Many people get vaccinated before going on holiday

At the vaccination clinic we give advice about your trip. For example, does it make sense to get vaccinated before a holiday? That can depend on many things. For example, the duration of the trip, or the area you are going to. Most importantly, however, is your own health. For example, do you use medication, are you a bit older or do you have an allergy? These are all things that can affect your trip.

Advice is often requested for distant holiday destinations. Are you going on holiday closer to home? Then it is also wise to obtain the correct information. Infections against which you can protect yourself, such as tick-borne encephalitis, also occur in Europe.

Tick-borne encephalitis

Tick-borne encephalitis is also known as frühsommer meningoenzephalitis (FSME) in German and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in English. There are three subtypes of the virus: the European, Siberian and Far Eastern subtype. The virus that can cause tick-borne encephalitis is usually transmitted through an infected tick, but can also be transmitted by drinking unpasteurized milk.

Most people do not develop any symptoms (asymptomatic infections) after being bitten by an infected tick. In people who develop symptoms, the disease progresses from mild to severe, depending partly on the subtype with which you are infected. In the traveler advice we make a distinction between the European area (with the European subtype) and the Asian area (with the Siberian and Far Eastern subtypes).

What can you do about a tick bite?

Check yourself and your travel companions after a walk through nature. Ticks are not always clearly visible. This is because they are often as small as a pinhead and like moist warm spots, such as the fold of the skin. Would you rather prevent a tick bite? Then it can help to rub yourself with an anti-mosquito agent that contains deet.

By: National Care Guide

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