Definition
"TBE" stands for tick-borne encephalitis : in addition to Lyme disease, TBE is one of the most common tick-borne diseases. More precisely, it is a meningoencephalitis transmitted by ticks infected by a virus belonging to the genus Flavivirus . TBE, very common in Europe, is an acute viral disease, which can irreversibly damage the central nervous system.
Causes
The causative agent of TBE is a single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Flaviviridae family; TBE, however, cannot be transmitted directly from this virus to humans, since only the infected tick (vector) can transmit the infection. Virus reservoirs can be some animals, such as sheep, rodents, marmots, etc.
Symptoms
TBE is not always accompanied by a precise symptomatic picture: often the disease is asymptomatic, which is a problem for diagnosis. In other cases, TBE may involve: joint pain, high fever, back pain, general malaise, nausea, fatigue. Fever usually regresses after 2-3 weeks. In severe cases, TBE degenerates into meningoencephalitis, meningitis, myalgia and paralysis.
The information on TBE - Drugs for TBE care is not intended to replace the direct relationship between health professional and patient. Always consult your doctor and / or specialist before taking TBE - TBE Drugs.
drugs
More than a real drug therapy, for TBE we should talk about supportive therapy, since a completely conclusive cure for the disease has not yet been identified. What is certain is that early diagnosis can certainly avoid the physiological course of the disease and avoid its complications, which as we have analyzed can be highly debilitating.
In the case of meningoencephalitis, therefore an inflammation of the meninges and brain tissue, more aggressive therapy and hospitalization of the patient are required.
Generally, the administration of antiviral drugs can speed up healing, while taking drugs like paracetamol can lower fever which, in the context of TBE, is often high.
- Acyclovir (eg Aciclovir, Xerese, Zovirax): the drug is an antiviral used as an excellent therapy for the treatment of Herpes simplex. For the treatment of TBE with acyclovir, the opinions are discordant: not all TBE patients report benefits after treatment with this drug. The dosage and duration of treatment are exclusively medical. In fact, as we have analyzed, there is no universally recognized pharmacological cure for TBE.
The same goes for the drug Ganciclovir (eg Cymevene, citovirax), another antiviral of dubious efficacy to treat TBE.
- Paracetamol (eg Acetamol, Tachipirina): indicated to lower fever, often high, in the context of TBE. Take the drug orally in the form of tablets, syrup, effervescent sachets, or rectally via suppositories; it is recommended to take paracetamol at a dosage of 325-650 mg every 4-6 hours for 6-8 consecutive days. The drug can also be taken intravenously: 1 gram every 6 hours or 650 mg every 4 hours for adults and adolescents weighing more than 50 kilos: if the patient weighs less than 50 kilos, give 15mg / kg every 6 hours or 12, 5 mg / kg every 4 hours. Paracetamol does not act on the triggering cause (infection), but on an effect (fever), so the drug is not useful for healing the disease. Consult your doctor.
Vaccination against TBE
Starting from 2006, a vaccine for TBE prophylaxis is on the market, the best cure for tick-borne meningoencephalitis: vaccination is strongly recommended before embarking on excursions in woods and mountain places, especially in those areas where TBE it has an endemic character. The vaccine is administered intramuscularly, in triple administration at a distance of a few months from one another. It is estimated that the effectiveness of the TBE vaccine remains unchanged for 3 years.
There are also TBE vaccines, indicated for post-exposure prevention, whose efficacy is guaranteed when administered within 48 hours of contact with a potentially infected tick.
