The site provides background information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases must be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. Consultation with a specialist is required!
Ticks that are found in the territories of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, as well as countries of Eastern and Western Europe, can stick to the skin of a person of any age and gender in order to obtain blood. Ticks need fresh human blood to start the reproduction cycle, so these insects literally cannot do without people. In this sense, ticks are similar to mosquitoes, which also require human blood to reproduce.However tick bites, unlike most mosquitoes, is not harmless, since these insects are carriers of several dangerous infectious diseases. Therefore, after a bite, it is necessary to take a number of actions aimed at preventing the development of severe infectious diseases that the tick could infect a person with.
In Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Western and Eastern Europe and the USA, ticks are carriers and, accordingly, when bite can infect a person with the following infections:
- Tick-borne encephalitis;
- Borreliosis (Lyme disease);
- Congo-Crimean hemorrhagic fever;
- Omsk hemorrhagic fever;
- Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome.
Other infections (hemorrhagic fevers) are common only in certain regions, so you can become infected with them if a person is bitten by a tick living in the area. And since ticks do not leave their habitat, moreover, they practically do not budge throughout their entire life, often spending it on the same bush, then you can become infected with hemorrhagic fevers only if you are bitten by a tick located in the region with the prevalence of these infections. Accordingly, the person himself must also be in a region where hemorrhagic fevers transmitted by local ticks are common.
So, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever distributed only in Crimea, on the Taman Peninsula, in Rostov region, Southern Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Bulgaria. Omsk hemorrhagic fever distributed in the territories of Omsk, Novosibirsk, Kurgan, Tyumen and Orenburg regions. Also, sometimes ticks that carry Omsk hemorrhagic fever are found in Northern Kazakhstan, Altai and Krasnoyarsk territories. Reservoir of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome is found in all countries of Europe and Asia, but the infection is recorded only in the form of episodic outbreaks and isolated cases of infection.
So, since ticks can infect humans with dangerous infections, let’s consider the algorithms of actions that need to be taken in various situations after being bitten by this insect.
What should I do if bitten by a tick?
Algorithm of actions if bitten by a tick
Regardless of who was bitten by a tick (child, woman, man, elderly person), when this fact is discovered, it is necessary to perform the following manipulations:1. Remove the tick with any in an accessible way(see sections below);
2. Treat the site of tick suction with an antiseptic (iodine, alcohol, brilliant green, Chlorhexidine, hydrogen peroxide, etc.);
3. Place the tick in a closed container and, if possible, submit it for analysis to determine whether it is a carrier of infections;
4. Get tested for borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis to determine whether the infection occurred after a tick bite;
5. Take prophylactic medications, the action of which is aimed at quickly suppressing the infectious disease transmitted to humans by ticks;
6. Monitor your own condition for a month after a tick bite.
When bitten by a tick, be sure to remove the insect as quickly as possible and treat the area where it is attached to the skin. You don’t have to do the remaining points of the algorithm, with the exception of monitoring your own condition for a month. If any signs of illness appear within 30 days of a tick bite, you should consult a doctor, as this may be a symptom of tick-borne infections that need to be treated.
It is advisable to place the tick after removal from the skin in a closed container only if it can be transported to a specialized laboratory for examination within a maximum of 24 hours. Such laboratories are usually located in infectious diseases hospitals. However, since in many cities and countries of Europe ticks are, in principle, not examined to see whether they are carriers of infections, but rather the condition of people is monitored after a bite, then in most cases it makes no sense to pack the insect in a container.
In general, identifying whether a tick is a carrier of infections is not necessary, but is necessary exclusively for early precise definition subsequent tactics of behavior of the bitten person. So, if the tick is “clean”, that is, it is not a carrier of infections, then a person can forget about the bite forever, since it does not carry any consequences. If a tick is a carrier of infections, this does not mean that it has necessarily infected a person and that he needs to wait for the disease to develop. Indeed, in 80% of cases, a bite from an infected tick does not lead to human infection. Therefore, if a person is bitten by an infected tick, it is necessary to monitor his condition for a month and, if possible, take blood tests to determine whether an infection has occurred. That is, tick analysis allows the person himself to adhere to the right tactics and be prepared for a possible disease, and not rely on chance.
A more rational tactic (compared to submitting a tick to a laboratory) after a bite is to take blood tests to find out whether the insect has infected a person with any infection. However, there is no need to donate blood right away, since the tests will not be informative. No earlier than 10 days after the bite, you can donate blood to detect tick-borne encephalitis and borreliosis using the PCR method. If the analysis is carried out by ELISA or Western blotting (immunoblotting), then to detect tick-borne encephalitis, blood should be donated only two weeks after the bite, and borreliosis - after 4 - 5 weeks.
PCR detects the presence of a pathogen in the blood, therefore this analysis is very accurate. And during ELISA and Western blotting, IgM antibodies are detected against the tick-borne encephalitis virus and the causative agent of borreliosis. The ELISA method is inaccurate because the percentage of false positive results is high. Western blotting is reliable and accurate, but is performed mainly only in private laboratories located in large cities, as a result of which it is not available to every person who has been bitten by a tick.
If the results of any test (PCR, ELISA, Western blotting) are positive, this means that the tick has infected a person with an infection. In this case, it is necessary to immediately undergo a course of treatment that will allow early stage cure the disease.
You may not need to be tested, but immediately after the bite, carry out preventive treatment against tick-borne encephalitis and borreliosis by taking medications. In most cases, such treatment prevents the development of infection, and the person does not get sick, even if the tick has infected him.
Despite the temptation to carry out preventive treatment immediately after a bite in order to protect yourself from the development of infection, if infection occurs, you should not do this. Doctors and scientists consider the following tactics of behavior after a tick bite to be the most optimal and justified:
1.
