With the onset, the upperness of people rushes to rest in forests and parks. But with the onset of spring heat, the epidemiological situation in tick -borne infections, the pathogens of which are transmitted by ixododic ticks, are also complicated.
How to distinguish a tick from other insects.The body of the tick is flat, the abdomen is red-brown. At the front end of the body is a proboscis, with which it pierces the skin and sucks. All insects have three pairs of legs, the tick has four.
In females, half the abdomen is closed with a dark shield. The dimensions of the hungry tick - several millimeters, pumping blood, it reaches the size of a small grapes, acquiring a siege of coloring.
Mixed habitats are more often mixed forests. There are ticks on clearings, on old cuts, where high grass, a well -developed shrub, along the forest paths, where there is a brushwood, a fallen. In recent years, ticks more often began to meet in forest -park zones of large cities, in country and garden areas. The period of the greatest activity of ticks is the first half of the summer. The second peak is the end of summer - the beginning of autumn.
The causative agent is transmitted to a person mainly through sucking the tick infected with the virus, as well as when crushing the tick, combing the place of the bite.
On the territory of the Republic of Belarus, lime disease (tick -borne borreliosis) and tick -borne encephalitis are recorded from tick -borne infections.
Lyme diseaseIt is found throughout the republic much more often than tick -borne encephalitis, so ticks are mainly examined on infection with pathogens. The causative agent is the bacterium of the Borreli clan. From the moment the tick is bite to the appearance of the first clinical symptoms, up to 30 days pass. Most often, a pink spot (migrating erythema) appears at the site of the bite in 75 % of the sick. The general malaise, fever, head, muscle and joint pain may be noted (not always). The disease can also occur without the above symptoms, immediately from chronic manifestations from the joints, heart, skin and nervous system, several months later, and even years after suction of an infected tick.
Tick -borne encephalitisIn the Republic of Belarus, it is recorded in the form of isolated cases. Infection with tick -borne encephalitis, is possible not only through the suction of ticks, but also as a result of the use of non -fed milk from goats that have been bitten by infected ticks. The causative agent is the tick -borne encephalitis virus. On the territory of the Republic of Belarus, the so -called Western two -wave type of tick -borne encephalitis is noted. From the moment the tick is usually from 8 to 30 days. The first wave of the disease is characterized by a mild course and begins with a chills, fever, headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and pain in the limbs that last about a week. Further, after 1-2 weeks of imaginary recovery, a second wave of the disease occurs, which always proceeds heavier and begins, with a sharp rise in temperature, headache, nausea, vomiting, sleep impairment, then various neurological disorders join.
In case of suction of the tickIt should be removed as soon as possible. The longer the tick is in a stuck state, the greater the likelihood of human infection. It is better to do this in a medical institution - in a trauma or surgical office. But if this is not possible, you can remove it yourself in one of the following methods:
- Using a cotton thread.It is tied in a knot as close as possible to the proboscis. Twisting the ends of the thread with the help of circular motion, the tick is removed, slowly pulling it up. Sharp movements are unacceptable.
- With the help of a sterile (pumped) needle- Like a splinter.
- Tweezers. The tick needs to be captured as close as possible to the proboscis. Then it is carefully pulled out, rotating around its axis in the convenient side. Usually, after 1-3 turns, the tick is removed entirely with the trunk. If the tick is trying to pull out, there is a high probability of its gap. It is impossible to press on the abdomen, while it is possible to squeeze out its contents along with the pathogens in the wound.
After removing the tick, the skin at the place of suction is treated with tincture of iodine or alcohol.
It should be rememberedthat when removing the tick, it is impossible to use oils, fatty creams that clog the tick respiratory holes and provoke an additional release of pathogens into the human blood. After removing the tick, it is necessary to contact the clinic at the place of residence with the doctor to the infectious disease specialist (therapist, pediatrician) to prescribe preventive treatment and organization of medical surveillance.
If signs of the disease appear, it is necessary to immediately contact the clinic at the place of residence and inform the doctor about sucking the tick over the past month.
Prevention measures
From tick -borne encephalitis can be protected with vaccination. Vaccination is carried out in two stages. The vaccine is valid for three years. The vaccine has not been developed against Lyme's disease.
During the period in the forest:
- Cover the body as much as possible: put on light clothes (it is better visible with ticks) with long sleeves and a hood, tighten the pants into socks, it is better to put the boots on your feet.
- Inspect your clothes every 2-3 hours, periodically carry out a thorough check, paying special attention to the following parts of the body: neck, armpits, inguinal region, ear sinks-in these places the skin is especially delicate and thin, ticks are most often sucked there.
- Use anticliard repellents sold in pharmacies in accordance with the instructions for their use.
- Inspect bouquets of forest and home wildflowers brought from the forest.
- In order to avoid infection with tick -borne encephalitis by alimentary by transmission (through the digestive tract), use milk (especially goat) only after boiling.
- Important in the prevention of tick bites is a decrease in their number in urban and suburban recreation areas of the population, in the garden - garden plots. This is a cleaning of dried and fuel rods, cutting down and removal of shrubs, mowing of grass and removal of weeds that attract ticks, sowing of plant anthonists (thyme, sage).
Remember!
Performing fairly simple rules
You will protect yourself from bite of ticks and serious diseases.
Epidemiologist Tatyana Lipnitskaya
