Tick-borne encephalitis is a viral disease that is spread via tick bites. At times it may also be transmitted via unpasteurized dairy products. This disease which affects the central nervous system is especially rampant in the European countries northern China Mongolia and the Russian Federation. Though rare in recent years the disease has become successively more prevalent in Sweden and some 300 cases are reported annually. According to the World Health Organisation approximately 10 000–12 000 clinical cases of tick-borne encephalitis are reported each year but this figure is believed to be significantly lower than the actual total number of