Remove the tick from the skin.
2.
On the 11th day after the bite, donate blood to detect tick-borne encephalitis and borreliosis using the PCR method.
If the PCR result is positive for any one or both infections, then medication should be started to prevent full development disease and its cure at the stage of the incubation period. To prevent borreliosis, antibiotics are taken: Doxycycline + Ceftriaxone, and encephalitis - Yodantipirin or Anaferon. If the result is positive for both infections, then antibiotics and Yodantipyrine are taken simultaneously for preventive treatment.
If the PCR result is negative, then 2 weeks after the tick bite you should donate blood to detect tick-borne encephalitis using ELISA or Western blotting. Then, after 4 weeks, donate blood again to detect borreliosis using ELISA or Western blotting. Accordingly, if a positive test result is obtained, antibiotics or Yodantipirin should be taken, depending on what kind of infection was detected (encephalitis or borreliosis).
Taking antibiotics and Yodantipirin immediately after a tick bite without testing is justified only in cases where the incident occurred far from civilization (for example, a hiking trip, bike ride, etc.) and it is impossible to get to medical laboratories. In this case, to prevent infection with encephalitis and borreliosis, it is necessary to take both antibiotics and Yodantipyrin, since it is unknown which infection the tick is transmitting.
General rules for tick removal
If a person of any age and gender is bitten by a tick, then first of all it is necessary to remove the insect as soon as possible, since the longer it stays on the skin, the higher the likelihood of contracting infectious diseases. You need to remove a tick from any place on the body, observing a certain technique, since the insect is very tightly attached to the skin using a proboscis with peculiar appendages. These processes make the tick's proboscis look like a harpoon, so simply pulling the insect out of the skin will not work (see Figure 1).
Picture 1– The proboscis of the tick is in the skin.
For the purpose of removal, do not drip oil, glue, milk onto the tick, cover it with a jar, or perform any other actions aimed at clogging the insect's spiracles located on the back of its body. The fact is that when the spiracles close, the tick cannot breathe normally, and this makes it aggressive, as a result of which it splashes its saliva into the blood very intensely and in large quantities. Namely, saliva contains infectious agents that are carried by ticks. Thus, blockage of tick spiracles increases the risk of human infection with encephalitis or borreliosis.
You can remove a tick with your hands, tweezers, thick thread or special devices domestic or imported (Tick Twister, The Tick Key, Ticked-Off, Antiklesch), which are sold in pharmacies or Medtekhnika stores. These devices have different shape and methods of use, therefore it is recommended to select the optimal variety from Medtekhnika and use it as needed. Such devices for removing ticks must be purchased in advance and carried with you during various trips into nature. If there are no devices, then you need to remove the tick using ordinary improvised means, such as tweezers, thread or your fingers.
Regardless of how the tick is removed, you should not touch the insect with bare hands. This is due to the fact that when removing the tick, you can damage the tick and then its contents intestinal tract gets on the skin, from which it can penetrate the systemic bloodstream if there are any small wounds on it, invisible to the naked eye. That is, by removing a tick with bare hands, a person increases the risk of contracting various infections. That is why you need to put rubber gloves on your hands before removing an insect. If you don’t have gloves, you can simply wrap your hands with a regular bandage or clean cloth. Only after protecting your hands in this way can you begin to remove the tick from the skin.
After removing the tick, it is necessary to disinfect the wound by treating it with any available antiseptic, for example, iodine, Chlorhexidine, hydrogen peroxide, calendula tincture or alcohol. It is optimal to treat the wound left by a tick with alcohol or iodine. After treatment, the skin is left without a bandage. If a person wants to submit a tick for analysis to determine whether it is a carrier of any infection, then the insect must be placed in a jar along with a piece of cotton wool moistened with water, closed the container and stored in the refrigerator. If a person does not want to submit the tick for analysis, then the removed insect can simply be burned in the flame of a match, lighter or fire, or crushed with shoes.
Let's look at how to properly remove a tick in various ways.
Removing a tick using the Tick Twister
This device is the best for removing ticks for two main reasons. Firstly, Tick Twister allows you to completely remove the tick in 98% of cases without tearing it and thus leaving the insect head in the skin. This is very important advantage, since the head remaining in the skin will have to be removed with a needle, like a splinter, which is quite painful and unpleasant. In addition, the head of the tick remaining in the skin is a source of pathogenic microbes that the insect carries. And, accordingly, the head of the tick located in the skin continues to be a source of infection for humans.Secondly, the use of Tick Twister avoids putting pressure on the tick's digestive tract, as a result of which there is no risk of releasing large amounts of insect saliva containing infectious agents. When using tweezers, thread or fingers, strong pressure is often applied to the tick's digestive tract, as a result of which it sprays large amounts of saliva into the skin, which contains the causative agents of tick-borne infections. Accordingly, such a discharge of saliva increases the risk of contracting an infection, if this has not already happened.
In addition, Tick Twister is very easy to use and does not cause pain during the tick removal process.
Using the Tick Twister is very simple: you need to grab the tick between the teeth of the device, then rotate it around its axis counterclockwise 3 to 5 times and easily pull it towards you (see Figure 2). After several turns counterclockwise, the tick is easily pulled out of the skin. After removing the tick, the site of its suction is treated with iodine or alcohol.
Figure 2– Rules for using the Tick Twister tick removal device.
Rules for removing ticks using The Tick Key
This device allows, in most cases, to successfully remove a tick without tearing it into pieces, and also without putting pressure on its digestive tract, preventing the release of saliva into the blood. However, The Tick Key is somewhat worse in its characteristics than the Tick Twister, since it is inconvenient to use on some hard-to-reach areas of the body, such as the inguinal and axillary folds, the area under the breasts in women, etc.Using The Tick Key to remove a tick follows three steps (see Figure 3):
1.
