Signs and symptoms of a tick bite in humans, what to do? What to do if bitten by a tick, treatment? Human viral infections transmitted by ticks

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  • Tick ​​bite: how to remove (methods), symptoms of tick-borne encephalitis and borreliosis after a tick bite, prevention - video

  • The site provides background information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. Expert advice is required!

    Ticks that are found in the territories of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, as well as the countries of Eastern and Western Europe, can stick to the skin of a person of any age and gender in order to obtain blood. Fresh human blood is necessary for ticks to start the breeding 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 serious infectious diseases with which the tick could infect a person.

    In Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Western and Eastern Europe and USA ticks are carriers and, accordingly, when bite can infect humans with the following infections:

    • Tick-borne encephalitis;
    • Borreliosis (Lyme disease);
    • Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever;
    • Omsk hemorrhagic fever;
    • Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome.
    Most often, ticks are carriers of tick-borne encephalitis and borreliosis, since these infections are common in the territories of almost all countries of Europe, the Asian part of Russia and the USA. That is why the main attention is paid to the prevention of these infections after tick bites.

    The remaining infections (hemorrhagic fevers) are common only in certain regions, so you can get infected if a person is bitten by a tick that lives in the area. And since ticks do not leave their habitat, moreover, they practically do not budge throughout their lives, often spending it on the same bush, it is possible to become infected with hemorrhagic fevers only if they bite a tick located in a region with prevalence of these infections. Accordingly, the person himself must also be in a region where hemorrhagic fevers carried by local ticks are common.

    So, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever distributed only in the Crimea, on the Taman Peninsula, in the Rostov Region, South 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-carriers of Omsk hemorrhagic fever are found on the territory of Northern Kazakhstan, Altai and Krasnoyarsk Territories. reservoir of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome is located 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 dangerous infections, consider the algorithms of actions that need to be taken in different 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 the tick (child, woman, man, elderly person), it is necessary to perform the following manipulations upon detection of this fact:
    1. Remove a tick with any accessible way(see sections below);
    2. Treat the place where the tick is sucked with an antiseptic (iodine, alcohol, brilliant green, Chlorhexidine, hydrogen peroxide, etc.);
    3. Place the tick in a closed container and, if possible, take it for analysis to determine whether it is a carrier of infections;
    4. Take tests for borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis to determine whether infection occurred after a tick bite;
    5. Take prophylactic medications, the action of which is aimed at the rapid suppression of an infectious disease transmitted to a person by a tick;
    6. Watch for own fortune within a month after a tick bite.

    When bitten by a tick, be sure to remove the insect as soon as possible and treat the place of its suction to the skin. The remaining points of the algorithm can be omitted, with the exception of monitoring your own state for a month. If any signs of illness appear within 30 days of being bitten by a tick, a doctor should be consulted as this may be a symptom of a tick-borne infection that needs to be treated.

    After removing the tick from the skin, it is advisable to place it in a closed container only if it can be transported to a specialized laboratory for research within a maximum of 24 hours. Such laboratories are usually located in infectious disease hospitals. However, since in many cities and countries of Europe, ticks, in principle, are not examined for whether they are carriers of infections, but rather they monitor the condition of people after a bite, and in most cases it makes no sense to pack an insect in a container.

    In general, determining whether a tick is a vector of infection is not necessary, but only for early detection. exact definition subsequent tactics of behavior of a bitten person. So, if the tick is "clean", that is, it is not a carrier of infections, then a person can forever forget about the bite, since it does not bear any consequences. If the tick is a carrier of infections, then this does not mean that it has necessarily infected a person and he needs to wait for the development of the disease. Indeed, in 80% of cases, the bite of an infected tick does not lead to human infection. Therefore, if a person has been 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, the analysis of the tick allows the person himself to adhere to the correct tactics and be prepared for a possible disease, and not rely on "maybe".

    A more rational (compared to taking a tick to the laboratory) tactic of behavior after a bite is to take blood tests to find out if the insect has infected a person with any infection. However, you do not need to immediately donate blood, since the tests will be uninformative. Not earlier than 10 days after the bite, you can donate blood for the detection of tick-borne encephalitis and borreliosis by PCR. If the analysis is carried out by ELISA or Western blotting (immunoblotting), then to detect tick-borne encephalitis, blood should be taken only two weeks after the bite, and borreliosis - after 4 to 5 weeks.

