Tick-borne meningoencephalitis or Tick-borne encephalitis is a tick-borne viral infection of the central nervous system affecting humans as well as most other mammals.
The virus can infect the brain (encephalitis), the membrane that surrounds the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) or both (meningoencephalitis).
It is transmitted by the bite of infected deer ticks or (rarely) through the non-pasteurized milk of infected cows.
Sexual transmission has been documented in mice with vertical transmission to progeny. Sexual transmission with humans has never been documented.
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Although the TBE virus cannot be eradicated from the body, it can be inactivated.[citation needed] It can also be activated.[citation needed]
Unfortunately, certain antibiotics activate the TBE virus while others have no effect.
This is important because the TBE virus may be a coinfection with a Borrelia burgdorferi infection, Lyme disease, which is treated with antibiotics.[citation needed]
Russian scientists studied this matter for years and their findings were as follows: gentamicin exerts no activating effect while streptomycin and ten other antibiotics activate the virus.[citation needed]
They also found that the TBE virus is almost completely inactivated in mice by certain herbs: ledum, motherwort and blackcurrant.[citation needed]
Posts: 7772 | From Northeast, again... | Registered: Oct 2006
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disturbedme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
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posted
Erm, I've never heard of this.
Lyme disease is bacterial... Sooo.... I'm not sure. Interested to see what others say.
-------------------- One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar. ~ Helen Keller
My Lyme Story Posts: 2965 | From Land of Confusion (bitten in KS, moved to PA, now living in MD) | Registered: Jun 2007
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Brussels
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13480
posted
In europe, TBE is very dangerous and many places got it. The number of cases has increased a lot in the last years here in Switzerland.
In Austria, vaccination is compulsory.
Very dangerous virus, transmitted by ticks. Most people who get infected don't get out without permanent neurological damage (headaches, even permanent paralisy, few cases of death too).
Selma
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
CDC Health Information for International Travel 2008
Tickborne Encephalitis
Excerpts:
Occurrence
. . . . A crude map of TBE risk areas in Europe and a table of reported TBE cases in European countries in 2005 is available from The International Scientific Working Group on Tick-Borne Encephalitis (ISW-TBE) at http://www.isw-tbe.info (select ``News''). [and that site also says: "So far no causal treatment is known"]
. . .
VACCINE
No TBE vaccines are licensed or available in the United States . . . Because the primary vaccination series requires at least 9 months for completion, most travelers to TBE-endemic areas will find tick-bite prevention to be more practical than vaccination. . . .
An accelerated vaccination schedule (doses on days 0, 7, and 21 followed by a booster dose 12-18 months later) produces seroconversion rates that are virtually identical to those observed with the standard vaccination schedule (1).
. . .
Treatment
Because no TBEV-specific drugs are available, treatment of TBE is supportive (16).
=======================================
I think they've settled too soon on no treatment.
IV Allicin might help as it is anti-viral and antibacterial. It's been used in many countries for various infections of the brain.
I wonder if anyone has tried Allicin IVs for this. I'd sure want it in my back pocket (so to speak) if needed. Better than doing nothing. Even allicin capsules can cross the blood brain barrier - maybe not enough, but I hate to see anyone, anywhere, get NO treatment.
sparkle7
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10397
posted
This really makes me angry... The "official" website has a very small map so you can't really tell where this is happening - despite of all the fancy graphics for posters, brochures, photos of people getting "the jab", etc. (I know about this stuff - I do graphic design).
I'm a visual person - I like to see it on a map, not read about it.
Why is this such a secret? I've never heard of it?
This is very serious. How is it different from Lyme? Sounds almost the same...
TBEV is endemic in temperate regions of Europe and Asia, from approximately 6 to 143 degrees of longitude (eastern France to northern Japan), from 40 to 65 degrees of latitude (northern Russia to Albania), and up to about 1,400 m in altitude.
It exists in highly discontinuous, woodland foci that harbor the tick vectors and small mammalian hosts (especially rodents).
Countries considered to have the highest incidences include Austria, Belarus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, and Ukraine.
Countries considered to have lower incidences include Albania, Bosnia, China, Denmark (Bornholm Island only), France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Moldavia, Mongolia, Norway, Romania, and Serbia.
Countries from which no TBE cases have ever been reported include Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
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It all sounds too familiar. I don't see how anyone could not think that this is bio-warfare.