Place the device on the skin so that the tick is inside the large hole;
2.
Move The Tick Key without lifting it from the surface of the skin so that the tick falls into the small hole;
3.
Turn The Tick Key counterclockwise 3 – 5 times, then pull the tick towards you.
After removing the tick, the site of its suction is treated with iodine or alcohol.
Figure 3– Rules for using The Tick Key to remove ticks.
Removing a Tick Using the Ticked-Off Tool
The Ticked-Off device is as convenient and practical as the Tick Twister, however, unfortunately, in most cases you can only buy it in the CIS countries through online stores.Ticked-Off to remove a tick should be used as follows: place the spoon vertically to the skin, then push the protruding part of the tick into the hollow. Having fixed the tick in this way, you should rotate the device 3 – 5 times around its axis counterclockwise, after which you can easily pull it towards you (see Figure 4). After removing the tick, the site of its suction is treated with iodine or alcohol.
Figure 4– Rules for using Ticked-Off to remove ticks.
Rules for removing ticks using the Anti-Tick device
Anti-mite is a special wire tweezers (see Figure 5), which allows you to securely grab the tick and, at the same time, not put pressure on its digestive tract, which ensures quick, effective and safe removal of the insect from the skin.
Figure 5– Anti-mite device.
To remove a tick with the Anti-Tick device, you need to grab the insect as close to the surface of the skin as possible. To do this, you need to press your thumb and index finger on the middle of the tweezers, move its tips apart and place them so that the tick's head is between them. Then you should stop pressing on the middle of the tweezers, allowing their tips to close around the tick. After this, you need to rotate the device 3 – 5 times counterclockwise around its axis and easily pull it towards you.
After removing the tick, it is necessary to treat the site of its suction with iodine or alcohol.
Rules for removing ticks with tweezers
To remove a tick with tweezers, you need to grab it by closing the tips of the tool as close to the surface of the skin as possible. Then, holding the tick in the grip, you need to rotate it around its axis counterclockwise 3 to 5 times. After this, you need to easily pull the insect towards you, which should easily come out of the wound. If the tick cannot be pulled out, then you should turn it counterclockwise several more times and pull it again. After removing the tick, the site of its attachment must be treated with iodine or alcohol.Rules for removing ticks with thread
First, you should apply a little pressure with your fingers on the skin in the area of the attached tick, as if you were trying to squeeze out a pimple. After this, take a strong thread 15–30 cm long and make a loop in the middle with a diameter of 2–3 cm. Then place the loop on the skin so that the tick gets into it. Tighten the loop tightly, connect both ends of the thread into one and start twisting it counterclockwise with your fingers. When the thread is tightly twisted, you should pull it towards you, and the tick will be easily removed from the wound (Figure 6). Treat the wound remaining at the tick site with iodine or alcohol.
Figure 6– Removing a tick using a thread.
Rules for removing ticks with your fingers
Wear gloves on your hands, or cover your fingers with several layers of bandage or a clean cloth. Then, using protected fingers, grab the tick and rotate it around its axis counterclockwise 3 to 5 times. After this, pull the tick towards you, and it will easily be removed from the wound. Treat the tick site with iodine or alcohol.Rules for removing tick remains from a wound
If it was not possible to completely remove the tick, and any parts of its body remain in the skin (most often the head with the proboscis), then they need to be pulled out. If the remains of the tick are not removed, an abscess may form on the skin or there will be long-term inflammation that does not go away until parts of the insect’s body come out on their own.Removing tick remains from a wound is done in the same way as removing a splinter, that is, using a needle. The needle is pre-sterilized by treating it with hydrogen peroxide, alcohol or holding it in a flame for 1 - 2 minutes. Then, using a sterilized needle, remove the remains of the tick from the wound and treat it with iodine or alcohol.
What and how to treat the site of a tick bite?
After the tick has been removed from the skin, it is necessary to treat the area with any antiseptic. The best way Alcohol and iodine are suitable for this purpose, but you can also use hydrogen peroxide, Chlorhexidine, brilliant green, etc. Any available antiseptic is poured onto a piece of clean cotton wool and generously lubricated with it on the wound left after removing the tick. After this treatment, the skin is left open and no bandage is applied.Redness, swelling and itching may persist at the site of the tick bite for 3 weeks. In this case, it is recommended to lubricate the inflamed area daily with iodine and calendula tincture, and take any antihistamine orally (for example, Erius, Telfast, Suprastin, Fenistil, Cetrin, etc.).
How to transport a tick to the laboratory for analysis?
To transport a mite to the laboratory, it is necessary to place the live insect in a container that can be tightly closed, for example, a jar with a lid, etc. Be sure to put a small piece of cotton wool moistened with water in the container with the tick. Until the moment of transportation, the container with the tick must be kept in the refrigerator. Remember that only a living tick is suitable for analysis, so if the insect died during removal from the skin, then there is no point in transporting it to the laboratory.How and what tests should I take after a tick bite to detect tick-borne encephalitis and borreliosis at the stage of the incubation period?
Currently, to determine whether a tick has infected a person with encephalitis or borreliosis, the following blood tests are performed:- Venous blood to determine the presence of tick-borne encephalitis virus and Borrelia using the PCR method (the test is taken no earlier than 11 days from the moment of the bite, since before that it is not informative).
- Venous blood for determination of antibodies to the tick-borne encephalitis virus type IgM using ELISA (test taken at least 2 weeks after the bite).
- Venous blood for determination of antibodies to the borreliosis virus type IgM using ELISA (test taken at least 4 weeks after the bite).
- Venous blood for determination various options antibodies (VisE, p83, p39, p31, p30, p25, p21, p19, p17) to the IgM tick-borne encephalitis virus using Western blotting (tested at least 2 weeks after the bite).
