What is colloquially referred to as tick vaccination (tick control) is not a vaccine against ticks, but against the pathogens that can be transmitted in a tick bite. These are mainly Borrelia (bacteria that cause Lyme disease) and TBE viruses (causative agent of tick-borne encephalitis). Read all important information about the tick vaccination!
Vaccination against Lyme disease
There is a Lyme disease vaccine that only protects against the borrelia that exist in the United States. In Germany so far no vaccine against Lyme disease is available. In Europe, there are different types of Borrelia. That’s one of the reasons why developing a vaccine for these latitudes is so difficult.
Vaccination against TBE
The tick vaccine available in Germany is a vaccine against TBE viruses. These are the causative agents of tick-borne encephalitis. People living in high-risk areas can protect themselves with this tick vaccination. It is a so-called active vaccination with a dead vaccine. “Active” means that after vaccination, the immune system must independently (“actively”) produce antibodies against the TBE viruses. A dead vaccine is a vaccine that contains killed pathogens that can not cause disease but still activate the body’s immune system. The TBE vaccine must be administered three times to ensure protection for three years. The second vaccine dose is given one month after the first and third doses after one year. At the end of the three years, the tick vaccination must be refreshed.
Tick vaccination: costs
In some cases, the cost of this tick vaccine will be covered by the statutory health insurance. This usually applies to people living in a TBE risk area. Some health insurance companies also cover the cost of a tick vaccination as a travel vaccine. Find out about the reimbursement of costs at your health insurance.
Tick vaccination: side effects
As with any other vaccine, side effects can occur even with a tick vaccine. These are usually reactions at the injection site: mild pain, mild redness or swelling.
Persons allergic to chicken protein may also be allergic to the tick vaccine. You should discuss with your doctor whether you can still be vaccinated or how you can protect yourself from a tick bite in any other way.
Tick vaccination in children
Infants under one year of age are often still protected from infection by TBE viruses through so-called nest protection. If the mother had effective protection against TBE at the time of pregnancy, the antibodies from her blood would probably be transmitted to the child via the placenta, protecting her from TBE in the first few months of her life. For larger children, this nest protection is no longer given. Since they often carry a high risk of being bitten by a tick, it is highly recommended to use a risk zone Zeckenimpfung for children.