DON’T MISS
IamExpat FairIamExpat Job BoardIamExpat Webinars
Newsletters
EXPAT INFO
CAREER
HOUSING
EDUCATION
LIFESTYLE
EXPAT SERVICES
NEWS & ARTICLES
Home
Expat Info
German news & articles
Deadly tick diseases on the rise in Germany
Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy

Deadly tick diseases on the rise in Germany

Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy
or
follow us for regular updates:



Related Stories

German farm offering video calls with alpacas during coronavirus shutdownGerman farm offering video calls with alpacas during coronavirus shutdown
GP surgeries across Germany to remain closed on Monday due to strikeGP surgeries across Germany to remain closed on Monday due to strike
NRW debates dog poo data bank to track down repeat offendersNRW debates dog poo data bank to track down repeat offenders
Police call off Berlin lioness hunt, say sighting was probably a wild boarPolice call off Berlin lioness hunt, say sighting was probably a wild boar
Rooster banished to soundproofed coop after neighbour brings court complaintRooster banished to soundproofed coop after neighbour brings court complaint
Ticks now active nearly the whole year round in GermanyTicks now active nearly the whole year round in Germany
Ticks present in almost all city parks in Germany, risk of diseasesTicks present in almost all city parks in Germany, risk of diseases
Mystery of mass fish die-off in Oder River in GermanyMystery of mass fish die-off in Oder River in Germany
For expats of all colours, shapes and sizes

Explore
Expat infoCareerHousingEducationLifestyleExpat servicesNews & articles
About us
IamExpat MediaAdvertisePost a jobContact usImpressumSitemap
More IamExpat
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingIamExpat FairWebinarsNewsletters
Privacy
Terms of usePrivacy policyCookiesAvoiding scams

Never miss a thing!Sign up for expat events, news & offers, delivered once a week.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy


© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
May 9, 2019
Abi Carter

Editor in chief at IamExpat Media

Abi studied German and History at the University of Manchester and has since lived in Berlin, Hamburg and Utrecht, working since 2017 as a writer, editor and content marketeer. Although she's happily taken on some German and Dutch quirks, she keeps a stash of Yorkshire Tea on hand, because nowhere does a brew quite like home.Read more

With new risk areas, high infection rates and the rise of a “super” species, 2018 was a good year for ticks in Germany. Experts are now warning that 2019 could be another tick bonanza, as warmer temperatures allow the disease-carrying little critters to travel further north.

Tick-borne diseases increasing in Germany

Fever, sluggishness, joint pain … These are all symptoms of Germany’s two most common tick-borne diseases: Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). While lyme disease is a bacterial infection usually disclosed by rashes, headaches and muscle pain, TBE is a viral infection that causes flu-like symptoms. Long-term, both diseases can develop into chronic conditions like arthritis and meningitis - and can even be fatal.

And, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), incidences of both diseases are on the rise in Germany. In the first three months of this year alone, 497 cases of Lyme disease were reported, along with 10 cases of TBE. Last year, more than 13.349 people were infected with Lyme disease, and a total of 584 contracted TBE: “The most reported TBE cases ever”, according to RKI spokeswoman Susanne Glasmacher.

Even more worryingly, in 2018 the first so-called “super tick” was discovered in Germany. The hyalomma tick is larger than the species of tick native to Germany and can transmit diseases such as the Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus, which is fatal in 30 percent of cases.

Warm temperatures boost tick activity

While this increase in tick infections may be attributable to the extreme summer we had in 2018, some experts are concerned that increasing temperatures may be extending the tick season. Dr Gerhard Dobler from the National Consiliary Laboratory in Munich warns that mild temperatures in the winter and warm springs favour the wide occurrence of ticks, who are active in temperatures above eight degrees.

Moreover, while the risk areas in Germany have historically been confined to the southern federal states, Thuringia and Saxony, this year for the first time the RKI has named a district in northern Germany as a tick risk area: Emsland in Lower Saxony.

How to protect yourself from ticks in Germany

Not all areas in Germany are affected by tick-borne diseases: to see where you’re most at risk, you can check out this handy interactive map. To protect yourself from ticks and tick-related diseases, try to keep yourself covered when walking through grassy areas. If you have been out and about in nature, make sure to check yourself thoroughly for ticks afterwards.

If you have been bitten, remove the entire critter as soon as possible and watch out for flu-like symptoms, joint pain and rashes. The risk of becoming infected from a tick bite is low, but if notice any symptoms or are otherwise concerned, consult with your doctor.

By Abi Carter