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March 18, 2002

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Tick-Borne Illness on the Rise Throughout Germany"

Reuters Health Information Services (www.reutershealth.com) (03/15/02); Cleaver, Hannah

Researchers examined 2,000 forest workers throughout the German state of Baden-Wuettemberg that were previously unvaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and determined the disease is more widespread in the area than once thought. Baden-Wuettemberg's infectious disease office will begin vaccinating all of its citizens against the disease, whereas previously only people in the southern most part of the state received TBE.  Professor Peter Kimmig of the ministry's infectious disease section said that TBE is probably present throughout Germany, but a lack of testing allows the disease to go unfound.  TBE symptoms are similar to the flu and disappear within a few days; however, in about 10 percent of cases, patients may develop meningitis after that point.

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