What should I do if bitten by a tick? How to get a tick out at home? Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of diseases after a bite of a borreliosis, encephalitis tick, etc. What to do if you are bitten by a tick: simple recommendations from NTV

With the onset of warm weather, many people rush to picnics in the forest, hoping for a pleasant pastime. But it is in the spring-summer period that the danger of getting a tick bite escalates, which can lead to very serious consequences.

The danger persists throughout the period, from early spring, when the soil surface temperature is close to 0.30C, until late autumn.

Ticks appear with the first spring rays. The peak of activity falls on the warmest spring month and summer. The maximum number of visits to medical institutions falls on the period from the second half of April to July.

The most dangerous, based on the number of applications, are considered to be the Siberian and Ural federal districts, more favorable - Southern and North Caucasian.

Why are tick bites dangerous?

A tick bite is the process of suction of an arthropod insect to human skin. Suction is carried out with the help of a hypostome - a separate outgrowth of a tick that performs the functions of sensory organs, retention and absorption. Most often, the tick chooses to bite areas with the thinnest (tender) skin - the armpits, groin, chest and neck area, the area behind the ears, and the stomach.

The danger is characterized by the likelihood of getting bitten into the blood of a person, bacteria, infection or harmful microorganisms.

The most dangerous and common infection carried by ticks is “tick-borne encephalitis”. They also represent, although less, but still a danger:

erlichiosis;
anaplasmosis and other infections.

Although only about 20% of the tick population are carriers of serious diseases, the bites of sterile arthropods (not carrying ticks, depending on the region in Russia, about 80-90%) are also dangerous for people! Multiple bites cause allergic reactions in the body.

The tick is an arthropod animal from the arachnid order. They are carriers of infections such as:

tick-borne meningoencephalitis;
tick-borne relapsing fever;
(Lyme disease);
hemorrhagic fever.

What happens during a tick bite

tick-borne borreliosis

The tick pierces the human body with a sting, after the sting, the head of the tick also goes under the skin, it sucks blood and at the same time increases in size. That is why the tick is difficult to remove, there is a possibility of rupture and part of the body of the tick will remain under the skin.

Where to apply? If possible, it is better to contact a specialized institution, SES or trauma department.

The main signs of a tick bite

After the bite, redness of the oval shape remains, itching appears. If you did not find a trace of a tick bite and did not feel anything, then after a while the first signs of a bite will appear: such as

high body temperature (39+ degrees);
fever;
chills;
weakness;
apathy;
fear of light;
drowsiness.

By the type of bite, you can also diagnose the disease. For example, with tick-borne borreliosis, the bite site can change size, from 10-20 centimeters and reach 60 centimeters (see photo above). Temperature, or rather its fluctuations, will also help to diagnose the disease.

With tick-borne encephalitis, the temperature rises 2-4 days after the tick bite, then returns to normal and a further increase occurs on the 10th day. With borreliosis, a person's body temperature is more stable and does not change with such frequency. There is another disease that can be contracted by a tick bite, this is ehrlichiosis. In this case, temperature fever will appear on the 14th day and can last up to 20 days.

What to do if the tick is still stuck? Don't wait for the infection to show up. As mentioned earlier, first aid consists in contacting specialists to remove the tick and submit it for examination. Examination is carried out on living individuals. But if a rupture occurs during the removal of the arthropod, then the body is placed in ice and also given for examination.

Incubation period

To check for the disease, it is necessary to do a blood test, but not earlier than 7 days after the bite. Immediately after there is no point, there is still an incubation period, various diseases lasts differently.

For example, in tick-borne encephalitis, the incubation period lasts up to two weeks, in tick-borne borreliosis, up to a month.

First aid for a tick bite

What to do at home, with a tick bite? When there is no way to get to the hospital, the tick can be removed at home. There are several ways:

With the help of a thread. A loop is put on the base of the tick's body and gently pulled out, loosening from side to side.
The second way is tweezers. Here it is important to ensure that there is no rupture of the body. There are special devices for removing ticks, they are a special clip, you can buy at any pharmacy. Lubricate the bite site with an antiseptic, any.

Attention! Do not coat the insect with various irritants, such as nail polish, oil, gasoline. There will be no effect, ticks are not susceptible to liquid and, moreover, they can inject their liquid and infect a person.

Necessary drugs for a tick bite

From the first day of a tick bite, it is necessary to treat with drugs.

So, which pills should you take?

You need to drink, for example:

Cefodox;
Amoxil.

Take antibiotics should be a full course, 5-7 days.

For prevention, it is necessary to take antiviral drugs in the next day after the bite, such as Arbidol, Anaferon(for children) and Yodantipyrine(for adults) in the first 3 days, then it will not be effective.

If they are not available, any antiviral medication will do.

With signs (when the affected area is visible) of tick-borne borreliosis, one tablet should be taken Doxycycline(200 mg), in the first 72 hours after the bite.

