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Than the mites are dangerous

Ticks that live in the territory of Russia, oftenare carriers of two dangerous diseases: tick-borne encephalitis and borreliosis. Ticks live in the forest litter - a layer of last year's leaves and fresh grass, warmed by the sun and moderately moistened. In wetlands, as well as in open dry glades, mites are not found. Attacking a person, the tick extracts from its salivary glands a substance similar to an anesthetic, so, as a rule, a person does not feel a bite. Further, for several hours, the sucking tick feeds on blood, accumulating it in reserve in its abdomen, and then disappears. During this time, if the tick is infected with the encephalitis virus or Borrelia, infection of the person can occur. Tick-borne encephalitis is an acute virus disease affecting the nervous system. Its symptoms are similar to the flu: fever, headache, pain in the muscles. After a while neurologic symptoms caused by brain damage - cramps, muscle damage, occasionally coma, and, as a result, a lethal outcome - are added. Sometimes, after a life-long illness, partial or complete paralysis of the limbs remains for life. Borreliosis is a disease that affects mainly the joints and muscles. Untreated borreliosis can lead to complete disability.

What should I do if bitten by a tick

The most appropriate action with a tick bite -this is a referral to a doctor. But if you can not get to the hospital, you need to try to get rid of the tick yourself as soon as possible. If he is infected with tick-borne encephalitis virus, the probability of getting infected is directly proportional to the time of contact of the tick with human blood. It is necessary to pull out the tick very carefully, trying not to crush it with tweezers counter-clockwise. In no case should you pull and pull - there is a risk of leaving the scalp in the skin of the mite, which will have to be removed surgically. After extraction, the mite should be inspected. It should have five processes: four legs and proboscis. If the shoots are smaller, then something could stay under the skin. It is not possible to throw out the tick after extraction. It must be placed in a small tightly closed container and taken to a study (it is better to learn about the points of research of ticks in your city in advance). 10 days after the bite, it is required to donate blood for antibodies to encephalitis and borreliosis. After that, the hospital will be told when to come for re-testing, because the antibodies need to be monitored in dynamics. The first help with a tick bite is to inject an immunoglobulin to prevent encephalitis. To make an injection or not - everyone decides for himself. But it is worth remembering, if the disease develops, the treatment will be very long and serious. Antibiotics may be prescribed to prevent borreliosis.

How to protect yourself from tick bites

When going into the forest, you need to wear closed clothes withlong sleeves and a headpiece. Every two hours it is recommended to conduct self-and mutual examinations. Pets after the walk should also be carefully examined. Of tick-borne encephalitis there is a vaccine, but the first injections should be made as early as the fall, 6 months before possible contact with the mites. More information about this can be found at the district clinic. There is no vaccine from Borrelia.