    During PCR, the presence of the pathogen in the blood is detected, therefore this analysis is very accurate. And in the course of ELISA and Western blotting, antibodies of the IgM type against the tick-borne encephalitis virus and the causative agent of borreliosis are detected. The ELISA method is inaccurate because a high percentage of false positive results. Western blotting is reliable and accurate, but is mainly performed only in private laboratories located in major 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 analysis (PCR, ELISA, Western blotting) are positive, then this means that the tick has infected the person with the infection. In this case, you must immediately undergo a course of treatment that will allow you to cure the disease at an early stage.

    You can not take tests, but immediately after the bite, carry out preventive treatment against tick-borne encephalitis and borreliosis by taking medications. Such treatment in most cases 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 prophylactic treatment immediately after the bite in order to protect yourself from the development of infection, if an infection has occurred, 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. Pull the tick out of the skin.
    2. On the 11th day after the bite, donate blood for the detection of tick-borne encephalitis and borreliosis by PCR.

    If the PCR result is positive for any one or both infections, then drugs should be started to prevent the full development of the disease and cure it at the stage of the incubation period. To prevent borreliosis, antibiotics are taken Doxycycline + Ceftriaxone, and encephalitis - Yodantipyrin or Anaferon. If the result is positive for both infections, then for preventive treatment take antibiotics and Jodantipirin at the same time.

    If the PCR result is negative, then 2 weeks after the tick bite, blood should be donated to detect tick-borne encephalitis by ELISA or Western blotting. Then, after 4 weeks, re-donate blood for the detection of borreliosis by ELISA or Western blotting. Accordingly, upon receipt of a positive test result, antibiotics or Yodantipyrin should be taken, depending on which infection was detected (encephalitis or borreliosis).

    Taking antibiotics and Jodantipyrin immediately after a tick bite without testing is justified only in cases where the incident occurred far from civilization (for example, a hike, 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 not known which infection the tick is the carrier of.

    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 is on the skin, the higher the likelihood of infection with infectious diseases. It is necessary to remove the tick from any place on the body, and observing a certain technique, since the insect sticks very tightly to the skin with the help of a proboscis with peculiar processes. These appendages 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- Proboscis of a tick in the skin.

    In order to remove it, you can not drip oil, glue, milk on the tick, close it with a jar and perform any other actions aimed at clogging the spiracles of the insect located on the back of its body. The fact is that when closing the spiracles, the tick cannot breathe normally, and this makes it aggressive, as a result of which it splashes its saliva into the blood very intensively and in large quantities. Namely, saliva contains infectious agents that the tick carries. Thus, blockage of the tick's spiracles increases the risk of human infection with encephalitis or borreliosis.

    You can remove the 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 in Medtekhnika stores. These devices have different shape and methods of application, therefore it is recommended to choose in "Medtekhnika" optimal variety and use it as needed. Such devices for removing ticks should be bought in advance and carried with you on various trips to nature. If there are no devices, then you need to remove the tick with the usual improvised means, such as tweezers, thread, or your own fingers.

    Regardless of how the tick is removed, you should not touch the insect with your bare hands. This is due to the fact that when removed, the tick can be damaged and then its contents intestinal tract gets on the skin, from which it can penetrate into the systemic circulation, if there are any small wounds invisible to the naked eye on it. That is, by removing a tick with bare hands, a person increases the risk of contracting various infections. That is why, before removing the insect, you must put on your hands rubber gloves. If there are no gloves, then you can simply wrap your hands with a regular bandage or a clean cloth. Only by protecting your hands in this way, you can 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 the tick with alcohol or iodine. After treatment, the skin is left without a bandage. If a person wants to take 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, close the container and store in the refrigerator. If a person does not want to give 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.

    Consider how to properly remove a tick in various ways.

    Removing a tick with the Tick Twister

    This device is the best for removing ticks for two main reasons. Firstly, Tick Twister allows in 98% of cases to completely remove the tick without tearing it and leaving, thus, the head of the insect in the skin. This is a 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 pressure on the tick's digestive tract, resulting in the risk of expulsion. a large number insect saliva containing pathogens is absent. When using tweezers, thread or fingers, there is often strong pressure on the digestive tract of the tick, as a result of which it sprays a large amount of saliva into the skin, which contains pathogens of tick infections. Accordingly, such salivation increases the risk of contracting an infection, if this has not already happened.

    In addition, the Tick Twister is very comfortable to use and does not cause any pain during the removal of the tick.

    Using the Tick Twister is very simple: you need to grab the tick between the teeth of the device, then turn it around its axis counterclockwise 3-5 times and gently 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 place of its suction is treated with iodine or alcohol.


    Figure 2– Rules for using the Tick Twister Tick Extractor.

