Overview
- On May 22 Bavarian health officials reported more than 515 cases of Borreliose (Lyme disease) and 14 cases of FSME so far this year, a slight drop from the same point in 2025.
- FSME is vaccine‑preventable but uptake is low in Bavaria with only about 23 percent of people holding a current protection status and full protection requires a three‑dose schedule with season protection beginning after the second shot.
- There is no licensed vaccine for Borreliose; public reporting notes a Borreliose vaccine candidate is in clinical trials and experts estimate it could reach the market in roughly one to two years if trials succeed.
- Health experts urge simple prevention: use repellents, wear long clothing, check the body after outdoor exposure, remove ticks promptly to lower Borrelia transmission risk, and seek prompt medical care for symptoms such as expanding circular rash or flu‑like signs.
- Researchers warn that warmer, milder winters may boost tick activity and permit species like the Hyalomma tick to establish in Germany, which could change local infection patterns and introduce new pathogens to watch for.