Symptoms when a tick. What is dangerous encephalitis tick? What happens during a tick bite

The main thing that a tick bite is dangerous for a person is infection with pathogens of serious diseases that can be in his saliva. The most severe of them are typhus and borreliosis. Diseases arising from a tick bite often have complications that destroy the gray matter and membrane of the brain, heart, spinal cord, and central nervous system.

Having stuck to the site on the human body, the insect gradually absorbs blood and increases in size, it is at this time that it is possible to determine its presence.

In most cases, signs of a tick bite are found on those parts of the body where the skin is especially thin: armpits, inner side knees, part of the head covered with hair, neck. It is in such places that a tick in a person does not immediately become noticeable. But there are times when insects are attracted to other parts, such as a hand.

It is quite difficult to understand that a tick has bitten, as already mentioned. Since a tick bite does not cause any discomfort in a person, it is not immediately detected. After visiting forests or park areas, you need to carefully examine your body in order to prevent possible intoxication of the body in time.

First symptoms

Consider the main symptoms of a tick bite in humans:

• chills;
• decreased performance, weakness;
• constant fatigue and drowsiness;
• pain in the joints;
• fear of the world.

The most important and accurate sign of how to recognize a tick bite will be the detection of a pest on the body. It is necessary to look for it exactly where we have already said. First aid for a tick bite involves removing the insect. If it is infected with an infection, the patient is treated. So you can avoid negative consequences.

Symptoms that appear the next day

If the attached organism was not noticed on the first day, then on the second, the symptoms after a tick bite in a person will intensify. In some cases, they resemble a cold, but you should be on the lookout.

After a tick bite, the temperature usually rises to 38 degrees. This reaction is accompanied by a rapid heartbeat and a decrease in blood pressure. Itching, enlargement lymph nodes, skin rashes. Sometimes, the pathogen entering the body causes other symptoms:

• dizziness and strong headache;
• the appearance of hallucinations;
• breathing problems;
• feeling of nausea, turning into vomiting.

If a change in temperature occurs immediately after a bite, this means that an allergic reaction to saliva is developing. If heat keeps and does not go away for a long time, which means that the causative agent of the infection has entered the body.

Symptoms of an encephalitic tick bite

Without timely treatment, the consequences of a tick bite can be deplorable, this also applies to encephalitis related to viral diseases. The incubation period after a bite lasts about a month. Characteristic features will become:

• headaches and fainting;
• disruption of the heart and digestive system;
• the temperature rises to 40 degrees.

Lyme disease symptoms

Borreliosis is an infectious disease that negatively affects the heart, central nervous system, and musculoskeletal system. Here it is important to know what a tick bite looks like on the body. In this case, we have a red spot that is rapidly increasing in size. If first aid for a tick bite is not carried out, then in the absence of invasion, the speck disappears after 3 weeks. You can recognize Lyme disease by the following symptoms:

• headache, joint and muscle pain;
• constant fatigue and weakness;
• hearing loss, sleep disturbance;
• sore throat, paralysis.

Everyone probably already understands what to do with a tick bite. You need to quickly contact a specialist with a problem and undergo a treatment course, if necessary. Otherwise, the disease can provoke the development of serious diseases, often leading to death.

How to recognize a bite

In the event that the study showed that the insect was not infected, and a bump remained on the body after a tick bite, then this is a sign of improper extraction or allergy to saliva. If the bump after a tick bite does not go away and worries the patient, you should contact a medical facility.

Most frequently asked question, of course, how to treat a tick bite? Any antiseptic is suitable for this: hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, brilliant green.

What Not to Do

What to do after a bite is in no case impossible so as not to aggravate the situation:

First aid

- This is scratching at the site of the bite. In the case when the insect was removed incorrectly, and its head remained in the wound, this can cause inflammation, itching and burning. If, after removing the tick, the damaged area itches, and the itching does not go away for a long time, you should consult a doctor.

It remains to tell how to treat the site of a tick bite. Any alcohol-containing agent is suitable for this: brilliant green, iodine or vodka. After 10 days, it is worth doing a blood test.

Health care

The question sounds rather strange, where to go when bitten by a tick. Of course, any medical institution where an infectious disease specialist deals with such problems. Treatment after a tick bite should be prescribed only by a qualified specialist, so you should not take any drugs at your own discretion. It should be noted that immunoglobulin is often prescribed for a tick bite to prevent the development of encephalitis.

Antibiotics are also often used to prevent the reproduction of pathogens when bitten by a tick. It is important to remember that a specific course of treatment is formed only after a blood test is taken, which will help identify the presence of infection.

