Woman fell into coma after tick bite: 'My life changed forever'

Victoria Stalas (51) from Wales fell into a coma for 42 days after being bitten, apparently, by a tick during a holiday in Greece, and was diagnosed with tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). Seven years later, she deals with seizures and memory impairment, takes 15-18 medications a day, and shares her story to raise awareness. Experts emphasize that in most cases the bite does not cause severe illness, but there are symptoms that require seeing a doctor.

Victoria Stalas (51) from Wales fell into a coma for 42 days after being bitten, apparently, by a tick during a family holiday on the Greek island of Syros. She was diagnosed with tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), a rare disease transmitted by infected ticks that affects the central nervous system. In an interview with the BBC, she said that initially she suffered from flu-like symptoms, and after returning to the UK she began having nocturnal seizures and her condition deteriorated. She was airlifted to the Walton Centre in Liverpool, where she was put into a medically induced coma for six weeks. Seven years after the incident, Stalas deals with seizures, memory impairment, and takes between 15 and 18 medications a day. The memory impairment forced her to leave her job at a school for children with special needs and at a pub. Her mother, Liz Stalas, calls for greater awareness of the danger. According to the ECDC, more than 3,000 cases of TBE are reported in Europe each year, mainly between May and November. The CDC lists symptoms that require seeing a doctor, but emphasizes that most bites do not cause illness.