- Venous blood for determination of various variants of antibodies (VisE, p83, p39, p31, p30, p25, p21, p19, p17) to the borreliosis virus type IgM using Western blotting (tested at least 4 weeks after the bite).
To identify latent tick-borne infections, it is recommended to be tested twice after a tick bite. The first time within the time period specified for each method (after 11 days for PCR, after 2 or 4 weeks for ELISA and Western blotting), and the second time – a month after the first test. Both times you should donate blood for analysis using the same method. For example, if the first test was taken for PCR, then the second one should be performed using the same PCR method. Moreover, the analysis is given a second time only if the results of the first were negative.
If the first and second tests for both infections are negative, then the tick has not infected a person. In this case, you can simply forget about this unpleasant episode of your life. If the second test turns out to be positive, then you should undergo a course of preventive treatment, which will suppress the disease during the incubation period.
If the first test shows a negative result for one of the infections and a positive result for the second, then the tactics change somewhat. To prevent a detected infection, the test for which was positive, take the necessary medications (Yodantipyrine for encephalitis and Doxycycline + Ceftriaxone for borreliosis). For a second infection, the test for which was negative, a repeat test is taken a month after the first. Accordingly, with a negative analysis, you can completely relax and forget about the tick bite. And if the analysis is positive, undergo a course of preventive treatment with the necessary medications.
How and what medications to take after a tick bite to prevent the development of tick-borne encephalitis and borreliosis?
To prevent the development of borreliosis
After a tick bite, a person of any age and gender must take two antibiotics: - Doxycycline – 100 mg 1 time per day for 5 days;
To prevent the development of encephalitis For people of any age and gender after a tick bite, there are two main methods:
- Serum administration is carried out in a clinic or hospital, and only in the first 72 hours after the bite. Injection of serum into more late dates useless.
- Taking Yodantipirin by people over 14 years of age and Anaferon children's teenagers under 14 years old.
Today it is quite effective and safe method Prevention of tick-borne encephalitis after a tick bite is to take Yodantipirin or children's Anaferon, depending on the age of the victim. Yodantipyrine after a tick bite, adults and adolescents over 14 years of age should take it according to the following regimen: in the first two days, 3 tablets 3 times a day, in the next two days, 2 tablets 3 times a day, and then for 5 days, 1 tablet 3 times a day.
Children's Anaferon given to all children and adolescents under 14 years of age after a tick bite to prevent tick-borne encephalitis. Children under 12 years old are given 1 tablet 3 times a day, and adolescents 12 - 14 years old - 2 tablets 3 times a day. Anaferon for children in the indicated dosages should be given to children within 21 days after a tick bite.
What to do at home if you are bitten by a tick?
At home, after a tick bite, you must first remove the insect from the skin and treat the remaining wound with an antiseptic (iodine or alcohol). After this, if it is possible to get tested within the appropriate time frame - after 11 days for PCR, after 2 and 4 weeks for ELISA and Western blotting. However, if for some reason it is impossible to get tested, then immediately after a tick bite it is recommended to take a course of antibiotics (Doxycycline + Ceftriaxone) and Yodantipirin (for adults) or children's Anaferon (for children) in order to prevent tick-borne encephalitis and borreliosis. Antibiotics and Yodantipirin or children's Anaferon can be taken simultaneously, each according to its own scheme. Moreover, taking medications should be started as soon as possible after a tick bite.What to do if a child is bitten by a tick?
If a tick bites a child, then the algorithm of actions is exactly the same as for an adult. That is, first of all, you need to remove the tick from the skin and treat the suction site with iodine or alcohol. Then, at the appropriate time, take tests for the presence of infections in his body. Accordingly, if the test result is positive, conduct a course of preventive treatment for the child with the necessary medicines(Doxycycline + Ceftriaxone for borreliosis and Anaferon for children for tick-borne encephalitis). If the test result is negative, then take it again after a month. Accordingly, if the second test turns out to be negative, then you can forget about the tick bite, and if it is positive, then carry out a course of treatment.In cases where it is impossible to get tested, it is recommended to start giving the child both antibiotics (Doxycycline + Ceftriaxone) and Anaferon for children as soon as possible after a tick bite in order to prevent the development of encephalitis and borreliosis. Antibiotics are given in age-specific dosages, with Doxycycline for 5 days, and Ceftriaxone for 3 days. Anaferon for children is given for 21 days, 1 tablet 3 times a day for children under 12 years of age, and 2 tablets 3 times a day for adolescents 12 - 14 years old.
What to do if a pregnant woman is bitten by a tick?
If a tick has bitten a pregnant woman, it should be removed from the skin and the wound should be treated with iodine or alcohol. Then, within the required time frame, it is recommended to be tested for the presence of tick-borne encephalitis and borreliosis. Further, if borreliosis is detected, then during pregnancy 16–20 weeks you should take Amoxiclav for 21 days, taking 625 mg 3 times a day.To prevent tick-borne encephalitis, pregnant women should not take any medications, but can only wait and monitor their own condition. If signs of encephalitis (fever, headache, etc.) or poor health appear within a month after a tick bite, you should immediately consult a doctor, be admitted to a hospital and receive the necessary treatment. There is no need to take any further action after a tick bite on a pregnant woman.
What to do if you are bitten by an encephalitis tick?
If you are bitten by an encephalitis tick, then it is optimal to prevent the development of an infection that has already entered the body, take a course of Yodantipirin (adults and adolescents over 14 years old) or children's Anaferon (children under 14 years old).Yodantipyrine should be taken by all people over 14 years of age according to the following regimen:
- 3 tablets 3 times a day in the first 2 days;
- 2 tablets 3 times a day for the next 2 days;
- 1 tablet 3 times a day for the next 5 days.