    Rules for removing a tick with The Tick Key

    This device allows in most cases to successfully remove the tick without tearing it apart, 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 Tick Twister, since it is inconvenient to use on some hard-to-reach areas of the body, such as 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. Put 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 gets into a small hole;
    3. Turn The Tick Key counterclockwise 3-5 times, then pull the tick towards you.

    After removing the tick, the place of its suction is treated with iodine or alcohol.


    Figure 3– Rules for using The Tick Key to remove a tick.

    Removing a Tick with the Ticked-Off Tool

    The Ticked-Off device is as convenient and practical as the Tick Twister, however, unfortunately, in most cases it can only be bought in the CIS countries through online stores.

    Ticked-Off to remove a tick should be used as follows: place the spoon vertically against the skin, then push the protruding part of the tick into the hollow. Having fixed the tick in this way, you should turn the device 3-5 times around its axis counterclockwise, after which it is easy to pull towards you (see Figure 4). After removing the tick, the place of its suction is treated with iodine or alcohol.


    Figure 4– Rules for using Ticked-Off to remove a tick.

    Rules for removing a tick using the Anti-tick device

    The 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, efficient and safe removal of the insect from the skin.


    Figure 5- Adaptation Antiklesch.

    To remove a tick with the Anti-tick device, it is necessary to capture the insect as close to the surface of the skin as possible. To do this, you need to press the big and index finger in the middle of the tweezers, spread its tips to the sides and place them in such a way that the head of the tick is between them. Then you should stop the pressure on the middle of the tweezers, allowing its tips to close around the tick. After that, it is necessary to turn 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 place of its suction with iodine or alcohol.

    Rules for removing a tick with tweezers

    In order 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, it is necessary to turn it around its axis counterclockwise 3-5 times. After that, 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 a few more times and pull it again. After removing the tick, the place of its suction must be treated with iodine or alcohol.

    Rules for removing a tick with a thread

    First, you should slightly press your fingers on the skin in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe sucked tick, as if trying to squeeze out a pimple. After that, take a strong thread 15–30 cm long and make a loop in the middle with a diameter of 2–3 cm. Then put the loop on the skin so that the tick gets into it. Tighten the loop firmly, connect both ends of the thread into one and start twisting your fingers counterclockwise. When the thread is tightly twisted, you should pull it towards you, and the tick will easily be removed from the wound (Figure 6). Treat the wound remaining in place of the tick with iodine or alcohol.


    Figure 6- Removing a tick with a thread.

    Rules for removing a tick with your fingers

    Put gloves on your hands, or cover your fingers with several layers of bandage or a clean cloth. Then, with protected fingers, grab the tick and turn it around its axis counterclockwise 3-5 times. After that, pull the tick towards you, and it will easily be removed from the wound. Treat the place of tick suction with iodine or alcohol.

    Rules for removing tick residue from the wound

    If it was not possible to completely remove the tick, and any parts of its body (most often the head with a proboscis) remained in the skin, then they must be pulled out. If the remnants of the tick are not pulled out, then an abscess may form on the skin or there will be a long-term inflammation that does not go away until the body parts of the insect come out on their own.

    Removing the remnants of the tick from the wound is done in the same way as a splinter is removed, that is, with a needle. The needle is pre-sterilized by treating it with hydrogen peroxide, alcohol or holding it in a flame for 1 to 2 minutes. Then, with a sterilized needle, the remnants of the tick are taken out of the wound and treated with iodine or alcohol.

    How and how to treat the site of a tick bite?

    After the tick has been removed from the skin, it is necessary to treat this place with any antiseptic. The best way alcohol and iodine are suitable for this purpose, but you can use hydrogen peroxide, Chlorhexidine, and brilliant green, etc. Any available antiseptic is poured onto a piece of clean cotton wool and generously smeared with it on the wound left after the tick was removed. After this treatment, the skin is left open and no bandage is applied.

    At the site of a tick bite, redness, swelling and itching may persist for 3 weeks. In this case, it is recommended to lubricate the inflamed area daily with iodine and calendula tincture, and take any antihistamine drug inside (for example, Erius, Telfast, Suprastin, Fenistil, Tsetrin, etc.).

    How to transport the tick to the laboratory for analysis?

    To transport a tick to the laboratory, it is necessary to place living insect in a container that can be closed tightly, such as a jar with a lid, etc. In a container with a tick, be sure to put a small piece of cotton wool moistened with water. Until the moment of transportation, the container with the tick must be kept in the refrigerator. Remember that only a live tick is suitable for analysis, so if the insect died during removal from the skin, then it does not make sense to transport it to the laboratory.

