May 2025

Summary:

• • • Ticks transmit various pathogens including Borrelia bacteria and the TBE virus
    • AGES launched a nationwide tick monitoring program in 2024, examining 1,420 ticks
    • The monitoring continues in 2025 and will be expanded to include additional pathogens
    • Citizens can contribute to research by submitting dead ticks
    • Required information: date found, postal code of location, and host information

As spring temperatures rise, ticks in Austria become active again. The most common species here is Ixodes ricinus (common wood tick). These tiny parasites develop from eggs through larval and nymph stages to adult ticks. At all active life stages, they require blood meals, which they obtain from vertebrates – including humans.

In doing so, ticks can pick up various pathogens and transmit them to the next host. The probability of transmission depends on various factors such as the type of pathogen and the duration of the blood meal. In our regions, Borrelia bacteria and the TBE virus (tick-borne encephalitis) are particularly common. Additionally, Francisella, Anaplasma, Rickettsia, Neoehrlichia, and relapsing fever Borrelia can also be transmitted.

To gain a better understanding of the current distribution and frequency of these pathogens, AGES (Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety) launched a nationwide tick monitoring program in 2024. As part of this project, 1,420 ticks from across Austria were examined for Borrelia last year. The monitoring continues in 2025 and will be expanded to include additional pathogens.

Everyone can help: Anyone who finds a tick can send it to the following address:

AGES – Department for Vector-borne Diseases
Währinger Straße 25a, 1090 Vienna

Important: Only dead ticks may be sent (see the hazardous materials brochure of the Austrian Post). For scientific analysis, additional information such as the date found, the postal code of the location, and information about the host (human or animal) is required. Please note that no individual test results can be provided.

For more details about the project, visit:
https://www.ages.at/mensch/krankheit/infos-zu-zecken-krankheiten#c28475

As the investigations will be expanded to include additional pathogens in 2025, we expect exciting new insights into tick epidemiology in Austria.