Danger that should not be forgotten: Golubovskaya gave advice on how to protect yourself in the season of ticks
Olga Golubovska ,
KYIV. UkraineGate , 25 , April , 2022 | War News.
In the spring in Ukraine ticks become more active. How to protect yourself in the season of ticks and how to act if the insect still bit .
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“Mite larvae bite (it takes about 5 days to saturate), nymphs (up to 8 days) and, of course, an adult mite (up to 12 days). In the process of saturation, the weight of larvae increases up to 20 times, the weight of nymphs – up to 100 times, and the weight of females – up to 120 times, “said the doctor.
Golubovska stressed the importance of understanding whether a tick is full, as this makes it possible to understand relatively accurately when an insect has sucked, which is important for prevention decisions.
Lyme disease is a fairly common transmissible disease, which is a spirochetosis with a predisposition to multiorgan damage, a variety of clinical forms, with the possibility of persistence of the pathogen and the formation of a chronic course of the disease.
The usual season of the disease is from late spring to early autumn and is associated with the activity of ticks. It is tick bites that most often provoke the disease and people are rightly concerned about possible bites, but, as the doctor notes, not so bad – the main thing to remember a number of rules.
What all people need to know
Golubovska listed factors that will help reduce the risk of tick bites.
• It should be remembered that in well-groomed areas with cut grass is unlikely to be present ticks, there are no animals they need and little moisture; on the contrary, areas rich in greenery, both ornamental and natural, are more attractive to mites, their highest concentration is observed in forests;
• When staying in the areas where ticks may be, it is necessary to apply repellents containing DETA (diethyltoluamide) to the skin and clothes, acaricide permethrin can be applied to clothes; the higher the concentration of DETA, the longer the protection against ticks, but it should be remembered that for children to use products containing more than 10% DETA, is contraindicated due to increased absorption and reports of neurotoxicity; also its admissible concentrations cannot be used by children for processing of hands owing to possible hit on mucous membranes;
• It is recommended to wear long-sleeved shirts, tuck pants into socks, hide long hair under a hat;
• Light clothing improves the chances of rapid detection of ticks before its suction, however, it is believed that light clothing attracts ticks, so you should not attach much importance to the color of clothing;
“Because all these recommendations are not always practical and can be used, especially in children, no one cancels the daily routine thorough examination of skin folds, behind the ears, navel, groin, armpits, scalp,” said Golubovska.
It is also necessary to protect pets from ticks by treatment with repellents, wearing special collars, etc.
What to do if the tick has already sucked?
If the tick has already sucked – do not panic and act according to the doctor’s advice.
• Always remember that infection is much less likely, but not impossible, if ticks are attached for less than 24 hours, but this probability increases dramatically if 48-72 hours or more have passed since the tick was attached; the degree of saturation of the mite can be roughly determined by its size.
• Ticks should be removed, ideally with special devices; however, it is much more important to remove the tick as soon as possible than to delay its removal by looking for tongs or gloves, or returning home;
• A common mistake is to try to “suffocate” a tick with oil, Vaseline, varnish or gasoline – all this only prolongs the exposure time and, therefore, the likelihood of infection increases;
• Do not squeeze, crush and pierce the tick, because Borrelia (and other pathogens) can be in all biological fluids of the vector;
• Remove ticks with tweezers or special devices, preferably in gloves, grabbing it as close to the skin as possible and slowly pull out of the skin with smooth vertical movements; if there is nothing like this at hand, you can use a simple thread; twisting, twisting increases the chances of separation of parts of the tick;
• If the removal of the tick in the skin left parts of his mouth – do not panic, they are non-infectious; try again, if it doesn’t work – see a doctor or let the bite heal quietly;
• After removing the tick, treat the affected area with antiseptic or rinse with soap and water; the person who removed the tick must also wash his hands. The doctor notes that it makes no sense to spend time examining the tick for the presence of Borrelia.
“In medical institutions, when removing a tick or its parts, it is not necessary to treat the field with lidocaine, because it can cause irritation with the release of contents from the stomach, where there may be a large number of pathogens,” said Golubovska.
What is disease prevention?
Antibiotics are currently used to prevent the disease. “It is better to avoid the effects of ticks. Removing them quickly is a much more effective prevention strategy than taking antibiotics. This is due to the peculiarity of the pathogen and the peculiarities of the infectious process in the case of Borrelia in humans. We must also remember that even in endemic areas (such as ours) the risk of transmission from the bite of all ticks is estimated at only 1-2%, “- said Golubovska.
According to the doctor, for emergency prophylaxis in adults and children over 8 years of age use a single doxycycline at a dose of 200 mg (in children from 4 mg / kg to 200 mg), but this should be a prescription, because there are certain contraindications, for example, pregnant women , but not only. Prescribe such prevention for the first 72 hours after the event, later – is not recommended.
“Replacing prophylaxis with amoxicillin is also not recommended for a number of reasons, especially for whole courses in combination with other antibiotics. The existing vaccine was not very effective and was withdrawn from production in 2002. People vaccinated with it are not protected now, ”Golubovska explained.
According to the infectious disease specialist, Lyme disease is quite effective in treatment, but only if it is appropriate. “The prognosis for patients with Lyme disease is usually favorable if they are treated in a timely manner with appropriate antibiotic regimens, complete recovery occurs in more than 80% of people. However, it must be remembered that reinfection with another strain of the pathogen is possible. On the other hand, if patients, especially adults who receive treatment late, or take antibiotics to which Borrelia is insensitive, have a high chance of developing musculoskeletal disease in the future, some cognitive disorders and other unpleasant, debilitating symptoms for patients they are difficult to treat, ”the doctor explained.
Source: Ukrgate