Tick Vaccination FAQ

TBE stands for "tick-borne encephalitis" and is a disease that can be transmitted by tick bites. The disease occurs in two phases: One to two weeks after infection by the ticks, flu-like symptoms may appear. For most, however, nothing happens.
In the second phase the disease develops negatively in 5 to 15 % of sufferers and the central nervous system is affected. This is manifested by headaches, photophobia, dizziness, difficulty concentrating and walking. These symptoms can last for several months.
Some patients also experience paralysis of the arms, legs or facial nerves. These paralyses can cause permanent disabilities. In a very few cases, the TBE infection even leads to death.
TBE cannot be treated causally. There are only drugs that improve the symptoms.

The tick vaccination can be carried out in the pharmacy from the age of 16. At the doctor's children can be vaccinated earlier.

Three times:

1. Vaccination: Basic immunisation is best done in the winter.
2. Vaccination: 1 to 3 months after the first vaccination. With the second vaccination, a vaccination protection of 87% is already achieved.
3. Vaccination: 5 to 12 months after the second vaccination

With the three vaccinations you are protected for at least ten years with a vaccination protection of 99%.
In addition to the normal vaccination schedule, there is also the rapid schedule at the beginning of the warm season. With this scheme, the second vaccination follows after only 14 days and the third vaccination after 5 to 12 months. With the rapid schedule, vaccine protection after the second is 85%.
Annotation: Percentages may vary by vaccine manufacturer. To be on the safe side, you can briefly ask which vaccine is being used when you get vaccinated.

Since the beginning of 2019, almost the whole of Switzerland has been classified as risk area for TBE. Therefore, vaccination is recommended for all persons who spend time outdoors for professional or private purposes, especially in the forest.
Anyone considering tick vaccination should ask themselves the following questions:

• Am I often outdoors or in tick areas?
• Do I have the possibility to protect myself well against the ticks e.g. by sprays or clothes?
• What is the relationship between side effects and TBE?

Farmers or foresters, for example, spend a lot of time outdoors. The same is true for climbers or hikers. Both groups probably cannot always protect themselves sufficiently against ticks. Therefore, they are at great risk of being bitten more often by ticks. So the likelihood of getting the TBE viruses increases significantly in them. Vaccination is strongly recommended for these groups, as the likelihood of problematic side effects is massively lower than the risk of contracting TBE.
Those who only move around town might refrain from vaccinating. However, they must always protect themselves well, especially in recreational areas close to the city.
For the relationship between adverse events and TBE disease, the figures in the next two questions can be used as a guide. Statistically, severe neurological side effects occur very rarely with vaccination (1 in 70,000 to 1 in 1 million doses). The risk of dying from a tick bite, on the other hand, is 1 in 33,000 to 500,000. Permanent disabilities, on the other hand, are much more common. The calculation is thus made simple: Those who enjoy outdoor activities are much more likely to contract TBE than the very rare neurological side effects of vaccination.

Approx. 1 % of ticks in risk areas carry the TBE virus. So the risk of getting the virus from a sting (or bite) is at most 1 in 100, because not all stings transmit the virus. For the majority of those affected, nothing happens after the sting. In 5 to 15% of infected persons, the central nervous system is attacked, which can lead to permanent disabilities. Fatal is about 1% of cases with neurological symptoms. (Numbers via infovac.ch)

• maximum 1 TBE virus transmission per 100 tick bites
• 5 to 15 cases with central nervous system infestation per 10,000 tick bites (1 to 3 cases per 2000 bites)
• 1-3 deaths per 200,000 tick bites

According to Swiss Paediatrics one in 1000 to 5000 people in risk areas contracted TBE with neurological symptoms. Accordingly, the risk of dying from a tick bite would be 1 in 33,000 to 500,000.