Traces after a tick bite: how they look and what are dangerous

traces after a tick bite
Traces after a tick bite

Hello! Now every gathering for nature is including a small chemical preparation. Disinfectants, insect repellents ... And still, after every picnic in nature, you should carefully examine yourself and friends.

It is unlikely that someone will return from nature without a pair of mosquito bites, but finding traces after a tick bite is a lot less pleasant. The problem is that not everyone is able to distinguish this bite from other insects. I propose to understand what a tick bite looks like and what it says!

What do the marks after a tick bite look like: the main symptoms of tick bites

With the onset of spring, tick bites become one of the relevant topics. With the timely detection of forest ticks on the skin and their urgent removal, consequences that can be fatal can be avoided.

It is noteworthy that tick bites more often occur in children, then in animals, and only the next in line are adults. Ticks are carriers of a dozen infections. Tick-borne encephalitis and borreliosis, or Lyme disease, are especially dangerous. After detecting signs of a tick bite, it is important to take care of the proper treatment.

Ticks live on low shrubs or in grass. After waiting for the victim, ticks climb into the inaccessible places of the body; usually axillary hollows, elbow and knee bends, head and neck. Ticks cling tightly to the victim, and the wind or the usual friction of clothing is not able to unhook them.

The tick bite is invisible: due to the content of a strong painkiller in their saliva, it is impossible to identify the attachment of the parasite. After finding a suitable blood vessel, the tick ticks with its entire head into the skin.

With the onset of the warm season and after walking in the planted areas, it is necessary to arrange a thorough examination of the body in order to avoid a possible tick bite. If you find a tick on yourself, do not remove it yourself. You can only tear off the body, leaving your head inside the skin. However, it can be removed with improvised means. A great danger is the belly.

If you could not find a tick, but feel unwell, then the following symptoms of a tick bite will become a reason for examining the body. Consider two types of ailments associated with infectious diseases.

Tick-borne encephalitis. Initially, this viral infection can be confused with a common cold, as the symptoms of the disease are similar. However, this disease is more serious, affecting the brain and spinal cord.

Tick ​​Bite Symptoms

Encephalitis:

  • fever;
  • headache;
  • muscle weakness.

If you ignore or treat the symptoms incorrectly, the following complications may appear:

  1. nausea and vomiting;
  2. discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes;
  3. temporary anorexia;
  4. cramps, epilepsy, or paralysis.

After identifying the symptoms of a tick bite, it is urgent to consult a doctor to avoid disability or death.

Borreliosis, or Lyme disease. This is a bacterial infectious disease that causes damage to the central nervous system cells, musculoskeletal system and heart. Initially, the infected person does not have noticeable signs of the disease, only after some time you can find the following indicators of the disease:

  • redness of the skin in the bite area;
  • an increase in the red spot after self-removal of the parasite;
  • discoloration of the skin in the bite to a blue tint or the appearance of a rash;

When ignoring changes in the color of the skin, the following symptoms of borreliosis appear:

  1. nausea and vomiting;
  2. temperature increase;
  3. muscle weakness;
  4. disruption of the heart.

With the timely recognition of such symptoms, you must contact the clinic to start a course of treatment.

How is tick bite treated?

Treatment by a tick bite is carried out only by medical staff, prescribing antibiotics, antiviral drugs and immunoglobulin. In the event of a mite that has become attached, you can carry out the initial treatment of the bite site yourself. To begin with, it is worth rinsing thoroughly in the bathroom for possible bite spots.

Next, you need to apply a solution of baking soda and water to the affected area of ​​the skin - this will help eliminate itching and pain. To eliminate the same problems, you can rub castor oil, alcohol or aspirin soaked in water. If you remove the tick at home, you should still consult a doctor and take a blood test to be sure that there is no infection.

Although the probability of infection with ticks is not so high, it is worthwhile to observe safety measures: when going outdoors, do not dress too openly, apply protective equipment against ticks and do not delay washing clothes after long walks.

Tick ​​bite: signs, symptoms and effects

The season of tick activity begins in the spring, it is during this period that most people and animals are at risk of catching a parasite. What are ticks, how to protect themselves from their bite, and what to do if it does happen?

