Many people know that a tick bite can cause Lyme disease, but there is also a small risk of meningitis. The number of cases of this is increasing in Europe.
According to biologist Arnold van Vliet, coordinator of Nature Today, we are currently in the middle of the drawing season. With the summer holidays approaching, more and more people will go out into nature and get tick bites. Check out our tips to prevent tick bites here.
The sooner a tick is removed after the bite, the lower the risk of Lyme disease. The speed of removal is even more important with the TBE virus (tick-borne encephalitis), as this infection occurs much faster after a bite. Fortunately, the TBE virus in most cases causes no or mild symptoms such as flu-like symptoms, but in a few cases it can cause inflammation of the brain or spinal cord.
Also read: you can get these diseases from a tick bite.
Number of cases is increasing
The chance of infection in the Netherlands with the TBE virus through a tick bite is very small. In areas where TBE has been found, including the Utrechtse and Sallandse Heuvelrug and Noord-Brabant, approximately 1 in 1,500 ticks appeared to be infected. In comparison, about 1 in 5 ticks can cause Lyme disease.
But the range of ticks that can transmit TBE is growing. The number of infections is increasing in Germany, Scandinavia, Austria and countries in Eastern Europe. A record number of 708 cases was identified in Germany in 2020.
Also read: everything you need to know about ticks.
Photo: Adobe Stock / Vitalii hulai
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