Austria's TBE vaccination rates fall as tick threats spread across new regions

Austria's vaccination rates against tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) have dropped to around 80 percent. This decline comes despite the country's long-standing efforts to combat the disease, which has been vaccine-preventable since 1976. Health officials continue to urge widespread immunisation as tick activity spreads into new areas. Austria first approved TBE vaccination in 1976, making it one of the earliest countries to offer protection against the virus. The standard schedule for infants under one includes three doses within a year, followed by a fourth in the second year. After full immunisation, only a single booster is needed every three years, even if delayed.

The vaccine remains highly recommended for all residents aged six months and older. Data shows that since 2000, immunisation has prevented over 10,000 hospitalisations and 80 deaths. More than 4,000 of these averted cases would have been severe. In 2025, Austria recorded 132 TBE infections. Officials report that 85 percent of cases occurred in unvaccinated individuals, with another 12 percent affecting those who missed booster shots. Ticks can be submitted to the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) for analysis, with 95 percent of samples identified as common castor bean ticks (*Ixodes ricinus*). Climate warming has expanded tick habitats in recent years. Over the last five years, ticks have spread into higher altitudes and new regions, altering local tick populations.

The decline in vaccination coverage raises concerns as tick activity increases across Austria. With most infections occurring in unvaccinated or under-vaccinated individuals, health authorities stress the importance of maintaining booster schedules. The vaccine's long-term impact—preventing thousands of severe cases—remains a key public health success.