She was infected with insidious tick-borne encephalitis or Lyme disease. The current humid and warm weather is literally a paradise for ticks. In the last week of June alone, South Bohemian hygienists registered fifteen new confirmed cases of tick-borne encephalitis, and there were also twenty-three more people who contracted Lyme disease.
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“So far, we have proven thirty-seven cases of tick-borne encephalitis in the region, which is almost three times more than in the comparable period last year, when we registered thirteen cases. One hundred and twenty-two people have contracted Lyme disease so far, “said Kvetoslava Kotrbová, director of the South Bohemian Regional Hygiene Station.
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Hygienists appeal to the public to use repellents everywhere in nature. Without them, people should not go to mushroom forests, parks, meadows, ponds or gardens at all. The activity of ticks is huge these days. On a ten-point scale published by the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute, their activity is at number seven, which means high risk.
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“It is, of course, a reason to be very careful when staying in nature, but also in the garden or park. We recommend that you do not lie down on the grass, do not enter the thick bushes and see you immediately when you get home, ”calls Kotrbová.
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She also added that ticks have unfortunately become so resistant in the last few years that they migrate to higher altitudes of around a thousand meters. This is evidenced by the increase in the number of cases in the Prachatice and Český Krumlov regions. It is possible to vaccinate against tick-borne encephalitis, ie inflammation of the brain. However, it is advisable to administer the vaccine before the start of the main season of tick activity. But according to hygienists, people still underestimate the risk. Prevention is also the use of repellents and the timely removal of ticks.
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“In the case of encephalitis, even just two hours is enough to transfer an infectious dose from a sucked tick,” stressed epidemiologist Jitka Luňáčková. There is no vaccine against Lyme disease yet.
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