What happens if you swallow a tick, is it dangerous for humans?

Where and when can you find a tick?

Like all arachnids, ticks do not have wings. These parasites do not have eyes, so they navigate in space using their sense of smell. They can sense a potential object 10 m away. Ticks are found in areas where there is no loud noise and a lot of bushes.
Wet, shaded areas of forests, undergrowth with thick grass, and meadows on the shores of lakes are favorite habitats for ticks. As a rule, parasites jump onto a person from below. Important! Keep in mind that ticks cannot be found on trees; they jump from below, not above.

With the arrival of warm days, females need to ensure the maturation of eggs, and for this they need animal or human blood. Particular activity of ticks is observed from April to July in the morning and evening. During the day, when it is very hot, the parasites hide from the sun and do not pose a strong danger. Ticks are not very mobile. Throughout its entire life, each tick moves no more than 10-15 m. In anticipation of prey, they sit on branches no more than 1.5 m from the ground. When a person or animal walks by, the tick smells it and, straightening its legs, catching the direction with this organ of smell, jumps towards it.

It is worth knowing that ticks do not distinguish between the type of forest; it is important for them to find a comfortable habitat. Tick ​​larvae live on small rodents that live in forests until they become adults. But where there are many anthills, you may not find a single parasite. Ants happily eat ticks even at the larval stage.

Under what circumstances can this happen?

Ticks are not picky about their habitat. This is especially noticeable in the spring-autumn period. Anything with tall plants, heaps of grass, foliage, etc. is suitable for them. Since they feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals and birds, ticks are able to wait for their owner for weeks, or even months. They identify a new victim by smell and do not lose the opportunity to feast on blood.

meet a tick anywhere:

• on the river;
• In the woods;
• in the park;
• in the garden;
• in the car.

Therefore, on such walks we recommend wearing the most closed clothing possible.

For the first couple of minutes, the parasite remains on the clothing without moving, then it begins to follow in search of open areas of the body. Once a tick has gained access to the body, it will look for a place with thin skin (armpits, groin, arms, back, neck). The tick does not come close to the face, so the likelihood of ingestion is extremely low.

This can only happen by chance. For example, when a pest chose a place to live in a bush with berries. This way you can accidentally eat an insect and not notice it.

In the next article we will tell you: How and with what can you kill domestic bed dust mites? What remedies and medications are effective?

What happens if you eat a tick

An encounter with a tick can happen in the most ridiculous way. For example, the parasite can be swallowed by eating it along with the berry. Do not be afraid that the tick will start biting from the inside or causing any other harm. It passes through the esophagus into the stomach, where it is immediately digested by gastric juice.

Reference. Inside the human body, the tick is completely defenseless and safe.

Even if the tick is encephalitic, there is no way for it to transmit this disease while inside a person. The conditions in the digestive tract are completely different, and the parasites will definitely have a hard time there.

What procedures provoke an exacerbation?

Even after treatment, the skin is vulnerable to external influences, not to mention skin that has not undergone therapy, since its protective functions are significantly reduced. As noted earlier, other exacerbation factors include some cosmetic procedures:

• phototherapy and laser coagulation - these procedures help to increase temperature and increase blood flow to the skin, and at the same time increase the production of sebum (and this is simply an ideal environment for subcutaneous mites);
• massages, vaporization, ultraviolet exposure (in a solarium, for example) - also contribute to increased sebum production, and therefore should be excluded from the list of procedures until remission is achieved;
• chemical peeling - in the acute stage of the disease, aggressive acids only contribute to the proliferation of mites, however, this procedure is sometimes effective in combating residual effects on the skin (everything is very individual);
• Skin biorevitalization is one of the most popular anti-aging procedures, but during periods of exacerbation of the disease it is contraindicated.

What happens if you swallow a living or dead tick, and what to do

There is no particular difference between a live tick and a dead tick that is swallowed. However, this does not mean that you can swallow blood-sucking creatures as much as you like. You can get seriously poisoned if the bacteria on the parasite become active in the body.

Attention! Viruses and bacteria spread by ticks cause disease only when they enter the bloodstream.

You should immediately consult a doctor and do not self-medicate if you notice symptoms of poisoning such as:

• vomit;
• diarrhea;
• weakness;
• bloating;
• increased salivation;
• temperature;
• sleepy state;
• prostration;
• sharp cramping pain in the abdominal area.

Even if the walk is short, do not forget about safety measures:

• It is better to wear tight-fitting clothes with long sleeves. It's good if the colors are light. You can purchase a special anti-tick suit.
• The head must be protected with a hood or scarf.
• All outer clothing should be tucked into the underwear, that is, trousers - into socks, jacket - into trousers.
• For such cases, clothes with elastic bands at the edges are suitable.
• If there are gloves, then the sleeves are tucked into them.
• Clothing is treated with a protective spray.
• Sometimes it’s enough to just be more attentive and look at each other from time to time.
• It is preferable to walk in open, ventilated areas with plenty of light, avoiding shaded areas.

