A domestic British case of a potentially deadly virus spread by blood-sucking ticks, has been confirmed for the first time, experts say.
Called tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) it mainly causes mild flu-like symptoms in most cases, with many victims never even realising they have cit.
However, it can also lead to severe infections in the central nervous system such as meningitis or encephalitis, both potentially fatal swellings of the brain and its surrounding tissues.
While TBEV has been reported in the UK in the past most cases were believed to be linked to patients returning to Britain after being infected overseas.
Now, in a new study, scientists have confirmed the first domestically acquired case of TBEV in the UK with no travel history.
Writing in the journal Eurosurveillance, they detailed how a 28-year-old man in Scotland sustained multiple tick bites while walking near Loch Earn, about 17km west of Crieff.
Two days later he reported fatigue which, after 12 hours, progressed to neck stiffness, light sensitivity, and headaches.
Several days later he sought medical help after his symptoms continued to get worse and he also developed double vision.
A British case of a potentially deadly virus spread by the bites of blood-sucking ticks, with no travel history, has been confirmed for the first time, experts say
PCR testing, the same technology used in Covid test during the pandemic, confirmed he had TBEV, and with zero travel history, this made the case a British first.
The unnamed man was treated with painkillers and monitored to ensure he had enough fluids.
While the authors said he made a gradual recovery they noted he was still suffering headaches, poor balance, and dizziness eight weeks after his initial symptoms.
The scientists, who came from a host of British universities as well the Government’s UK Health Security Agency said the case was the first of its kind.
‘This paper confirms domestically acquired TBEV infection in the UK, reporting the first PCR-confirmed case with no history of foreign travel,’ they said.
The team has also previously a case of TBEV infection in Yorkshire in 2024 in a 50-year-old man, as the first case of its kind confirmed in the UK.
However, in contrast to the Scottish case this patient had just returned from Greece shortly before suffering symptoms.
But the experts said, given the man only reported tick-bites in the UK prior to his holiday, and TBEV is not considered endemic to Greece, ‘it is considered highly likely that the infection was acquired in the UK’.
Getting rid of a tick from your own skin is crucial to avoid the risk of infection, or contracting other diseases including Lyme disease. The NHS has a four-step routine to help safely spot and remove ticks
Overall, they said there should be increased efforts to make the British public aware of the potential dangers posed by TBEV in Britian.
‘Current public health campaigns encourage everyone to be tick aware with the aim to try and prevent Lyme disease transmission. These campaigns should also now include TBEV,’ they said.
Tick-borne encephalitis is estimated to kill only one in 200 patients, but more than one in 50 are estimated to suffer long-term neurological complications as a result of infection.
Public health officials say the risk of catching tick-borne encephalitis in the UK is low but they have also urged walkers to take precautions and seek medical help if they fall ill after being bitten.
Ticks are becoming more common in parts of the UK, mainly due to increasing deer numbers. They live in undergrowth and latch on to humans when they walk through long grass.
It is thought ticks infected with TBEV may have first arrived in the UK via latching on to migratory birds from mainland Europe.
Vaccines for TBEV are available but they only work for a limited time and there is no cure.
According to the NHS, the best way to reduce the risk of being bitten by ticks is to cover your skin while walking outdoors and tuck your trousers into your socks.
You should also use insect repellent on your clothes and skin – products containing DEET are best.
Stick to clear paths whenever possible and wear light-coloured clothing so ticks are easier to spot and brush off.