Symptoms and treatment of diseases caused by tick mowing

So, consider the symptoms and treatment of various diseases.

Tick-borne encephalitis

weakness in the limbs;
increase in body temperature;
fever (temperature fluctuation);
nausea;
numbness of the face and neck;
loss of sleep (insomnia);
severe headaches;
inflammation of the mucous membranes (conjunctivitis).

Tick-borne encephalitis is easily confused with, and this is why it is dangerous. The symptoms are very similar. The person himself may not correctly diagnose the disease and not see a doctor at the time, time will be lost.

It is important to start treatment in the first hours after the bite.

On the 12-14th day, weakness and chills appear, the infection has already affected the lymph.

The next stage: the impact on the nervous system. Treatment of tick-borne encephalitis is to adhere to the pastel regimen. In the first two days, be sure to take the drug " Human immunoglobulin«.

Also, the victim is prescribed the following drugs:

Ribonuclease;
Prednisolone;
blood substitutes that increase the basic blood reserve and eliminate acidosis ( Hemodez, Poliglukin and Reopoliglyukin)
ascorbic acid

There is a risk of development. The most favorable outcome for infection with encephalitis will be chronic malaise. The body of the victim can recover on its own after 2 months.

If the infection has managed to infect the cells nervous system, then paralysis of the legs and arms occurs. Possible deafness or blindness, inflammation of the brain, in severe cases, death.

Tick-borne borreliosis

First signs:

headache;
pain in joints, muscles;
chills;
increase in body temperature;
vomit;
soreness, itching and redness at the bite site.

The danger is manifested in the fact that signs of infection can appear only a few months after the bite. During this time, irreversible processes will occur in the body.

The disease proceeds in several stages:

1 stage. The main indicator is the bite site, it swells and becomes dense (papule). It expands in a few days and becomes like a ring - in the center the skin is lighter than at the edges (see photo above). Moreover, the rim of the ring becomes swollen and, as it were, rises.
2 stage occurs if treatment is not followed. The nervous system, joints of the victim and the heart suffer. It may be that any organ is affected, since the infection is in the blood and spreads throughout the body.
3 stage can last for months or even years. The main diseases in the third stage:
1. Skin lesions (atrophic acrodermatitis);
2. Damage to the nervous system (encephalopathy, encephalomyelitis, polyneuropathy);
3. Juvenile.

Treatment of borrioliosis consists in hospitalization of the victim. At the first stage prescribe:

Tetracycline (an antibiotic from the tetracycline group);
biostatics (Levomycetin or Lincomycin);
Polyglucin;
Reopoliglyukin.

If a neurological syndrome occurs, it is stopped Piperacillin or Azlocillin.

If healing procedures will not be started on time, a lethal outcome is not ruled out.

In some cases, prescribe Benzylpenicillin administered intravenously or intramuscularly.

Sometimes during treatment and the use of many types of drugs, some of them may not be suitable for the human body, and allergic reactions will follow. When an allergy occurs, they additionally write out:

Levomycetin;
Clarithromycin;
Erythromycin;
Sumamed.

erlichiosis

The symptoms are as follows:

fever;
chills;
muscle pain;
joint pain;
nausea;
headache;
fatigue.

After a tick bite, the primary symptoms of ehrlichiosis appear only after 8-15 days.

There is chills and fever. Just like in the case of encephalitis, the bite victim confuses the infection with the flu and precious time effective treatment passes.

The treatment is quite simple. The most effective remedy is antibiotics:

doxycycline;
or tetracycline.

Tick-borne typhus

It appears as follows:

chills;
headache;
weakness;
temperature for 4-5 days;
seals in the form of a rash with a diameter of up to 1 centimeter at the site of the bite.

Treatment at home is possible. Prescribe an antibiotic Tetracycline, dosage according to the instructions. Treatment is carried out for 4-5 days.

With proper and timely treatment, the prognosis is favorable.

Acrodermatitis enteropathic

With enteropathic acrodermatitis, the patient experiences:

severe itching;
small hemorrhages;
inflammation.

Acrodermatitis is an allergic reaction. The treatment is quite simple, it is necessary to drink a course of antihistamines. For example:

Suprastin
or Tavegil.

A simple bite can result in a variety of consequences, from a simple allergic reaction to paralysis of the limbs and sometimes death.

It is important to understand that after a bite, you can get sick only if the tick itself was infected. Most often, bites are safe, but caution and prevention will not be superfluous.

Preventive measures for tick bites

In order to prevent, especially in areas favorable for infection with encephalitis, borrioliosis, ehrlichiosis or tick-borne typhus, vaccination is the most effective.

There are two vaccination schedules; standard and fast:

Standard scheme is as follows: the first dose of the vaccine is given on the appointed day, and the second dose after 5-7 months. There are vaccines with a shorter interval, up to three months. In order to be ready for the tick peak, the first dose is given in the fall.
accelerated scheme differs from the standard timing between doses. The time between injections is reduced from two months to 14 days. It is worth repeating the vaccination in a year, then the period between revaccinations increases to 3 years.

