Med. Pro Praxi 2010; 7(6-7): 254-256
Why is the incidence of tick-borne meningoencephalitis in the czech republic still high ?
- Emeritní profesor 1. infekční kliniky 2. LF UK v Praze, FN Na Bulovce, Praha
In the last seventy years, ticks have been confirmed as carriers of four infectious agents that can cause disease in humans. The most
serious of them is the virus of tick-borne meningoencephalitis, a disease reported annually in more than 700, mostly middle-aged and
elderly, people in the Czech Republic. Of them, two to four die of the disease every year and tens of others have lifelong consequences.
Safe protection for both children and adults is provided by an inactivated vaccine; the administration of the basic three doses guarantees
protection from the disease for at least three years. If, particularly in the older generation, the vaccination rates for some of the vaccines
do not increase significantly, the incidence of this dangerous neurological infection will still remain high in the Czech Republic.
Keywords: natural habitats, ticks, virus, vaccination.
Published: September 1, 2010 Show citation