Attention! If you find a tick, do not touch it with your bare hands. It is better to do this with a knife or through gloves.

You cannot crush ticks. Can be cut or burned. If the tick has already become embedded, then using oil or cauterization can frighten it, and it will release a poisonous secretion under the skin. You need to remove the parasite with tweezers or a twister, not squeezing, but slowly twisting it. But the best option would be to contact a specialist.

What to do

If you manage to swallow a live tick, there is no reason to panic. The parasite will leave the body naturally within the first two days without causing harm. The likelihood of infection with tick-borne encephalitis is low, but to be completely sure it is safe for your health, you can rinse your stomach. In this case, you need to drink a large amount of liquid to provoke a gag reflex.

You can only swallow an arachnid creature by accident. The person doesn’t even notice what happened. The methods of infection with encephalitis when eaten are unknown to medicine.

What is borreliosis?

No other infectious disease raises as many questions as tick-borne borreliosis. This is due to the diversity of the clinical picture of the disease, different opinions of specialists regarding diagnosis and treatment, and low public awareness of Lyme disease.

What is this? Lyme disease (tick-borne systemic borreliosis, Lyme borreliosis) is a transmissible, natural focal disease that affects the skin, joints, nervous system, and heart. Often the disease takes a relapsing chronic course. Among infectious diseases transmitted by ticks, Lyme disease is the most common.

Called by whom? The causative agents of the disease are several types of human-pathogenic Borrelia - Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia garinii and Borrelia afzelii. All of them belong to the group of microaerophiles: like other gram-negative spirochetes, they are very demanding on cultivation conditions. Infections caused by Borrelia burgdorferi most often result in arthritis, while Borrelia garinii is more likely to cause neurological disorders and Borrelia afzelii is more likely to cause chronic skin diseases. All three pathogens cause erythema migrans.

How common? Natural foci of Lyme disease are found mainly in forest zones of the temperate climate zone. In the last 10 years, it has been established that the areas of distribution of tick-borne borreliosis coincide with tick-borne encephalitis, and the disease is registered in all regions of Ukraine. But the incidence of Lyme disease is 2-4 times higher than tick-borne encephalitis. According to the Center for Public Health, in 2022 there were 2,745 cases of Lyme disease and 2 cases of tick-borne encephalitis. The incidence is seasonal and coincides with the activity of arthropods, and a tick can simultaneously be infected with Borrelia, the tick-borne encephalitis virus, and other pathogens. Therefore, a mixed infection often develops.

The infection is transmitted by a tick bite. At risk are forestry workers, hunters, foresters and residents of forested areas. The habitat of ticks is grass, ferns and low bushes.

Course of infection . The incubation period ranges from 2 to 30 days, with an average of 14 days. The course of the infection may be asymptomatic, but a varied clinical picture of the disease is also possible. The infection is divided into three stages, but in principle these are three different clinical pictures, so the division into stages is arbitrary. Moreover, one patient may not exhibit all stages of the disease at all. Sometimes the disease manifests itself only in a chronic form, so mandatory diagnosis of patients with encephalomyelitis, polyneuropathy, arthritis and other syndromes characteristic of Lyme disease is required to exclude borreliosis.

1. Stage 1 – early local infection. Chronic migratory erythema develops at the site of the bite in the form of a single (sometimes multiple) round red spot at the site of the bite. Over the course of several weeks, this spot gradually grows centrifugally, reaching a diameter of 15-20 cm or more. Most often, foci of erythrema are concentrated on the torso, arms and legs, but can also be on the face. Erythema at the site of a tick bite is the main symptom of tick-borne borreliosis. They are usually hot to the touch, painful, often accompanied by itching and burning, have a round or oval shape, less often - irregular. Erythema can persist for a very long time, for several months, but sometimes disappears without treatment after 3-4 weeks, in some cases faster - in a few days. During therapy, it quickly regresses and completely disappears by 8-10 days. Erythema may be the only symptom of Lyme disease, but in 30-65% of cases it is absent. Therefore, Lyme disease can be suspected only by nonspecific signs of intoxication: headache, chills, nausea, fever from low-grade to 40˚C, myalgia and arthralgia, severe weakness, fatigue. At stage 1, antibodies to Borrelia may often not be detected, but their testing is necessary to prevent later complications of the disease.
2. Stage 2. Early disseminated borreliosis. This stage is characterized by damage to the nervous system in the form of serous meningitis, neuritis of the cranial nerves, and radiculoneuritis. The cardiovascular system also suffers (myocarditis, pericarditis, conduction disorders, especially atrioventricular block). Patients often experience a flu-like syndrome with headaches, fever, weakness, and myalgia. Skin lesions are possible. Approximately a third of patients exhibit manifestations of encephalitis - sleep disturbances, decreased attention, memory disorders, increased excitability, and emotional disorders. Neuritis of the cranial nerves occurs in more than half of patients. Often, neurological disorders completely disappear after 1 month, but can recur and become chronic.
3. Stage 3. Late chronic borreliosis. At this stage, the joints are already affected. It usually begins 2 months after the onset of the disease, but can take 1-2 years. As a rule, the disease affects large joints (especially the knees), often only on one side. Arthritis acquires a recurrent chronic course with the destruction of bone and cartilage tissue. Late chronic borreliosis occurs with alternating periods of remissions and exacerbations, sometimes continuously relapsing. The most common syndrome is arthritis with all the consequences: arthrosis, joint pain, and limited mobility. Another symptom characteristic of the late stage is red spots on the knees and elbows. Neurological symptoms manifest themselves in the form of progressive chronic encephalomyelitis and polyneuropathies, in which various mental disorders are possible - sleep, memory and speech disorders.

