The warm-temperate countries of the northern hemisphere, including Europe, are high-risk regions in terms of ticks and the diseases they transmit.
A recent study highlighted the risks associated with ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) reported across Europe during the summer months.
These serious diseases include Lyme disease, a severe bacterial infection.
The study, published in the Journal of Environmental Management in February 2025, examines the impact of climate change on the spread of disease-carrying ticks. It finds that the adaptability of ticks decreases in lower-altitude climatic zones but increases in higher-altitude areas.
The researchers proposed a ‘tick-pathogen-host-habitat-human’ model to predict the global potential distribution of the main vector ticks, using data from a total of 70,714 occurrences. Specifically, January solar radiation stands out as the main factor determining the distribution pattern of TBD risk.
Furthermore, shifts in the distribution of tick adaptability were projected for the future alongside various common socio-economic pathways.
The researchers wrote: “Our results show that the warm-temperate countries of the northern hemisphere, including Europe, are high-risk regions for ticks and TBDs.”
According to the World Health Organisation, the number of Lyme disease cases in Europe has been steadily increasing. Among the regions in Europe at highest risk of tick establishment are France, Spain, Ukraine, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania and the United Kingdom.
Editor’s note: In addition to WHO data, this article also refutes the misconception propagated by certain scientists that, as average temperatures rise, ticks would move further north and become extinct in Central Europe.
Source: https://www.vax-before-travel.com/europes-warm-summer-increases-lyme-disease-risk-2025-06-19
(C) Lyme Borreliosis Foundation