The next safety measure will be clothing, walking time and insect repellent:

Clothing, as mentioned earlier, should be as closed and light as possible in order to immediately pay attention to the presence of a tick.
Ticks do not like the sun and heat, so they are activated mainly in the morning and in the evening.
When planning a walk in the forest, it is better not to forget about insect protection methods such as the use of aerosols, for example breeze-anti-mite (aerosol), medelis-comfort (spray for children), gardex-extreme (aerosol).
If you plan to go to the forest, you need to take care of your safety and the safety of your family and friends. The head must be covered with a scarf or hat, the jacket / jacket should be with a deaf collar and preferably with a hood, the trousers are long. These safety measures will significantly reduce the possibility of tick bites.
After completing the walk, you need to examine things and the head for the absence of ticks.

Particular attention should be paid to children, to the cleanliness of their skin, as well as to closed areas of the body.

If there is the slightest suspicion or coincidence of signs of a bite, you should immediately contact a medical institution.

Only the comprehensive implementation of all the requirements and safety measures will help to avoid the negative consequences of tick bites, including very serious ones.

Forecast

The probability of a favorable outcome rises sharply, provided that the person found the tick in time and took appropriate measures.

Even if the insect is not sterile, the patient will undergo a course of highly effective treatment, which is likely to prevent Negative consequences bite.

Tick - who is it?

Few people know that a tick is not an insect at all, although it is very similar in appearance and size to it. It directly belongs to the class Arachnida, subclass Arthropoda. When the time for vacations or long holidays begins, and good weather it beckons, we, not thinking about the consequences, are in a hurry to the forests and mountains. It is in these areas that ticks are the most. Avid hikers and outdoor enthusiasts like to argue where these animals live: on the grass or trees. Experts warn that they can be everywhere. Ticks are capable of simply climbing a tree or bush only when the vegetation is not higher than half a meter. In extreme heat, you are unlikely to meet this type of arachnid, they do not like it. Prefer cool morning or evening hours and night. They attack the victim swiftly, but they look for a place to bite for a long time. Therefore, if you feel something, try to immediately shake it off your skin. By the way, the behavior of female ticks is very interesting - they not only bite, but also suck blood, which means they increase in size. Males, on the contrary, prefer to just bite and can unhook themselves from the victim. Therefore, if a bite site is found, even without a tick, an urgent need to consult a doctor. There are some varieties of these animals that are capable of carrying terrible diseases: borreliosis, encephalitis, hemorrhagic fever and typhus. Therefore, the answer to the question of what to do if bitten by a tick should be known to every person in order to be able to provide first aid to the victim.

How to remove a tick from a bite?

Required studies and analyzes

Many believe that if the tick is removed from the bite, then nothing else needs to be done - this is the main mistake. Just after that, the main work is carried out aimed at your full recovery. Remember a few simple steps that will help you avoid infection from ticks with various infections and viruses.

The first signs of infection

Of course, all these processes occur so slowly in our body that there is no need to run to the laboratory immediately after the bite. If the infection has got to you, then its first signs will appear only after a few weeks (the period can reach up to a month). Often these symptoms look like this:

A condition that resembles the onset of a cold: aching joints and the whole body, headache and dizziness.
Redness around the bite appears on average in 70% of cases. It looks like an inflamed area of the skin in the form of a ring.
Body temperature in this case is not the main indicator, as it can be at a normal level for a long time.

Doctors report that encephalitis appears much better than other infections and viruses transmitted by ticks, as antibodies to them begin to be produced in human body very late, and a blood test can not determine if there is something. Therefore, for any deviations in your condition after a tick bite or with an increase in leukocytes in the blood, immediately go to the doctor, prescribed drugs on time can save the situation.

If a tick has bitten a child

The complexity of this circumstance lies in the fact that the baby may not immediately feel the bite and complain about his changed state. Naturally, this fact should not be underestimated, but it is also unnecessary to panic ahead of time, especially since the stress for the child against the background of a bite is even worse. Many parents come to medical institution with their children with complaints that the child was bitten by a tick. Not everyone knows what to do in this situation. Algorithm necessary steps in this case is:

Behavior of adults and pregnant women with a tick bite

When the analysis of the tick itself or yours turns out to be positive for the presence of a virus or infection, medicine suggests the introduction of a certain vaccine against encephalitis or the use of drugs against borreliosis. They help the body produce special antibodies that will cope with the impending threat.

In any case, even if you were not specifically bitten by a tick, what to do, everyone should know the symptoms of a developing infection. It is important to be able to provide the necessary first aid.