It is redness in the area of ​​the knee-elbow joints that is the surest symptom of developing tick-borne borreliosis. However, there is no need to panic right away: allergic reactions to bites can also manifest themselves this way.

How to remove a tick from a person?

Having noticed a tick sucking blood, you should use additional devices, for example:

• tweezers;
• syringe;
• thread;
• a needle;
• ring with sunflower oil;
• special devices for removing ticks.

If the tick is not yet deeply seated, you can try to remove it with your fingers, but this method is extremely unreliable. With any method, you must definitely get the head of the insect.

All of the tools listed above, except those specifically designed for removing ticks, require skill. Using tweezers, a needle, thread and a syringe you can remove only a recently attached tick. The insect is pulled out in a circular motion, the grip should be closer to the head (not in the middle of the body). If you have an insulin syringe, cut off the tip with the nose, then press the syringe tightly to the skin and pull out the tick with a piston. All these methods are very unreliable, including the thread with which the loop is made. In the latter case, the risk of insect rupture is extremely high.

How to pull out a tick

If the attached insect was found in the forest, far from civilization, then you can eliminate the tick on your own. It must be remembered that any careless movement can lead to rupture of the insect, and if the head of the tick remains in the body, then this is very dangerous.

To properly remove a blood-sucking parasite, it is recommended to resort to one of the following methods:

1. Using tweezers (tweezers) . The instrument is treated with any antiseptic (you can use vodka) or heated over a fire. Using sterile forceps, carefully grasp the tick as close to the surface of the human body as possible. You should not grab the parasite by the abdomen, as it will easily come off the head. Having captured the “bloodsucker”, they begin slow rotational movements counterclockwise, trying to “unscrew” the tick.

2. Using thread . If you don’t have tweezers or forceps at hand, you can resort to using regular thread. Make a small loop. This “lasso” is thrown over the tick, trying to move it as close to the body as possible. Lightly tighten the loop, securing the insect. Then they begin to slowly twist the bloodsucker in the opposite direction clockwise.

3. Manual method . This is the most dangerous method. Since ticks can serve as a carrier of infection, it is necessary to protect yourself as much as possible from the risk of infection. Therefore, it is recommended to wear gloves or protect your fingers with gauze when removing the parasite. The insect is grabbed with the nails right next to the victim’s skin and gently twisted. It is important not to crush the tick.

After pulling out an insect, many people make a colossal mistake. They simply throw away the parasite. In the future, they are very worried whether the tick was infected. To protect yourself from such experiences, the elongated insect must be preserved (in an ordinary jar with a lid) and delivered for research. The analysis will take 1-2 days.

Using a syringe to remove a tick

The head of a tick is the most dangerous part of its body. When someone tries to remove a tick from a person with tweezers, a needle or other sharp object, there is always the possibility that it will rupture. As a result, the jaws that harbor the infection will remain covered in skin. Therefore, it is advisable to entrust tick removal to professionals. This is not always possible. There may not be a doctor nearby. The clinic or medical center is far away. Therefore, in this case, you can and should try to remove the parasite yourself. It is better to do this with a medical syringe. It may not be in your purse either. Therefore, when going for a walk, to the forest, park, country house or places where parasites live, you must always have it with you.

In fact, removing a tick with a syringe is not as easy as it might seem. The person who will perform such a procedure must be very attentive and careful.

Before you begin removing a tick with a syringe, you need to prepare your tools. You will need a regular or insulin syringe, a knife, and a disinfectant. The syringe must first be properly prepared:

• Pull the syringe plunger back all the way;
• using a knife, carefully cut off the upper part of the syringe (the one into which the needle is installed);
• To obtain the most even cut possible, it is recommended to heat the knife.