Tick ​​season lasts from spring to fall. The tick resembles a tiny bug, its body length is only 4 mm, has 4 pairs of legs, and is covered with a shell on top. Since arthropod is very small, it is very difficult for a person to see his head and blood-sucking proboscis without special devices.

Important!
Although the tick has no eyes, it can smell its prey at a distance of 10 meters, thanks to its well-developed sense of smell. The body of the male is smaller than the female. The female, having drunk blood, can reach up to 2 cm in size, she is able to drink blood 10 times her own weight. Many are afraid that the tick may fall from the tree and dig into the scalp or neck, where it is very difficult to detect it instantly. It is a myth. The tick does not rise above 50 cm from the ground, so this probability is excluded.

Often he waits for a warm-blooded creature in the grass or on the bush, and when it comes closer, he grabs his forepaws and quickly climbs up. The parasite travels through the victim’s body, choosing for itself the most delicious areas (most often it’s the stomach, neck, ears, armpits).

Having found such a place, the parasite digs into the skin, cutting it with its proboscis, and begins to drain blood. The trace of a tick bite on the human body remains in the form of a small red spot 1 cm in size, if the person has not followed a severe allergic reaction.

What do the effects of a tick bite look like in humans?

The condition of the victim depends on the number of bites and physique. It is more difficult for the elderly, children and people with severe and allergic diseases. Possible signs of a bite in a person:

  • redness of the skin;
  • itching
  • increase in body temperature;
  • the appearance of a headache;
  • lowering blood pressure;
  • heart palpitations;
  • the appearance of rashes on the skin;
  • enlarged lymph nodes;
  • constant feeling of weakness.

The consequences of the attack depend on whether the parasite is infected or not. The most dangerous for humans is the bite of an encephalitis tick. The consequences of such a bite are extremely serious (in case of infection and refusal of treatment):

  1. body paralysis;
  2. trouble breathing
  3. deterioration in brain activity;
  4. fatal outcome.

If a person has suffered from a sterile tick, then the complications may not be so dangerous:

  • suppuration of the affected area;
  • the occurrence of an allergic reaction;
  • the appearance of edema (up to Quincke edema).

It is impossible to independently determine whether an infectious tick has stuck or not. The appearance and color of the tick does not depend on whether it is infected or not. If an infected tick bites, timely treatment can save the life of the victim.

How long does a tick bite manifest in a person?

The first symptoms appear after 2-3 hours in the form of redness of the skin. After a week or later, the symptoms described above may appear. How is a tick bite different from other insect bites? How to find out which particular insect has bitten and left characteristic marks on the skin?

There will be one spot, in the neighborhood it will not be the same, with each hour the redness will increase, an allergic reaction may be observed. Can a tick simply bite a person without sucking its head under the skin?

The answer to all these questions is no. The tick bites only for the purpose of saturation, and for this it needs to be well hooked, inject an anesthetic and immerse its proboscis with its head under the skin of the victim.

Males need less blood to saturate, so they can fall away after an hour, but females need a lot of blood, so they can parasitize up to 6 days and increase in size many times over. Ticks drink blood in order to get enough and leave offspring. Females will not be able to lay eggs in a hungry state - they definitely need blood.

How long can a tick suck blood

From several minutes to several hours, and females, as a rule, are longer on the body of the victim. It should be noted that most of the time the tick is on the skin of a person or animal in search of a place for suction, so if the tick has not yet sucked, you need to brush it away as soon as possible (you do not need to press it on yourself like a mosquito - you can introduce an infection under the skin )

On average, an adult sucks up blood for 1-2 hours, after which it disappears.

How much blood a tick can drink at a time

Hungry specimens of the ixodid tick weigh from 2 to 15 mg, and satiated from 200 to 1,200 mg, which is many times higher than their own weight. In one bite, a tick can pump up to 1,000 mg of human blood. The size of a hungry tick does not exceed 4 mm, and a well-fed one can reach 3 cm, becoming similar in size to a corn seed.

Does a tick die after a bite

Some seriously think that the tick dies after it bites a person, but this is not so. On the contrary, the tick only benefits from the bite - this is its nutrition, which contributes to further development and reproduction. A hungry tick will not be able to leave offspring, so biting people and animals is a vital necessity for it.

