Woman Suffers Brain Injury and Seizures After Tick Bite During Rhodes Holiday
A woman has been left with severe neurological damage, including nocturnal seizures and significant memory impairment, after contracting a severe illness from a tick bite during a holiday to Rhodes, Greece, in August 2023. Victoria Stellas, 34, from Bromley, South London, spent 42 days in a coma following the incident.
Misdiagnosis and Delayed Treatment
Ms Stellas initially sought medical attention in Greece for a rash and flu-like symptoms, where doctors diagnosed her with meningitis and discharged her with antibiotics. However, her condition rapidly deteriorated upon her return to the UK. Within days, she was rushed to Princess Royal University Hospital in Orpington after collapsing and suffering seizures.
Subsequent tests revealed Ms Stellas had developed encephalitis, a serious inflammation of the brain, and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), a rare autoimmune disease. Medical experts later confirmed a tick-borne pathogen as the cause, though the specific type of virus or bacteria remains unidentified.
Life-Altering Consequences
The extensive brain damage sustained during her illness has fundamentally altered Ms Stellas' life. She now requires regular medication to manage nocturnal seizures and experiences significant short-term memory loss. Her ability to work has been severely impacted, forcing her to abandon her career as a finance analyst. The extensive recovery process has included intensive physiotherapy to regain basic mobility and cognitive function.
Ms Stellas' family has highlighted the ongoing challenges, noting her previous active lifestyle and the profound change in her cognitive abilities. They also pointed out the initial misdiagnosis in Greece, which they believe delayed appropriate treatment.