The consequences for a person after a tick bite can be very different, even leading to death. It must be understood that the speed and literacy of the measures taken are important here. If everything is done correctly after a tick bite, then the risk of developing life-threatening diseases will be minimized.

Every year, the number of cases when the tick has become a carrier of these diseases is growing. This means that you need to be more attentive to yourself and your health. Consider the places where the tick most often lives, as well as know the symptoms that indicate a bite.

What are the symptoms if a person is bitten by a tick

Hypostame is a special organ of the tick, with the help of which it is attached to a person. As a rule, due to the fact that the tick lives in the grass, less often on low shrubs, and is an inactive insect, it sticks from the bottom up. Most often, as a bite site, he chooses the delicate skin located in the groin, lower back, abdomen, ears, neck and armpits.

The place where the tick stuck is characterized by inflammation and the occurrence of allergic manifestations. This is a response to the action of insect saliva. In the case when the tick is a carrier of Lyme Borreliosis, the bite takes on a specific spot-like shape. This spot grows quite quickly. Sometimes its diameter can reach 60 cm. So, how to determine that a person has been bitten by a tick? How long does it take for symptoms to appear after a tick bite? What to do if you are bitten given insect? Each of these issues requires close study, as the number of cases of severe infectious diseases, which are carried by insects, is constantly growing.

First signs

A tick bite does not cause pain. That is why people can not always immediately identify the cause of their poor health. If you are a visitor to a park or forest, then you should carefully examine your body and exclude the possibility of damage. Certain symptoms may indicate that tick venom has entered the body. These include:

• Chills;


• Weakness;


• Drowsiness;


• Fear of light;


• Joint pain.

It should be noted that the signs may not be pronounced. It all depends on how many ticks have stuck to the person, to what place, whether the person has health problems and a tendency to allergic reactions.

The very first and important feature what is worth sounding the alarm is the detection of a sucked tick. The insect must be removed and sent for research. If it is clear, then no further treatment is required. If the tick is a carrier of dangerous diseases, then timely detection is a guarantee of excluding serious consequences.

Symptoms the next day

If a person did not notice the tick damage in a timely manner and did not pay attention to the first symptoms, which can easily be confused with fatigue, then the next day his condition may worsen significantly. Individually, the symptoms are similar to the first signs of a cold, but it is worth remembering that the combination of such factors may indicate a tick bite. What to pay attention to?

First, the body temperature rises to 38 degrees. At the same time, a person begins tachycardia (the number of heartbeats is more than 60 times per minute), and the pressure decreases. Secondly, the presence of skin rashes and itching can be noted. Thirdly, the lymph nodes are enlarged.

In rare cases, additional symptoms may be added:

• Severe headaches dizziness;


• Vomiting and nausea;


• Difficulty in breathing;


• hallucinations.

If the temperature rises immediately after the bite, then this may indicate the development of an allergic reaction to saliva. If the temperature persists for a week, then this may be a sign of an infectious lesion.

Signs of an encephalitic tick bite

Tick-borne encephalitis is a viral disease that affects nervous system. With untimely treatment, disastrous consequences can occur. The disease progresses very quickly. As early as 1.5 weeks after the bite, the motor neurons of the spinal cord, the gray matter of the brain can be affected, which will result in paralysis of individual muscle groups. After the disease has covered the entire brain, a person may notice the following symptoms:

• Headache;


• fainting;


• Violation of the cardiovascular system;


• Increased excitability;


• Problems with the digestive system;


• Increase in body temperature up to 40 degrees.

Complications of this disease lead to flaccid paralysis of the upper limbs. Percent lethal outcome depends on the country of the world. In Europe, this figure does not exceed 2 percent. In countries Far East it is 20%. Mortality occurs a week after the defeat.

With Lyme borreliosis

Lyme borreliosis is an infectious disease that affects the functioning of the heart, nervous system and musculoskeletal system. The carrier of the virus is a tick. The skin turns red at the site of the bite. In this case, the spot is growing rapidly. As a rule, its diameter is about 10 cm, but in some cases it can be up to 60 cm. irregular shape and the inflamed edge rises slightly above the level of the skin. Without treatment, the stain lasts for about 3 weeks, after which it disappears.

A month later, symptoms of damage to the cardiovascular and nervous systems are noted, pain in the joints occurs. The state of a person corresponds to the state of initial stage colds: headache, muscle aches, weakness and fatigue, as well as sore throat. To all this, neurological symptoms are added - paralysis, hearing loss, insomnia. Complications of this disease rarely cause death. However, it is they who can provoke the development of dangerous diseases, which in the future can lead to death.

