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Lyme Disease Cases Climb in Germany, With Bavaria Up 37% Year Over Year

Health agencies warn official counts capture only a fraction of infections, prompting a focus on prevention in the absence of a vaccine.

Overview

  • Bavaria has logged about 4,800 Lyme borreliosis cases by early October 2025, up from roughly 3,500 in 2024 and a little over 2,900 in 2023, according to the LGL.
  • Hesse reported more than 13,000 diagnoses in the first half of 2025 based on data from the state’s physicians’ association.
  • The LGL says many cases are not transmitted to authorities, so reported figures should be viewed as minimum estimates.
  • Lyme borreliosis is Germany’s most common tick-borne disease, unlike FSME for which a vaccine exists, and it is not spread between humans per the RKI.
  • Early signs often include an expanding circular rash in 80–90% of cases, and prompt antibiotics are usually effective; officials urge tick checks, immediate removal, and medical review of any suspicious rash, noting tick activity from around 6°C and possible climate effects that remain under study.