Removing a tick with a syringe

After this, you need to thoroughly wash your hands with soap and do the following manipulations sequentially:

1. Treat the area where the tick is located and the syringe itself with a disinfectant.
2. Press the instrument tightly onto the skin so as to completely cover the arachnid with the hole.
3. Gently and slowly pull the syringe plunger up.

You can remove a tick from a person with a syringe thanks to the vacuum that is created inside the tool. To better understand how the procedure is done, it is recommended to look at the photographs and video. As soon as the tick is removed, it must be placed on a damp cotton swab and closed in a transparent container, and then taken to the laboratory for analysis.

Review

I was an involuntary witness of a man's tick being pulled out with a syringe. The procedure is really quite simple. It is important to do it very carefully. The method is very effective.

What not to do

Wrong actions can aggravate a person’s condition and lead to serious consequences. Therefore, it is important to remember what to do is strictly prohibited.

Main mistakes:

1. Application of sunflower oil . Do not lubricate the insect with oil. It is not safe. Under a thin oily layer that does not allow oxygen to penetrate, the parasite will actually die. But if the tick remained in the body at the time of its death, then before death it will release a dangerous dose of poison into the human body.
2. Use of chemistry . It is forbidden to poison an insect using gasoline, varnish and similar substances. Do not use creams or medicinal solutions. This will lead to the injection of a dangerous dose of poison into the human body in the last minutes.
3. Pulling by the tummy . You should never touch the abdomen of a tick. It comes off very easily.
4. Sudden movements . Another mistake involves abruptly pulling out the parasite. To remove a tick from a wound, you need to unscrew it. A sudden movement will cause the abdomen to tear away from the tick's head.
5. Expansion of the wound . Some try to pick out the wound and eliminate the bloodsucker. This method is very dangerous for several reasons. If a tick ruptures during removal, the infection from the insect’s body will instantly enter the human bloodstream. The large wound left after eliminating the parasite serves as a gateway for infection to enter the body.

Mechanism of action

Before you go with friends and relatives to nature - to the forest, to a pond, to a park, you need to prepare a first aid kit with the necessary amount of medicine just in case, into which you should throw a couple of small syringes.

Removing an insect using a syringe is quite simple and easy. This process may bring some discomfort, but for the sake of your health you can endure it.

If it so happened that someone in the company was bitten by a tick in nature and it was decided to provide him with first aid on the spot, then it is recommended to adhere to the following instructions:

1. You need to take a syringe and cut off its tip as evenly as possible (this can be done in advance, at home). Before using alcohol or soap, it is advisable to disinfect your hands and the knife or scissors that will be used to cut the syringe.
2. Now you need to press the cut area to the place on the skin where the tick was attached. You will get a vacuum. To increase effectiveness, you can apply a little cream around the tick.
3. Now you need to pull the syringe plunger towards you. This will make the insect want to come out on its own.
4. This method also helps to remove, along with the tick, all the toxic substances that the parasite managed to spray out.
5. You can remove a tick in the same way using a bottle or jar, after warming the neck with a match or lighter.
6. After this method, a hematoma will remain on the skin, but this is not scary, but without a tick.

This method is suitable for removing an insect that has just attached itself (within 1-2 days) or for a larva that will be weaker than an adult.

What to do after a forest tick bite

If the biting insect remains on the skin, most likely it has sunk the head deep enough and will not fall off on its own. You need to take it out carefully. It is better to go to the emergency room for this. There they minimize the risk of the disease by introducing anti-encephalitis gamma globulin. The main thing is to do this within a few hours after contact with the tick.

Although the insect that carries the virus looks no different, there is no need to panic with every bite. In the spring-summer season, ticks bite many people, but no more than 5-6% are infected.

You can try to remove the bloodsucker yourself. But there is a great danger of tearing it in half. Blood from it can get on the mucous membranes and increase the risk of infection. In addition, the head remaining in the body will cause purulent inflammation of the adjacent tissues.

Security measures

After the insect has been removed, a number of actions must be performed:

1. The bite site must be disinfected with a handy antiseptic - cologne, various alcohol tinctures or pure alcohol, 5% iodine.
2. Immediately after removing the parasite, thoroughly clean your hands with any disinfectant or soap solution.
3. If possible, be sure to consult a doctor, especially if a child has been injured.
4. After 10 days, take a blood test, then after 2 weeks and after a month.

What not to do:

1. Removal should not be done with bare hands; they should be protected with gloves, a rag, or a napkin.
2. You should not pull or pull the parasite out of the skin, as this may cause it to tear or burst, which increases the risk of infection with dangerous viruses.
3. Use oil - this can cause the tick to suffocate and remain in the skin, then it will be difficult to remove it from there, and also, when frightened, the insect can inject toxic substances with saliva, which will lead to the development of diseases.
4. There is no need to immediately run to the clinic to donate blood for a test.

