Ticks in Switzerland

Ticks in Switzerland: Where are they? What time of year do you need to watch out for them?

With the exception of the cantons of Geneva and Ticino, the whole of Switzerland is considered a risk area. They live in forests of the Central Plateau in the undergrowth, at forest edges, on forest clearings and also near rivers and in parks close to forests up to an altitude of about 1,500 metres above sea level. Ticks become active as soon as the temperature rises above 7 °C, so it is especially important to protect yourself outdoors from March to November.

Tick bites: What can you do to protect yourself?

Keep in mind the following when you are in a high-risk area:

Wear clothing that covers the entire body.
Use an anti-tick spray on shoes and the parts of the body that come into contact with grass and bushes. Anti-tick products for clothing differ from those for skin; never spray either on your face.
Protect your dog or cat with an anti-tick product. Stay on wide paths and avoid contact with grass and bushes.
Check your clothing and uncovered body regularly; light-coloured clothing makes it easier to find ticks.

Check body and clothes for ticks at home. Check children’s heads especially carefully, and also pets. Ticks can suck blood anywhere on the body: they like warm, moist and thin areas of skin such as the back of the knees, groin, inner thigh, buttocks, neck and armpits.

Please note: If you live in a risk area, a vaccination against meningitis (TBE) may be worthwhile. Discuss this with your doctor or pharmacist.

What do you need to do if you’ve been bitten by a tick?

Tick bites often go unnoticed, because the ticks release an anaesthetic when they bite. This is why the bite area rarely hurts or itches, giving the tick free rein to suck blood. Ticks fall off the bite area on their own once they’ve had their fill of blood. Tick bites are not always recognisable, often leaving only a small dark spot.

Removing ticks quickly and correctly

Remove ticks as quickly as possible with fine tweezers or tick tweezers (available in pharmacies). Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible to avoid crushing the tick, and pull it out with a straight and steady motion. Disinfect the bite area and note the date.

When do you need to see a doctor?

Not every tick bite is dangerous. The first sign of an infection can be discolouration of the affected skin area. However, reddening of the skin does not necessarily mean there is an infection with a pathogen, nor does no redness necessarily mean there is no infection.

A visit to your doctor to remove a tick is not necessary and the head of the tick does not necessarily need to be removed, except to avoid an infection.

If parts of the tick remain in the skin, do not panic; in most cases, your body will expel them. However, you should see a doctor if:

the bite area becomes inflamed or heals poorly.
there is an expanding rash. Sometimes, a circular rash appears a few days after the tick bite and continues to spread. It gets redder over the next days, and then spontaneously disappears. Still, you should definitely consult a doctor.
you have a fever, headache or aching limbs and feel exhausted after possible exposure to ticks.

What diseases do ticks transmit?

In Switzerland, ticks transmit three main diseases:

Borreliosis, also known as Lyme disease, is caused by bacteria. It is the most common tick-borne disease in Switzerland. A common symptom of Lyme disease is a red rash that can appear 1 to 30 days after a tick bite. Borreliosis can be treated with antibiotics, but it cannot be prevented by vaccination.

Meningitis is also known by the abbreviation TBE, which stands for tick-borne encephalitis. TBE is an inflammation of the brain and its lining. If a tick transmits the virus, it can lead to serious disease. There is no specific medication for TBE, only treatment for its symptoms. This is why prevention through vaccination is so important.

Tularaemia (rabbit fever) is a bacterial infection. In Switzerland, about half of the cases are caused by tick bites. Although still rather rare, the number of tularaemia cases has increased in recent years. The signs and symptoms are varied and are reminiscent of flu or skin ulcers. Tularaemia can be treated with antibiotics, but it cannot be prevented by vaccination.

Vaccination against meningitis (TBE)

The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) recommends vaccination for all adults and children (generally over the age of three) who live or temporarily stay in risk areas. In Switzerland, this applies to all cantons except the canton of Ticino.

The vaccination costs around CHF 120 and is available at a doctor’s office or certain pharmacies.

The cost of vaccination is covered by the compulsory health insurance. If you are occupationally exposed (work in forests, at the edge of forests, etc.) it is covered by the employer. You can check whether vaccination is available in a pharmacy in your canton on the website of the Swiss Pharmacists Association (website available in German, French and Italian). Vaccination in pharmacies is only reimbursed if it is prescribed by a doctor. If you have yourself vaccinated as a preventive measure, you pay the costs yourself.

The ideal time for vaccination is winter, but it can be done all year round. Full immunisation requires three vaccination doses. Full immunisation requires three vaccination doses. The first two vaccinations are usually given one month apart. The third vaccination, which ensures long-term protection of at least 10 years, is given after 5 to 12 months, depending on the vaccine. The FOPH recommends a booster every 10 years.

Further information

The free app from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences provides information about protection against tick bites and what to do in the event of a tick bite: Apps area of Google Play Entertainment Mac App Store (apple.com)
Web page of the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) on tick-borne diseases (admin.ch) (available in German, French and Italian)
April through November: monthly situation report on tick-borne diseases (FOPH) (web page available in German, French and Italian)
Federal Office of Public Health: Infectious Diseases Dashboard - Tick-borne diseases

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Protection against ticks

Note

Removing ticks quickly and correctly

When do you need to see a doctor?