Children's Anaferon is given to all adolescents and children under 14 years of age for 21 days. Moreover, children under 12 years old are given 1 tablet 3 times a day, and adolescents 12 - 14 years old - 2 tablets 3 times a day.
What to do if you are bitten by a borreliosis tick?
If you are bitten by a Borreliosis tick, then to prevent the development of the disease, it is recommended to take a short course of antibiotics according to the following scheme:- Doxycycline – 100 mg 1 time per day for 5 days;
- Ceftriaxone - 1000 mg 1 time per day for three days.
The tick bit, but did not stick
If a tick bites, but does not have time to attach itself, then you should simply treat the wound with an antiseptic (iodine, alcohol, etc.). There is no need to take any further action, since during the bite the tick does not have time to infect a person with infections. After all, to transmit borreliosis or encephalitis, the tick must remain in the skin for at least 6 hours. Bitten by a tick - where to go?
If you are bitten by a tick, you should contact an infectious disease doctor at the clinic at your place of residence. In addition, you can contact the Centers for Epidemiology and Prevention (former sanitation stations) located in regional cities and district centers. In the cities of Siberia, where ticks are widespread and often bite people, there are specialized centers for the diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne infections. If a person lives in Siberia, then you should find out where such a center is located in the nearest city and contact there.First aid for a tick bite
First aid for a tick bite consists of removing it from the skin and treating the remaining wound with an antiseptic (iodine, alcohol, etc.). To relieve itching and inflammation at the bite site, you can take any antihistamine (Fenistil, Suprastin, Telfast, Cetrin, etc.).What to do if you have a fever after a tick bite
If you have a fever after a tick bite, you should consult a doctor and get tested for borreliosis and encephalitis. If the tests are negative, then there is no need to worry, since after a tick bite a person can have a temperature of up to 37.8 o C for a month.What to do if redness appears on the skin after a tick bite?
Redness on the skin after a tick bite may be a symptom of the early stages of borreliosis or an allergic reaction. It is not always possible to quickly distinguish what caused the redness in each specific case - an allergic reaction or borreliosis. Therefore, when redness appears, it is recommended to take antihistamines (Suprastin, Fenistil, Claritin, Parlazin, etc.). If, under the influence of antihistamines, the redness significantly decreases in size within a few days, this means that an allergic reaction has occurred, which will completely disappear within a month. If, under the influence of antihistamines, the redness practically does not decrease, this means that the person is likely to develop borreliosis. In such a situation, it is necessary to be tested for borreliosis, and if the results are positive, treatment should be started immediately.A tick bite, especially an infected one, causes severe and serious consequences for a person: characteristic symptoms and signs appear and emergency medical care and treatment are required. Symptoms in humans can be different, but the most basic can be considered the following: swelling and redness, itching, the formation of a red spot at the site of the bite. The presence of a bite indicates that a medical examination and medical attention are necessary.
Appearance of the bite
The tick bite is painless. The tick has a special organ (hypostome), with which it is able to cling to the human body and suck blood. Most often, ticks choose the following places on the human body to suck blood:
- the area behind the ears;
- neck, chest and armpits;
- groin area and genitals;
- small of the back;
- stomach.
Remember, when a bite is detected, you cannot hesitate - not only health, but also life depends on it.
Main signs and manifestations of bites
A special difference between a tick bite is that it is painless and invisible. The main symptoms may appear after three hours:
- chills;
- redness;
- fear of light;
- headache;
- increased weakness and drowsiness;
- painful sensations in human joints.
Such symptoms should alert you, and timely treatment will help prevent dire consequences.
Symptoms of a tick bite may include:
- skin rashes;
- severe itching;
- increase in human body temperature to 39–40 degrees;
- there is a decrease in blood pressure;
- there is a clear tachycardia;
- enlargement of regional lymph nodes.
In addition to these symptoms, it is necessary to take into account the presence of secondary symptoms caused by a tick bite:
- nausea;
- profuse vomiting;
- hoarse voice;
- heavy breathing and shortness of breath;
- severe headache accompanied by dizziness;
- the presence of peculiar nervous disorders, such as hallucinations.
In the first few hours after the bite, hyperthermia is considered a natural sign/symptom. After you are bitten by a tick, you must monitor your temperature and record it for ten days.
Features of the course of diseases and consequences
- borreliosis – migraine, pain in joints and muscles, hyperthermia, severe chills;
- encephalitis - characterized by a peculiar fever, which is of the relapsing type: a significant increase in body temperature is observed three days after the bite, headache and weakness;
- monocytic ehrlichiosis - characterized by moderate fever, which appears on the eighth day after the bite and continues for twenty days;
- anaplasmosis - hyperthermia, manifests itself after fourteen days.
There are problems with the following organs and systems of the body as a result of a tick bite:
- lungs - the development of inflammation (pneumonia), which occurs due to pulmonary hemorrhage;
- nervous system – severe headaches, paralysis, all kinds of epileptic seizures appear;
- kidneys – inflammation and nephritis;
- liver – dysfunction occurs;
- cardiovascular system – arrhythmia and strong surges in blood pressure are observed;
- joints - arthritis.
If the symptoms described above are detected, the victim needs emergency assistance and should go to a medical facility.
First aid and treatment
You can use:
- fingers, nails, but only with sterile gloves;
- needle;
- tweezers;
- special equipment.
During the removal process, sudden movements are prohibited, since you can tear off the body, and the head will remain in skin. If such a situation occurs, do not panic: you can remove the remaining head with a needle. The right thing to do would be to seek help from a doctor.
Signs and manifestations of Quincke's edema
It must be taken into account that allergic reactions in the form of Quincke's edema may develop.
