Overview
- Germany has logged record tick numbers this spring after an unusually mild winter boosted survival rates.
- Up to 40 percent of adult ticks carry Borrelia bacteria; early summer meningoencephalitis remains prevalent in designated risk areas.
- The Naturschutzbund, with support from the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, is collecting citizen-submitted tick photos to track the geographic range of 20 native and emerging species.
- Climate change is facilitating the northward migration of species like the Hyalomma tick, which can transmit Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever.
- Authorities recommend wearing long clothing, applying insect repellent, performing thorough body inspections after outdoor activities to prevent bites.