TBE risk: against ticks

The acquaintance played volleyball in the club, was fit and athletically well trained.

But from one day to the next she felt constantly tired and listless, had severe joint pain and was no longer able to perform.

After a months-long medical odyssey, a thorough blood test finally determined that the patient was suffering from Lyme disease.

But she couldn't remember a tick bite.

A tick bite can happen quickly.

The small bloodsuckers prefer to stay in damp forests, tall grass, bushes and leaves, including city parks.

Now that the temperatures are constantly rising above five degrees, even at night, their wedding begins.

Ticks are dangerous for humans when they transmit tick-borne encephalitis, or TBE for short, - an inflammation of the brain, meninges or spinal cord that is caused by a virus transmitted by ticks and can be fatal in the worst case.

However, such viruses are rare even in designated risk areas.

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), only 0.1 to five percent of ticks in risk zones are infected by the virus.

Much more common is Lyme disease, an infectious disease that is caused by bacteria but can also have long-term effects such as inflammation of the nerves and joints.

Interest in vaccination increases

Every year, the RKI shows the existing TBE risk areas on a special map, these are currently areas south of the Main, in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, but also in southern Hesse, in south-eastern Thuringia and in Saxony.

There are also individual risk areas in central Hesse, in Saarland, in Rhineland-Palatinate and in Lower Saxony.

Six new risk areas have been added this year (

).

The classification requires at least two TBE cases within five years.

As reported, the city and district of Offenbach are also TBE risk areas this spring, as seven cases of severe TBE have been detected in the past three years.

The health department therefore called for caution at the beginning of the season.

Health experts regularly point out the possibility of being vaccinated against the tick virus, but the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) does not make any general recommendations for vaccination.

However, interest in it is growing, as Andreas Neuwirth, family doctor in Oberursel, confirms when asked.

Three years ago, 289 patients were vaccinated in his practice, a year later it was 334 people.

Neuwirth attributes the decline last year to the fact that the focus at the time was on corona vaccinations.

That is why other vaccinations have disappeared from focus.

"Tolerance is good"

"Most of these are people who are outside a lot, hiking, in gardens or as dog owners," says the doctor, describing the group of his patients who are ready to be vaccinated.

This April, his practice had already been visited several times for tick bites.

Either to professionally remove the tick or to have the remains removed after failed self-attempts, because the biting tools have strong barbs.