Quincke's edema has the following main signs and manifestations:
- observed severe pain in joints, muscles and throughout the body;
- breathing becomes difficult, hoarseness appears;
- dangerous swelling of the lips, eyelids and some other parts of the body occurs.
Such processes are natural, but they urgently need to be eliminated and called “ Ambulance"to avoid death. Before the ambulance arrives, you can carry out the following manipulations at home:
- give the victim any antihistamine medicine, for example: Erius, Suprastin, Zyrtec and Claritin;
- provide a sufficient supply of fresh and clean air;
- You can administer sixty milligrams of prednisolone intramuscularly.
- you need to introduce human globulin, which is directed against encephalitis;
- Gamma globulin will help.
It is very important to apply for timely medical care to prevent the development of dangerous diseases and death. Take care of yourself and be extremely careful!
The first 2 diseases (tick-borne encephalitis and borreliosis) are the most common; the rest are diagnosed much less frequently. Some ticks can be carriers of several infections at once, and, as a result, infect humans with several diseases at once.
How a tick bites
Female mites can remain on the skin from several hours to a week, and males are able to attach for a short time, making small bites. Therefore, for example, if a person saw a tick not attached to his skin, but simply a crawling one, there is a high probability that the tick nevertheless inflicted a bite.
Where and when are you most likely to get a tick bite?
People living in disease-endemic areas, as well as those who visit these areas during special periods - from May to mid-June and from late August to late September - are at greatest risk of contracting a serious illness from a tick bite.
But the danger of being attacked by ticks remains warm period year when visiting almost any forested areas, parks and other areas where there is grass and shady shelters. You can even get a tick bite in your dacha or local area your private home, if the grass there is not mowed.
Maximum number of bites from infected ticks
is registered annually in Siberia, the Urals and the Volga region. However, a considerable number of those bitten annually seek medical help in almost all regions of Russia, including Crimea and the Caucasus.
What parts of the body do ticks mainly bite on?
Ticks are localized in the grass mainly at a height of 30 cm, and cling to the legs of those who pass by. Most often they accumulate on the grass along the paths, smelling the smell of people passing here. Sometimes they climb onto bushes and lower branches of trees.
Once on the human body, the tick begins to look for places with thin skin, which is easier to bite through, so most often it sticks to the area:
- groin,
- abdomen and lower back,
- armpits,
- breasts,
- ears and neck,
- scalp.
If you suspect a tick bite and for prevention purposes, these are the places that should be inspected most carefully after visiting the forest and park.
What does a tick bite look like?
Signs of a tick bite in a person are sometimes limited to only a small reddish spot and swelling in the wound area, and after a few days the skin takes on a normal appearance. Under the influence of saliva and microtrauma caused by the tick oral apparatus, a slight inflammation and local allergic reaction occurs on the skin. There is no pain, but in some cases there may be slight itching.
Seeing a doctor is necessary in any case, even if there are no negative reactions from the body. The course of the first stages of dangerous diseases is sometimes hidden; in addition, some diseases have a long incubation period. Only a blood test can confirm the absence of the disease.
Signs of an allergic reaction to a tick bite
An allergy occurs in response to tick saliva entering the wound. The individual reaction of the body depends on the state of health as a whole. The consequences of tick bites are more severe in allergy sufferers, children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. A mild allergic reaction can be relieved with antihistamines.
Common signs of allergies:
- weakness;
- drowsiness;
- aching joints;
- headache;
- nausea;
- dizziness,
- temperature increase;
- itching and rash in the bite area and other parts of the body.
With a strong individual allergic reaction, anaphylactic shock may occur, which is preceded by:
- difficulty breathing;
- hallucinations;
- Quincke's edema (rapid and massive swelling of the face, throat or limbs);
- loss of consciousness.
Anaphylactic shock can be relieved by administering prednisolone and adrenaline. If symptoms after a tick bite indicate a severe allergic reaction, an urgent call to the ambulance is necessary, otherwise death is possible.
Signs of the development of tick-borne encephalitis
The incubation period of tick-borne encephalitis can last from 4 to 14 days. During this period, the infected person does not experience any external health problems. Then the temperature rises sharply to 38-39 °C, the patient has a fever, loss of appetite, pain in the muscles and eyes, nausea or vomiting, and severe headache.
Then remission occurs, during which the patient feels some relief. This is the second phase of the disease, during which the nervous system is affected. Subsequently, meningitis, encephalitis, and paralysis may develop. If left untreated, death is likely.
The problem is that the signs of the disease are initial stage often confused with the flu and acute respiratory infections, so they do not consult a doctor, but self-medicate. If a high temperature appears after a detected or suspected tick bite, you should not waste time - a blood test and treatment in a hospital are necessary.
Symptoms of borreliosis
If a tick carrier of borreliosis is bitten, the bite site takes on the appearance of specific erythema, which gradually increases to 10-20 cm, and sometimes up to 60 cm in diameter. The erythema patch may be round, oval, or irregular in shape. The victim may experience burning, itching and pain at the site of the bite, but more often the first signs are limited to erythema alone.
After some time, a border of rich red color forms along the contour of the spot, while the border itself looks slightly swollen. In the center, the erythema becomes pale white or bluish. After a few days, a crust and scar forms in the area of the bite, which disappear without a trace after about 2 weeks.
The incubation period before the first symptoms appear ranges from several days to 2 weeks. Then comes the first stage of the disease, which lasts from 3 to 30 days. During this period, the patient experiences muscle aches, headache, weakness, fatigue, sore throat, runny nose, stiff neck muscles, and nausea. Then, for some time, the disease can go into a latent form for up to several months, during which the heart and joints are affected.
Unfortunately, erythema is often mistaken for a local allergic reaction, without giving it much significance. And malaise during the first stage of the disease is attributed to a cold or overwork at work. The disease progresses to latent form, and openly declares itself a few months later, when serious damage to the body has already been done.