There are such difficult cases when a pregnant woman was bitten by a tick. What to do in this situation, only the doctor has the right to decide, so as not to harm the fetus. The main difficulty lies in the fact that a woman who is in a position cannot be given any vaccines and it is undesirable to take drugs. All this has many side effects which in one way or another will affect the growth and development of the baby. It remains for her only to closely monitor her condition for a month after the bite, and in case of any ailments, urgently contact the doctor. Of course, it is difficult to say how such an event will affect the child, but if the mother suffers, then the baby is in danger. Therefore, expectant mothers should take care of their safety long before conception, for example, make a vaccine against encephalitis.

Pets: dogs and cats - how do they deal with a tick bite?

During the warm period, when pet owners increasingly walk them on the street, a large number of complaints come to the veterinary clinic of the following order: the puppy was bitten by a tick, what should I do? The main danger of such a situation is the infection of a four-legged friend with piroplasmosis. This is a disease that occurs in dogs as a result of a tick bite and is characterized by the simultaneous penetration of protozoa into the body, which carry a deadly virus with them. The later you discover this and help the pet, the higher the likelihood of death. Often, even those drugs that veterinarians begin to administer to the dog no longer cope with the infection, since a lot of time has passed. Therefore, if a puppy is bitten by a tick, every owner should know what to do:

Initially, so that such a situation does not arise at all, try to inspect and comb your pet after each walk.
If a tick is found, unscrew it with tweezers or thread, after dropping oil or gasoline on it.
Treat the wound with an antiseptic.
Be sure to contact your veterinarian. Four-legged friend they will do an analysis (a peripheral blood smear from the ear), which will show the possible presence of infection. In this case, the doctor will prescribe the necessary drugs.

What else to do if a dog is bitten by a tick? The symptoms are the most important. About a month after this problem, watch it. Any deviation in behavior, fever, as well as a clear deterioration in the condition, expressed by the appearance of blood in the urine, yellowness of the whites of the eyes, are the first signs of piroplasmosis. Many dog breeders are interested in the following question: what to do if a dog is bitten by an encephalitis tick? If you live in a danger zone (i.e., a high risk of contracting this virus), then immediately contact a veterinary clinic. The danger is that the infection of dogs with piroplasmosis due to a bite encephalitis tick sometimes happens within minutes. And does this fact depend on the breed and size of the dog? Doctors are inclined to a positive answer. For example, a Yorkie was bitten by a tick, what should I do? Yes, you definitely can’t hesitate here, since this breed is at risk, that is, in the event of an infection, it will spread quickly and in the worst form.

In addition to Yorkshire Terriers, the risk group also includes:

Dogs under 2 years old.
Individuals older than 8 years (due to weak immunity).
Dog breeds of small stature, such as poodles. Although recently veterinarians have noted a large number of cases of infection with piroplasmosis and large breeds.
Dogs with short hair.

Is it possible to prevent a problem called "The cat was bitten by a tick, what should I do?". Of course yes. Try to carefully examine the coat and skin after each walk. Treat cats whenever possible by special means from ticks. If a tick is found, try to pull it out of the wound as soon as possible.

Cattle and the tick problem

It would seem that a small tick can bring a dangerous animal to such a large animal as a cow? But veterinarians around the world have long been solving the question: a cow was bitten by a tick, what should I do? It has been proven that in these cases there is a high probability of illness of both the animal itself and obvious contamination of milk. Therefore, in the season of tick attack on cattle (this summer), doctors try to treat their skin with special products, as well as carefully examine the herd after pasture. Remember that the virus found in raw cow's milk can easily enter the human body. Therefore, to avoid this problem, always boil the milk. And also choose proven manufacturers of dairy products who closely monitor its safety.

Tick-borne Encephalitis

How to protect yourself from a tick bite?

As you know, any situation can be avoided. So with this problem: take all possible measures so that later you do not look for an answer to the question of what to do if you are bitten by a tick. Remember a few simple rules.

In warm weather it is nice to relax on fresh air, in the park, outside the city, in the forest with the whole family. Sometimes the joy of communicating with nature is overshadowed by an unpleasant discovery: a child has been bitten by a tick. What to do? Few know.

Ticks often live in certain regions, but no one is safe from meeting with a blood-sucking insect. It is important to remember that a bitten child can get sick hemorrhagic fever, viral encephalitis or Lyme disease. Allergic reactions often develop. The material will be useful to people of all ages.

The consequences of a tick bite: to worry or not

A tick on a child’s body always causes panic fear in parents. Thoughts immediately come to mind about the dangerous consequences that often develop after an unpleasant incident in nature. But you should not panic: it is important to figure out how dangerous the bite is, whether the blood-sucking insect is infected. What to do?

Pay attention to the symptoms of a tick bite:

the infection did not penetrate the body, the tick turned out to be quite “harmless”. There is a slight chill, slight malaise, in allergic children, the area of contact with the insect turns slightly red. Symptoms pass fairly quickly. There are no serious consequences for the body, but an examination by a specialist, the appointment of compounds that strengthen the immune system, is mandatory;
The child was bitten by a tick - a carrier of a dangerous disease. The transmission of the virus from an insect to a person is accompanied by pronounced signs. Symptoms may vary, but the general manifestations are as follows: a noticeable change in shape, color at the site of the bite, soreness in the back, a sharp increase in body temperature. Often there is a headache, malaise, weakness, loss of appetite.