What is a tick bite dangerous for humans?

The tick can serve as a carrier of a rather extensive list of diseases, therefore, having pulled out a tick, it is better to save it for analysis of infections (encephalitis, borreliosis, called Lyme disease). This is done in the laboratory at the infectious diseases hospital. Scientists have proven that it is unlikely to get a tick, since 90% of the ticks, according to research, are not infected. Although minimal, there is a chance of infection.

First aid for a bite

If a tick crawls over you, immediately shake it off, and if it has already sucked on, remove it as soon as possible and store it in a jar of moistened cotton wool or blade of grass to bring it alive to the laboratory to study and diagnose infections.

Treat the wound with an antiseptic.If signs of an allergy are observed - severe redness and swelling of the bite, immediately give the victim an antiallergic agent.

How to pull out a tick

An arthropod animal sticks to the human body very firmly, since the saliva of the parasite acts as a hardener.

The proboscis digs deeply under the skin, so the tick must be removed very carefully. Step-by-step recommendations for extracting a tick: Move in a circle counterclockwise, as if unscrewing a screw, pull out with tweezers from the skin.

Attention!
Carefully ensure that the head of the tick does not come off. If you had to extract a bloodsucker in nature, and there were no tweezers nearby, an ordinary thread will help. With its help, the proboscis is tied near the very surface of the skin and is pulled out with light jerks. After removal, you need to make sure that the tick is intact, put it in a sealed container and deliver it to the sanitary and epidemiological station as soon as possible for analysis.

Lubricate the surface near the bite with any antiseptic. People often advise to treat the affected area with oil, kerosene, gasoline and other liquids, so that the tick comes out itself. This action is erroneous - the tick will try to plunge even deeper under the skin. But if the insect crawls out after this, its body will not be able to be examined in the laboratory.

What to do if the tick head remains under the skin

The head of the tick may remain under the skin in case of careless, excessively sharp extraction. It looks like a small splinter, so some are negligent in removing it, saying that "the tick has died, the blood does not suck out anymore - it will fall off itself" or simply do not notice. But this is not recommended. Left under the skin, the proboscis of the tick will provoke inflammation and suppuration of the wound.

Therefore, do not leave the head or proboscis of the tick under the skin, waiting for them to fall off themselves. Take a sharp needle disinfected with alcohol, pick up the remaining proboscis and take it out. After a bite, a small wound will remain on the skin, which will quickly heal if the tick was not contagious. Treat the bite site with peroxide, then with brilliant green or iodine.

If the tick bite area is itchy, use Fenistil-gel or a similar itchy remover. Try not to scratch the inflamed area so that the healing process goes faster. To prevent the tick head from remaining under the skin, grasp it as close to the suction point as possible.

What disease can be infected from a tick bite?

Subsequently, a tick bite in a person develops various ailments - from ordinary irritation to a serious or fatal disease.

Encephalitis: at first, the disease resembles a common cold. The incubation period can last up to a week. No analysis will give 100% information about the infection if 10 days have not passed since the attack. For an accurate diagnosis, you need to bring for examination an alive and unscathed parasite.

Borreliosis (Lyme disease): this disease can be transmitted to humans if the tick contains Borrelia bacteria. Symptoms do not appear immediately, after a while the lymph nodes enlarge, the body aches, a red ring appears on the skin.

What to do if you are bitten by a tick

No need to panic, often elevated body temperature and muscle pain can be a manifestation of a protective psychological response of the body after a fright and worries. The onset of the disease goes through certain stages: causeless and short-term chills, fever up to 40 degrees. According to the clinical signs of the formation of encephalitis, this period is more like a flu infection.

Advice!
After a while, the patient may manifest symptoms: nausea and vomiting, bouts of severe headache. At this stage, all the symptoms indicate a gastrointestinal upset. After a few days, the patient will suddenly show symptoms of arthritis or arthrosis. The pains in the head go away, they are replaced by aches of the whole body.The patient's movements are very difficult, there are problems with breathing.