    How and what tests to 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 by PCR (the analysis is taken no earlier than 11 days from the moment of the bite, since before that it is not informative).
    • Venous blood for the determination of antibodies to the tick-borne encephalitis virus type IgM by ELISA (the analysis is taken at least 2 weeks after the bite).
    • Venous blood for the determination of antibodies to the IgM type borreliosis virus by ELISA (the analysis is 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 tick-borne encephalitis virus type IgM by Western blotting (analysis is taken at least 2 weeks after the bite).
    • Venous blood for the determination of various variants of antibodies (VisE, p83, p39, p31, p30, p25, p21, p19, p17) to the IgM type borreliosis virus by Western blotting (the analysis is taken at least 4 weeks after the bite).
    The most informative are blood tests performed by PCR and Western blotting. Therefore, it is best to perform these tests for the early detection of possible infection with tick-borne infections. The ELISA method should only be used if PCR or Western blotting is not available.

    To detect latent tick-borne infections, it is recommended to take tests twice after a tick bite. The first time at the time indicated for each method (after 11 days for PCR, after 2 or 4 weeks for ELISA and Western blotting), and the second - a month after the first test. Both times you should donate blood for analysis by the same method. For example, if the first analysis was submitted for PCR, then the second should also be performed by the same PCR method. Moreover, the second time the analysis is given 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 the person. In this case, you can simply forget about this unpleasant episode of your life. If the second analysis turns out to be positive, then a course of preventive treatment should be taken, which will suppress the disease at the stage of the incubation period.

    If the first analysis showed negative result for one of the infections and positive for the second, then the tactics change somewhat. To prevent a detected infection, the analysis of which turned out to be positive, they drink the necessary medications (Jodantipyrine for encephalitis and Doxycycline + Ceftriaxone for borreliosis). For the second infection, the analysis of which turned out to be negative, a second analysis is taken one month after the first. Accordingly, with a negative analysis, you can completely relax and forget about the tick bite. And with a positive analysis - take a course of preventive treatment with the necessary drugs.

    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;
    Taking these two antibiotics can prevent the development of borreliosis (even if the tick has infected a person) in 80-95% of cases.

    To prevent the development of encephalitis in people of any age and gender after a tick bite, there are two main methods:

    • The introduction of serum - is performed in a clinic or hospital, and only in the first 72 hours after the bite. The introduction of serum into more late dates useless.
    • Taking Jodantipyrin by people over 14 years old and Anaferon child teens under 14 years old.
    The introduction of serum is ineffective and dangerous method because people often develop severe allergic reactions up to and including anaphylactic shock. Therefore, this method of preventing tick-borne encephalitis is not currently used in Europe and the United States, and in the countries of the former USSR it is also gradually abandoned.

    Today, quite effective and safe method prevention of tick-borne encephalitis after a tick bite is taking Jodantipyrin or Anaferon children, depending on the age of the victim. Yodantipyrine after a tick bite, adults and adolescents over 14 years old should be taken according to the following scheme: on the first two days, 3 tablets 3 times a day, on the next two days, 2 tablets 3 times a day, and then for 5 days, 1 tablet 3 times a day.

    Children's Anaferon give to all children and adolescents under 14 years of age after a tick bite in order 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 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 that, if it is possible to take tests at the appropriate time - after 11 days for PCR, after 2 and 4 weeks for ELISA and Western blotting. However, if for some reason it is impossible to take tests, then immediately after a tick bite, it is recommended to drink a course of antibiotics (Doxycycline + Ceftriaxone) and Jodantipyrine (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 at the same time, 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 has bitten a child, then the algorithm of actions is exactly the same as in relation to an adult. That is, first of all, you need to remove the tick from the skin and treat the place of suction with iodine or alcohol. Then, at the appropriate time, take tests for the presence of infections in his body. Accordingly, if the result of the tests turns out to be positive, conduct a course of preventive treatment of the child with the necessary medicines(Doxycycline + Ceftriaxone for borreliosis and Anaferon for children for tick-borne encephalitis). If the result of the tests is negative, then in a month to pass them again. Accordingly, if the second analysis turns out to be negative, then you can forget about the tick bite, and if positive, then conduct a course of treatment.

    In the case when it is impossible to take tests, 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 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 old, 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, then it should be removed from the skin and the wound should be treated with iodine or alcohol. Then, at the required time, it is recommended to take tests for the presence of tick-borne encephalitis and borreliosis. Further, if borreliosis is detected, then during pregnancy of 16-20 weeks, Amoxiclav should be drunk 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 observe their own condition. If there are signs of encephalitis (fever, headache, etc.) or feeling unwell within a month after a tick bite, you should immediately consult a doctor, be hospitalized in a hospital and receive the necessary treatment. There is no need to take any more actions after a tick bite of a pregnant woman.

