Attention ticks! FSME infections doubled year-on-year

Number of FSME cases has more than doubled
Since the beginning of the year, almost twice as many people in Baden-Württemberg have contracted the tick-borne infectious disease FSME (tick-borne encephalitis) as in the same period last year. The entire region is a risk area. Experts recommend getting vaccinated.

Carriers of dangerous diseases
Experts point out how important it is to protect themselves from ticks. The little bloodsuckers can eventually transmit dangerous infectious diseases such as tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) or Lyme disease. The former is especially common in southern Germany, as a new map of TBE risk areas shows. In Baden-Württemberg, the number of FSME cases has more than doubled.

Since the beginning of the year, twice as many people in Baden-Württemberg have contracted FSME as in the same period of the previous year. Not all patients have been infected by a tick bite. (Image: Marco2811 / fotolia.com)

Prevention of infection
As reported by the Ministry of Social Affairs of Baden-Württemberg, the Land Health Office in Stuttgart has already reported 32 cases of illness since the beginning of the year - compared to 14 in the same period of the previous year. Those affected were persons between the ages of eleven and 78 years.

"All of Baden-Württemberg is TBE risk area. I advise all citizens, who are often in the great outdoors and natural gardens, to be vaccinated urgently, "said Minister of Health Manne Lucha.

"The well-tolerated vaccination is the most effective prevention against infection," said the Green politician.

Warm and humid climate boosts tick activity
"Warm and humid climates increase the activity of the ticks. This also increases the risk of tick-borne diseases such as TBE or Lyme disease being transmitted to humans, "explained Lucha.

According to medical sources, about 90 percent of those infected with FSME get infected with recreational activities. Especially in older people, the disease can be difficult. About one third of the infected people have symptoms of illness.

First, there are flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, vomiting and dizziness.

According to doctors, some patients also develop meningitis and encephalitis with the risk of damage to the spinal cord. In extreme cases, the disease is fatal.

There are no drugs available against TBE itself, only the symptoms can be treated.

TBE infections through raw milk
The ministry points out that the patients did not always acquire the infection via a tick bite. In seven cases there is a suspicion that the TBE has been transmitted via the consumption of goat's raw milk.

Already months ago experts had reported that TBE infections are also possible through raw milk.

According to the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Social Affairs, goats, but also cows and sheep that are stung by an infected tick, can excrete the virus over the milk for several days.

The vaccination protects according to the current state of knowledge against this transmission path. (Ad)