Many have been saying that the people in high places want to reduce the population. I don't "like" to think that it's true but what else can you think about all of this?
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sparkle7
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10397
posted
Just shocking... I just don't know what to say about this.
Risk for Human Tick-Borne Encephalitis, Borrelioses, and Double Infection in the Pre-Ural Region of Russia
These data suggest that double infection by TBE virus and Borrelia may result from transmission of both pathogens from double-infected ticks to humans (2).
Such ticks are present in natural foci, and the occurrence of TBE virus and Borrelia is independent in ticks rather than mutually exclusive.
The prevalence of Borrelia in unfed I. persulcatus ticks with and without TBE virus is virtually identical, and the same is true for TBE virus prevalence in ticks with and without Borrelia infection.
Concentrations of virus and Borrelia in double-infected ticks are not correlated. In the natural mixed foci of TBE and ITBB, interannual changes in the prevalence of virus and spirochetes in ticks are virtually parallel.
The coexistence of these microorganisms in their principal vectors, which promotes simultaneous infection in humans bitten by ticks, is apparently an important precondition for the relative autonomy of conjugate parasitic systems formed by TBE virus and Borrelia (3).
However, prevalence of both pathogens in ticks collected from vegetation has not previously been compared with their prevalence in ticks removed from humans.
ALSO...
Our data do not support the concept that, in double-infected ticks, Borrelia circulation restricts TBE virus circulation; at the same time, the presence of virus in ticks may even promote Borrelia transmission (15,17,18).
In fact, in double-infected I. persulcatus ticks, Borrelia and TBE virus do not interfere with one another.
Posts: 7772 | From Northeast, again... | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
Can't find any record of actual Tick-Borne Encephalitis in the U.S.
But there are other less severe viruses in the same family I think that are in the U.S. -- don't think any of the labs test for these though as they are considered "rare."
Found a free journal article describing 4 cases of Powassan encephalitis -- many of the symptoms will sound familiar to neuroborreliosis patients. Apparently these cases were diagnosed by the CDC because the patients tested negative for West Nile Virus and they had to go looking for something else.
In addition to Powassan Encephalitis there is also Saint Louis Encephalitis, LaCrosse Encephalitis and Eastern and Western Equine Encephalitis (last two are spread by mosquitoes instead of ticks but are in the same class of viruses as the others) all of which are in the U.S. and Canada for some or all of these as well.
Another link on Powassan Encephalitis -- this loads kind of slow so be patient.
[ 13. June 2008, 03:48 PM: Message edited by: seibertneurolyme ]
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sparkle7
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10397
posted
Well, if this is affecting Eastern Europe & Russia then eventually it will spread. Since the Bb that we have here is found in ticks in Europe, eventually these will both spread & co-infect ticks everywhere.
Just my conclusion to the issue... not a scientific established fact.
Having Lyme is bad enough - can you imagine being bitten by a tick with both?????
Very scary...
Posts: 7772 | From Northeast, again... | Registered: Oct 2006
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Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Sciences, Akademiska Sjukhuset, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. [email protected]
Tick-borne encephalopathies constitute a broad range of infectious diseases affecting the brain and other parts of the CNS. The causative agents are both viral and bacterial.
This review focuses on the current most important tick-borne human diseases: tick-borne encephalitis (TBE; including Powassan encephalitis) and Lyme borreliosis.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) and Colorado tick fever (CTF), less common tick-borne diseases associated with encephalopathy, are also discussed.
TBE is the most important flaviviral infection of the CNS in Europe and Russia, with 10 000-12 000 people diagnosed annually. The lethality of TBE in Europe is 0.5% and a post-encephalitic syndrome is seen in over 40% of affected patients, often producing a pronounced impairment in quality of life.
There is no specific treatment for TBE. Two vaccines are available to prevent infection. Although these have a good protection rate and good efficacy, there are few data on long-term immunity.
Lyme borreliosis is the most prevalent tick-borne disease in Europe and North America, with >50 000 cases annually.
Localised early disease can be treated with oral phenoxymethylpenicillin (penicillin V), doxycycline or amoxicillin. The later manifestations of meningitis, arthritis or acrodermatitis can be treated with oral doxycycline, oral amoxicillin or intravenous ceftriaxone; intravenous benzylpenicillin (penicillin G) or cefotaxime can be used as alternatives.