What does a tick bite look like on the body: photo

As practice shows, basically a person discovers a bite after the tick has time to fall off. The bite site is a red spot from which the body of the insect sticks out. In this case, the diameter of the reddening is about one centimeter. Many try to pull the tick out on their own. If the paws or tentacles of an insect remain in the wound, then you should not worry. The body will reject them. Another thing is the head. In the photos presented in this section, you can get acquainted with how bite sites look in practice.

What to do after a tick bite? (Video)

Since the tick is a carrier of serious diseases, when you return home after going to a park or forest, you should not immediately lie down on the sofa. It is important to carefully examine yourself and your loved ones for the presence of a tick on the body.

It is immediately worth noting the measures that will avoid the bites of this insect. First of all, it is worth knowing the places they choose for themselves. These are herbs and low shrubs. You should not wander unnecessarily through such landscapes.

Secondly, the tick is a slow and cautious insect. Before he sucks, he's looking for the most optimal location. It can take them up to 3 hours to search for such a body part. Therefore, try to inspect your baby every hour and, if found, shake off the tick.

Thirdly, when going to nature, choose airtight clothing. Weather permitting, wear long sleeves and a neckline. Pants should be as long as possible. It is best when the clothes fit the body completely.

Treat open areas of the body special tool from ticks. If the above measures did not allow avoiding a tick bite, then the following should be done:

It is worth emphasizing that only a living insect is suitable for analysis. That is why its extraction must be trusted by a doctor, since at home it is not possible to correctly extract the tick. Based on the results of the study and assessment of the general state of health, the doctor decides on further treatment. Antibiotics may be prescribed depending on age, as well as antihistamines. Signs of infection begin to appear only after a few weeks, but a general blood test after 10 days already allows us to conclude that there is an infection in the human body.

Ticks - insects small size that suck blood. They belong to the order of arachnids. The greatest danger is to beware of their bites due to the transmission of the infection that they spread. A person may not feel the introduction of the tick into their skin due to the anesthetic substance that it secretes. What are the consequences of an encephalitic tick bite in humans?

How to recognize an encephalitic tick?

By appearance A tick cannot be determined whether it is contagious or not. You can find out if he is a carrier of encephalitis if you conduct an examination of the insect in the laboratory. The virus can be found in the tick itself, its larvae and nymphs. After all, the infection of an insect occurs in the process of its vital activity on a sick animal.

Can a tick bite?

What are the consequences of an encephalitic tick bite? An insect can bite a person, because it is introduced into the skin by twisting the proboscis. On it are teeth with which the insect can stay on the body for a long time. This method of getting a tick is called its bite.

Adult insects wait a long time for their prey in grass or bushes, and then attach themselves to clothing or body parts. Ticks do not jump or fall from trees, so they have to travel a long way to reach the site of introduction. They are soft or warm areas of the human body.

The tick bite itself is not felt by a person. At the moment of contact with the skin, the insect releases an anesthetic that helps it to gain a foothold on the body completely unnoticed.

In humans, there are places in which the tick is traditionally introduced:

• ear and head area;
• neck area;
• elbow and knee bends;
• groin area;
• armpits.

Many are interested in the consequences of an encephalitic tick bite in humans (a photo of the insect itself will help to distinguish it from other arachnids).

The bite is initially impossible to notice, because the insect continues to remain on the body. The detected tick must be immediately removed from the body. Physicians should do this medical institution. The probability of human infection with encephalitis depends on the time the tick has been in the human body and the amount of virus that has entered the bloodstream.

However, not all people approach tick bites responsibly, many go to the doctor when the disease begins to show unpleasant symptoms.

What is dangerous encephalitis tick?

What are the consequences after a bite of an encephalitic tick? The main danger posed by ticks are the bites through which they transmit serious illness. It is these insects that pose a threat to people living in the territory of the former Soviet Union.

Only a forest tick can infect a person with encephalitis or borreliosis. These diseases are dangerous because they lead to serious consequences, and sometimes death. Most often, people develop neurological or psychiatric disorders.

Infection occurs in 2 ways:

1. First, the virus appears in the body due to an insect bite.
2. The second - poison enters the human blood along with milk or other products that are obtained from infected: cows, goats or sheep. It is better to buy such products from sellers who monitor the safety of their goods.

If the virus is transmitted through the blood, it will not be possible to avoid infection. After all, with a bite, the causative agent of the disease enters the human blood, and it is impossible to remove it.

