Rising Tick Bites in the Netherlands: Risks and Prevention

The Netherlands experienced a significant rise in tick bite reports in 2025, marking the highest number of reported cases in five years. According to the monitoring body Tekenradar.nl, the number of reported tick bites rose to 10,795 in 2025, which represents a 41% increase compared to 2024.

Public health institute RIVM and Wageningen University noted that while the reported figure is the highest since 2021, the actual number of bites is likely to exceed one million.

Regional and Environmental Risk Factors

The risk of tick bites varies significantly across different provinces in the Netherlands. Drenthe reported the highest incidence with 142 bites per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Gelderland with 83 and Flevoland with 79.

Lower rates were reported in other regions, with Noord Brabant and Noord Holland both reporting 29 bites per 100,000 inhabitants, while Zuid-Holland reported 22.

Environmental conditions played a role in the 2025 surge. Wageningen biologist Arnold van Vliet stated that an extremely dry start to the season initially limited tick activity, but rain in May caused reports to increase, with June and July becoming the worst months for bites.

Ticks are found throughout the country in gardens, parks, dunes, heaths, and forests. They primarily inhabit decomposing leaves or tall grass located near bushes or trees.

High-Risk Demographics and Habitats

Research indicates that certain age groups are more susceptible to tick bites. People between the ages of 50 and 69, as well as children under the age of 10, were bitten most frequently.

The locations where bites occur also differ by age. While 43% of people were bitten in forests, 31% reported bites occurring in their own gardens. People over the age of 60 were mainly bitten in gardens, and the percentage of bites related to hobby gardening increased with age, though it remained high for children under 10.

The most common activities associated with tick bites include hiking, playing, and hobby gardening.

Medical Implications and Symptoms

Ticks in the Netherlands can transmit tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in rare cases, but more commonly carry the Borrelia Burgdorferi bacteria, which causes Lyme disease.

The RIVM emphasizes that the risk of disease transmission increases the longer a tick remains attached to the skin. Ticks often attach to areas such as the armpits, the groin and buttocks, the hairline at the neck, behind the ears, and along the edges of underwear.

Medical professionals advise seeking care from a GP if specific symptoms appear following a bite. These include:

• An expanding discoloration of the skin at the bite site, often appearing as a ring, which can manifest up to three months after the bite.
• Fever during the first few weeks after the bite, which may be accompanied by joint pain and muscle ache.

If early symptoms of Lyme disease are not treated with antibiotics, patients may develop further complications, including skin conditions, cardiac symptoms, nervous complaints, or joint problems.