Tick-born encephalitis in southern Sweden

13 Apr 2022

The Swedish Public Health Agency (in Swedish) has advised people in southern Sweden to take precautions against tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in 2022.  A total of 533 cases of TBE were reported in 2021, twice as many as in the previous year.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is an infection spread mainly through tick bites. It can cause a flu-like illness or lead to more severe symptoms such as meningitis or brain inflammation.

Advice for Travellers

If you are planning to spend long periods of time outdoors in forests or rural areas of countries where TBE infection is common, you should be aware of how to avoid tick bites.

The most effective way to prevent infection is by having the TBE vaccine, particularly if you are planning to do outdoor activities such as walking, hiking, camping, cycling, fishing orienteering or running in rural or forested areas.

When travelling in high risk areas, you should inspect your whole body daily for ticks, particularly after outdoor activities. Ticks should be removed as early as possible.

• see the insect bite avoidance page for advice on how to safely remove ticks

For further information see Tick-borne Encephalitis page