What to do if bitten by an encephalitis tick?

The main task when a tick gets in is to extract it. To do this, you need to seek help from a doctor. If it is not possible, then you need to do this procedure yourself.

You can remove the insect painlessly. Wrap your fingers with gauze and gently shake the tick, and then twist it counterclockwise. Do not forcefully pull, and do not use sharp tools. Otherwise, the head of the tick may remain under the skin.

What to do with the consequences of a bite of an encephalitis tick? It is worth noting that a large dose of the virus in the blood of a person can be obtained if the tick is unscrewed incorrectly. This is especially true for insect removal with oil or vinegar. In this case, the tick suffocates and injects a lot of saliva into the blood.

After removal, lubricate the wounds with iodine and observe the bite site. A safe reaction of the body is the appearance of a pink spot, which should disappear from the skin after a while.

The extracted insect must be taken to the laboratory to determine if it has an infection. The reason for contacting a specialist may be a pink spot, which does not disappear after the removal of the insect, but increases in diameter. There is also a worsening of the general condition or a rash.

How do ticks infect with encephalitis?

You can take some precautions so that later you do not deal with the consequences of the bite of an encephalitis tick. In humans, infection occurs in the same way as in animals. For ticks, it makes no difference which victim to choose.

Ixodid insects act as a reservoir for storing the virus and transmit it through a bite.

It is present in more than 130 species of warm-blooded birds and animals that carry the disease through ticks.

Symptoms of tick-borne encephalitis in humans

Encephalitis has a seasonal character and is tied to the period. Infection of insects largely depends on the season, in some areas up to 70% of individuals are infected.

What are the consequences after a bite of an encephalitic tick in humans? When bitten, the virus multiplies at the point where the insect enters the human skin. Initially, there are no signs of infection. Later, the lymph nodes are damaged and the virus enters the bloodstream. Reproducing in blood cells, it spreads throughout the body with the bloodstream.

A serious danger of the disease lies in the fact that its signs become visible some time after a tick bite. It depends on the person's immunity and the amount of poison that has managed to get into the blood. If the body's defenses are weakened, then the first symptoms of the disease may appear 2 days after the bite. On average, deterioration is observed on the 10th day from infection.

Symptoms that occur after infection:

1. The first signs of the disease appear within 1-2 weeks after the bite.
2. After 2-4 days, a high temperature occurs, muscle pains, nausea, and sometimes vomiting appear.
3. Within a week, the patient feels the onset of relief.
4. 10-12 days after a tick bite, a person experiences disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system, severe migraines, convulsions and

The consequences of an encephalitic tick bite are different. With any form of the disease, a high temperature occurs, which sometimes reaches 40 degrees. It is accompanied by general weakness and vomiting. This condition continues for 10 days, because during this period the virus spreads throughout the body.

If, after a feverish state, all signs of the disease go away, then the patient has been affected by a febrile form of encephalitis.

If new symptoms are added to the existing ones, including disorders of the nervous system, then the disease has developed into a more complex shape. Sometimes with encephalitis, after a temperature that lasted seven days, relief may come.

However, this may not always mean recovery, because the meningeal form of the disease may appear with fever. It is manifested by fever, fear of light and soreness of the muscles.

The polio form of the disease can cause paralysis of the limbs, which chains a person to a wheelchair.

What are the consequences of an encephalitic tick bite? They can be different: from a minor ailment to a serious one (disability, death), if timely medical care is not available.

Treatment after a tick bite

You can move on to the next question, when it became clear to us what the consequences of a bite of an encephalitic tick in people are. How are patients treated in this case, what methods are used? If, after an insect bite, a person has certain symptoms, then he needs to seek help from a hospital. Control over the patient's health continues for a month.

Treatment includes the following steps:

• by the most effective tool is an anti-tick immunoglobulin. The drug has high cost, because it includes the blood of donors who are immune to this disease.
• The patient is prescribed drugs that strengthen the immune system.
• As a preventive measure, you can use a strengthening diet.
• In case of suspicion of inflammation of the brain and poliomyelitis, it is necessary to take steroid hormones.
• If an epileptic seizure occurs, the doctor prescribes drugs that block their occurrence.

Treatment of adults and children should be carried out only in the infectious diseases department of the hospital. In this case, each symptom of the disease is monitored by a specialist who will take action when new complications appear.

The patient will not be able to permanently get rid of the effects of a tick bite, and he will need to be monitored regularly by a doctor.

What are the consequences of a bite

After the walk, parents should inspect the child's body for the presence of a tick on it. Most often, the insect can be located in the scalp.

