The number of areas where there is a risk of TBE has recently increased. And in the areas that previously had problems with TBE, the number of ticks also increased.
This is according to the Public Health Agency, which recorded a total of 169 new cases of TBE in August – the highest in a month.
“Very hot September”
But instead of falling, as the numbers usually do after August, September also has the same peak. Something that, according to Magnus Gisslén, Sweden’s new state epidemiologist, is partly due to the weather.
– We’ve had a very warm September, the weather has been hot and there have simply been a lot of ticks. In addition, it has been a fantastic berry and mushroom season, so many have probably been out in nature and exposed themselves to ticks, he says.
And the development may also follow into the autumn, believes Magnus Gisslén.
– It’s still warm outside, so we’ll see falls into October as well.
Facts: Ticks
Ticks belong to the class of arachnids. They include 900 described species within three families. They are found all over the world, most abundantly in the tropics. So far, 20 species have been found in Sweden.
Most ticks go through three stages: larva, nymph and adult. Larvae and nymphs need to suck blood in order to develop to the next stage. The adult females must have a blood meal in order to lay eggs. However, the adult males do not need blood.
In case of tick bites, diseases can be transmitted, for example TBE, Lyme disease and tick fever. In warmer countries, the ticks can transmit typhus.
Source: NE/TT