Signs of the development of other diseases
An increase in temperature to 38°C or higher may indicate the onset of the development of any tick-borne infection. It is important to remember that a symptom such as fever does not occur immediately after the bite. The incubation period of some diseases can last up to 14 days (erlichiosis, hemorrhagic fever), or up to 21 days (tularemia).
Against the background of a high temperature, the following symptoms may indicate the onset of the disease:
- rapid heartbeat and pressure surges;
- sore throat, coated tongue and runny nose;
- anorexia, nausea and vomiting;
- swollen lymph nodes and rash on the face (typhus);
- nosebleeds, abdominal pain, diarrhea (tularimia);
- chills, sweating, brain fog, lower back pain (hemorrhagic fever).
After a tick bite, it is necessary to measure the temperature daily for 2 weeks and monitor your health: any changes that appear cannot be ignored.
First aid for a tick bite
You should also consult a doctor if a trace is found on the skin. possible bite tick or the above-described signs of infection with any of the tick-borne infections have appeared. If necessary, after examination, the doctor prescribes an appropriate course of treatment using anti-inflammatory and antibacterial drugs or recommends immunotherapy.
Taking antibiotics after a tick bite is not always justified. If it is impossible to immediately consult a doctor, in order to emergency prevention it is better to take immunomodulators (for example, iodantipyrine). Allergy sufferers can take antihistamines.
A tick is a small insect that feeds on the blood of animals and people. Like mosquitoes, ticks drink blood and fall off. But if this happens quickly in mosquitoes, then the tick can suck the victim’s blood for up to 4 days.
The tick does not immediately dig into the skin; it crawls over the body and looks for appropriate place– where the skin is thinner, the capillaries are closer to the surface. The insect's saliva contains an anesthetic substance, so pain after a tick bite is not felt, and it is often not possible to quickly detect the tick.
Ticks are found in grass and bushes, waiting for their prey, and first fall on the lower part of a person’s body, which is why a tick bite on the leg is not uncommon. Insects move quite quickly around the body in search of an attractive place, and often a person discovers that a tick has bitten the neck, head, or upper back.
Signs of a human tick bite do not appear immediately. The tick bite itself is not dangerous; it only causes itching and redness of the skin. But these insects are carriers of about 30 dangerous diseases and microbes.
Therefore, it is imperative to know what a tick bite looks like on the human body, how to properly remove an insect from the skin, in which cases you need to urgently consult a doctor, what symptoms may occur after a tick bite, what the consequences are and how to avoid them.
What does a tick bite look like?
Favorite places for ticks on the human body are the head, skin behind the ears, elbows, knees, groin area, armpits, back, stomach, neck. Returning from the forest, from relaxing in nature, these places need to be checked first.
When bitten, the skin is injured, inflammation develops under the influence of the insect's saliva, an allergic reaction often occurs, the skin at the site of the bite turns red, and itching appears over time. A tick bite looks like this:
If the tick is infected with any infectious disease, then the location of the bite may look specific. For example, in the photo below there is a tick bite infected with borreliosis - the spot is large (up to 20, and sometimes 60 cm in diameter), intense red along the edges, the center of the spot is blue or white.
Symptoms and signs of a tick bite
The tick attached to the body is clearly visible. Due to the anesthetic substance in the saliva, the insect bite is not felt, but when examining the body it is not difficult to see it. If a tick is found, it must be removed by shaking it from side to side and then pulling it counterclockwise.
The first symptoms of a tick bite are the appearance of a small pink spot at the site of the bite and swelling. The wound needs to be treated with iodine. When the effect of the painkiller wears off, the person begins to feel a slight itch.
The severity of symptoms may vary. How tick bites manifest themselves depends on the age, individual characteristics, general condition of the person, and the number of insects attached.
Symptoms of a tick bite are more severe in children, the elderly, allergy sufferers, and people suffering from chronic diseases, persons with weakened immune systems.
If the tick has not been infected, then the redness and itching quickly disappear without a trace, and no other symptoms appear. If the insect has been infected, then after the tick has bitten such symptoms as general weakness, chills, drowsiness, body aches, joints, photophobia, and numbness of the neck appear.
Tachycardia occurs (rapid heartbeat, more than 60 beats per minute), decreased blood pressure, increased body temperature (not lower than 38 degrees), and enlarged lymph nodes near the bite site. In severe cases, attacks of nausea, vomiting, headache, nervous manifestations (for example, hallucinations, delirium, convulsions, loss of consciousness), and difficulty breathing may occur.
Temperature when bitten by a tick
One of the most common symptoms of a tick bite is an increase in body temperature. This occurs within the first hours after the bite and is an allergic reaction to insect saliva entering the body.
The temperature after a tick bite can rise for 10 days. If during this period it is recorded heat, this is a sign of the development of an infectious process. For example, tick-borne encephalitis is characterized by fever (body temperature rises to 38-40 degrees) for 2-4 days, which lasts about two days, then the temperature subsides. On days 8-10, the temperature may rise again.
With borreliosis, already at the first stage (first week), the temperature rises to 40 degrees, being one of the signs of acute intoxication syndrome. An increase in temperature after a tick bite is typical for all types of infections transmitted by ticks.
Possible consequences of a tick bite
What can be the consequences of a tick bite? If the tick has not been infected, then after the bite you may experience itching for some time, a local allergic reaction - redness of the skin, fever. All symptoms go away quite quickly.
The consequences of a tick bite infected with an infection can be very serious. Infections can affect various organs and systems: skin, nervous system, joints, bones, muscles, cardiovascular system, lungs, kidneys, liver.