After removing the tick, be sure to take the child to the hospital to check the condition of a small patient. Even with good health, the pediatrician will prescribe tests to detect / refute infection. Do not rely on strong immunity: Lyme disease, viral encephalitis are dangerous diseases that provoke problems with the central nervous system. In the absence of timely assistance, the consequences can be tragic.

Possible Complications

The victim does not always immediately detect the problem: during the bite, the blood-sucking insect injects a strong anesthetic, the person does not feel pain and the presence of a dangerous "guest". It is important to show the child to the doctor in time to prevent serious consequences if the tick was a carrier of the infection. Parents should be aware of the symptoms of dangerous diseases carried by blood-sucking insects.

Viral encephalitis

Features of the disease if bitten by an encephalitis tick:

the most severe disease that a person encounters when bitten by a tick;
without competent therapy, paralysis sets in, the brain becomes inflamed, loss of consciousness is observed. Cases of a lethal outcome are noted;
when infected with tick-borne encephalitis on the second - fifth day, confusion appears, severe nausea, vomiting, and the temperature rises. Weakness develops, headache torments;
if at least one of the symptoms appears, an immediate visit to the doctor is required if you have not taken the baby to the hospital before.

Lyme disease

Peculiarities:

when bitten by a borreliosis tick, a ring-shaped migrating enanthema appears at the site of the lesion - the first sign of infection;
redness of the bitten area has an oval or round shape. Gradually, the color of the formation changes, circles appear, diverging from the center;
the child develops weakness, fever occurs, the affected area swells;
as the infection spreads, there are often signs of infection elsewhere in the body. Children suffer from muscle pain, runny nose, aching knees, sore throat;
the insidiousness of Lyme disease is the gradual attenuation of symptoms with the preservation of infection in organs and tissues. After about a week, the signs of the disease disappear, but the problem only goes deeper;
Lyme borreliosis does not go away without some therapy, the consequences for the body can be severe. Children with weak immunity are at particular risk;
a course of antibiotics is required for a complete cure. Lack of therapy often causes damage to the heart, joints, and nervous system. In severe cases, disability is possible. It is important to stop the spread of toxins and pathogenic bacteria in time. For this reason, you should not hesitate to visit a doctor for testing, selection of potent antibiotics.

What to do if a child is bitten by a tick

What to do at home if bitten by a tick? Do it right: Much depends on proper first aid. If parents unknowingly crush an insect, the victim will receive an additional portion of the infected fluid from the salivary glands of a dangerous disease carrier. Subject to the rules, it is possible to minimize the risk of complications, it is possible to prevent the spread of infection.

Prohibited actions

Forbidden:

drip on the tick with kerosene or sunflower oil;
cauterize an insect;
try to crush the carrier of the infection;
tear off the insect with your fingers;
discard the tick after removal from the body: it is important to examine the blood-sucking "aggressor" to understand whether it is infected or not.

How to pull out an insect

Procedure:

reassure the child, inspect the affected area;
ask to sit quietly, move less, do not rub the bite site with the development of burning, itching;
take ordinary tweezers, in its absence, make a loop of thread;
grab the blood-sucking insect closer to the head, start “unscrewing” it perpendicular to the skin. Movement - as when unscrewing a screw. You can slightly rock the body of the tick, gently moving your hand away from the surface;
you can not pull sharply out of the body dangerous insect: it is easy to accidentally crush him, make him inject a new portion of infected saliva with big amount viruses or pathogenic bacteria and toxins;
after removing the insect, put it in a jar, tightly close the lid, then take it for examination;
the area where the bite was made, rinse with water, always with soap, gently blot, disinfect with alcohol;
take the child to the doctor for testing. Never hesitate, especially if the baby is only a year or two. Toxins quickly spread in the body, weak immunity reduces the resistance to infection.

On the page, read about the dosage and rules for using Gerbion syrup for children.

What to do if tests show infection dangerous disease? Firstly, children of any age are placed in a hospital for constant monitoring of the course of the disease. With encephalitis, anti-tick immunoglobulin is necessarily introduced. Borreliosis is a pathology of a bacterial nature. After testing for sensitivity to antibiotics, the doctor will prescribe a potent antibacterial drug;

At home, therapy for Lyme disease and viral encephalitis is not carried out: constant monitoring of the condition of the young patient is necessary.

Important! Late treatment can lead to dangerous complications. Be sure to show the child to a specialist for timely detection of severe infection.

