Even a TBE vaccination will not help you herePopular holiday island is struggling with a plague of ticks!

The island of Vir off Zadar (Croatia) is a paradise – this year also for ticks.
picture alliance / Bildagentur-online/Gernhoefer-McPhoto
Beware of unwanted holiday souvenirs!
With turquoise water and lots of untouched nature, the island of Vir and the mainland around Zadar in Croatia are a popular travel destination. This year, however, the region is also attracting numerous ticks – the island is battling a plague of bloodsuckers. What holidaymakers need to know.
Tick infestation shocks locals and Croatia holidaymakers
Away from the beaches of the popular island of Vir, which is connected to the mainland by a bridge, there are particularly many ticks lurking this year, according to a blog entry on the website kristijan-antic.blog. Both residents and visitors have already reported shocking experiences.
While filming on site, a resident told state broadcaster HRT that his grandson had to go to the doctor three times this year to have deeply penetrated ticks removed. The reporter on site had to “continuously collect ticks from clothing” during filming. And the Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine (HNA) even reports on vacationers who discovered bloodsuckers in their cars after returning from Croatia.
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Dog ticks are causing mischief in Croatia
Particularly drastic: The so-called dog tick is causing mischief in Croatia, according to the blog post. They usually do not transmit TBE, but rather rickettsiae. Rickettsiae are bacteria that, according to the MSD Manual, can cause so-called rickettsioses, such as tick bite or typhus.
As the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) explains on its website, these are typical symptoms Fever, headache, rash and a necrotic – dead – area of skin. There is currently no vaccination.
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Croatia holidaymakers should keep this in mind this year
Even though previous tick bites around Zadar have been “minor and without health consequences”, the Croatia blog urges caution and has some tips for behavior:
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No cross-country walks undertake, but only walk on wide, clear paths
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Light-colored clothing Wear it as it makes it easier to see ticks and remove them immediately.
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After spending time outdoors Check your body for ticks.
If you discover a tick, it should be removed immediately and the bite observed carefully.
Anyone planning a vacation in the Zadar region this year should be aware of the current situation and choose their luggage wisely – tick tweezers or a map and appropriate clothing should not be missing in any suitcase.
Sources used: kristijan-antic.blog, Hessian/Lower Saxony General, MSD Manual, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM)





