TBE: You can also get infected with raw milk

Christiane Fux studied journalism and psychology in Hamburg. The experienced medical editor has been writing magazine articles, news and factual texts on all conceivable health topics since 2001. In addition to her work for, Christiane Fux is also active in prose. Her first crime novel was published in 2012, and she also writes, designs and publishes her own crime plays.

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It is well known that ticks can transmit TBE. But there is another, much more risky way of infection: In high-risk areas, the pathogens also lurk in raw milk.

Ticks are the best known carriers of early summer meningoencephalitis (TBE). Vaccination protects against the viral disease that can damage the brain. This can not only be useful for people who like to stroll through nature: lovers of raw milk products are also at risk and can benefit from a TBE vaccination.

Sick from cheese

“In 2016, a case made headlines in which two people fell ill after consuming raw milk cheese made from goat's milk,” reports Prof. Ute Mackenstedt, parasitologist at the University of Hohenheim. Last year, eight people fell ill after consuming raw goat's milk.

If goats, sheep or cows become infected with the TBE virus from a tick, they themselves usually do not become ill and are quickly immune to the pathogen. But during the acute phase, which lasts several days, they excrete viruses with the milk.

100 percent infection rate

The milk is then extremely dangerous for people: Infected raw milk carries a particularly high risk of infection. “For every 100 people bitten by infected ticks, the disease breaks out in 30 people. In the case of infected raw milk, we observe the outbreak of disease in 100 out of 100 people, ”says Mackenstedt.

Even if the milk is processed into raw milk cheese, for example, which is considered to be particularly aromatic, you can still get infected.

Raw milk products more popular again

In the 1950s, TBE diseases from infected raw milk were still comparatively common. Almost all milk production is now pasteurized. Therefore, the so-called "alimentary TBE" is more of a marginal phenomenon today.

However, with the trend towards natural foods, the popularity of raw milk products is increasing again. Mackenstedt recommends: "Anyone who takes raw milk products in a risk area for TBE must be TBE vaccinated!"

Dangerous viral disease

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is the most important tick-borne viral infection. It affects the brain and causes flu-like symptoms. But it can also be difficult: then there is a risk of permanent paralysis, seizures, coma and, in the worst case, death.

According to experts, a vaccination against TBE offers almost 100 percent protection. Vaccination complications are extremely rare with 1.5 cases per million vaccinations.

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