Prevention - best defense from the dangerous consequences that often provoke small blood-sucking insects. Follow the rules, teach the kids to take precautions.

living in a region where the habitat of the encephalitis tick is located is a reason for mandatory anti-encephalitis vaccination. The doctor will tell you the optimal age for vaccination, based on a combination of many factors;
before going to the forest, places where there are thickets of tall grass, wet areas, prepare the "right" clothes. Your task is to close the body, not to allow the tick to stick in a place convenient for it. The best option: jackets, windbreakers with elastic bands on the hood and sleeves. Tuck your trousers tightly into your socks, put on rubber boots or sneakers. A picnic in rubber boots is not very convenient: pick up closed shoes, be sure to tuck the legs into your socks;
Spray clothing with insect repellant. Ticks smell warm-blooded prey at a great distance (at the same time they have poor eyesight). It is important to confuse insects, not to let themselves be detected. Not all sprays and creams are suitable for children. What to do? Clove or mint essential oil will help scare away blood-sucking insects;
natural esters have a pungent odor, but at least they do not contain harmful synthetic components. In the tent, also spray natural repellents if no one is allergic to oils;
after a walk, be sure to inspect the clothes, skin of all family members who have returned from a trip to the forest. Carefully check the skin folds, the area behind the ears, under the knees, head, groin, lower back. Shake off clothes over the bathtub, inspect pockets, junctions of parts;
when a tick is detected, do not crush it: carefully take it with tweezers to avoid a bite, put it in a jar with a tightly screwed lid. As soon as possible, hand over the blood-sucking insect to the employees of the sanitary and epidemiological station to find out what danger awaits vacationers in a particular area.

Now you know what to do if a young tourist is bitten by a tick during a hike or picnic. Act wisely when discovering blood-sucking insect on the body of any of the family members. Always prepare carefully for a hike, consider the possibility of meeting a dangerous carrier serious illnesses. Remember to wear appropriate clothing for hiking in the woods, repellents, skin and clothing checks when you return home.

When bitten by a tick, always visit a doctor to monitor the health of the affected child. If necessary, treat in a hospital setting.

Video. Dr. Komarovsky about tick bites and other blood-sucking insects:

These differences in performance are due to the fact that different situations the danger of a tick bite is not the same. For example, in regions endemic for tick-borne encephalitis or Lyme borreliosis, people need to do everything possible to minimize the risk of severe consequences from contracting the infection. Sometimes it can be quite troublesome, but any time spent in this case is justified.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is considered the most formidable disease, since it leads to the development of disability (usually associated with mental disorders) and deaths much more often than all others. In addition, the causative agent of TBE is a viral infection, against which there are currently no specific drugs and which, because of this, is more difficult to treat.

Lyme borreliosis is known for its high prevalence throughout the world. If the rules of diagnosis and treatment are violated, it can also lead to disability and death, but with the right approach to combating it, it is treated quickly and successfully.

On a note

Other infections transmitted by ticks (at least in Eurasia) are much rarer, and cases of fatal outcomes during their development are rare. On the one hand, due to this, they are considered less significant, on the other hand, it is precisely in the fact that they are given less importance, and their insidiousness lies. With them, they rarely turn to doctors on time, medical errors often occur, resulting in a severe course of these diseases and, as a result, complications.

It is important to understand that in some cases, from the consequences of a tick bite, a person can die or become permanently disabled, and in almost any region, even one in which tick-borne encephalitis is not noted - from the same borreliosis, for example. The chances of not getting infected at all or easily transferring the disease are high, however, even a small probability of a threat to life justifies the rather troublesome measures that must be taken after a tick bite.

The first step is the immediate removal of the tick.

It must be understood that if the tick has not yet stuck, but is found only crawling over the body in search of a place of attachment, then it can simply be brushed off. It is not dangerous and is not fraught with infection. The danger is precisely the bite of the tick, that is, when there is a violation of the integrity skin human with subsequent bloodsucking.

However, in practice, it is impossible to understand whether the tick has already managed to secrete infected saliva into the wound, and it is pointless to make any guesses in such a situation. Therefore, it is recommended to assume that if the tick has already pierced the skin, then it could well transmit the infection.

On a note
The photographs below show a tick's proboscis, dotted with notches:

In fact, that's exactly what they do. seasoned tourists, fishermen and hunters. Seeing a sucking tick, an experienced person immediately grabs it with his nails under the body, right next to the skin, and pulls it out. If at the same time the head remains in the skin, then it is immediately removed with a needle, like a splinter.

On a note

The actual removal of the tick occurs as follows:

On a note

If there are no devices at hand at all, then you can grab the bloodsucker with your nails under the torso, try to squeeze the head (without squeezing the body itself), make rotational movements in one direction and the other to loosen the grip of the proboscis, and then smoothly pull it out of the skin.

What not to do when removing a tick:
If, nevertheless, during the extraction, the mouth organs of the bloodsucker remained in the skin (they look like a small black dot in the center of the wound), it is quite easy to remove them with a simple needle or nail scissors - just like a splinter is removed.
After removing the tick from the skin, further actions are based on the risk of developing a tick infection:

First of all, the risk of infection with tick-borne encephalitis is taken into account. The study of a tick for infection with its borreliosis is not always carried out (although it is useful to do this) - emergency prevention of borreliosis is not carried out, and the disease itself, if it develops, is relatively easy to treat (it is only important to monitor your well-being in order to recognize the alarming symptoms in time, which will be discussed a little below).

