[cjslep]

As an American that moved to Europe, I was already aware of the Lyme disease risks of ticks here. What I didn't realize - and am in the 1 year process of getting vaccinated against - is that ticks here carry a virus that induces encephalitis. Tick borne encephalitis is not in the Western Hemisphere as far as I am aware, so it wasn't until this spring that I found out about it. The vaccine is not available in the USA and requires a year to complete, which makes me wonder how hikers or visitors spending only a few months in Europe fare.

[yread]

Grandma got both. Encephalitis is definitely nastier (and can have permanent effects on brain if not caught in time). She also got bitten by the only poisonous snake we have around here. It still hasn't stopped her from hiking in the woods all the time

[rimliu]

But at least you can get vacinated against encephalitis. Where is no vacine against the Lyme disease.