Tick sightings has been done this year Tick live– already more than 127,000 in the monitoring service, which is almost 50,000 observations more than last year. The observations give indications that ticks are found especially in coastal areas and southern parts of Finland. However, the distribution of ticks is almost the whole of Finland.
THL’s specialist doctor Mika Muhonen says that even though ticks exist all over Finland, tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) spread by ticks is still only in very limited areas. Even in these risk areas, only 1–2 percent of ticks carry the disease.
“It really often confuses people, because there are a lot of ticks in Finland,” he says.
Ticks that is, ticks spread two diseases, tick encephalitis and borreliosis. Tuberculosis, or TBE, is the rarest of the diseases, but more dangerous.
This year, 99 cases of TBE have been reported in the whole country, of which 42 in the hospital district of Helsinki and Uusimaa. In 2021, there was a record number of TBE cases. Last year, there were slightly fewer cases, and this year’s numbers are at the level of the previous year.
Lyme disease is 50 times more common in Finland than lupus encephalitis, and there are approximately 7,000 infections each year.
Bacteria it is not possible to vaccinate against borreliosis, but a “tick vaccine” is available against TBE infections.
THL assigns the TBE vaccine, i.e. tick vaccine, to the regional national vaccination program only if enough TBE cases have been found in the region.
“This year’s TBE infections, for example in the Hus area, probably came from largely known infection areas. No new areas have been observed, and therefore the vaccination program has not been expanded.”
Muhonen says that everyone infected with TBE is interviewed. That way you can find out where the infection is most likely. Thus, risk areas can be identified and, if necessary, added to the vaccination program.
“There are also areas where it has been noticed that there are no more cases. The Turku archipelago used to have more cases, and now it hasn’t for a long time. Then the area could be removed from the recommended areas.”
The incidence of TBE cases must be 15 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over a period of five years for an area to achieve the status of a risk area. THL makes case-by-case considerations, but a single case does not yet turn the area into a risk area.
In the recommended vaccination areas, tick vaccination is available free of charge for those aged 3 years and older. Vacationers in risk areas also get free vaccination. For a fee, the tick vaccine is also available in other areas.
Six during the year between 2017 and 2022, about 170,000 people have received the tick vaccine. About 50,000 of these vaccines went to the Defense Forces. The Defense Forces vaccinates conscripts in risk areas.
According to Muhonen, the number of vaccines given depends on new regional expansions in the national vaccination program.
“When, for example, Lohja and Kirkkonumme were added, there was a clear spike in demand. That’s why it’s better to look at the annual average over a six-year period, which is about 20,000 vaccine doses per year.”
Muhonen says that a large proportion of TBE infections still come from areas whose residents would be entitled to free vaccination, but the vaccine has not been taken.
“If we could vaccinate everyone who is entitled to it, the number of cases in Finland would certainly be lower. That’s why it’s important that everyone who is entitled to it should get the vaccine.
Muhonen reminds that no matter what kind of tick area it is, it is still healthier to move in nature than not to move. The most important thing is to protect yourself with covering clothes, in which case the risk of both borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis is reduced.
“You can prevent Lyme disease by checking yourself for ticks after going out, because the risk of contracting Lyme disease only increases closer to a day after the tick has attached. In addition, if you are entitled to TBE vaccines”, residents should apply for them.
Read more: Hus estimates: There will be a record number of disease cases in the capital region this year
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