Important: if a tiny dark spot is noticed, this means that the head or proboscis has come off. The area must be treated with an alcohol solution of iodine, then the head or proboscis should come out along with purulent exudate. You can do it differently: treat the area with the same iodine or alcohol, calcinate a well-thin needle, disinfect it with an antiseptic and pull out the head (proboscis), just like removing a splinter.

Ticks descend on their victims from trees

Ticks, by definition, do not climb trees; their “maximum altitude” is no more than 1.5–2 meters above the ground. Of course, a tick can fall on you from a branch, but much more often these arachnids lie in wait for their prey in the grass. Then, with the help of claws and suction cups, they cling to clothing or fur and begin to look for a place to bite, rising upward - this can take the tick from 20 minutes to 1.5 hours.

What to do with a tick?

If the tick is lifeless, then it must be thrown into the fire (set on fire) or poured with boiling water. If the removed tick is alive, it is recommended to take it to the laboratory to test for infection with tick-borne encephalitis. For transportation, it is best to use well-cleaned containers: jars, bottles, vials, etc.

It is important to understand that only live ticks are suitable for laboratory diagnosis. The parasite can be stored and delivered to the laboratory no later than two days.

You can remove a tick at home, usually without complications. But it happens that complications can develop. Therefore, if you are not sure that it will be possible to remove it without problems, it is better to seek help from a medical specialist - a surgeon or traumatologist, who will deal with this problem in the right way.

What to do if you are bitten by a tick: algorithm of actions.

Do you feel like everyone around you has been talking about ticks every spring for the last few years? It’s true, you didn’t think so. Indeed, tick activity has increased many times over. Not everyone knows what to do if they are bitten by a tick.

And I didn’t pass by: the other day my son was bitten by a tick right near the house. Information about ticks around the sea, however, is very contradictory: is it worth examining a tick for infection, what kind of infections are relevant, what is the risk of getting infected and, most importantly, what exactly needs to be done, whether you need to take antibiotics, in what dose.

Why has tick activity increased now?

• There are several versions of the increase in tick numbers:
• Changing the technique of applying mineral fertilizers to the soil
• Ban on burning grass around towns and villages
• Ban on the use of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (dust, DDT). DDT was banned due to its high levels of accumulation in plants and animals. This is the only poison that was able to stop the proliferation of ticks throughout the country.

The last version is considered the most plausible and is adhered to by most infectious disease specialists.

When are ticks active?

Ticks begin to hunt when the temperature rises to +4-4.5 degrees, activity increases, as a rule, from mid-April, reaches a peak in mid-June, then declines, with a second peak of activity in some species in the autumn. Maximum activity is at a temperature of +10 - +25 degrees, but ticks do not like heat - direct sunlight has a depressing effect on them.

Why is a tick bite dangerous?

A large number of species of ticks live in Belarus; ixodid forest ticks are dangerous in terms of transmitting diseases, and meadow ticks are also dangerous.

In total, ticks carry about 20 diseases, 9 of which are dangerous to humans. First of all, these are Lyme borreliosis (erythema migrans) and tick-borne encephalitis. Also now characterized by an increase in the transmission of anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis (piroplasmosis) and bartonellosis.

What is the risk of infection:

However, it is too early to panic: not all ticks are contagious. The risk of contracting Lyme borreliosis is highest; about 33% of ticks are infected; about 1,000 people get sick in Belarus every year. Even if the tick is contagious, half of those bitten will simply develop antibodies, and the other half will show symptoms of the disease.

The risk of tick-borne encephalitis is 1.5%; about 100 people are infected per year in Belarus. Our area is characterized by the Western European type of tick-borne encephalitis; it is characterized by a more favorable course than the Far Eastern type.

What does a tick look like?

A tick in a hungry state is no more than 3 mm in length; after sucking and drinking blood, it can increase in size by 50-100 times.

Various forms hunt: both nymphs and adults, both females and males. Females can remain attached to a person for up to 10 days.

How does a tick hunt?

In 2016, 53.6% of those bitten suffered from ticks in the forest zone. Ticks love deciduous and mixed forests, places with tall grass, and in dry coniferous forests and swamps there are an order of magnitude less of them.

Ticks hunt from grass or bushes; they do not fall from trees and cannot jump. A tick, sitting on a blade of grass and holding onto it with three pairs of paws, lifts its front pair upward, as if in prayer. Ticks are able to sense a heat source, which is how they sense prey. The front pair of paws are equipped with hooks and suction cups for gripping. Once on the body, the tick usually crawls for 30 minutes in search of a secluded place with more delicate skin. That is why timely inspection after visiting potentially hazardous areas is so important.

