The carriers of encephalitis are the most dangerous ticks found in nature – ixodid ticks. If the infection does not reach the brain, the disease can be cured completely. Otherwise, the functioning of the central nervous system is disrupted, which leads to mental disorders, paralysis and even death.
To protect yourself from tick-borne encephalitis, you can get a vaccine. A killed virus is introduced into the body, in which the antigenic basis is preserved. When it enters the bloodstream, the immune system recognizes the antigens and fights them. As a result, the body begins to produce its own antibodies to the viral disease.
At the same time, many people are interested in the following questions: is it possible to drink alcohol immediately after vaccination, and will it somehow affect the result of vaccination or human health? These questions will be answered in this article.
It is also useful to read: Consequences of an encephalitis tick bite in humans
Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis and alcohol: compatible or not
When talking about the compatibility of alcoholic beverages and vaccines, it is worth taking into account the personal qualities of each individual. It must be remembered that alcohol can generally harm the human system.
And if you take it after vaccination against encephalitis, you can expect various negative consequences.
Therefore, we can say with confidence that alcohol and vaccination are incompatible things. There is no need to risk your health; it is better to abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages for a certain time.
Moreover, this time does not last very long, only 96 hours after vaccination. This period is enough for the virus to settle in the body and the immune system to begin producing its own antibodies. Important! After 7-8 days, you can drink alcohol in moderation, but if you drink a lot of it, the effect of the vaccine will not follow.
The principle of vaccination and compatibility with alcohol
The vaccine administration process itself includes three stages, i.e. three separate injections. A full course can take from six months to 1.5 years, so every tourist must promptly protect themselves from such an infection and get vaccinated.
The interval between the first and second vaccination is 1-3 months, depending on the individual indications of the patient and the brand of the drug.
During vaccination, many are concerned about the issue of drinking alcohol after vaccination against encephalitis. After all, the first injection procedure takes a long period of time, and it is unlikely that a person who likes to drink alcohol will be able to refuse his favorite whiskey with friends or a glass of wine in a romantic setting. But in fact, the encephalitis vaccine and alcohol are completely incompatible, so it is important to use common sense and avoid drinking alcohol during this period.
When receiving the second vaccination, many patients can feel completely safe, since 90% of vaccinated people already have antibodies to the infection. Whether re-vaccination is necessary or not is decided by a specialist after performing an appropriate blood test. If the amount of antibodies in the blood is too low, you will have to get vaccinated again.
As for the third vaccination, it can be carried out only after 10 months and even after a year, but not earlier. Upon completion of the entire course, the human immune system produces all the required antibodies, and in 97% of cases it becomes completely invulnerable to tick-borne encephalitis. But unfortunately, there is still no 100% guarantee of health, because the features of such an infection have not been fully studied.
The introduction of a vaccine with three injections against tick-borne encephalitis is carried out once every ten years. At the same time, one vaccination can be carried out every three years to maintain the immune system in the correct state. If the patient was bitten by a tick during the first 4 days after the first injection, full immunization must be completed within the first 96 hours.
We are talking about taking immunoglobulin, which provides effective vaccination and elimination of infection. Otherwise, the vaccination will be useless and will not give any results. If the period from the moment the vaccine is administered to the bite takes more than seven days, an urgent re-vaccination will have to be performed.
It was mentioned above that a weakened, dead form of infection with a preserved structure is used as a vaccine against encephalitis. Vaccination is used as a starting mechanism that forces the immune system to work on producing highly effective antibodies. The body’s task is not only to quickly identify the virus, but also to radically fight it through the production of its own antibodies.
Like any other vaccinations, vaccination against this disease can perform two functions: it protects the patient from a dangerous infection, and also prevents the progression of other infectious epidemics. By agreeing to an injection, each person reduces the likelihood of developing tick-borne encephalitis.
It is known that this form of the disease is not infectious - it can be transmitted directly by tick saliva. This means that getting vaccinated is a personal protective measure. Epidemics of such a virus do not occur, so the disease affects approximately the same number of people every year. Unfortunately, those who have been vaccinated also remain at risk, although in this group of people the disease is much milder and does not have serious consequences.
Most modern vaccinations are carried out twice a year, provided that this is the first vaccination. During revaccination, the procedure is repeated every three years in early spring, when increased tick activity is noticed. As for the body’s reaction to such an injection, it can manifest itself in fainting and severe weakness, severe headache, insomnia, pain at the injection site, as well as short-term enlargement of the lymph nodes. The patient may also suffer from loss of strength and nausea.
As already mentioned, drinking alcohol after a tick vaccination is strictly prohibited. To make sure how dangerous the consequences can be if this rule is not followed, you need to consider in more detail the principle of the action of alcoholic beverages on the body, as well as directly on the vaccine. So, here's what you should know when wondering whether the tick-borne encephalitis vaccine and alcohol are compatible.
The consequences of drinking alcoholic beverages during vaccine administration manifest themselves in different ways. Here, both the individual factor and the volume of alcohol consumed are taken into account. In any case, the use of such drinks during vaccination against infection is strictly prohibited, so there is no need to take risks and test the body’s strength.
Experts say that the process of adaptation of the virus in the body and the production of appropriate antibodies occurs within 96 hours after vaccination. It is during this period that you need to completely give up alcoholic beverages, otherwise prevention will become useless.
Naturally, within a few days after the procedure, most people begin to drink freely with friends, at a noisy feast, or while watching a national team match. Alcohol is allowed in small doses, but this does not mean that you need to go on a binge. Such an unreasonable attitude towards your health will not lead to anything good, except that the vaccination will be ineffective.
