Doyle et al.
Tick-borne encephalitis identified in Ireland: diagnosis and outcome
Ir Med J. 2022;115(4):588
Ireland is assessed a TBE-free country. Now, TBE has for the first time been diagnosed in Ireland.
A 50-year-old female returned from Lithuania, where she had been mushroom picking in a forest, and on the same day recognized a tick on her body.
The patient had generalized headache and fever, bilateral resting and intention tremor, dysarthria and left lateral nystagmus. An MRI brain suggested encephalitis.
Based on the patient’s travel history and disease course, detection of TBE antibodies was performed. This analysis was done at the Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory, Porton Down, England.
Both, TBE IgM and IgG were detected in serum and CSF. After eight days, the patient was discharged. Review at three months revealed some fatigue without any neurological sequelae.
This case highlights the importance of awareness of TBE and to consider it in travelers returning from TBE risk countries.