Tick ​​alarm: Increasing TBE cases and expert tips for the summer!

Ticks pose an increasing health threat in Germany, particularly by transmitting diseases such as Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). The common woodbuck in particular is a relevant vector. According to WELT, the risk calculations carried out by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) are subject to expert errors. The symptoms of TBE often only appear 7 to 10 days after a tick bite, making diagnosis difficult.

The risk of severe TBE disease increases particularly for people with diabetes, a weak immune system and people over 40 years of age. In 2023, three TBE-related deaths were recorded in Germany, all of those affected were over 50 years old. Less than a third of those infected develop symptoms, which means that TBE often goes undiagnosed. The RKI map only shows the frequency of TBE cases, but not the presence of ticks. In addition, five percent of TBE cases come from areas that are not classified as risk areas. In 2022, the RKI reported 686 TBE cases, which corresponds to an increase of 44 percent compared to the previous year.

Current situation and expert opinions

Rising temperatures mean that ticks are active all year round, even in winter. This represents an additional source of danger. The first TBE cases were also reported in January 2025, as Tagesschau reported. Experts expect a year full of ticks, and ticks can become active at temperatures as low as five degrees Celsius.

Gerhard Dobler, head of the National Consultative Laboratory TBE, has determined that TBE cases have already occurred in the federal states of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Saxony. It should be noted that there is no region in Germany that is TBE-free. Dobler therefore recommends vaccinations regardless of the RKI risk map. The number of unreported infections is estimated to be high because many cases are not recognized or are mild.

The vaccination against TBE offers a high level of protection, especially if carried out in good time before the tick season. The vaccination protection is strong, with three or more doses the effectiveness is almost 97 percent. Unfortunately, the vaccination rate in Germany is declining: in 2013, 20.5 percent of the population was vaccinated; in 2022 it was only 19.6 percent. The vaccination rate is particularly higher in risk areas; in the Saale-Holzland district, for example, it is 36.8 percent. Experts recommend checking for ticks after spending time in nature and removing them carefully.