How many days after a tick bite should a vaccination be given? - briefly
The tick‑borne encephalitis vaccine should be administered as soon as possible, preferably within 72 hours of the bite; effectiveness drops markedly after this period. If more than three days have elapsed, post‑exposure vaccination is usually not advised.
How many days after a tick bite should a vaccination be given? - in detail
A bite from a hard‑tick species does not trigger a vaccination schedule. The recommended post‑exposure action is disease‑specific, not immunisation.
Lyme disease – The only proven preventive measure after a bite is a short course of doxycycline (or amoxicillin for children). The antibiotic must start within 72 hours of tick removal. No vaccine is administered at any point after exposure.
Tick‑borne encephalitis (TBE) – In regions where TBE is endemic, individuals who have completed the primary vaccine series may receive a booster if they were not fully protected at the time of the bite. Guidelines advise giving the booster as soon as possible, preferably within 7 days; effectiveness declines if delayed beyond two weeks.
Other tick‑borne infections (e.g., Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis) have no post‑bite vaccines. Management relies on prompt diagnosis and appropriate antimicrobial therapy, not immunisation.
Summary of timing
- Start doxycycline for suspected Lyme infection ≤ 72 h after removal.
- If a TBE booster is indicated, administer ≤ 7 days after the bite; a delay beyond 14 days reduces protective benefit.
- No vaccination is recommended for any other tick‑borne disease; treatment is clinical, not prophylactic.
Thus, the only circumstance where a vaccine may be given after a tick bite is a TBE booster, and it should be delivered within the first week. For Lyme disease and all other tick‑borne illnesses, prophylactic antibiotics, not vaccination, constitute the correct post‑exposure intervention.