As for the duration of abstinence, it varies and depends on the individual factor. It is better to give up alcoholic drinks for the longest possible period of time.
Is it possible to drink alcohol after vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis?
When answering the question whether alcohol is acceptable after a tick-borne encephalitis vaccine, it is worth noting the individuality of each person. That is, everyone’s reaction to alcoholic drinks may be different.
Alcohol itself has a toxic effect on the body. Unfortunately, drinkers do not fully understand the role of alcoholic beverages in the human system.
When taken in large quantities, a sharp dilation of blood vessels occurs, due to which complete relaxation of the muscles occurs.
After this, the next stressful period occurs - intoxication, that is, poisoning of the human internal system with toxic substances. As a result, the immune system, instead of producing antibodies to the virus, is forced to devote part of its energy to fighting alcohol intoxication.
In addition, doctors often prescribe maintenance medications along with vaccination. This:
- Antibiotics.
- Vitamins.
- Immunomodulators.
Attention! Taking these drugs together with alcohol is strictly prohibited!
For these reasons, alcohol and vaccination against encephalitis are absolutely incompatible.
In order for the vaccine to work for a long time and be most effective, three vaccination sessions will be required .
It is also useful to read: Symptoms of tick-borne encephalitis in humans
After how long is it allowed?
Since alcoholic drinks create an additional burden on the body, they are strictly contraindicated for all types of immunization. The interaction response may be unpredictable.
Doctors recommend adhering to at least a minimum period of abstinence of three days. The optimal option is 30 days. The exception is vaccination from society, where alcohol is banned for a whole year.
The final result of the vaccine administration depends on the correct behavior of the patient during immunization. Alcohol, in this case, will definitely harm the body. Under its influence, the formation of antibodies may slow down or not occur at all. Therefore, it is worth planning vaccinations so that after their administration there is no reason to drink alcohol.
To prevent tick-borne encephalitis, the following vaccines are approved for use in Russia:
Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis and alcohol: consequences
Tick vaccination and alcohol in combination can cause various negative consequences, which include:
- General complications, which are manifested by weakness, headache, insomnia, decreased appetite, skin rashes and increased temperature.
- Local complications may develop. This is pain at the injection site, redness, swelling and enlargement of nearby lymph nodes.
- Negative effect on the immune system.
Vaccination against encephalitis is not included in the list of mandatory vaccinations; each person has the right to decide for himself whether he needs protection from this disease. In addition, the vaccine has a number of contraindications . Thus, the vaccine is not given to people with problems with the liver, heart or kidneys. And as you know, people who abuse alcohol often complain of diseases associated with these organs.
Therefore, before vaccination, you should undergo an examination to identify the presence of possible diseases. Also, people prone to alcoholism often suffer from chronic illnesses in a latent form, which should also necessitate a preliminary examination. Be sure to first give blood for analysis, which can be used to determine whether everything is in order with the body. After which the person is referred for other studies.
The most dangerous complications can be:
- Quincke's edema.
- Serious heart failure.
- Vascular pathologies.
If there are no contraindications to vaccination, then if you frequently spend time in nature, in parks, forest areas, it is still worth thinking about the advisability of vaccination against encephalitis, since danger can constantly await a person. And the negative consequences of the disease in some cases lead to disability and even death.
Why can't you drink alcohol?
The most serious consequences of drinking alcohol relate to the rabies vaccination, so the question of whether you can drink alcohol is not even worth it. In this case, the patient's life is at stake.
Rabies is a deadly disease that can only be cured by a series of successive vaccinations. If anything goes wrong with this procedure, there is a high chance of death.
Other side effects of drinking alcohol after vaccinations include:
- allergies, Quincke's edema, anaphylactic shock;
- development of a disease from which protection was supposed to be acquired;
- intestinal disorder;
- increased body temperature, chills;
- nausea and vomiting;
- inflammation at the injection site;
- dizziness;
- difficulty breathing.
Following the recommendations of doctors and eliminating additional stress will allow the body to fully overcome the possible virus and develop stable immunity to it. Only such vaccination can be considered successful and correct.
When can you drink alcohol after the vaccine?
In the first 96 hours after vaccination, there should be no talk of any alcohol. This is necessary to ensure that the body is fully occupied with the immunization process, as the virus adapts and the immune system gradually begins to produce antibodies. After a week, you can take alcoholic drinks, but they are acceptable in moderation.
Reference. If you drink alcohol frequently, the body will not be able to develop a protective reaction to encephalitis and it will turn out that the vaccination was done in vain.
Other restrictions after vaccination
Doctors do not recommend swimming for the next three days, as the area around the injection may become red and inflamed. And hot water is known to activate inflammatory processes.
As a result, both local and general temperature may increase, the injection site will swell, and other unpleasant symptoms will develop. If the desire to wash is great, then it is better to do it in parts so that moisture does not get on the inflamed graft site.
In addition to bathing, it is prohibited to influence the injection site with thermal and mechanical methods, that is, warm it up, touch it, try to comb the area, etc.
Otherwise, there are no restrictions after vaccination.
As is known, alcohol itself in large quantities has a toxic effect on the body, reduces immunity, and impairs the functioning of many organs and systems. And in combination with a vaccination against encephalitis, you can expect anything. Usually various complications occur, less often everything remains unchanged, but the body does not produce antibodies to the disease, and it will not be possible to protect against encephalitis.
If a doctor recommends abstaining from alcohol for a certain time, then this should be done, especially if a person lives in a region where there are a lot of ixodid ticks. The danger of encephalitis is great; the disease leads to dire consequences. Therefore, it is worth considering whether alcohol is so important compared to the consequences of pathology.