The skin on the face and body becomes red and becomes edematous, purulent abscesses appear at the site of the bite. Further, the symptoms only worsen, because the infection enters the circulatory system of the patient and begins its destructive work. Remember that procrastination can lead to death!

If a biting tick has been found on the body, it should be pulled out immediately. Such a procedure can be carried out independently or go to the hospital. Health workers can easily pull it out and conduct a series of tests. Only in laboratory conditions can you determine exactly whether this tick is dangerous. If treatment is necessary, it is necessary to unconditionally follow the recommendations and prescriptions of the attending physician so that the effectiveness of treatment is maximum.

If a tick bit: what can not be done

If you have already become a victim of a tick, then do not make common mistakes that will not be useful or that could seriously harm you.

  1. Do not smear the tick with oil, saliva or alcohol. When a person finds a tick on his skin, then almost the first thing she does is smear the tick with oil, saliva or alcohol so that it suffocates and falls off the skin itself, Sosmo reports. This is a common folk method that should be avoided. It is best to see a doctor. But if you decide to remove it yourself, then do it in such a way as to pull out the tick with your head, because it contains a virus.
  2. Do not discard the tick. After removing it, you need to put it in a closed container where it can be stored for up to 3 days. But it is better to take it for analysis. Because ticks carry a wide variety of viral diseases, the most dangerous of which are borreliosis and encephalitis, which cause severe complications like paralysis, loss of vision and hearing, problems with the heart and joints.
  3. Do not donate blood for infection the next day. The day after the bite, donating blood makes no sense. Signs of the disease in the blood appear only after 2-3 weeks.
  4. Do not ignore the symptoms. Symptoms of the disease can occur even after a month. Therefore, if you have a high fever or the skin around the tick bite turns red - immediately seek medical help.
  5. Do not go to the doctor immediately after a tick bite. If you were bitten by a tick and you pulled it out yourself, there’s no point in going to the doctor right away. It is worth going after you get the results of laboratory tests of the tick for viruses that it could carry. If the tick finds an infection, then the doctor will prescribe you a preventive course of antibiotics.

Tick ​​bites - treat or pass by itself

Spring, sun, walks, picnics. And ticks. Which we meet more often, and not only in the forest, but also in city parks and even courtyards.

Although official statistics from the Ministry of Health demonstrate almost complete well-being, the number of those who suffered from the bites of these dangerous arthropods is increasing from year to year. However, not all of them fall into medical statistics.

As it turned out, it’s not so easy to find specialists who know exactly which examinations to conduct, what to prescribe to a patient who was bitten by a tick. Doctors sometimes relate to this as if a person had been bitten by mosquitoes: if you want, we’ll anoint this place with green, but no, it will pass.

Last Sunday, Kiev Karina V. walked with her friend along the Dnieper embankment, and on Monday morning, looking in the mirror, she saw a dark speck under the shoulder blade. Mite.

What to do? I went to the emergency room. The doctor removed the tick, threw it into a bucket, grunting that he had “glued fins” for a long time, he did not treat the wound with anything. What for?

Karina, armed with information from the Internet, insisted that he find and give her the enemy, she wanted to take to the laboratory. Without hiding discontent, the doctor still got a tick. I thought for a long time before telling the address of the laboratory, as if it were a state secret. With Poznyakov advised to go to the other end of the city, as supposedly no closer.

The patient, google a couple of minutes, found a laboratory on a nearby street. The result of the analysis is a tick positive for borreliosis.

- And what about tick-borne encephalitis?

“They don’t do this in Kiev at all,” the laboratory assured.

The next step is to consult a family doctor.

She signed the declaration earlier, so she got to the reception quickly. The family doctor was most worried about why the patient did not have a medical card. Karina, frightened by the results of the analysis, talked about her problem, but the doctor wrote all the time, without raising her head.

When the patient asked for the third time: “So what will you advise me?”, The doctor went to the computer, opened Wikipedia, and for a long time carefully read about the diseases that ticks carry. When I reached the treatment regimen, I was delighted. I wrote the name of the antibiotic on some leaflet and advised me to take it “for about seven days.”

She did not take into account that Karina had studied all this even earlier, and therefore she began to ask additional questions and demand referral for consultation with an infectious disease specialist. In the primary care centers, only family doctors remained; narrow specialists consult once a week, or maybe once a month. She was lucky - she quickly got an appointment.

