Treatment of tick-borne encephalitis: medicines and other measures

Treatment of tick-borne encephalitis is symptomatic only. There is no causal treatment for this infection.

No effective specific virostatic is available on the market.

In the first phase of the disease, high temperature and headache are managed by administering common analgesics and antipyretics. The patient is treated at home as tick-borne encephalitis is not yet suspected in the first phase.

The symptoms subside within a few days.

If the patient has a runny nose and experiences sinus pain, the doctor will order antibiotic treatment. However, that will not be effective against the virus.

In the second phase of the disease, analgesic and antipyretic medication, proper hydration and nutrition are sufficient in a milder meningitic course of disease. After the symptoms subside spontaneously, thorough rehabilitation and a long convalescence are recommended.

Encephalitis, however, has more dramatic symptoms.

In severe cases, hospitalization of the patient is paramount. Symptomatic treatment is administered intravenously, i.e. directly into the vein.

For elderly people who suffer from chronic metabolic diseases (such as diabetes mellitus), it is important to ensure that these diseases are well compensated for with intravenous hydration, good nutrition, control of glycaemia, blood pressure, or cardiac activity.

The first signs of confusion and sensory disturbances (sleepiness, apathy, delirium, loss of consciousness, etc.) are a sign to start anti-edematous treatment: corticosteroid therapy, possibly the administration of mannitol, managing the brain swelling, which, if severe, can be life-threatening.

Support of blood circulation and brain function is achieved by administration of so-called nootropics, also called "smart drugs" and "cognitive enhancers" (vinpocetine, piracetam).

Psychopharmaceuticals (psychoactive/-tropic drugs) are also useful to alleviate confusion and sensory disturbances.

Antibiotics are not administered for primary viral infection, but if there is a secondary bacterial superinfection, their administration is necessary.

Sometimes they are indicated by the doctor in the course of the diagnostic process in cases of purulent meningitis. Once a viral causative agent is confirmed, it is necessary to discontinue antibiotics.

This is done mainly in order not to burden the patient with unnecessary therapy and to avoid the emergence of resistant strains of bacteria when antibiotics are overused.

The most serious complication of encephalitis and encephalomyelitis is respiratory impairment. It requires placing the patient in a monitored bed connected to artificial pulmonary ventilation.

Overcoming tick-borne encephalitis is followed by long-term rehabilitation. Patients with postencephalitis syndrome take analgesics, nootropics, sedatives, antidepressants and neuroleptics at home.

It is not rare for a patient to require a psychotherapist, especially if pain, fatigue and insomnia last for a long time, or in case there is residual paralysis of the limbs or face after recovery.