Climate change and vector-borne infections in EuropePart 2: Tick-borne infections

The increasing impact of the climate crisis and further global environmental changes have important consequences for the infection risk posed by vector-borne diseases. This has a particular impact on the temperature-dependent activity and occurrence of ticks in Europe. Changes in the distribution patterns of vectors, coupled with an increased transmission risk due to behavioural factors, result in a rise in tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease, tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), tularemia, and others. Specifically, rising temperatures and increased humidity favor the proliferation of ticks. The implementation of preventive and surveillance measures regarding tick-borne infectious diseases increasingly becomes a priority of public health.