A tick that has drunk blood becomes round and clumsy. Changes size and color. Representatives of the ixodid family attack animals, birds, and people. Why do ticks drink blood - to replenish energy reserves, move to the next stage of development, and lay eggs. The life cycle of an arachnid extends over several years. The speed of development depends on weather conditions and nutrition. The parasite can remain in a hungry state for 1 to 3 years while waiting for a victim.
What is an eye mite
Photo 1. Demodex eye mite.
Eye mite
– red mite of the genus Demodex, the smallest parasitic arthropod. The photo shows an adult specimen, its length is 0.3-0.4 mm, its body is elongated, translucent, covered with scales. Fertilization is internal. The life cycle is two to three weeks.
According to recent studies, these mites are constantly present in the skin of all mammals without manifesting themselves in any way. With certain disturbances in the functioning of the immune system, they are activated, causing a disease - demodicosis. In humans, they live mainly on the face, localized in the sebaceous and meibomian glands, and hair follicles. They feed on the secretions of the sebaceous glands and epidermal cells. At night they come to the surface to mate. Able to move on the skin.
How to protect yourself from parasites
First, you need to identify those natural areas where ticks most often settle. A favorable environment for them is trees and thick grass with high humidity, holes, forest birch edges, ravines, and banks near water bodies. It should be remembered that there are several times more of them on the edges and forest paths than in the thickets of the forest. Paths and paths retain human smell and animal traces - this attracts ticks.
When going on vacation in nature, it is best to give preference to things in light colors. Thanks to this background, the attached parasite will be immediately noticeable. Be sure to take a cap, headscarf or panama hat with you. Agree with friends and after 2-3 hours carefully examine each other’s body, clothes, and head, especially for small children. Before your trip, you should buy special products and use them before going to places where these arthropods live.
And finally: you should not be afraid of a parasite bite. The danger lies in the presence of various infections in this individual. The only thing you need to be wary of after a tick bite on a person is the possibility of getting a serious illness
During the period when ticks are active, it is better to do everything possible to avoid ending up in dangerous places, and if you still relax in nature, then follow all precautions and do not neglect the recommendations of doctors
Spring, veterinarians warn, is the beginning of the season for the incidence of piroplasmosis, a deadly disease for dogs transmitted by ixodid ticks.
Currently, the disease is recorded throughout almost the entire territory of Russia, where its main carriers are ticks. The territory of Moscow and the Moscow region is also unsafe for piroplasmosis.
Pet owners should take care of prevention, be aware of the signs of disease and first aid measures in case of a tick bite.
Reasons for the development of demodicosis
Normally, the number of mites is regulated by the immune mechanism of the human carrier. Factors that reduce immunity and provoke the development of demodicosis can be external or internal.
External
- long-term use of antibiotics, hormonal drugs;
- abuse of cosmetic procedures - peeling, facial cleansing;
- prolonged infrared or ultraviolet irradiation;
- eye surgeries.
Domestic
- bacterial and viral infections;
- allergy;
- chronic gastrointestinal diseases;
- stress;
- keratoconjunctivitis;
- pregnancy;
- hormonal disorders.
Symptoms
Photo 2. Eye mites - symptoms of blepharitis.
In the initial stage of demodectic blepharitis, clinical manifestations are practically absent. Subsequently, with the increase in the reproduction of ticks, their waste products cause the appearance of the following symptoms:
- itching and burning of the eyes;
- redness, swelling, inflammation of the edges of the eyelids;
- sticky, thick discharge that accumulates in the corners of the eyes;
- sticking of eyelashes, appearance of scales and crusts on them;
- eyelash loss;
- dry eye syndrome.
Pathogenesis
Anatomically, blepharitis is divided into anterior and posterior. Invasion of the eyelash follicles is referred to as anterior blepharitis. In case of damage to the meibomian glands - about the posterior one.
Factors determining the negative impact:
- Mechanical damage.