The infectious disease specialist looked at the certificate from the laboratory, was surprised that it was so cheap - they say they take one and a half thousand hryvnias for the analysis of the tick. She had no time to listen to Karina. On a piece of paper I wrote a list of drugs - eight drugs, from vitamins to antibiotics. I did not advise to donate blood for analysis, because I did not see any reason for anxiety.

It is good that in the capital you can still find qualified doctors. Friends helped Karina find an experienced infectious disease specialist who selected a course of treatment, wrote when and what examinations should be taken.

Tsutsugamushi, Q-fever, babesiosis ...

The relationship between tick bites and the deterioration in the health of people who have been exposed to them has been identified not so long ago. In Europe, the symptoms of diseases were described at the beginning of the last century, then the term “migratory erythema” appeared. For a long time it was even assumed that the infection is transmitted from person to person by infection through the skin. Finally, in 1982, the American microbiologist W. Burgdorfer discovered the causative agent of Lyme disease - spirochete, which later received the official name Borrelia burgdorferi.

In Ukraine, the first cases of human illness with this disease became known in 1994, and official registration has been conducted only since 2000. According to doctors, the number of cases of infection with Lyme disease is constantly growing.

There are many ticks in the world, but the most dangerous for us are ixodidae. Because they carry the causative agents of so many infectious diseases: viral - tick-borne encephalitis, hemorrhagic fevers; bacterial - tick-borne tick-borne borreliosis, or Lyme borreliosis, bartonellosis, plague, tularemia; rickettsial - tick-borne relapsing fever, tick-borne rash typhus, Marseille fever, Q fever, Rocky Mountain fever, tsutsugamushi; ehrlichiosis - monocytic human ehrlichiosis; anaplasmosis - granulocytic anaplasmosis of a person; pyroplasmosis - babesiosis.

It is a little consoling that most of these diseases are common in regions far from our country. However, Lyme disease (BL) and tick-borne viral encephalitis (CVE), which are most often diagnosed after tick bites, pose a serious threat to human health and even life.

In addition to them, according to the Lviv Institute of Epidemiology and Hygiene, tick-borne rickettsioses, in particular Marseilles fever and Q fever, also have epidemiological significance. Nosoareals of all these infections occupy most of the territory of our country, coinciding with the areas of ticks, which are the cause of diseases.

Important!
The biggest danger, according to scientists, is that certain types of ticks can simultaneously carry a mix of several types of pathogens.In such cases, not only treating the patient, but also making the correct diagnosis is extremely difficult.

Tick-borne encephalitis is probably considered the most serious disease. Studies have shown that 14 species of ticks carry this virus in the European region. In Ukraine, 4 species are carriers of CVE virus, among them the main one is the European European tick I.Ricinus, from which 70% of domestic strains were isolated. The spread of Lyme disease in our country is also associated with the range of this type of tick, which in Europe is considered the main carrier of borrelia.

It has now been proven that the route of infection is transmissible through the bite of an infected tick. Although some researchers argue that you can get infected even when you drink fresh milk obtained from a cow or goat, which has become a "feeder" for ticks.

Tick ​​hosts

Zoologists note that ixodid ticks for the sake of food are able to "settle" for a long time on any animals - from cows and horses on pastures to small rodents in burrows or birds in nests.

Therefore, before allowing your children to stroke a goat or a cow somewhere, hold a bunny or a hedgehog to take a selfie with them, you should think how this can end. After such contacts, you need to examine the child - did not a tick stick somewhere.

Children more often than adults suffer from bites - they spend more time in nature, fall in the grass, willingly take on the hands of animals, moreover, ticks can attach to delicate baby skin faster.

Ticks, which, from the point of view of zoology, are typical external parasites, are found not only in the forest, but also on pastures, wherever they can find food. Interestingly, according to the type of food, they are divided into single, double, and triple host ticks.

So-called single-host ticks live on the host’s body from attachment of a hungry larva to the disappearance of a well-fed adult.

It is they who pose the greatest danger to people caring for cattle and horses. Many cases were recorded when ticks crawled and bit the grooms, shepherds, milkmaids, as well as children who helped or rest there.

