A duathlete was rushed to hospital with brain inflammation so severe he described it as feeling like there was 'an alien trying to get out' of his head. He has now opened up about his rare diagnosis of tick-borne encephalitis.
The Onset of Symptoms
Bill Lankford, 62, a retired scientist based in Cambridge, experienced sudden cold-like symptoms of fatigue, muscle ache and fever after completing a 50km ultra-distance swim-run across Scandinavia with his wife, Christina Lankford, 60, in August 2025. After roughly a week, Bill felt 'a bit better' before headaches and flu-like symptoms returned, leading to a negative Covid-19 test.
Bill visited his GP within two and a half weeks due to 'quite bad headaches', but doctors could not identify the cause. The following day, he attended hospital where doctors suggested tick-borne Lyme disease and prescribed antibiotics, saying he 'should be feeling better' within days.
Unbearable Pain
Bill said that 'there are no words in the English language to describe how painful' the next three days were. He suffered debilitating headaches, sleep disruption, balance problems, blackouts, and sensitivity to 'flickering lights and fast-moving images'. He returned to hospital and underwent what he described as 'hundreds' of tests, including cerebrospinal fluid sampling, before being diagnosed with tick-borne encephalitis in September 2025, aged 61.
Bill stated: 'It's quite difficult for medical staff to diagnose. I was basically tested for everything from Aids to Zika... it's only when they did a spinal tap of the cerebrospinal fluid that they found the virus. But due to the illness and brain pressure, I don't remember any of the discussions about the diagnosis while in the hospital.'
What is Tick-Borne Encephalitis?
Tick-borne encephalitis is a viral infection transmitted through tick bites that can trigger flu-like symptoms, loss of consciousness, acute headache, memory problems, emotional or behavioural changes and seizures, according to Encephalitis International.
Prior to his diagnosis, Bill was in 'very good shape' and enjoyed a 'happy and healthy life' with his wife, particularly after they began participating in swim-run events from 2016 onwards. Each race involved swimming and running across archipelagos or through lake districts while wearing a 'wetsuit and shoes' throughout.
The Swim-Run Event
In August 2025, the couple flew to Stockholm and completed several practice swim-runs with friends ahead of the main event on August 9 on the Aland archipelago, situated halfway between Sweden and Finland. Bill said: 'You're running through the forests, cliffs and beaches and swimming across the bays and in between the islands. It was about 10km of swimming and just over 40km of running.'
Despite it being 'quite hardcore', Bill maintained a 'steady pace' and felt 'really good' throughout the event, crossing the finish line within 11 hours. The couple then unwound with tubs and saunas, along with camping and sightseeing, during which Bill noticed what he believed to be red midge and mosquito bites on his body.
Diagnosis and Recovery
According to the NHS, tick bites are not usually painful but can cause a red lump, swelling, itchiness, blistering and bruising. It is vital to remove ticks swiftly and carefully using tweezers. During their journey back to the UK, approximately five days after finishing the race, Bill began experiencing what he believed was a 'cold coming on', including fatigue, muscle ache and fever.
After around a week, his symptoms eased, but he then suffered from a persistent headache and flu-like symptoms. By the time he consulted a doctor roughly two-and-a-half weeks after first feeling unwell, his headache had deteriorated. He was prescribed antibiotics for suspected Lyme disease, but after three days, his debilitating headaches intensified.
Bill said: 'Now my headache is like an alien trying to get out of my head. There are no words in the English language to describe how painful it is.' Despite taking paracetamol and ibuprofen, he could only sleep in 20-minute bursts due to the pain. He also struggled with balance and coordination, was unable to lift his feet properly, developed sensitivity to bright lights and moving images, and suffered 'momentary blackouts'.
He made his way to A&E by taxi, where he was admitted and placed on an IV drip of 'antivirals, antifungals and antibacterials'. For three days, Bill underwent tests for everything from 'Aids to Zika', yet doctors initially had 'no idea' what was wrong, as tick-borne encephalitis is regarded as rare in the UK, according to Encephalitis International.
Taking into account his recent travels to Scandinavia, doctors carried out cerebrospinal fluid sampling and confirmed the diagnosis. Bill remained in hospital for a week, during which the IV treatment began to improve his condition, though his recovery proved lengthy.
Bill said: 'Without anyone at home, I couldn't have looked after myself. It's a bizarre thing where you come out of hospital in a wheelchair and then go to your bed and just tough it out.'
Current Status and Advice
According to the UK Government, there is no specific treatment for tick-borne encephalitis, though a vaccine exists to help guard against it. Bill urged 'anyone who is active' in tick-prone areas to 'consider' getting vaccinated. In the immediate aftermath, Bill could not 'walk more than 500 metres' at a time and relied on a walking stick due to balance and coordination problems.
He has also struggled with spontaneous muscle tremors, spatial awareness, nightmares, chronic fatigue, emotion regulation, anxiety, and short-term memory loss. Nine months on, Bill has managed to gradually rebuild his physical fitness by progressively walking his dogs further each time, taking short bicycle rides and doing pilates.
This past weekend he completed his first swim-run event since contracting tick-borne encephalitis, covering a total of 22km in Dorset. Reflecting on how far he has come, Bill said: 'In terms of physical fortitude, I'm pretty proud. I would never be able to do the long distance events that we did – that's clearly off the table – but I'm able to do much shorter events. It's not perfect, but I'm really pleased with that.'
