Overview

• Two individuals in the Munich district have tested positive for tularemia after tick bites, and both are recovering steadily under antibiotic treatment.
• Bavarian health officials recorded 71 tularemia cases in 2024—three times the previous year’s total—after three hunters fell ill in Donau-Ries last November.
• The Francisella tularensis bacterium can be spread by ticks, mosquitoes, contact with infected wild animals or through contaminated water and dust.
• Symptoms typically appear three to five days after infection and include fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes and flu-like discomfort, with antibiotics remaining highly effective.
• Officials recommend wearing long clothing, using tick and insect repellent, performing regular body checks and practicing proper hygiene when handling wild game.