In this article, we use so-called affiliate links. With every purchase through these links, we receive a commission from the merchant. All relevant referral links are marked with . Learn more.
Ticks - small, but not to be underestimated. The tiny bloodsuckers are not only at home in the forest, but also lurk in gardens, parks and playgrounds. They are particularly active in the warmer months and pose a potential danger to humans and animals. A tick bite can not only be unpleasant, but can also transmit serious diseases such as Lyme disease or TBE (tick-borne encephalitis). But what initial measures are important and what should you consider once it has happened? In our expert interview, we explain the health risks and what you should be aware of after a tick bite - our expert is a tick expert and talks straight in this interview.
Prof Dr Jelinek, everyone knows the situation: you discover a tick but don't have a tick card or tweezers to hand. What can you do?
The aim is to pinch off the tick as far forward as possible - i.e. close to the skin. This is because the dangerous part is not the biting apparatus, but the tick's body including the intestinal contents. This is where the pathogens are located, not in the front of the biting tool. It is therefore not a problem if the biting apparatus, which many people mistake for the tick's head, gets stuck in the skin. The pathogens are not located there. The body rejects this foreign body on its own. Nothing more needs to be done in this case.
So don't wait until the evening to remove the tick in peace with the Tweezers or Map to remove it - but rather act immediately?
If you have the opportunity to pinch the tick off cleanly at the front, then yes. Important to know: The dangerous Borrelia bacteria are usually only transmitted after about 12 hours. This is because it is the blood sucked by the human that activates the borrelia in the tick's body. However, if the tick is squeezed and empties itself, the pathogens can enter the body earlier.
So if it takes several hours, you should try to remove the tick immediately - it is better to remove it temporarily on site than not at all.
TBE is a different story, isn't it?
Exactly. In contrast to Borrelia, TBE viruses are transmitted directly at the bite. The time factor is irrelevant.
Fiddling around for too long can stress the tick
Many ticks are tiny. This makes it difficult to grab them properly. How important is it to be careful so as not to "stress" them?
It doesn't happen that quickly, but fumbling around and squeezing for too long can stress the tick - and in the worst case, cause it to release its intestinal contents. The "trick" of using a drop of glue or oil to pull it out is also not a good idea. If the tick is very small and difficult to grasp, you can carefully try to cut off the biting apparatus with a sharp knife.
Sometimes you don't even know when you've been bitten - and only discover the tick much later. Should you then go straight to the doctor to get Lyme disease prophylaxis?
A bite often itches for days to weeks after removal - this is just a reaction of the body to the tick saliva and is completely harmless. It is important to observe the site of the bite. A sure sign of Lyme disease is the so-called migratory redness: a red rash that spreads in a ring around the bite site days to weeks after the bite. This reddening is non-irritating and does not cause any symptoms - which is precisely why it is so characteristic. No other disease causes exactly this type of rash. The only problem is that this travelling redness only occurs in around half of those infected - the other half do not develop it at all.
Borrelia bacteria are found in one in five ticks. What should you do if you suspect the tick has been on you for more than 12 hours - and there is no rash?
There is a US study that shows that taking a single tablet of doxycycline reduces the risk of infection by around 87 per cent if it is taken in the first 72 hours after the bite.
Doxycycline is a conventional antibiotic that is also used to treat acne, for example. In such cases, it is a sensible prophylaxis - provided you act early.
The consequences of Lyme disease can only appear weeks or months later - and are often unspecific. When should you become suspicious?
This is the problem: the symptoms are often diffuse and ambiguous - fatigue, exhaustion, joint or tissue pain, even neurological complaints. More typical are alternating joint pains or migrating tissue pains that move from one part of the body to the next. In children, we sometimes see a swollen earlobe - this is an accumulation of white blood cells. Ultimately, only a blood test will provide clarity.
Editor's note: The health insurance company usually only covers the costs of this blood test if a migratory rash has occurred or if symptoms are present that usually only appear later, such as facial paralysis, meningitis, burning nerve pain or signs of arthritis.
Lyme disease is treacherous
How many cases of Lyme disease are there in Germany every year?
This is difficult to say because Lyme disease is not notifiable and many cases remain unrecognised. We estimate the number at around 60,000 to 100,000 per year. In short: Lyme disease is treacherous. The travelling rash is a sure sign - but fails to materialise in around half of all cases. A single doxycycline tablet after detection can be an effective preventive measure. In the end, only a blood test provides certainty. And contrary to what is often claimed on the internet, Lyme disease is easily treatable - the earlier the better. If it is not recognised for a long time, treatment may be more complex, but it is generally possible.
There is no vaccination for Lyme disease - but there is for TBE. How useful is this vaccination?
Very sensible - and very safe. I don't know of a single documented case where someone has been infected despite being vaccinated. There have been a few exceptions in Sweden, but these are absolutely isolated cases. If you live in southern Germany, you should definitely get vaccinated. Because unlike Lyme disease, TBE is not treatable. It is a serious inflammation of the meninges and brain.
How common are TBE infections in Germany?
Much rarer than Lyme disease. We count around 600 to 800 cases per year.
Since the COVID vaccinations, many people have become more sceptical about vaccinations. What about the side effects of the TBE vaccination?
The TBE vaccination has been around for decades - it has been continuously improved. Today, there are practically no relevant side effects. In the 1990s, there was a vaccine in France that was less well tolerated - but that is now history. In short: the vaccination is safe.
How often do I need to be vaccinated?
Initially twice, then a booster after one year. After that, the protection lasts at least ten years according to studies. Although the information in the manufacturer's authorisation documents refers to a booster every two to three years, I don't think this is necessary.
>> More information at: www.impfen.de
Laurin Lehner
Editor
