I hesitate to add this post because I don't want to be accused of working up a frenzy about infectious diseases in Germany but just wanted to give a general warning as it would seem that Borreliose(Lymes disease in English) is on the increase here, (well certainly in Rheinland Pfalz). My husband has just been diagnosed with it after being bitten by a tick. He was told that whilst still only a small risk it is certainly not uncommon and people displaying symptoms are on the increase here. So, avoid walking in long grass with legs and feet uncovered and should you be bitten watch the bite area for unusual redness and swelling. My husband ingnored the intitial stage and has now developed the secondary and more chronic stage. It was always a disease that I associated with Southern France and Spain, but it pays to be aware.
Posted by
Berlin, Germany
337 posts
The good news about Lyme borreliosis is that, unlike tick-borne encephalitis, for infection the tick needs to be attached for a relatively long period (at least several hours, some say more than a day) of time. It is therefore a very good prophylactics to search yourself and your travel partners for ticks (and remove them of course) after hiking in woods.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9363 posts
I'm sure he meant "prophylaxis", James.
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
517 posts
When we first moved here my entire family got vaccinated. Then we got booster shots two years later and one further round. I should check if we are due again. Not sure if it was for the exact same strain but I remember seeing a map showing much of Central and Eastern Europe being at risk.
Posted by
Cary, NC
687 posts
As the climate changes the range for diseases like this will change, so don't rely too much on the maps - if you're somewhere near the border shown on the map you're probably at risk too.
Posted by
Calgary
2297 posts
Thomas, what vaccination did you get? Ticks can spread a variety of diseases. I'm only aware of a vaccination that protects against the FSME virus which can cause meningoencephalitis. I haven't heard of a vaccination against the borreliose bacteria that cause Lyme disease.
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
517 posts
I stand corrected. I double checked and what we actually got vaccinated for is "tickborne encephalitis". This is what the pamphlet says: "Tickborne encephalitis (TBE) is a viral infection of the central nervous system transmitted by bites of certain vector ticks... TBE is common in Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Switzerland, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and norther Yugoslavia. It occurs at a lower frequency in Bulgaria, Romania, Denmark, France, the Aland archipelago, Southern Sweden and the Finnish coastline..."
Those ticks are trouble! Although it says it is common in Austria and Germany, I have to note that I have never met anyone (to my knowledge) who has the disease. Safe travels!
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
Lyme disease isn't quite as common in Europe as it is in the US, but you can still get it here. If your itinerary is city-heavy, you chances of exposure are much lower than a rural trip.