of Ticks the size of slippers - how big did yours get to?

I had one on me earlier this year, possibly it got on board when I was in Durham, possibly from a side salad?


little fellow is asleep in the fridge at the moment, thought I would keep him a while in case I developed a funny round rash.