Risks of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE)
Learn about the risks of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and who is most at risk.
On this page:
What are the risks of being infected with tick-borne encephalitis?
There is no risk of getting TBE virus in Canada.
TBE is found across Europe and Asia, spanning:
- Eastern France to Northern China and Japan
- Northern Russia to Albania
Ticks generally bite from April to November, with peak biting activity in early and late summer.
Who is most at risk?
The risk is greater for people who travel to risk areas and:
- work or participate in outdoor activities in forested area, including:
- hiking
- cycling
- camping
- eat or drink unpasteurized milk or milk products
Ticks that spread TBE can be found in:
- forests (including the areas around them with grasses and other plants that grow low to the ground)
- wooded parks
- grasslands
- meadows
- low-growing thick bush
The risk is extremely low for most travellers who:
- stay in urban areas
- do not consume unpasteurized dairy products