Therapeutic targets
- Relief of symptoms
- Prevention of secondary diseases
Therapy recommendations
- There is no causal therapy for TBE!
- Symptomatic therapy (a causal antiviral therapy (drugs against the causative virus) does not exist).
- Analgesics/pain relievers for headache (acetaminophen or metamizole)/antipyretics (antipyretic medications) or antiphlogistics (anti-inflammatory medications; diclofenac or ibuprofen)
- Antiemetics (drugs against nausea and vomiting).
- Antiepileptic drugs for seizures
- Intensive care treatment required in approximately 5% of patients due torespiratory paralysis.
- Postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) [see below].
- See also under “Further therapy“.
Postexposure prophylaxis (PEP)
Post-exposure prophylaxis is the provision of medication to prevent disease in individuals who are not protected against a particular disease by vaccination but have been exposed to it.
Implementation
- Even with early administration of hyperimmunoglobulin (antibodies to the virus) for the purpose of passive immunization, complete protection occurs in only about 60%.
- Since it can come to severe courses in children even under post-exposure prophylaxis, passive immunization is contraindicated in children under 14 years (ie, there is a contraindication for this).