Eating epithelial cells by mites disrupts the direction of eyelash growth, increases their loss, and contributes to the development of trichiasis. The internal cavity of the hair follicles increases, hyperkeratosis and mild perifolliculitis occur. Mechanical blockage of the meibomian gland ducts by parasites causes their hypersecretion and inflammation - chalazion.
- Secondary infection.
Tick-borne blepharitis is often complicated by a secondary infection, staphylococcal or streptococcal, which can lead to the development of purulent conjunctivitis and ulcerative blepharitis.
- Allergic reaction.
Mite waste products and dead individuals have a toxic-allergic effect on the membranes of the eye, and eyelid dermatitis develops.
Laboratory diagnostics
If you have a history of persistent styes, eyelash loss, chronic acne and rosacea, then demodicosis can be suspected with a high degree of probability. However, laboratory testing is necessary for an accurate diagnosis.
Preparing for diagnosis
- Two days before the procedure, it is prohibited to apply decorative and medicinal cosmetics to the face.
- Do not apply eye drops the day before.
- Do not wash or wet your face for 24 hours.
Methodology
The procedure is carried out in the evening, when mites crawl to the surface of the skin and are easier to detect. Eight cilia are taken from each eye - four from the upper eyelid and four from the lower eyelid, placed on a glass slide in an alkali solution and examined under a microscope at low magnification.
Interpretation of the result
- The absence of mites, eggs, larvae - the result is negative.
- The presence of empty egg shells is a positive result, but requires repeating the analysis.
- The presence of at least one tick – demodicosis is diagnosed.
- Detection of more than ten mites – pronounced infestation.
Attention! A negative result does not always guarantee the absence of parasites.
If the arachnid fell off at home
In a situation where the parasite bites a person and falls off after a few hours, it often goes unnoticed. A red spot, slight inflammation, and slight itching remain on the body. The tick falls off if it has fully satisfied its need for food and replenished its nutritional reserves.
Tick drunk on blood
If a thick tick falls off at home, there is no future for it. The nymph will not be able to continue development because there is no soil. The female will not be able to lay eggs for the same reasons. After some time, the parasite dies. The tick is dangerous if it has not drunk blood, then it can bite again. There is no need to worry too much about where the tick goes in the apartment. Even if he is not discovered, he will soon die.
Treatment
The treatment is complex and long-term. Does not always give positive results, relapses are possible. According to the doctor’s recommendations, drug treatment is combined with traditional medicine methods. Personal hygiene plays an important role.
Hygiene
It is necessary to get rid of all previous cosmetics, since they may contain live parasites. After washing your face, you should wipe your face not with fabric towels, but with disposable paper towels. Change bed linen as often as possible, if possible boil or iron with a hot iron on both sides.
Drug treatment
- Cholinomimetics
– Physostigmine, Phosphacol, Pilocarpine. They are used to treat glaucoma, but also stimulate the release of meibomian glands from secretions and parasites, and paralyze the muscles of ticks.
- Metronidazole.
Has antimicrobial and anti-acne effects. It is prescribed internally in the form of tablets and externally to lubricate the edges of the eyelids with gel. Effective against Demodex, but the mechanism of action is unknown.
- Antibiotic eye drops
– Ciprofloxacin, Levomycetin, Tobrex. Necessary for the prevention and treatment of secondary bacterial infection.
- Artificial tear
– moisturizes the conjunctiva for dry eye syndrome.
- Acaricides
– Demalan, Demazol, Blefarogel No. 2. Helps remove mites from eyelash follicles.
- Corticosteroids and antihistamines
– Dexamethasone, Diphenhydramine. Suppresses delayed allergic reactions.
- Multivitamins.
Increases immunity.
In addition, regular massage of the eyelids helps remove mites with glandular fluid. Subsequent washing with tar soap has an insecticidal effect.
It is important! During treatment, visiting baths, saunas, solariums, and public swimming pools is prohibited. You should also not take hot baths.
Folk remedies
- Wormwood decoction is an effective traditional medicine for demodicosis.