The current use of vaccines against Lyme borreliosis in North America is under discussion, as the LYMErix vaccine has been withdrawn from the market because of possible adverse effects, for example, arthritis.
RMSF and CTF appear only in North America. RMSF is an important rickettsial disease and is effectively treated with doxycycline. There is no treatment or preventative measure available for CTF.
Publication Types: Review
PMID: 16332143 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
Did some more reading. Looks like all of these different encephalitis viruses have been detected in migratory birds. Don't think anyone really knows if both mosquitoes and ticks can transmit all these different viruses.
We need more research.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
1: Clin Microbiol Rev. 2000 Jan;13(1):67-82, table of contents.Related Articles, Links Perspectives for the treatment of infections with Flaviviridae.
Leyssen P, De Clercq E, Neyts J.
Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
The family Flaviviridae contains three genera: Hepacivirus,
Flavivirus,
and Pestivirus.
Worldwide, more than 170 million people are chronically infected with Hepatitis C virus and are at risk of developing cirrhosis and/or liver cancer.
In addition, infections with arthropod-borne flaviviruses (such as dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, tick-borne encephalitis, St. Louis encephalitis, Murray Valley encephalitis, West Nile, and yellow fever viruses) are emerging throughout the world.
The pestiviruses have a serious impact on livestock.
Unfortunately, no specific antiviral therapy is available for the treatment or the prevention of infections with members of the Flaviviridae.
Ongoing research has identified possible targets for inhibition, including binding of the virus to the cell, uptake of the virus into the cell, the internal ribosome entry site of hepaciviruses and pestiviruses, the capping mechanism of flaviviruses, the viral proteases, the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and the viral helicase.
In light of recent developments, the prevalence of infections caused by these viruses, the disease spectrum, and the impact of infections, different strategies that could be pursued to specifically inhibit viral targets and animal models that are available to study the pathogenesis and antiviral strategies are reviewed.
Publication Types: Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Review
PMID: 10627492 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] PMCID: PMC88934
Last post for me on this topic, but I find it very interesting as hubby has tested positive for Borna virus 3 times. The lab that did the tests is no longer in business and can't find another lab that offers the test.
I think Borna virus is in the Flavivirus group. Hubby takes Amantadine, but maybe I need to discuss Ribavirin with his LLMD. Tried it briefly once, but it was very expensive so didn't continue.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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sparkle7
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10397
posted
The Pub Med article you posted recommends abx... well, good luck with that. You can see by how many people actually get better for life from abx with Lyme - especially, long-term untreated Lyme.
If there is a viral from of a Lyme-type disease... we're really screwed. AND if both exist concurrently... I don't know what to say.
Long term effects of TBE are ALS... That's what Stephen Hawking has. You know, the physisist in the wheelchair.
Is this what we are all headed towards?
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Brussels
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13480
posted
Keebler, allicin can help, but it's not enough. Believe me. This virus is strong.
My daughter caught it. She was on freeze garlic, and on MANY other things, many many times a day (about 10 times a day, in low amounts). She used microcurrent too.
At least, I believed she caught it, as energetic tests showed it clearly, she was testing frequently for TBE nosodes for a long period of time, got head and vertebral column symptoms etc. It lasted about a month.
She was on Vit A, and loads of other antiviral things that were testing energetically, plus help of homeopathics to support cleansing.
the infection goes through 2 phases, and most people get permanent neurological damage after it's gone.
Once infected, you get immunity, I suppose, at least for the strain that bit you, but I can't be sure about new mutations or whatever.
Antivirals that tested were:
cilantro tincture, propolis, royal jelly, bee polen, st. Johns wort, teasel (it's not known as anti viral but tested very good for her infection), Vit A, freeze garlic, loads of chlorella (it's also antiviral), fish oil (also antiviral), andrographis, bear garlic tincture, echinacea, gervao (rain tree), astragalus, Japanese knotweed, eleutherococcus tincture (immune booster), rizols, in the last phase homeopathic Ledum was testing too. TBE nosodes tested on and off, but were very constant.
Everything got blocked in her body, accupucnture meridians and many accupuncture points around the vertebral column and head (back specially) were in trouble and needed massage / laser / tapping.
Most foods started testing bad and I found that a diet that favours the brain were good (like oily foods, good oils, high protein, avoidance of all sugar, artificial products etc).
