Ticks are common in Sweden and are active from early spring to late autumn. A tick bite is usually harmless but can sometimes lead to diseases such as TBE or Lyme disease. Knowing how to protect yourself, how to remove a tick, and when to seek medical care is important to reduce the risk of complications.
Fever, headache, and fatigue may occur with tick-borne diseases
Diseases
Lyme disease – a bacterial infection treated with antibiotics
TBE (Tick-borne encephalitis) – a viral disease that can cause inflammation of the brain and is prevented through vaccination
Tick bites – symptoms and diseases
After a tick bite, it is common for the skin to react with redness, swelling, or itching. This is a natural reaction that usually goes away within a few days. However, ticks can sometimes transmit diseases, most notably Lyme disease and TBE. Most bites heal without any problems, but it is important to pay attention to your body’s signals in the following weeks to detect if something more serious develops.
Lyme disease
Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium and is the most common tick-borne infection in Sweden. An early sign is a ring-shaped rash that gradually expands at the site of the tick bite, usually one to four weeks after the bite. The infection may also cause swollen lymph nodes, fever, or flu-like symptoms. If left untreated, the disease can spread further in the body and lead to long-term problems affecting the joints, heart, or nervous system. Typical symptoms may include:
An expanding ring-shaped rash
Swollen lymph nodes
Fever or flu-like symptoms
Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics, and early treatment provides the best results.
When and where should you seek medical care?
Most tick bites are harmless and heal without treatment. However, sometimes you need to pay close attention to your body’s signals.Contact your primary care clinic if:
You develop a rash that grows larger than five centimeters, one to four weeks after the bite
You develop fever, muscle pain, or feel more tired than usual
Seek medical care immediately or call emergency services (112) if you experience:
Severe headache or neck stiffness
Facial paralysis
Neurological symptoms such as balance problems or paralysis
Treatment of tick bites
A common tick bite heals on its own and does not require treatment. Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics, which cure the infection if given in time. There is no curative treatment for TBE, but healthcare can relieve the symptoms. Vaccination is the only reliable protection against TBE.
How can I protect myself against tick bites?
It is not possible to completely avoid ticks, but you can reduce the risk of bites and disease by combining TBE vaccination with simple everyday preventive measures. The earlier a tick is detected and removed, the lower the risk of infection being transmitted.
How to protect yourself in everyday life
Wear protective clothing such as long-sleeved tops, long trousers, and tuck your trousers into your socks when spending time in forests and tall grass.
Check your body carefully after outdoor activities, especially children—behind the ears, in the scalp, and in skin folds.
Shake out your clothes and take a shower after being outdoors; ticks can sometimes be washed off before they have attached.
Use mosquito and tick repellent as extra protection.
Check your pets’ fur, as they often bring ticks indoors.
Vaccination – the safest protection against TBE
Protection
Wear long-sleeved shirts and long trousers when spending time in nature
Use tick repellent on exposed skin
Check your body after outdoor activities
Vaccination provides the best protection against TBE
Risk areas
Moist forests and shrubland
Tall grass and gardens
Areas near lakes, coasts, and waterways
TBE (tick-borne encephalitis)
TBE is caused by a virus and can, in some cases, result in a more severe illness. Many people experience no symptoms at all, but in others the disease begins with a phase of fever, headache, and muscle pain. After a short period of improvement, some may fall ill again with meningitis or encephalitis. This can lead to long-lasting problems such as concentration difficulties, memory issues, and severe fatigue. Symptoms of TBE may include:
High fever and severe headache
Nausea and vomiting
Neurological symptoms such as balance problems or paralysis
There is no curative treatment for TBE, but vaccination provides reliable protection.
Have you been bitten by a tick?
Remove the tick as soon as possible, as the risk of infection increases the longer it remains attached. Use a tick remover or tweezers and pull slowly straight out, close to the skin. Wash the bite area with soap and water, and monitor the skin over the following weeks for any changes.
Vaccination is the only effective protection against TBE, a disease that can cause serious and long-lasting complications. If you spend time in risk areas in Sweden or abroad, such as Central Europe or the Baltic countries, vaccination is strongly recommended.
The vaccination series can be started at any time of the year, but it is an advantage to begin during winter or early spring so that the body has time to build up full protection before the tick season begins.