Parasites that feed on the blood of two or three hosts usually attack smaller animals - from hares to rodents, birds, reptiles. You can meet them anywhere - in a city park, in a forest or in a country house.

Attention!
Since the “breadwinners” live in burrows, hollows, old stumps, the concentration of these bloodsuckers is highest in the grass, on bushes, along animal and human paths, and in places of mass nesting of birds. This should be taken into account when planning a trip to the cottage, a picnic by the lake or a trip to mushrooms and berries. You should not risk the health of children and, indeed, adults, even when you really want to lie down, sway in the tall grass. It is at its tips that ticks await their prey.

Sometimes in city parks they put the signs "Caution, ticks fall from trees!" Zoologists consider this a mistake. Because ticks climb grass and bushes to a height of 0.5–1 m. They do not crawl through trees.

In the spring, trees against ticks were sprayed in several parks of Kiev, and relevant announcements were posted. Since among the enemies of the trees there are also ticks that cause them significant harm, perhaps this was done to save the trees.

In any case, vacationers should not hope that these procedures have reduced the number of ticks in the park's metropolitan areas. According to experts, the best place for walking is areas with conifers, where there is almost no grass cover.

Most often, ticks are concentrated where there is a high grass stand, dense undergrowth, a thick layer of fine foliage, a lot of rotten stumps, heaps of fallen trees, natural garbage.

The location is understandable - this is where many rodents live. This can be seen not only in the forest parks, but also on the outskirts of our cities and villages, in abandoned yards and even near playgrounds.

Tick ​​Victims

Going for a walk, one should take into account the activity of ticks for an attack, which has its own periodicity. On warmer days, they behave most aggressively from 8 to 11 in the morning. When the heat is inactive. In the evening, somewhere from 17 to 20 hours their aggressiveness again increases. On cloudy days, as noted by zoologists, they are ready to attack throughout the day.

From rain or bright sun, ticks hide in grass or forest litter, crawl into the shade. Therefore, choosing a place for a picnic or for playing with children, you need to take this into account. Specialists also advise carefully choosing clothes for walking, hats, so that ticks do not have the opportunity to get to the body.

From time to time it is necessary to examine children and themselves, remove ticks from clothing, not allowing them to stick to the skin. Following these simple rules will help you avoid the big problems that may come from tick bites.

Advice!
“Unfortunately, in Ukraine, both doctors and the public are still little informed about Lyme disease and other infectious diseases that ticks carry. And this makes us very different from many European countries, in particular Austria, Germany, Poland and others, where they pay great attention to these problems, ”said Anatoly Svintsitsky, MD, professor.

- According to the Ministry of Health, during 1995-2004. almost 2 thousand patients (residents of 20 regions) underwent laboratory examination with suspected Lyme disease. The diagnosis was confirmed in 37% of cases. At the same time, lesions of the musculoskeletal system were detected in 18%, cardiovascular system in 10%, rheumatological cases of diseases in 21% of patients.

In addition, cases of a mix infection - Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis - were diagnosed in patients from different areas, which indicates complex problems requiring an urgent solution.

The results of studies showed that about 60% of the population comes into contact with borreliosis pathogens. In addition, there has been significant urbanization of the natural foci of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. ”

In other words, ticks migrate from the zone of their natural stay closer to people. Not themselves, but together with rodents, who have chosen the thickets in the park areas, the numerous spontaneous bazaars and spontaneous garbage bins found in cities and villages.

Ensuring sanitary and epidemiological well-being is the most effective means of prevention, but now it is not in the trend. Who will allocate funds for this if there is an opportunity to launch a new fountain or build a bridge where cool selfies are obtained ?!

What is dangerous Lyme disease, which is transmitted by ixodid ticks

Doctors call it multi-organ, systemic disease, since the skin, nervous system, heart, joints are affected. The treatment is long, the disease often becomes chronic, gives relapses. Therefore, ignoring tick bites is more expensive.

