Spending time outdoors is important for both physical and mental health.

Physical activity in the form of brisk walks, gardening or other outdoor activities can reduce the risk of, among other things, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mental health disorders. 
However, it is important to know that out there, in the green grass, may be ticks, small arthropods, that can bite and spread diseases.

Ticks are found in nature and can spread diseases through their bite

The tick is a small arthropod, related to mites and arachnids. It thrives best in grass, in shady and humid places. The tick lives for two to three years and develops from a few tenths of a mm as a larva to 3–4 mm as an adult. As long as it is warmer than 5 degrees outside, the tick is active.

The tick needs blood from a host animal to develop from a larva to a nymph and then to an adult. 

Diseases can be spread from the tick to us humans through tick bites. The most common diseases that are spread via tick bites here in Sweden are Lyme disease and TBE.

Lyme disease is more common than TBE but can usually be successfully treated with antibiotics. 

TBE is less common but cannot be treated. There are vaccines that protect against TBE – find your nearest vaccination clinic here.
 

Lyme disease – a serious disease that can be treated

Lyme disease is caused by a tick-borne bacterium. Every year, it is estimated approximately 10 000 people fall ill with Lyme disease in Sweden. It is not possible to get vaccinated against Lyme disease, but it can be treated with antibiotics. It is also possible to get infected with Lyme disease several times. 
The most common sign of Lyme infection is that you see an expanding redness that is larger than five centimeters in diameter at the bite site. It occurs one to four weeks after the tick bite and can fade from the center outwards. Sometimes you can feel like you are getting sick and may have a fever. Lyme infection usually starts in the skin and if it is not treated, there is a risk that the bacteria will spread to the nervous system or to the joints. If you suspect Lyme disease, you should seek medical attention.
 

TBE – a serious disease that can be prevented with vaccination

TBE virus can be found in tick saliva. During the actual tick bite, the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBE virus) is transmitted quickly via the tick’s salivary glands. 
The first signs and symptoms of the transmitted TBE virus are acute symptoms of infection, such as fever, headache and general malaise that last for up to a week. In some cases, nothing more happens, and a lifelong immunity occurs. However, in about one in every third person infected, the disease returns with more pronounced symptoms – high fever, headache, nausea, vomiting and an affected general condition. The TBE virus then affects the brain and meninges and causes a severe illness that requires hospital care and sometimes even intensive care.

Of those who are infected with TBE, approximately 40% have residual symptoms, such as headaches and fatigue. 
Common is also increased fatigue that leads to impaired attention and memory, which can prevent you going back working full-time. In some cases, direct nerve damage causes symptoms of paralysis, and if the auditory nerve is affected, it can lead to hearing loss or balance disorders. Deaths from TBE occur, but the risk is very small in Sweden. 
There is no treatment for TBE. It is therefore important to get vaccinated against TBE if you spend time outdoors or if you live in areas known for TBE-borne infection. 

TBE in children

Even small children can get infected with TBE and can have long-lasting symptoms such as fatigue, difficulty concentrating and memory problems. Vaccine can be given to children 1 years of age and older.