Chop two tablespoons of leaves, add a liter of water, boil, keep on fire for several minutes, leave for two hours. The freshly prepared decoction is drunk for 6 days - on the first day, 50 ml every hour, on the second day, 50 ml every two hours, on the third and all subsequent days, 50 ml every three hours.
- Laundry soap mask.
Beat foam from a bar of soap in warm water. Apply 4-5 layers to the face, allowing each layer to dry. Leave until morning, rinse in the morning. Do it daily until complete recovery.
- Aloe juice. Mix with water 1:1
, apply eye lotions daily for 20 minutes.
- Tincture of calendula.
Using a cotton swab, carefully apply to the root zone of the eyelashes.
This article is for informational purposes only, please consult your doctor for details! Ask your doctor about contraindications and side effects.
What can you become infected with?
If the tick itself came out and crawled away, this does not mean that it did not harm the human body. Ixodid ticks are carriers of various diseases. Those that are carriers of borreliosis and encephalitis are especially dangerous.
If a bite is detected, whether the tick is still there or has already fallen off and disappeared, you must immediately seek help from qualified specialists and monitor
Lyme disease or borreliosis
It manifests itself in the early stages in pain in the head, muscles, joints, fever up to 38 degrees, vomiting and deterioration in general well-being. Rare symptoms include sore throat, cough and runny nose. If intervention is not done in a timely manner, the lymphatic and nervous systems are affected. As the disease progresses, it can cause damage to the facial nerve and seriously affect the brain, for example, a person loses memory or the ability to think adequately.
If treatment is started on time, then in most cases it is possible to completely cure it with the correct selection of medications. When delayed, the complexity of therapy increases many times over; it does not help in all cases.
Tick-borne encephalitis
It is also a carrier of encephalitis. If a person does not notice a tick bite in time, he risks becoming infected in approximately 60% of cases, these are official statistics. Tick-borne encephalitis is a dangerous disease; in the early stages it manifests itself with the same symptoms as borreliosis. Additional tachycardia and rapid heartbeat may be added, but there is no red round spot with a ring.
The extent of symptoms depends on the number of mites and the person's individual allergic reaction. It’s hardest for the elderly and young children.
A critical increase in temperature to 39-40 degrees requires immediate contact with doctors for resuscitation measures, otherwise you can die in a fever. Therefore, you should not delay even with the most minor symptoms.
It is especially dangerous if the infection occurs in young children. They cannot correctly assess the danger and symptoms that appear to them
It is extremely important for parents to examine their children after a walk in nature, especially carefully in places where ticks are most often found. If you have the slightest doubt, go to the hospital immediately
In addition, ticks carry a lot of other diseases dangerous to human health and life, such as tick-borne typhus, hemorrhagic fever, ehrlichiosis, tularemia and many others. Medicine has learned to cope with all of them to one degree or another if the patient seeks help in the early stages. Delaying it to the last minute can permanently deprive you of your health, and in some cases, your life.
It is important not only for city dwellers, but also for rural residents to know what a drunk tick looks like and what to do if this small insect bites you. There are a large number of ticks in nature, but not all of them pose a threat to human life and health
The most dangerous of them is . It is the source of such terrible diseases as encephalitis, borreliosis or hemorrhagic fever. Costs .
This insect constantly migrates from one place to another, so it is not always possible to say with certainty which species live on your territory. Traditionally, the tick lives in forests and where trees grow densely. A garden, square or just planting can become a source of habitat. There are a lot of ticks in places where it is dark and humid. They sit in the grass, on the leaves of trees and bushes. There are especially many of these individuals in deciduous and mixed forests.
These little pests love paths, garden paths, and roadsides where there is a lot of dried grass. You should be especially careful when walking on forest edges, in ravines or near forest streams. There is a high probability that you will be bitten by an insect in a willow thicket, in a birch grove, in the grass near a river. In places where there are large crowds of people, you can easily find a tick. As scientists have proven, bloodsuckers are attracted to the natural smell of a person or animal, and their sensitivity is very developed. The tick recognizes odors at a distance of more than 12 m.