The disease can begin gradually or acutely: there is a headache, irritability, general weakness, dizziness, and nausea. Often this is similar to a cold, when the temperature rises to 37.5–38 ° C, a runny nose, cough appear, which are accompanied by fever. If the patient does not know or forgot about a tick bite, quite often primary care doctors make a diagnosis of SARS. After a week, these phenomena disappear, it seems like you can calm down.

But instead, others appear - skin hyperemia, hyperhidrosis, conjunctivitis, manifestations of arthralgia, myalgia, etc., which are mistakenly considered common complications after acute respiratory viral infections. The patient does not receive adequate treatment, valuable time is wasted.

What should a patient know and demand from a doctor if he gets sick during the period of tick activation, and even after being outdoors? A family doctor, although not an infectious disease specialist, should carefully study the epidemiological history: was the patient in places where ticks could have accumulated? Did you see ticks on clothes?

If the patient reported a tick bite, the doctor must examine him, evaluate the clinical symptoms, check them for compliance with the manifestations of Lyme disease. Obligatory is the laboratory diagnosis, to which the patient should be referred. If, however, specific antibodies to B.burgdorferi (Igg, Igm, Iga) are detected in the blood, consultation with an infectious disease specialist (preferably an experienced one!) Is required, who will prescribe treatment.

To drive or not to tick to the laboratory

The story told by Karina testifies that the patient must achieve everything himself. Because the doctors she met at the primary care center on Bereznyaki are sure that they owe nothing to anyone.

The family doctor is convinced that Lyme disease is not his topic, he has enough work without ticks. The situation is typical. After all, our primary reform is reduced to ensuring that the money goes after the patient. The quality and accessibility of medical care, as well as the relationship between primary and other levels, receded into the background. Therefore, there is nothing to be indignant when a doctor, advising a patient, searches for a clue on the Internet with him. It is surprising that it is not on the website of the Ministry of Health, where many tips and tricks have been collected.

Since the first patients with Lyme disease were registered in Ukraine, a number of documents have been prepared regarding the prevention and treatment of this and other pathologies transmitted by ixodid ticks.

Methodological recommendations, which from time to time were updated and supplemented with the latest research data, were prepared by scientists and doctors who have been working on this topic for many years. Relevant for practitioners, especially at the primary link, is the section that sets out the algorithm of actions for tick bites, the rules for the management of patients who were infected with Lyme disease, CVE, etc.

What to do when you find a tick on the skin? Calm down. Delete it - on your own or in a medical office.

Important!
Do I need to take a tick to the laboratory for testing? “Depends on who you plan to treat - a tick or yourself,” the doctors jokingly answer. If the tick has already bitten, then you need to deal with your health, and not carry it in a jar through the city or from the village to the district center.

There is a clear algorithm of actions. The sooner the tick is removed and emergency preventive measures are taken, the less likely it is to get infected from it.

“If the tick is on the skin for less than a day, you are more likely to avoid the disease. If this time increases to 48–72 hours, the likelihood of infection increases, ”explains Professor Olga Golubovskaya, Honored Doctor of Ukraine. - After removing the tick, the skin in that place must be treated with an antiseptic, the person who removed the tick (at home) should wash his hands thoroughly with soap and water.

Examining a tick independently for the presence of Lyme disease pathogens is no longer relevant, therefore, it is not recommended. More important is not to lose time and take appropriate preventive measures.

For emergency prevention in adults and children, an antibiotic is used, which should be prescribed by a doctor. After all, such drugs have contraindications, they can not be used by pregnant women, and children need to choose the right dosage according to age, etc. This is done during the first 72 hours after the bite. If later, another treatment is prescribed.

Attention!
Should I get vaccinated? The vaccine was once released, but it was not effective enough. Therefore, it was discontinued. "Those who once did this vaccination no longer have protection, so you need to be very careful where there is a high probability of encountering ixodid ticks."

According to zoologists, ticks have settled on our planet so long ago that they have already outlived all their natural enemies. They learned to quickly attach themselves to the skin, are able to starve for a long time, until they meet a victim who can feed them and their offspring.

Hopes that they will die out or they will become less, yet.To protect yourself from this scourge, you need to be careful, follow the rules that experts remind you of, and most importantly, keep an eye on children, because they are much more likely than adults to be attacked by ticks and fall into risk zones.

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