    What to do if bitten by an encephalitis tick?

    If bitten Tick-borne Encephalitis, it is optimal to prevent the development of an infection that has already entered the body, drink a course of Jodantipyrin (adults and adolescents over 14 years old) or children's Anaferon (children under 14 years old).

    Yodantipyrin should be taken by all people over 14 years of age according to the following scheme:

    • 3 tablets 3 times a day for 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 and adolescents under 14 years of age Yodantipyrin is contraindicated. For the prevention of tick-borne encephalitis, they use children's Anaferon.

    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 bitten by a borreliosis tick?

    If bitten by a borreliosis tick, then to prevent the development of the disease, it is recommended to drink a short course of antibiotics according to the following scheme:
    • Doxycycline - 100 mg 1 time per day for 5 days;
    • Ceftriaxone - 1000 mg once a day for three days.

    The tick bit, but did not stick

    If the tick has bitten, but did not have time to stick, then you should simply treat the wound with an antiseptic (iodine, alcohol, etc.). No more action is needed, because during the bite, the tick does not have time to infect a person with infections. Indeed, for the transmission of borreliosis or encephalitis, the tick must be in the skin for at least 6 hours.

    Bitten by a tick - where to go?

    If bitten by a tick, then you should contact the infectious disease specialist at the clinic at the place of residence. In addition, you can contact the Centers for Epidemiology and Prevention (former sanitation stations) available 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 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 is to remove it from the skin and treat the remaining wound with an antiseptic (iodine, alcohol, etc.). To stop itching and inflammation at the site of the bite, you can take any antihistamine (Fenistil, Suprastin, Telfast, Tsetrin, etc.).

    What to do if the temperature rises after a tick bite

    If the temperature rises 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, because 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 an early stage of borreliosis or an allergic reaction. It is not always easy to quickly distinguish what caused the redness in each case - an allergic reaction or borreliosis. Therefore, when redness appears, it is recommended to take antihistamines (Suprastin, Fenistil, Claritin, Parlazin, etc.). If, under the action of antihistamines, the redness significantly decreases in size within a few days, this means that an allergic reaction has taken place, which will completely disappear within a month. If, under the influence of antihistamines, the redness practically does not decrease, then this means that with a high probability a person develops borreliosis. In such a situation, it is necessary to take tests for borreliosis, and in case of positive results, treatment should be started immediately.

    First, the insect must be removed. Let's say right away that this is not easy to do, since during the bite the tick releases salivary fluid, part of which serves as a fastening material and acts as glue, so the insect's nose sticks firmly to the wound surface. What to do? If the tick has not yet advanced deeply, then you can move it left and right for 1-2 minutes, after which it should smoothly exit. Forcibly pulling out or pulling out the tick with tweezers is not recommended: this way you can remove the tick, but its head will remain in the thickness of the skin, which will further cause inflammatory process. You just need to grab the insect with your fingers for side surfaces abdomen, as close as possible to the head, and gently pull up.

    To safely pull the tick, you can use ordinary thread: tighten the loop around the head, the closer to the skin, the better. Then we pull - gradually, slowly. In order to speed up the process, some advise to drip 2-3 drops on the tick. sunflower oil, alcohol or strong saline solution.

    In most situations, this technique allows you to remove the tick without problems. However, if you are in a hurry, and a head remains in the thickness of the skin, do not try to open the wound. Usually, within 1-2 days, the skin itself pushes the foreign body to the surface. But, in order to avoid inflammation, it is necessary to lubricate the bite site with alcohol, brilliant green or other disinfectant 2-3 times a day.

    What to do after a tick bite in a child

    With the onset warm days more and more we want to go to nature, to Fresh air away from the hustle and bustle of the city. And, of course, we take children with us - they also need active rest. However, at the same time as going out into nature, danger may await us - just at this time, ticks become active in forests and plantings.

    Nevertheless, back to the question: what to do if the tick has already bitten the child?

    First, you should not panic. You need to pull yourself together and try to remove the insect from the thickness of the skin. If you do not undertake to do it yourself, then you can contact the nearest emergency room or sanitary and epidemiological station - they will do it quickly and competently. If you will carry out the removal yourself, then do it slowly, gradually loosening the insect, without pulling it out, so as not to tear off the head.

    After the procedure, it is imperative to treat the wound with alcohol, iodine or brilliant green.

    When a child is bitten, the process of neutralization does not end there. Even if you have successfully removed the insect, you should take the baby to the clinic or hospital without delay. It is advisable to put the withdrawn tick in a closed jar and give it to the laboratory for 2 days to examine for the possibility of infection. After the analysis, depending on the result, the doctor will tell you what to do next. As a rule, the affected child is closely observed for 3 weeks, paying attention to any symptoms that appear.

