28.Märts 2025

Ilmad on soojemad ja puugid on aktiivsemad

The weather is warmer and ticks are more active

Viimastel aastatel on . 2021. aastal oli 82 juhtu, aga 2023. aastal juba 209. Möödunud aastal juhtude arv taas langes. Puukide arvukus on nüüd ühtlasem kui varem.

, aga . Puugid muutuvad aktiivseks, kui ja . Tavaliselt on see aprilli keskel.

Puuke leidub nüüd rohkem ka linnades ja aedades. See on seotud . Kui talved jätkavad soojenemist, võib Eestisse tulla uusi puugiliike, aga inimest ründavad peamiselt laaneja võsapuugid.

Puugid levitavad rohkem puukborrelioosi kui puukentsefaliiti. Puukborrelioosi saab ravida antibiootikumidega, aga . .

Puukentsefaliidi peiteaeg on paar nädalat, seega pöördutakse arsti poole kohe kevadel. Puukborrelioosi juhtumeid on rohkem maist oktoobrini. Vaktsineerimine on tihedam aprillis ja mais.

Puukentsefaliidi vastu vaktsineerimine on viimastel aastatel kasvanud. 2023. aastal vaktsineeriti umbes 60 000 korda, aga eelmisel aastal juba üle 100 000 korda. See on selge kasvutrend.

In recent years, there have been more cases of tick-borne encephalitis. In 2021, there were 82 cases, but in 2023, there were already 209. Last year, the number of cases decreased again. The abundance of ticks is now more uniform than before.

Taiga ticks are more common in Southern and Eastern Estonia, but bush ticks are everywhere. Ticks become active when the temperature is above +5 degrees and the snow has melted. Usually, this is in mid-April.

Ticks are now also found more in cities and gardens. This is related to warmer winters. If winters continue to warm, new species of ticks may arrive in Estonia, but humans are mainly attacked by taiga and bush ticks.

Ticks spread more Lyme disease than tick-borne encephalitis. Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics, but there is a vaccine against tick-borne encephalitis. Doctors recommend vaccination.

The incubation period for tick-borne encephalitis is a couple of weeks, so people seek medical attention immediately in spring. Cases of Lyme disease are more common from May to October. Vaccination is more frequent in April and May.

Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis has increased in recent years. In 2023, about 60,000 vaccinations were administered, but last year already over 100,000. This is a clear growth trend.