Tick bites

The castor bean tick is the most commonly found tick in Europe. These ticks mostly feed on the blood of host animals like rodents and deer. The blood of the host animals may contain germs, which are then transferred to the feeding ticks and can be passed on to humans later on.

When ticks have found a host to feed on, they usually look for areas of soft skin. It does not hurt when a tick latches on to your skin and feeds. If you don’t find the tick and remove it first, it will fall off on its own once it is full. This usually happens after a few days, but it can sometimes take up to two weeks. Your skin will usually become red and itchy near the tick bite, like a mosquito bite. People often only notice that they have a tick bite once their skin starts to itch.

You can carefully remove a tick yourself.

Two main diseases can be transmitted by ticks in Germany: Lyme disease (also called Lyme borreliosis) and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), which can cause inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord (meningitis). Infection is only possible if the tick that bites you is infected, and manages to transmit the viruses or bacteria.

Lyme disease is much more common than TBE. Generally speaking, TBE is rare, and doesn’t occur at all in many regions. Neither of these infections can be transmitted from one person to another. In other words: You are not contagious to others if you have Lyme disease or TBE.

Your risk of a tick bite will mainly depend on where you spend your time and what you do outdoors. Ticks can be found both out in the wild and in gardens or parks. Wearing closed shoes on hikes through tall grass or shrubs can help keep ticks out. Clothes that cover as much of your body as possible – like full-length trousers and long-sleeved shirts – make it harder for ticks to attach. It is easier to spot and remove them on light-colored clothing.

Ticks may wander around your body for a few hours before biting. So checking your body for any ticks soon after walking through a forest or field is an effective way of preventing tick bits. That way you can also find ticks that have started to attach themselves so that you can remove them early enough. This can considerably lower the risk of Lyme disease or TBE. Children often won’t remember to look for ticks, so they might need a reminder or some help. It also makes sense for adults to have someone help, especially to check hard-to-see places.

According to the German Robert Koch Institute, tick repellent sprays can protect you from ticks. The effect starts to wear off after two to four hours, so you will need to re-apply the spray on longer hikes.

There is a vaccine for TBE. The TBE vaccine may be a good idea if you spend a lot of time outdoors in high-risk areas.

When people are ill or need medical advice, they usually go to see their family doctor first. Information about health care in Germany can help you to navigate the German healthcare system and find a suitable doctor. You can use this list of questions to prepare for your appointment.