A mother-of-one from Anglesey was left in a coma for nearly six weeks after a tick bite while on holiday in Greece. Victoria Stellas, 51, has been left with memory loss and is now urging people travelling to at-risk areas to get vaccinated.
Coma and diagnosis
Ms Stellas had flu-like symptoms while on the island of Syros in 2019 and, after returning home, began having night seizures. Following an MRI scan at hospital, she was taken by helicopter to The Walton Centre in Liverpool, where she was placed in an induced coma for 42 days.
She was then diagnosed with tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), a potentially fatal brain inflammation.
Life-changing effects
Speaking to the BBC, Ms Stellas said the illness has changed her life “completely” and she now doesn’t “go out as much”. She said she spent around six months in hospital and now has to take up to 18 tablets a day.
Her symptoms have seen her lose her jobs in a pub and as a teaching assistant at a school for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
She told the BBC: “Tell me a job that doesn’t require memory? Everything you do in life requires a memory. Shopping, working, travelling.
“When I returned home and tried to go back to my job as a teaching assistant... I couldn’t remember the names of children in different classes and staff. I would recognise everyone but not the names and that’s still a problem to this day.”
Vaccine appeal
Ms Stellas, who was born and raised in Greece, believes she was bitten by a tick when visiting her brother-in-law’s home, as he has goats that can attract them. She visits Greece each year and said she did not know about the vaccine but hopes to raise awareness about the infection.
The NHS says ticks that can spread TBE can be found in most of Europe, Russia and parts of China and Japan. It says the risk of getting TBE in the UK is very low and the chances of getting seriously ill from a tick bite is extremely unlikely. The NHS recommends people get a vaccine if they are planning outdoor activities in a country where infection is common.
