Ticks while Hiking in Finland

Where Can You Find Ticks in Finland?

Currently, ticks are still in the south of Finland, but with the gradual warming of the climate, it is expected that they will slowly move north. The northernmost Finnish location where a tick has been found is Simo in central Finland. The place with the highest risk factor is Espoo, where multiple cases of tick-borne encephalitis have already been reported. Areas around Hankoniemi, Lohja, and Tampere are also favored by ticks. Furthermore, the southern coastlines and islands are identified as risk areas.

Tick-Borne Encephalitis / TBE Increasingly Threatening Finland

In Finland, they are increasingly dealing with people who have been infected with tick-borne encephalitis after a tick bite. This disease is transmitted immediately after the bite and can cause brain inflammation. A week after infection, fever and flu-like symptoms can occur. One in three people infected with this virus also develops meningitis. This often comes with headaches, dizziness, and stiffness of the neck, shoulders, and back. Only one percent of people die from the European variant, but the Siberian variant, which is much more deadly, has also been found in Finland. There is no treatment for this disease, but vaccination is possible.