Tick-Borne Encephalitis is a viral infection usually transmitted through the bite of an infected tick that exists in parts of central, eastern and northern Europe across Russia to parts of eastern Asia predominantly at altitudes lower than 1,500m.
The disease occurs in parts of central, northern and Eastern Europe, Siberia and parts of Asia. Ticks are found on forest fringes within adjacent grassland, forest glades, riverside meadows and marshland, forest plantations with brushwood and shrubbery. Ticks can also be found in parks and gardens.
Travellers to areas where TBE occurs may be at risk when walking, camping or working in woodland. In Europe, spring and summer are generally higher risk, but seasons vary according to location. Since 2011, six confirmed cases of TBE have been reported in the UK.