    If the examination of the tick showed its contagiousness, then the child in without fail you will need to take a blood test. Already 10 days after the bite, you should donate blood for the presence of borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis using PCR. After 2 weeks, tests are taken for the presence of antibodies to the encephalitis virus, and 30 days after the bite - for the presence of antibodies to Borrelia.

    As an urgent preventive measure, Anaferon can be prescribed to the affected child, but only a doctor should make such an appointment.

    What should you do after a tick bite?

    • First of all, the best remedy from a tick bite is prevention. put on the right clothes, use appropriate insect repellant, periodically inspect yourself and your child for ticks.
    • A means of preliminary prevention of diseases caused by ticks is vaccination, which includes the introduction of several portions of the vaccine at regular intervals. Vaccination should be done at least one and a half months before the onset of the "dangerous" season.
    • Remember that the most favorite places for ticks to enter are the hair on the head, subscapularis, spine, perineum, umbilical region, legs and arms.
    • When bitten by a tick, to speed up its removal, you can drop a few drops on the insect vegetable oil, or a sharp-smelling substance ( ammonia, ethyl alcohol, acetone, kerosene, etc.).
    • A securely settled tick should be removed gradually, swinging left and right, without sudden movements.
    • After removing the insect, it is necessary to carry out the mandatory treatment of the wound.
    • If the tick has not been completely removed, you can contact your doctor for medical advice.
    • The extracted tick is recommended to be examined in the laboratory of the sanitary and epidemiological station for infectivity.
    • It is imperative to monitor general condition the victim - to control body temperature for 3 weeks. If symptoms such as fever, pain in the head or muscles, nausea, or the appearance of the wound worsens (redness, pain, swelling), you should urgently seek advice from an infectious disease specialist. As for the child, it is recommended to show it to a specialist in any case.

    What can not be done after a tick bite?

    • You can’t leave an insect in the wound (say, if it gets drunk, it will fall off on its own). The tick can exist in the thickness of the skin for about 10 days. During this time, the infection can not only enter the body, but also spread and develop to the full extent.
    • You can not try to abruptly pull out the insect, pull it up with force, because in such a situation you risk tearing off its body, and the head with the proboscis will remain in the layers of the skin. The tick must be easily swayed or twisted out of the wound.
    • You can not put pressure on the tick, pierce it, burn it with matches or cigarettes - this increases the risk of infection, even if the skin is not damaged. Yes, and it will be much more difficult to remove a crushed insect.
    • It is impossible to leave the wound untreated after removing the tick - use any disinfectants at hand - iodine, alcohol, vodka, alcohol solutions, brilliant green, etc.
    • After a tick bite, symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle weakness, skin redness, vomiting, etc. should not be ignored. Be sure to contact a medical specialist immediately!

    If you were bitten by a tick, and you were not previously vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis, then urgent preventive measures can be taken with the help of immunoglobulin - medical specialist injects prepared antibodies derived from human blood serum. Such antibodies can suppress the development of tick-borne encephalitis in the body. Immunoglobulin is administered during the first 96 hours that have passed since the time of the insect bite. Important point: the calculation is based on the time of the bite, and not on when the tick was discovered. Immunoglobulin vaccination can also be carried out in childhood.

    If the tick turned out to be infected, and the victim has suspicious symptoms, then he is urgently sent to the hospital. He will be assigned the strictest bed rest and a fairly long course of treatment in the infectious diseases department of the hospital.

    Fortunately, not all ticks are infected. The danger is precisely the encephalitic tick, which outwardly does not differ from the usual representative. For this reason, any bite should be carefully considered, as it can have extremely adverse consequences.

    What to do after a tick bite? Of course, it is better to contact a medical institution for help without delay. However, such perfect option does not always work, because where ticks live, the doctor is usually far away. Therefore, the recommendations we have listed can help in organizing first aid for the victim, and also direct them to competent further actions.

    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, it lasts differently for different diseases.

    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?

    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. 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. 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, as it spreads throughout the body.
    3. 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 a 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, ehrlichiosis diseases 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. Most effective remedy These are 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.

    Possibly conditions. 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 standard terms 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.

