03.07.2025

Summer, Sun, Parasites!
Where Pathogens Lurk When Traveling and at Home - and How to Protect Yourself

Summer, sun, parasites!
Where pathogens lurk when traveling and at home - and how to protect yourself

Summertime is travel time - and therefore high season for parasites. Whether it's a long-distance trip, camping trip or beach vacation on the Mediterranean: anyone who spends time in nature or comes into contact with animals should be aware of the potential risk of infection. Prof. Dr. Achim Hörauf, Director of the Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB), explains what travelers should be aware of, which dangers are often underestimated - and why children are particularly at risk.
More sun, more parasites

“In summer, we simply spend more time outdoors - and therefore also in the habitat of many parasites,” explains Prof. Hörauf. Mosquitoes and ticks in particular have ideal conditions in warm temperatures. For example, ticks can transmit Lyme disease or TBE - an inflammation of the brain that also occurs in Germany. People who spend a lot of time working in the garden or camping in the countryside are particularly susceptible.

Mosquitoes are also a danger in southern countries - not only as pests, but also as carriers of diseases. “Especially in the Mediterranean region, there is an increase in infections that were previously considered tropical,” says the parasitologist.

Continue reading on the UKB website: www.ukbnewsroom.de/sommer-sonne-parasiten/

Caption: The tiger mosquito, now also feels at home in Germany:
Picture credits: Ardy/stock.adobe.com