Dr Meera Chand, Deputy Director at the UK Health Security Agency, said: “Our surveillance suggests tick borne encephalitis virus is very uncommon in the UK and the risk to the general population is very low.
“Ticks also carry various other infections, including Lyme disease, so take steps to reduce your chances of being bitten when outdoors in areas where ticks thrive, such as moorlands and woodlands, and remember to check for ticks and remove them promptly.”.
“Previously, TBEV was considered absent from the UK, although LIV is endemic in the UK, causing disease in sheep, cattle and other livestock and occasional human infections.
The symptoms of tick borne encephalitis (TBEV) are often similar to those of meningitis including a high fever, headache, stiff neck and reduced consciousness.
Recognising the potential risk for TBEV ingress into the UK, systematic surveillance was conducted in ticks and sentinel animals, such as deer.