In humans, favorite places for ticks are the armpits, groin area, back, neck, skin behind the ears, legs.

The tick injects saliva into the host's body by inserting its proboscis into the skin. Tick ​​saliva contains an anesthetic substance, so tick bites are usually not felt and are painless; the bite site may itch somewhat. Saliva also contains blood thinners and cementitious substances, as well as pathogens. When answering the question of what to do about a tick bite, you should remember: the longer the tick is on the body, the more saliva it introduces into the blood, the higher the risk of disease transmission.

What to do if you are bitten by a tick: algorithm of actions

Having discovered a tick, you can go in two ways: run to the surgeon at the nearest emergency room or get the tick yourself.

Option 1: Contact a surgeon to remove the tick

Pros:

• A knowledgeable specialist will remove the tick professionally without damaging the body or tearing off the head. Thus, there is less risk of squeezing pathogens into the blood, which often happens when extracted incorrectly
• The doctor will give professional advice on the likelihood of infection, preventive treatment and indicate laboratories where the tick can be examined

Minuses:

• The longer the tick remains attached, the more saliva enters the bloodstream, the higher the risk of infection. You can spend a lot of time on the road to a specialist, waiting in the emergency department
• An unpleasant feeling and a desire to get rid of the parasite quickly do not add pleasant minutes to the wait for help.
• Often the child’s fear of medical manipulations

Option 2: Extract it yourself

Pros:

• Can be done right on the spot, minimizing the time the tick is present
• Less stress for the child from medical procedures

Minuses:

• There is a risk of the head being torn off if removed incorrectly; in this case, the head remains in the skin
• Risk of squeezing the abdomen and squeezing the contents into the blood

How to get a tick correctly?

The longer the tick remains attached, the greater the likelihood of infection!

Do not use oil or greasy cream to remove ticks! In this case, his spiracles become clogged, and he reflexively releases saliva and pathogens into the blood, thus increasing the risk of infection.

Methods for removing a tick

Using cotton thread

It is tied in a knot as close to the proboscis as possible. Twisting the ends of the thread using a circular motion, remove the tick, slowly pulling it up and rocking it to the sides. Sudden movements are not allowed.

Using multiple threads

You need to tie several threads, pulling the second thread without sudden movements to pull the tick out of the skin.

Tweezers

The tick must be grabbed as close to the proboscis as possible. Then it is carefully pulled out, rotating around its axis in a convenient direction. Usually, after 1-3 turns, the entire tick is removed along with the proboscis. If you try to pull out a tick, there is a high probability that it will rupture. Do not put pressure on the abdomen - it is possible that its contents along with pathogens may be squeezed into the wound.

Using special devices:

Kleschevertov.

Using a lasso handle.

Using a sterile (calcined) needle - like a splinter.

After removing the tick, treat the bite site with iodine or an alcohol-containing liquid.

How does a doctor act?

The algorithm of actions of medical workers when a patient contacts about a tick bite is regulated by the order of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus dated April 19, 2016 No. 338 “On measures to prevent diseases transmitted by ixodid ticks”:

clause 7. If you seek medical help in the first 72 hours after a bite, a patient who has no medical contraindications to taking medications is prescribed emergency chemoprophylaxis. The patient (his legal representative) should be informed that the maximum preventive effect is achieved only if emergency prophylaxis is started in the first 72 hours.

clause 8. For persons who have medical contraindications to taking medications, the medical professional issues a referral for laboratory testing of the tick in the form according to Appendix 2 to the above Algorithm and reports the address of the nearest health care organization performing laboratory testing of the tick.

clause 10. Patients prescribed emergency chemoprophylaxis for tick-borne infections are not given a referral for tick laboratory testing. In this case, the patient is explained that he has the right to independently contact a microbiological laboratory conducting vector research to conduct a tick study on a paid basis.

That is, the doctor is obliged to prescribe an antibiotic to everyone as a prophylaxis for Lyme borreliosis, with the exception of pregnant women and other persons for whom antibiotics are contraindicated. Only they will be given a referral for a free study; for everyone else this procedure will be paid.

What is included in emergency prevention

Emergency prophylaxis is most effective when administered for the first time 72 hours after the bite. For adults and children over 8 years of age, emergency prevention of Lyme borreliosis is carried out with doxycycline, 0.1 g once.

Doxycycline is contraindicated in pregnant women and children under 8 years of age. For them, the doctor decides to send the tick for examination or prescribes an approved drug, usually amoxicillin, in a dosage appropriate to their age.

Should a tick be examined?

The paradox is that the results of the tick study will be ready in 3 business days, and emergency antibiotic prophylaxis is effective only when prescribed in the first 72 hours after the bite. And if after 3 days it turns out that the tick is infected with Lyme borreliosis, it will be too late to start taking the drug prophylactically.