On a note

It is possible to hand over a tick for analysis of infection with its causative agents of borreliosis for complacency - if the pathogen is not detected, then there will be no reason for concern.

The next step is competent disinfection of the wound.

Immediately after removing the tick, the bite site must be treated with an antiseptic solution - for example, an alcoholic solution of iodine, "brilliant green", hydrogen peroxide, miramistin or chlorhesidin (in last resort, just alcohol or vodka). This will not prevent tick-borne infection, but it will protect against secondary infection by bacteria that may be on the skin and enter the wound.

It is not necessary to apply bandages and seal the bite with a plaster. The wound almost never bleeds, but it can be very itchy and itchy. If the tick has had time to get enough, unhook and crawl away on its own, the wound in the form of a point at the site of the skin puncture will have a characteristic appearance, which will make it easy to distinguish a tick bite, for example, from a mosquito bite.

You should not try to squeeze ichor or blood out of the wound - this will not help to remove the infection if it got there, but will only contribute to the accelerated spread of pathogens to nearby tissues. Also, do not cauterize the bite or pick it open to pour the antiseptic inside.

If a red spot appears at the site of the bite, which is very painful or itchy, painkillers are usually used (Menovazan, Lidocaine, Fenistil-gel). When a rash and signs of allergy appear, the skin is treated with Advantan, Suprastin is given to the victim (in rare cases, hospitalization may be required, especially if the child has signs of urticaria).

Thus the first health care with a tick bite does not involve taking some powerful antiviral agents or antibiotics. After the PMP is not required any special care behind the wound: you can wash, you can wet the bite with water and keep it in the sun - this will not have any effect on the condition of the victim.

Tick analysis for infection

It may be advisable to test a tick for infection, if only in order to completely remove concerns about the risk of infection in the event of a negative result. However, even if the tick was infected, this does not mean at all that the bitten person will certainly get sick - that is, a positive test result is not a basis for starting treatment.

Tick analysis for tick-borne encephalitis virus infection is carried out in microbiological laboratories at various hospitals and clinics, as well as in commercial laboratories. In each city, in the help desk or by calling the ambulance number, you can find out the address of such a laboratory.

The study of a tick usually lasts 2-3 days and costs about 500-700 rubles. The analysis is carried out if the tick was delivered for testing no later than the third day after the bite.

Before analysis, the tick does not need to be frozen, alcoholized and tried to be fed with something. It is enough to place it in a hermetically sealed container with a piece of damp cotton wool.

Moreover, if the bite occurred in an endemic region, and the medical facility has drugs for emergency prevention of tick-borne encephalitis, then the victim will most likely be given it right away - in case the tick still turns out to be encephalitic.

On a note

By introducing immunoglobulin, it is effective only in the first 4 days after the bite. After this time, the procedure no longer makes sense.

If the tick, according to the results of the study, turned out to be a carrier of the tick-borne encephalitis virus, then it is necessary to carefully monitor the condition of the victim for at least a month. In addition, 2 weeks after the bite, blood should be taken to determine antibodies to the tick-borne encephalitis virus. It is pointless to take tests earlier than 10 days, since the result will certainly be negative (antibodies will not yet have time to form in sufficient concentration).

Emergency prevention of tick-borne encephalitis

Emergency prevention of tick-borne encephalitis consists in the introduction into the body of the victim of serum with antibodies to the virus-causative agent of the disease. These antibodies (immunoglobulins, otherwise gamma globulins) bind viral particles and prevent them from spreading and replicating in the body. If such prophylaxis is carried out before the start of active reproduction of viruses, then the disease will not develop.

On a note

However, it should be noted that the effectiveness of such preventive measures has not been proven by the methods of modern evidence-based medicine in the West. Accordingly, neither in Europe nor in the USA such TBE prophylaxis is carried out. In Russia, immunoglobulin preparations against tick-borne encephalitis are considered effective, and the method of emergency prophylaxis is used in all regions endemic for this disease.

The main requirement for such prevention is to carry it out in the first 4 days after the bite. It is believed that in the first 2 days its effectiveness is maximum, on the 3rd-4th day it is already much lower, and starting from the 5th day it is pointless to do it.

All preparations of immunoglobulins for emergency prophylaxis of TBE are produced in Russia, the most common serum is produced by Microgen. Its packaging costs approximately 6500-7000 rubles for 10 ampoules of 1 ml. The amount of the drug is calculated according to the body weight of a person: for every 10 kg of body weight, 1 ml of the drug. Accordingly, it is possible to calculate the approximate cost of an injection (the procedures themselves, excluding the cost of immunoglobulin, are either free in polyclinics or cost symbolic money).

Injections of immunoglobulin against TBE are not carried out during pregnancy and lactation.