The most serious consequences in humans are caused by a tick bite infected with encephalitis. With a favorable outcome, the symptoms of a mild form of the disease completely disappear within two months; with a moderate degree of severity, recovery takes about 6 months; signs of a severe form of infection disappear within two years.
In case of unfavorable development of events, the consequences of an encephalitis tick bite in a person are a deterioration in the quality of life on a permanent basis, for example, impaired motor functions, epilepsy. Possible death.
To avoid serious complications after a tick bite on a person, if an insect is detected and the symptoms described above occur, you should immediately consult a doctor and take a blood test. The earlier therapy is started, the less likely it is to develop negative consequences if bitten by a tick.
In areas where the incidence of tick-borne infections is high, vaccination against encephalitis and other infections is widespread. This measure allows you to minimize the symptoms and consequences of a tick bite.
Represents the arachnid family. For this reason, the insect will move in a similar way. This is one of distinctive features ticks. However, if you are not aware of other signs, it can be mistaken for a spider. Pest habitats: undergrowth, small bushes, grass. They don't live in trees. If a tick bites you on your neck or head, it means that it climbed up on its own. required area. These insects do not fall from the tree.
External signs
You need to understand exactly what a tick is and what it looks like. The insect is characterized small in size(on average 3-4 mm), however, small individuals (less than 1 mm) are also found. Number of paws – 4 pairs. The body is large, and the head, on the contrary, is small in size relative to the abdomen. Color black or brown. Having found a tick on the body, you need to take into account that initially (in a hungry state) it will be round and flattened. Having fed on blood, the insect increases in size. The abdomen becomes spherical.
The tick is in a “hungry” state; small arachnid with a flattened body, reddish-brown in color
Why is it dangerous?
When a tick bites, the risk of contracting infections and pathogens increases. The most dangerous diseases: encephalitis, borreliosis. Not every pest is a carrier of these diseases, however, the probability is sufficient to be wary of these insects. In addition, ticks can bury their head so deeply under the skin when they bite that removing it on their own increases the risk of its separation from the abdomen. This is fraught with an inflammatory process.
Incubation period for human bites
The earlier the disease is diagnosed, the greater the chances of curing it. If a tick was noticed in its body, the incubation period begins from that moment. Its duration is 1-2 months, which is influenced by the characteristics of the human body. Symptoms appear with varying intensity. The first sign can be noticed either 7 or 24 days after the bite.
Redness is visible - a normal allergic reaction. Red spots, 10-12 cm in diameter, may be a symptom of Lyme disease
Externally, the contact site looks unremarkable: a reddened spot with outlined edges, a red dot in the center. Sometimes swelling develops. These are manifestations of a reaction to the pest’s saliva.
A tick bite on a person may look different. In this case, more extensive redness is noted (diameter 6-10 cm). This sign indicates infection with Lyme disease. Often, a bitten person discovers the insect when it has established itself and is actively sucking blood, while the abdomen will rise above the skin.
Red spots due to Lyme disease, which is carried by ticks. They can appear either 2 days after the bite or weeks later.
Symptoms
First signs (several hours after the bite)
The first signs immediately after the bite:
- Drowsiness accompanied by weakness
- Chills
- Feeling sore in the joints
- Negative reaction to light.
Later signs of contact with an insect
The temperature will rise, however, other symptoms of a tick bite will also appear:
- Tachycardia
- Acute hypotension
- Allergic manifestations: rash, itching
- React to foreign substances The lymph nodes- they increase in size.
- Headache
- Labored breathing
- Nausea or vomiting
- Perception disorders (hallucinations).
See a doctor if the redness at the site of the bite does not decrease and you feel worse and worse
Manifestations upon contact with encephalitis tick
The main symptom is relapsing fever. This condition is characterized by periodically increasing body temperature. Moreover, an increase is noted on days 2-4 and 8-10 of infection. In addition, the work is disrupted nervous system the victim.
1.5 weeks after contact with the pest, damage occurs spinal cord a person, as a result, paralysis of some muscle groups occurs. As the disease progresses, the brain is affected. The head may hurt, fainting occurs, and work is disrupted. digestive system. These symptoms are observed against the background elevated temperature bodies. If left untreated, the patient dies a week after the bite.
- . The danger of the disease lies in high speed its development after the virus enters the human body.
- Borreliosis (Lyme disease). Treatable provided antibiotics are prescribed. The bite site increases in size up to 60 cm. Red rings on the skin are noticeable. The main danger of this disease is that sometimes it appears 6 months after contact with the insect.
- Dermatobiasis. A person becomes infected with the eggs of the gadfly, which were in the body of the insect. IN in this case The damage is caused by the larvae that emerge from the eggs after some time. They eat the human body, acting from the inside.
- Acarodermatitis tick-borne. It can be distinguished by a number of signs: the bite site itches and becomes inflamed. However, this disease does not threaten anything serious, since it is ordinary dermatitis (a reaction to contact with a pest).
- Typhus.
- Q fever.
- Marseille fever.
- Ehrlichiosis (microbial infection).
- Smallpox rickettsiosis.
Where to go after a tick bite?
If a tick is found, it must be immediately removed and taken to a laboratory that deals with such research. It is important that the insect is alive.
Useful video: What should I do if bitten by a tick?
How to treat a bite?
For different diseases, a certain principle of treatment is effective. For example, encephalitis can be cured by taking human immunoglobulin. Borreliosis can be treated with Tetracycline, and antibiotics are prescribed if necessary. Bacteriostatic drugs (for example, Levomycetin) are recommended for use.
Treatment of the affected area
Having figured out what a tick bite looks like, you need to pull out the insect, which is usually used for vegetable oil or alcohol. A small amount of substances are applied to the area where the parasite has taken hold. Sometimes the pest crawls out on its own, if this does not happen, after 15 minutes. use tweezers. The insect is removed using circular movements.