On the other hand, the antibiotic does not work against tick-borne encephalitis. In endemic areas where the risk is high, immunoglobulin is administered to the bitten person - antibodies produced by people who have had tick-borne encephalitis. They cannot prevent infection, but they can provide a milder course of the disease.

In our country, emergency prophylaxis with immunoglobulin is not carried out, and therapy with antiviral drugs (rimantadine), unfortunately, is low-effective. But if you wish, you can get vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis.

For your own peace of mind, so that you can sleep peacefully and not flinch from every spot on your body and an increase in temperature, you can submit the tick for laboratory testing. The body of the tick is examined for Lyme borreliosis, and the head for tick-borne encephalitis.

If tick research is not carried out in your locality, you can take the tick to the nearest hygiene and epidemiology center, and then it will be sent for examination.

Examination of a removed tick is indicated only in cases where there are contraindications for prescribing preventive treatment for persons affected by a tick bite.

In other cases, tick research is carried out for a fee, upon request. According to the results of laboratory studies of ixodid ticks conducted at the state institution “Minsk City Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology” in 2022, the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis was identified in 6.1% of cases.

At the state institution “Minsk City Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology”, ticks are examined for infection with Borrelia (the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis); more detailed information can be found at the link: https://www.minsksanepid.by/node/42.

Tick ​​research (detection of pathogens of tick-borne encephalitis, Lyme borreliosis, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis) is carried out at the Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology at the address: Minsk, st. Filimonova, 23 on a paid basis, phone 374-24-41 or on the website: https://www.belriem.by/services.

If you independently remove an attached tick, you should contact your local physician (infectious disease doctor, pediatrician), who will prescribe preventive treatment. Taking a prescribed antibiotic prophylactically will prevent not only Lyme disease, but also other bacterial tick-borne infections.

For reference: An analysis of the incidence of Lyme borreliosis in Minsk shows that in the vast majority of cases (more than 97%) the disease develops in people who ignored chemoprophylaxis after a tick bite.

The results of the tick research are sent to health care institutions at the place of residence. All positive results are reported by telephone on the day of the study to the territorial center of hygiene and epidemiology according to the place of residence. You can also find out yourself by calling the laboratory.

What to do if a tick is infected

The main thing is not to panic!

If a tick is infected with Lyme borreliosis, the disease will manifest itself in 50% of those bitten. Half of the people will only develop antibodies. For the rest, redness appears at the site of the bite after 2-30 days; over time, the spot enlarges, turns pale in the center, and the color becomes more intense at the edges. The next stage is the appearance of spots in different parts of the body, involvement of joints, damage to the liver, and nerve endings. More often, the disease occurs without fever; sometimes there may be malaise, chills, muscle weakness, and headache. There is a high risk of transition to a chronic form involving various organs and systems.

If a tick is infected with tick-borne encephalitis, you need to monitor your health for a month. The disease begins with fever, like ARVI, an increase in temperature to 38-40 degrees, chills, general weakness, and a sharp headache. Possible nausea and vomiting, sleep disturbances. Characterized by numbness of the skin of the face and neck, weakness of the muscles of the neck and limbs. Rarely, in severe cases, paralysis, damage to the membranes of the brain, disability and even death are possible. The earlier complex treatment in a hospital is prescribed, the more favorable the prognosis.

If within a month after the bite a spot appears on the skin or the temperature rises, you should immediately contact an infectious disease specialist.

In a number of paid laboratories, 3 weeks after a tick bite, you can take a blood test for antibodies to Borrelia (the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis) and tick-borne encephalitis virus. The presence and titer of class M antibodies (IgM) indicate an active disease, the presence of class G antibodies (IgG) - memory cells - indicates that the body has previously encountered these infections.

How to get rid of ticks

Ways to reduce the number of ticks include removing fallen leaves and weeds and timely mowing. In addition, parks and green areas are treated centrally with special acaricidal agents. This service can be ordered for your dacha, or you can treat the area yourself.

Acaricidal agents include: Alpicid, Breeze 25% e. k.”, “Gardex Extreme”, “Concentrate for protecting the territory from ticks”, “MEDILIS-tsiper”, “Kleschevit super”, “Tsifoks”. The processing method is indicated on the package insert.

How to avoid getting tick-borne infections

As a personal preventive measure, it is recommended to wear clothing that covers the body as much as possible.

Clothing should be light and plain so that the tick is visible on it. If you are going into the forest, in an area where ticks are active, your trousers should be tucked into your socks, your shirt should be zipped and tucked into your trousers, and the cuffs should fit close to your wrists. A tick cannot bite through clothing. You can also buy clothes treated with an acaricidal composition.

However, it is difficult to imagine that, when going on a picnic, we dress in a suit similar to a spacesuit, much less dress children in this way. What do we do?

