An unknown incident has occurred on Bornholm, where a 58-year-old woman was bitten by a rare hunting tick. This is the first time a person in Denmark has been recorded to have been bitten by this type of tick, which has previously only been observed on horses in the country. The woman discovered the tick in her armpit after walking her dogs, and her husband took a picture of the tick before flushing it down the toilet.
According to René Bødker, a senior researcher at the University of Copenhagen, this is a unique event in the Danish nature. He emphasizes that hunting ticks are extremely rare and very rarely bite humans. Therefore, neither the residents of Bornholm nor tourists should be concerned about this isolated incident.
The hunting tick is known to carry the potentially deadly virus Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. However, there is a greater risk of being bitten by the common forest ticks, which can transmit the bacterium Borrelia and the TBE virus, which can lead to encephalitis. TBE-infected ticks have already been recorded on Bornholm and in North Zealand.
To protect oneself from tick bites, the Danish Health Authority recommends covering the skin with clothing when moving in forests or areas with tall grass. Dr. Gideon Ertner from the authority informs that long sleeves, pants, and high boots are effective in minimizing the risk of tick bites.
By following these recommendations, one can reduce the risk of being bitten by ticks and thus decrease the danger of contracting serious illnesses.