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    Interesting

    1. Do not smear the tick with oil, saliva or alcohol. People believe that it is possible to block the tick from breathing through the spiracles on the body by smearing it on all sides with one of these miraculous substances. Consequently, the tick will not be able to breathe and will fall off on its own. To put it mildly, science does not confirm this. What to do if a person is bitten by a tick? Don't wait for the tick to suffocate and fall off, but try to remove it as soon as you find it. This can be done using an ordinary thread or a special device that is sold in a pharmacy. At the same time, try to pull out the tick entirely without tearing off its head: it is in it that the salivary glands are located, which may contain the virus. If the head is still torn off, remove it with a needle, like a splinter. Of course, the needle must be disinfected before this.

    2. Don't crush the tick. And don't throw it away! What to do at home if you find that you have been bitten by a tick? Put it in a jar or bottle or any container in which it can be taken to the laboratory and submitted for analysis. It is best to do this on the same day, but if this is not possible, you can store the tick in a closed container for up to 3 days. Why is it important? Because the tick can be a carrier huge amount viral diseases, the most dangerous of which are encephalitis and borreliosis. The most severe consequences of encephalitis include paralysis, loss of vision and hearing. If you do not treat borreliosis, there may be problems with the joints, heart, vision, hearing. If you live in the European part of Russia, then the risk of infection is quite small. But in the regions of Siberia, Far East and the Urals, the danger is very high!

    3. Do not run to the infectious disease specialist on the same day you find the tick. Of course, this can be done for your own peace of mind, but it is wiser to make an appointment when you already have the results of the tick test in your hands - in 2-3 days. If an infectious principle is found in the tick, the doctor will prescribe a prophylactic course of antibiotics (and if there is a possibility of tick-borne encephalitis, anti-encephalitis immunoglobulin).

    4. Do not donate blood for infections the day after a tick bite. It doesn't make any sense. Please note: even if infection has occurred, antibodies in the blood do not appear immediately, but after 2-3 weeks. To see the dynamics of the body's protective response, the doctor may prescribe a second analysis 3 weeks after the first examination.

    5. Don't Ignore dangerous symptoms, which can appear even after a month. If ring-shaped erythema appears on the skin (redness around the site of tick suction) or the temperature rises within 3-30 days (up to 38-40 * C), immediately contact for medical care and be sure to tell your doctor about the tick bite so that treatment is appropriate.

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    With the advent of spring and summer, the problem of the appearance of ticks becomes relevant, the bite of which can cause many diseases. What to do with a tick bite? What precautions should be taken to avoid aggravating the situation? What treatment is needed for the victim? The answers to these questions are of interest to every person, including parents of young children. The tick belongs to the type of arthropods and the class of arachnids. This insect is dangerous if, during a bite, an infection, virus or harmful microorganisms are transmitted into the human bloodstream.

    What is the danger of a tick

    Ticks are carriers of a large number of infectious diseases, including:

    • viral infections: tick-borne encephalitis, tick-borne hemorrhagic fevers;
    • microbial infections: ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, borreliosis;
    • microbial (rickettsial) infections: smallpox rickettsiosis, tick-borne typhus, Marseilles fever;
    • a protozoan infection called human babesiosis.

    In case of infection in the circulatory system, damage to the nervous and of cardio-vascular system, as well as internal organs- lungs, liver and kidneys. The most dangerous are tick-borne encephalitis and tick-borne borreliosis..

    To avoid possible serious consequences, you need to know how to act if bitten by a tick, purposefully and competently treat the bite.

    How does a tick bite

    Most often, the tick chooses those areas on the human body where it is most convenient to climb and where there are many small blood vessels close to the upper layer of the skin. Most often, the bite site is located in the groin area, in the armpits, on the neck, chest, arms and back. In children, you can find a tick on the head or behind the ears due to their shorter stature.

    The insect does not completely penetrate the skin in order to stick, it only needs to "implant" the head. The main body of the tick remains on the surface. It is securely fastened thanks to saliva with a special composition. As a result, the tick can be on the body from several hours to several days.

    After the animal is satiated, its main part, located on the surface, swells and turns blue, the head is almost invisible. If bitten by a tick, it is very important to get it whole. The main volume of dangerous viruses and bacteria is located in the abdomen, so its contents should not enter the human blood. If a person is bitten by infected ticks, infection can be avoided if the insect is removed correctly.

    Main signs and symptoms

    In the first hours after the bite, the symptoms are characterized by the appearance of weakness, drowsiness, chills and aching joints. How more ticks is on the body, the more intensely the above signs will be expressed. In people with allergies, the symptoms will be more pronounced.

    Among the first symptoms are:

    • increased body temperature (37-38 degrees);
    • pressure drop;
    • tachycardia - an increase in the number of heart beats, per minute - more than 60;
    • the appearance of a rash and itching;
    • swollen lymph nodes in the bite area.