Just posting in case anyone catches it. There's no standard treatment, the ducks tell only to wait and see, if the neck gets hard to get to the hospital (but they give you no antiviral treatment there either, if I understood well).
Selma
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Some mechanisms of inducing resistance to experimental infection with tick-borne encephalitis virus were studied in experimental mice treated with aqueous extracts of berries of Vaccinium vitis-idaea (cowberry), black currant, Vaccinium myrtillus (bilberry), and of greater celandine grass.
The condition of the immune system organs (spleen and thymus) after treatment with the extracts under study was analysed.
A correlation was found between the degree of developing resistance to infection, virus accumulation in the brain, blood, spleen and thymus and changes in some parameters (spleen and thymus indices) of these immunocompetent organs.
Possible mechanisms of induction of resistance to virus by herb extracts are discussed.
Publication Types: Comparative Study English Abstract
PMID: 8236942 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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[Experimental phytotherapy of tick-borne encephalitis]
[Article in Russian]
Fokina GI, Frolova TV, Roĭkhel' VM, Pogodina VV.
The virucidal effect of aqueous extracts of a number of plants was studied in tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus titration in SPEV cell culture in microplates, as well as their capacity to induce resistance in virus-infected mice.
The aqueous extracts of ledum, motherwort, celandine, black currant, cowberry and bilberry inactivated TBE virus practically completely,
and those of St. John's wort, pot marigold (calendula), tansy, chamomile, milfoil (yarrow), and inula (elecampane) only partially.
Studied in vivo, the extracts of motherwort, ledum, tansy and black currant induced resistance of mice to TBE virus infection assessed by the increased survival rate of the animals and significant prolongation of the average longevity.
The degree of antiviral activity depended on the preparations used and the routes of their administration.
Publication Types: English Abstract
PMID: 1858353 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
just bumping this up because of the other thread...( http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=074282 ) I grew up in Austria, and we knew about the encephalitis from ticks way back then in the late 60's-early 70's. Borrelia was not known yet back then, by the way. My mother is positive for borrelia by ordinary blood test but not sick.
I live in Norway now, where only neurolyme by borrelia burdorferi is being recognized, and only when there is a positive test in the spinal fluid......but there is at least one forum here and there is one scientist here and one lab in a public hospital that does the WB for Borrelia. Never heard of the encephalitis by the TBE virus here, the one I already knew about way back in the 70's.... I rember Swedish Lyme sufferer posted about the virus in the bionic 880 thread, since TBE is endemic in the woods around Pforzheim and that it is a virus and there are no treatments.
The maps on the austrian website tick-victims.info and the list of countries cleary showed there is TBE in Norway too. And, several cfs (ME called here) victims have travelled to Belgium to professor Meirleir who tests for all 14 co-infections to borreliosis. nora
[ 16. November 2008, 06:42 AM: Message edited by: n.northernlights ]
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A New Tick-borne Encephalitis-like Virus Infecting New England Deer Ticks, Ixodes dammini1
To determine if eastern North American Ixodes dammini, like related ticks in Eurasia, maintain tick-borne encephalitis group viruses, we analyzed ticks collected from sites where the agent of Lyme disease is zoonotic. Two viral isolates were obtained by inoculating mice with homogenates from tick salivary glands. The virus, which was described by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing of the amplification products, was similar to, but distinct from, Powassan virus and is provisionally named "deer tick virus." Enzootic tick-borne encephalitis group viruses accompany the agents of Lyme disease, babesiosis, and granulocytic ehrlichiosis in a Holarctic assemblage of emergent deer tick pathogens.
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Who knows that this virus has not yet reached the US?
Got a friend who was very close to death, catching this virus in Stockholm. Yes in the city CENTRE of Stockholm, in a park....
In a town outside Gothenburg where I live, there is a guy who is brain-dead from this virus.
They estimate that 10% get severe brain damage from this virus, but 90% get completely well.
What I have understood it is much more "acute" than lyme. It does not seem to have the vanish and vaining symptoms.
Too bad we have lyme and can't have the immunization shot which gives a good protection. Most people here in Sweden take it.
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adamm
Unregistered
posted
Well, my main symptom has been a completely treatment-
refractory neurodegeneration--maybe folks like me have a
chronic form of it that the "officials" refuse to describe in their
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