The number of tick-borne diseases recorded in the Czech Republic this year until the end of July is the highest in the last ten years, as more than 3,000 people have contracted Lyme disease and 372 tick-borne encephalitis, the National Institute of Public Health (SZU) wrote on social media today.
Last year, doctors diagnosed more than 4,000 cases of Lyme disease and 670 of encephalitis. The Czech Republic is one of the countries with the highest number of people affected by tick-borne diseases each year; only the Baltic States have a higher incidence.
Both diseases can present as fever, fatigue and joint and muscle pain. Lyme disease is often preceded by a red spot at the site of the tick bite, called erythema migrans. “Beware, erythema may sometimes not be present at all. Then Lyme disease can be asymptomatic or move on to other stages,” said Marek Stefan from the Clinic of Infectious Diseases and Travel Medicine at the 2nd Faculty of Medicine of Charles University and University Hospital in Motol.
The risk of infection increases the longer the tick is attached. “Use repellents, wear long clothes. After returning from the countryside, examine yourself carefully. Remove the tick as soon as possible and properly,” he added. In its brochure, SZU recommends walking mainly on paths, not entering grass or bushes.
Tick-borne diseases can have serious consequences. In the case of encephalitis, they can include impaired memory, concentration, fatigue or polio. In rare cases, the disease can be fatal, especially in elderly or otherwise debilitated persons. Borreliosis can affect the joints, most commonly the knees, or cause meningitis or facial nerve palsy.
Tick-borne diseases have been on the rise in recent years, and experts say this is linked to warming temperatures, which allow the insects to live at higher altitudes and survive at higher temperatures for a greater part of the year.
People can protect themselves against tick-borne encephalitis by getting a vaccination, which is covered by public health insurance for people over 50. Vaccination against the more common Lyme disease could be available in the coming years. According to information on the manufacturer’s website from February this year, data from the third phase of testing will be available at the end of the year.
Number of cases of tick-borne diseases 2015-2025
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025* | |
| Tick-borne encephalitis | 355 | 565 | 687 | 715 | 774 | 856 | 594 | 710 | 509 | 670 | 372 |
| Lyme disease | 2913 | 4694 | 3939 | 4724 | 4105 | 3710 | 2831 | 3517 | 3270 | 4031 | 3057 |
source: SZU – ISIN, *until the end of July
