<\/p>\n
Both the number of ticks as well as the tick-borne pathogens have increased significantly in Estonia in the past 10 years, according to a study completed by the National Institute of Health Development.<\/span><\/p>\n In the summer of 2020, <\/span>the National Institute of Health Development m<\/span>apped the most tick-prone parts of the country. Between May and August of 2020, they received almost 15,000 reports regarding 23,064 ticks.<\/p>\n Surprisingly, 35 per cent of all ticks mapped were found in back gardens, this was almost the same as forests, brush and unmaintained roadsides combined.<\/span><\/p>\n In total, <\/span>the National Institute of Health Development studied more than 3500 physical tick samples for pathogens such as those that cause neoehrlichiosis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA), tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF), tick-borne rickettsioses, tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and Lyme disease or Lyme borreliosis.<\/span><\/p>\n The presence of at least one pathogen was found in 62 per cent of the ticks tested. One-fifth (20 per cent) were carrying more than one pathogen. The highest proportion of pathogen-carrying ticks was found in Tartumaa (77 per cent), and the lowest in Ida-Virumaa (39 per cent).<\/span><\/p>\n The most common pathogen found in the ticks was tick-borne rickettsioses, being found in 35 per cent of all tested ticks. Tick-borne rickettsioses can cause fever, a headache, a rash as well as muscle aches. In very serious cases, meningitis can develop.<\/span><\/p>\n The next most common pathogen found was Lyme borreliosis, which was found in 28 per cent of all ticks. Tick-borne encephalitis was only found in two of the 3500 ticks studied.<\/span><\/p>\n