A few words about the means for self-prevention of tick-borne encephalitis

Contrary to popular belief, self-prophylaxis of tick-borne encephalitis with pills or traditional medicine after a bite is impossible. This is due to the fact that effective means such protection does not exist today, and those that are commercially available are either dummies or drugs with unproven effectiveness.

An example of a useless drug is Anaferon, a well-known homeopathic remedy that does not contain components that could somehow affect the development of an infection.

Drugs with unproven efficacy are Jodantipyrine and Remantadine. Their ability to suppress the development of tick-borne encephalitis has not been confirmed by evidence-based medicine (which, however, does not prevent a large number doctors prescribe these drugs as preventive).

Other drugs marketed as antiviral or immunomodulating (for example, Reaferon-Lipint, Cycloferon) also do not have any effect on the development of the disease.

On a note

Similarly, independent prevention of borreliosis is not carried out. Borreliosis itself is successfully treated with relatively inexpensive, accessible and safe antibiotics (the first-line drug of choice is doxycycline). Theoretically, prophylaxis could also be carried out with antibiotics, but in practice, almost all those bitten would need to use them because of the wide range of Borrelia themselves, despite the fact that the actual frequency of infection is low and approximately comparable to the frequency of side effects from the antibiotic itself. In other words, it is easier and safer not to carry out drug prophylaxis, but to treat borreliosis itself already during its development (which is revealed by the results of a blood test for borreliosis).

Monitoring the condition of the victim after a bite: what to look for

Regardless of the fact of carrying out emergency prevention of tick-borne encephalitis, as well as on the region in which the person was bitten and whether he had an anti-encephalitis vaccination, after a tick bite, you should carefully monitor the condition of the victim for at least a month, and if symptoms of the disease appear, immediately contact doctor.

On a note

The tick can infect a person with various infections, so having a tick-borne encephalitis vaccine is not a complete protection.

On average, Lyme borreliosis is 1-2 weeks, but sometimes it can stretch up to several months. If at this time the victim's health worsens or the following symptoms appear, then this is an occasion to consult a doctor as soon as possible for an early diagnosis. Warning symptoms after a tick bite include:

If any of these symptoms appear, you should contact an infectious disease specialist as soon as possible. It is the timely treatment started for all tick-borne infections that makes it possible to avoid the threat of developing serious consequences.

Even if the analysis of the tick revealed that it was infected with an infection, the likelihood of developing the disease in humans is low. According to statistics, even when bitten by infected ticks, an average of 2-6% of those bitten fall ill.

However, the onset of the disease can be diagnosed even in the incubation period. To do this, you need to take a blood test for tick-borne encephalitis and borreliosis. Immunoassay reveals antibodies to the pathogens of the corresponding diseases in the blood.

As noted above, such an analysis will be indicative no earlier than 10 days after the bite. On the 14th day after the incident, it makes sense to donate blood for antibodies to the tick-borne encephalitis virus, and 20 days later - for antibodies to Borrelia. If this or that disease is confirmed, the doctor will prescribe treatment even before the onset of severe symptoms.

Prevention of tick bites

It is easier to prevent a tick bite than to run around hospitals and worry about possible infection. At the same time, all the difficulties of such protection against attacks by bloodsuckers are mainly organizational, not requiring any special knowledge and skills.

It is also useful to use repellents based on pyrethroids and DEET. Many of these products are also suitable for children.

On a note

If the tick has just begun to dig in, or is still crawling over the skin in search of a place for suction, it is hardly noticeable, as it has small size. A sucking small larva is also not always easy to detect - it can look like a papilloma, and even with a close examination it can be “slip through” with a glance. Similarly, it can be difficult to find a tick in the hair if it has climbed onto the head.

When traveling to nature in a region endemic for tick-borne encephalitis, it is first necessary to be vaccinated against TBE. Then even a tick bite that occurs will be much less dangerous: a person will not get sick with encephalitis, and even if he does get sick (which happens extremely rarely with a vaccination), the disease will proceed easily and without complications.

However, vaccination cannot protect against Lyme borreliosis - a specific anti-borreliosis vaccine has not been developed.

Finally, some insurance companies now offer tick bite insurance. The insurance package for one person costs about 500-800 rubles, and the sum insured covers the analysis of the tick for encephalitis and borreliosis, blood tests of the bitten and the full treatment of the disease.

Useful video about first aid for a tick bite

What to do if a child is bitten by a tick

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What should I do if bitten by a tick? How to get a tick out at home? Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of diseases after a bite of a borreliosis, encephalitis tick, etc. What to do if you are bitten by a tick: simple recommendations from NTV

Why are tick bites dangerous?

What happens during a tick bite

The main signs of a tick bite

Incubation period

First aid for a tick bite

Necessary drugs for a tick bite

Symptoms and treatment of diseases caused by tick mowing

Tick-borne encephalitis

Tick-borne borreliosis

erlichiosis

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Preventive measures for tick bites

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