Ticks react very weakly to repellents, although products containing at least 25-30% DEET (diethyltoluamide) have at least some significant effect. Ticks are afraid of acaricides, but under no circumstances should these products be applied to the skin, only to clothing outdoors.

Knowing the peculiarities of tick behavior on the skin, we understand that we have 30-60 minutes while the tick crawls in search of a sweet spot for self- and mutual inspection. Don't forget to check your pets too. We try not to go deep into unmown areas, stopping for a picnic in dry, well-lit clearings with sparse grass.

Another option for infection with tick-borne encephalitis is through raw goat milk. As a preventive measure, it is recommended to drink goat milk only when boiled; boil for at least 2 minutes.

And one more, the most reliable way to protect against tick-borne encephalitis: vaccination with an effectiveness of more than 90%.

To prevent tick-borne infections, two vaccines, “Encevir” and “Tick-E-Vac,” are approved for use in Belarus. The course of preventive immunization against tick-borne encephalitis consists of 2 vaccinations performed at intervals of 1-7 months. A course of vaccination (two vaccinations) can be carried out throughout the year, including in the summer, but no later than two weeks before visiting the site of tick-borne encephalitis. The most optimal interval between the first and second vaccinations is 5-7 months.

Experts recommend doing the first vaccination in October-November, the second in March-April. To maintain immunity, it is recommended to revaccinate one year after completing the vaccination course. Subsequently, revaccination is done every 3 years.

For emergency prevention, when vaccinations begin in the summer, the interval between vaccinations can be reduced to 14 days.

Treatment of the wound

After removing the tick, the parasite bite site should be treated. For this purpose, use alcohol or other disinfectant available on hand. Iodine and hydrogen peroxide will do.

When going for a walk in a forested area, do not forget about the danger of tick attacks. It is recommended to always have with you basic tools that may come in handy. Everything you need is available freely in pharmacies.

Removing ticks from dogs

On a note!

This method is not suitable for removing ticks from pets. This is due to the fact that the pet’s fur will not allow the necessary pressure to be created.

Veterinary clinics sell special devices in the form of a curved hook with a slot for removing ticks from animals. Or you can use tweezers. Animals' wounds should also be treated.

Prevention

To protect yourself as much as possible and avoid a tick bite, it is recommended to take preventive measures:

1. It is advisable to wear long sleeves. Preference should be given to light, smooth fabrics. The tick is better visible on them, as it is more difficult for it to stay on such a surface.
2. Be sure to wear a hat.
3. It is recommended to tuck shirts, T-shirts and other clothing items into trousers, and their lower part into socks.
4. Before you go for a walk, you should treat your clothes with special anti-tick preparations that repel arthropods.
5. Clothes should be inspected regularly.

These simple recommendations will help reduce the risk of a parasite attack. But if he does bite a person, you must immediately go to the hospital. Doctors do not encourage self-extraction of parasites. In a hopeless situation, you must definitely try to remove the tick with a syringe.

Sources

• https://hlopklop.com/kleshhi/chto-budet-esli-sest-kleshha.html
• https://apest.ru/kleshhi/o-kleshhah/chto-budet-esli-proglotit-kleshcha/
• https://stolichki.ru/stati/kak-dostat-klescha-u-cheloveka
• https://apest.ru/kleshhi/ukusy-kleshhej/kak-vytashchit-kleshcha-shpricom/
• https://zelenplaneta.ru/kleshhi/kak-udalit-kleshha-s-pomoshhyu-shpritsa.html

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How to protect yourself from ticks

• Dress appropriately before going into the forest, when doing gardening, and when coming into contact with tall grass . It’s better to go in the light - it’s easier to spot the tick. Tuck your trousers into your boots and your long-sleeved shirt into your trousers. Fasten the collar and cuffs tightly (it is better if they have elastic). Headwear is required.
• The territory of the dacha, if it is in an endemic area, must be treated with special means . And be sure to regularly mow the grass and fight rodents. It has been proven: if there is no tall grass and mice in and around the area, there will be no tick-borne encephalitis.
• Treat clothing (especially cuffs and collars) with a tick repellent . Always read the instructions before using these products. But under no circumstances spray it on the skin - this product does not repel (like a mosquito repellent), but kills ticks, since it contains poison. Therefore, pets cannot be sprayed; it is better to buy them special anti-tick collars.
• Do not rest in the grass . Sunbathe and relax only in “bare” areas. Do not bring bouquets from the forest, do not put wreaths woven from forest or wildflowers on your head - ticks may hide there.
• , undress and inspect yourself, children and animals each time .
• Get vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis . There are also children's forms of vaccines. If you haven’t had time to get the standard vaccination, get it according to the express scheme. Its effectiveness is lower, but it's better than nothing.

Author: Aksenova Natalya

Photo: Shutterstock.com