Erfurt (dpa/th) – The number of infections transmitted by tick bites is decreasing significantly in Thuringia. From January to the end of September, 163 Lyme disease infections and five cases of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) were reported in Bavaria, as the Barmer health insurance company announced on Tuesday with reference to current figures from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). In the comparable period of the previous year, there were 315 Lyme disease infections (2020: 391) and also five TBE cases (2020: 14).
So far this year, most Lyme disease infections have been reported in the Saalfeld-Rudolstadt district (23), while there was only one in Eichsfeld. The five TBE cases were in the Ilm district (two) and in Suhl, in the Hildburghausen district and in the Greiz district, each with one case.
Lyme disease is a disease caused by certain bacteria (Borrelia), which is often recognizable by a red ring or spot around the injection site. It can be treated with antibiotics, but there is no vaccination against it. Experts therefore recommend wearing robust clothing to protect yourself from tick bites and thoroughly checking yourself for ticks after spending time in gardens or forests.
The disease occurs much more frequently than tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), against which vaccination is possible. Unlike Lyme disease, only ticks in certain regions carry TBE viruses. In Thuringia, these areas currently include twelve administrative districts or urban districts.
Barmer country manager Birgit Dziuk said the decrease in reported cases was gratifying, but did not mean that tick bites were now less of a risk. The little bloodsuckers are still active, which is why caution and protective measures are still appropriate.
