Vaccination against TBE

It does not take more than a short walk in the park or exercise outdoors such as walking or running to get a tick bite as ticks live in tall grasses and bushes.

Some ticks can carry the TBE virus, which causes tick-borne encephalitis. The German acronym FSME stands for "early-summer meningoencephalitis". Typical symptoms of TBE are fever, headache, vomiting, or a stiff neck. The infection with the TBE virus may cause paralysis and can be fatal.

When venturing outdoors in the warmer weather, you should wear a long-sleeved shirt and long trousers or use insect repellent. However, the most effective protection against TBE is afforded by vaccination. The vaccination can be administered to anyone who is older than one year. Initial immunisation is achieved with three vaccine doses with further boosters every three to five years.

The vaccination only affords protection against infection with TBE viruses but not against other diseases such as Lyme disease (German) that can also be transmitted by tick bite. There is currently no vaccine available to prevent Lyme disease.

Where can I get vaccinated against TBE?

• Impfservice Wien (Vienna Vaccination Service) (German)
• General practitioners (German)