    In addition, severe headaches, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath, hallucinations, and so on may appear.

    Of particular importance is fever, since a fever that occurs within 2-10 days after a tick bite can signal an infection.

    Basic steps

    If an adult or child is bitten by a tick, what should be done in such a situation. The main thing is not to panic! First of all, it is necessary to remove the insect from the body, since the length of its stay in the human skin increases the likelihood of contracting any disease. But do not rush, so as not to extract only a part or crush the tick. In this case, the contents of the abdomen will enter the human bloodstream.

    If possible, the victim should be taken to the nearest medical facility for qualified assistance.

    How can you get a tick out

    Many people know what to do after a bite, but have no idea how to get a tick. The choice of method depends on the means at hand, as well as the experience of the one who undertook this task. There are several ways to remove a tick:

    What to do if, when pulling out a tick, its head remains in the skin

    There are two options for the development of events:

    1. The head of the insect remaining in the skin is pulled out with a pre-disinfected needle, like an ordinary splinter.
    2. This part of the tick could not be removed. In this case, after a few days, it will naturally be forced out by skin tissues.

    How not to pull out a tick

    In no case should such pseudo-useful manipulations as treating the bite site with nail polish, acetone or gasoline, as well as any oil, be used to extract the tick. Some people hope that in this way they will deprive the tick of the opportunity to breathe, and it will crawl out or die. It is categorically not recommended to do this, because the tick, sensing danger, can inject liquid from its abdomen into human body while transmitting viruses and bacteria that it can carry.

    Following actions

    Most people are relieved after the tick has been removed from the victim's skin. But this is only half of the work done. What are the next steps?

    What to do if bitten by an encephalitis tick will depend on whether the person has previously been vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis. If vaccination was further action not worth doing. In the absence of antibodies in the human body, it is urgent to carry out emergency prophylaxis, which involves immunotherapy or the introduction of antiviral agents into the body. The result will be positive only if the immunoglobulin was administered in the first three days after the bite. If more time has passed, such actions will not make sense.

    Treatment after a bite

    The disease is characterized by neurological disorders. If the presence of such violations is noted, the patient must be hospitalized.

    AT medical institution complex therapy is carried out:

    1. Appointments of Tetracycline and drugs of this group in the event of redness (erythema), as well as treatment with Lincomycin, Levomycetin or macrolides in the later stages of the disease.
    2. The introduction of bactericidal antibiotics using intravenous injections for the relief of neurological syndrome.
    3. Recovery water balance, using saline solutions, blood substitutes, vitamin complexes, certain hormones and drugs that help normalize cerebral circulation.

    What to do if you are infected with tick-borne encephalitis

    If a tick bite has caused tick-borne encephalitis, the treatment will be as follows:

    • a person bitten by a tick is shown bed rest in a hospital, especially during the period of fever and within a week after it ends;
    • in the first three days, human immunoglobulin is prescribed;
    • therapy is carried out with the help of blood substitutes, Prednisol, Ribonuclease;
    • in cases of breathing problems, ventilation of the lungs is done;
    • with the development of meningitis, ascorbic acid and vitamin C are prescribed (in an increased amount);
    • in the recovery process, the use of tranquilizers, nootropic drugs, anabolic steroids is indicated;
    • if microorganisms cause complications in the work of the kidneys, intestines and other organs, antibiotic therapy is prescribed.

    Precautionary measures

    To avoid tick bites and not develop possible disease, which will have to be treated for a long time, it is worth following the recommendations to help avoid a bite. Basic Precautions:

    • Ticks prefer shady and damp places, so you should not get into the area of ​​\u200b\u200btheir greatest accumulation.
    • You should be most vigilant and attentive during the period of greatest tick activity: early April - mid-September.
    • To prevent insects from getting on the body, wear the most closed clothing. Jackets and sweatshirts should be with tight cuffs. Pants - tuck into socks. Wear a cap, hat or hood over your head. It is desirable that the fabric light shades, it is much easier to notice a tick on it and prevent it from getting on the skin. It is worth picking up sliding materials so that it is difficult for the insect to stay on the surface.
    • Special creams or ointments should be applied to bare spots.
    • The territory is most often treated with Cyfox.
    • Every hour it is necessary to carefully examine the clothes and every 2 hours to conduct an inspection of the body, paying special attention to the most vulnerable places.
    • You can buy special clothes, shoes and mosquito net impregnated with a certain agent that repels ticks.
    • After returning home, carefully examine the child's body, all clothes and things that they put on and took with them. It is worth paying attention to a pet if it was also on a walk, since ticks can also be on the pet's skin.


    Means for protection against ticks are divided into 4 groups: