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Tick Bite Horror: Greek Holiday Ends in Coma, Memory Loss
1 Aug
Summary
- A tick bite on a Greek holiday led to coma and long-term memory loss.
- The infection, tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), required an induced coma for 42 days.
- The victim now takes 18 pills daily and struggles with memory-related tasks.
Victoria Stellas suffered a devastating outcome from a tick bite contracted on the Greek island of Syros in 2019. Initially experiencing flu-like symptoms, she later developed seizures upon returning home. A diagnosis of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), a serious brain inflammation, followed her helicopter transfer to a specialized neurological centre and a subsequent 42-day induced coma.
The condition has profoundly changed Victoria's life, leading to significant memory loss and requiring her to manage a regimen of 15 to 18 pills daily. Her former careers as a pub worker and teaching assistant are no longer feasible due to her cognitive impairments, affecting her ability to recall names and essential information.
Public Health Wales confirms no TBE cases linked to tick bites within Wales, though a few locally acquired cases have been noted in England and Scotland since 2019. TBE is a viral infection prevalent in parts of Europe, spread by ticks, with symptoms appearing about a week after a bite.
Although the risk of TBE in the UK is considered very low, Victoria advocates for increased awareness and urges travellers visiting at-risk regions to consider vaccination. The TBE vaccine is available privately in specialized travel health clinics, not through the NHS. Prevention strategies include wearing protective clothing, using insect repellent, and promptly checking for and removing ticks.
