To freak out about ticks in January

[alwaysalwayssomething]

Currently in western Austria on holidays - low altitude in Lermoos so there’s a little snow but not a lot, relatively warm during the days.
On the day we arrived I read about Austria being a high risk area for ticks and TBE which sent my OCD off the scale.

Am checking for ticks and showering multiple times a day, cleaning the hotel floor, made a mistake of sitting on a grass ledge for 30mins and had to take my clothes off outside the hotel room (DH understandably not happy, I have ruined the holiday)

When I get back I am going to seek better treatment for my OCD but, in the meanwhile, can anyone please please share reassurance that the chances of a tick bite this time of year is very low? Thanks in advance!

Not in Austria, but my children and husband have had many many tick bites over the years and never required treatment. We just remove them and monitor the site. And it’s only ever in summer months.

I live in the highlands, on a sheep Croft, I rarely get ticks and even then it’s in summer not winter. Dust yourself up when you get up, trousers tucked into socks and shower at night and if you find a tick just get it removed properly. You don’t need to be showering and checking multiple times a day especially in winter or washing the floor. I know it’s difficult when you’re in this way of thinking, but try and enjoy your holiday, it’s a low chance, presumably you’re not trekking through long grass and it’s winter and even if you did get one, they’re easy to remove and a dr could give you medicine.

No idea about prevalence, but I get them all the time on (summer, UK) climbing trips because of brushing through bracken.
They tend to hang onto foliage to brush off onto passing animals, so short grass is unlikely to be hosting them.

As @Anoisagusaris says, just remove them and keep an eye on the site for a day or two - the marks have usually disappeared by then, so no further treatment needed.

They're unpleasant but really not a big deal.

Ticks are gross things: but tend not to be very active over the winter, so you’re there at the right time. I assume it’s Lynne’s rather than general grossness worrying you?As I understand it the biggest lymes risk is usually spring summer, especially when the baby ticks are out and about so tbh I wouldn’t worry in Jan. (I spend a lot of time working in a wood in a high risk area: all my family have had multiple ticks over the years, with no harm done. I know someone who has had lymes disease picked up late - he’s minimally impacted and a healthy, very active 80 yo!)

however things that might help you to feel you are taking all the steps

• apply a good preventive: they’ll be available in any pharmacist, and cover up esp ankles
• avoid long grass if possible
• check yourself when showering - backs of knees; ankles etc daily is quite enough
• removing ticks is relatively faffy but entirely doable - get a good tick tool from pharmacist - very low risk if you remove ticks promptly (ie within 24-48 hours, not minutes)
• look out for flu symptoms and bulls eye rash if you do get a tick - can be 1-2 weeks later iirc. Everything is really treatable still if caught at this stage, just get to a GP and explain

And then remind yourself you are doing everything you can, and then move onto enjoy your holiday.

The thing I’m most concerned about is Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) which we don’t get in the UK as far as I know but apparently is rife here in Austria. There is no treatment and infection happens from the time of the bite. Wouldn’t be as worried about Lymes as there’s a good chance I’d see the tick in the first 24 hours!

Anybody? Anyone? Please … even just a handhold would be great. Thank you!

It is months too early for ticks.

If there is snow on the ground - at all - they are not functioning. It's far too cold for them.

I appreciate this is OCD, so realistically there is bugger all we can say to you, so stick to the facts. They aren't out and about until spring, and it's still winter. They aren't out and about when the temperature is low.

What @CornishPorsche says. And I’m in Switzerland and we have the same issue with ticks as in Austria.
No ticks at this time of year. Too cold.
Also we have been here 14 years. Family of 4. Total of 4 ticks in this time. All in the summer. No issues with them. We are outside a lot.

It's too cold for ticks so please don't worry. You can get TBE vaccinations if you plan on going there at a time of year when ticks are active.

@CornishPorsche @Candlesandmatches @LaughingLemur Thank you all so much, it’s hugely reassuring to hear from real-life and it really helps. I’ve a tendency to google obsessively and there is always a fatality paper / study / result to be found and latched onto.