The tick bite is insidious in that it cannot be detected immediately. The salivary glands of the insect have anesthetic properties, and it does not bite immediately, but is looking for a place for implementation, where the skin is thinner and you can easily get to the vessels.

After removing the tick, events can develop as follows:

1. If the insect turned out to be not infected, then in this case the child does not need to do anything.
2. A baby who is prone to allergies may experience slight redness, swelling and itching at the bite site. A slight discomfort in the child will disappear after a while without causing harm.
3. If the tick is infected, then various symptoms may occur: high fever, headache, loss of appetite, lethargy, and more.

What are the consequences of an encephalitic tick bite in a child? The consequences of an insect bite in children are unpredictable: in each case, the severity of the child's condition will depend on the amount of virus that has entered the bloodstream, as well as individual features organism and timeliness of treatment. Among the serious consequences that arise, one can single out:

• flaccid paralysis, usually of the arms;
• muscle twitching;
• in 9% a fatal outcome occurs, which occurs within a week after infection;
• chronic carriage of the virus.

Parents should protect their children from infection tick-borne encephalitis, because insects can overtake a child in parks and alleys.

Prevention from tick bites

So, in order to avoid the consequences after a bite of an encephalitis tick, it is necessary to carry out preventive actions from infection with a virus, which consists in limiting contact with this insect. To protect yourself from a tick bite:

1. When hiking in the forest, minimize the number of open areas on the human body. Clothing should be worn with long sleeves and pants should be tucked into boots. A headdress must be present on the head.
2. Heading into the forest, it is necessary to apply special anti-mite preparations to the skin.
3. When moving through the forest, it is better to choose the middle of the path and avoid tall plants and shrubs.
4. After returning from a walk, check all clothing for ticks. After all, the insect does not immediately penetrate the skin, but searches for several hours. the best place. In this way, tick bites can be prevented.
5. All clothes in which a person was on a walk must be cleaned.
6. As a preventive measure, you can get vaccinated, especially before visiting dangerous areas.
7. Before going into the forest, take with you everything you need that you may need in case of a tick bite. Pharmacies sell kits that include: tweezers, means for disinfecting the bite site, and more.

By performing preventive measures in a complex, a person can protect himself and his loved ones from the occurrence of a disease that can cause Tick-borne Encephalitis.

The consequences of an encephalitic tick bite can be avoided if the following tips are followed:

• Before a picnic, you can treat your clothes with a special agent with acaricides that can kill ticks. After returning home, it is necessary to inspect not only people's clothes, but also the hair of pets, which are also subject to insect bites.
• You can even get bitten by a tick in your own garden, so you need to mow tall grass and get rid of unnecessary shrubs.
• For a picnic in the forest, you need to choose a sandy place or a dry forest.

It is completely impossible to prevent a tick bite, but if an insect is found on the skin, it is urgent to seek medical advice. medical care to avoid serious consequences.

A tick is a small insect that feeds on the blood of animals and humans. Like mosquitoes, ticks feed on blood and fall off. But if this happens quickly in mosquitoes, then the tick can suck the blood of the victim 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. Insect saliva contains an anesthetic, so pain after a tick bite is not felt, and it is often not possible to quickly detect a tick.

Ticks are in the grass and bushes, waiting for their prey, and first fall on lower part human body, so a tick bite in the leg is not uncommon. Insects move quite quickly through the body in search of an attractive place, and often a person finds that a tick has bitten in the neck, head, upper part back.

Signs of a human tick bite do not appear immediately. By itself, a tick bite is not dangerous, it only causes itching and redness of the skin. But these insects are carriers of about 30 dangerous diseases, microbes.

Therefore, it is imperative to know what a tick bite looks like on a human body, how to properly remove an insect from the skin, in which cases you need to urgently consult a doctor, what symptoms can be after a tick bite, what are the consequences and how to avoid them.

What does a tick bite look like

Favorite places for ticks on the human body are the head, the skin behind the ears, the bends of the elbows, knees, groin, armpits, back, abdomen, neck. Returning from the forest, from outdoor recreation, these places should be checked first.

When bitten, the skin is injured, inflammation develops under the influence of insect 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 an infectious disease, then the bite site may look specific. For example, in the photo below, the bite of a tick infected with borreliosis - the spot has big size(up to 20, and sometimes 60 cm in diameter), intense red at 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 wiggling from side to side and then pulling counterclockwise.

The first symptom of a tick bite is the appearance of a pink spot. small size at the site of the bite, swelling. The wound must 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 sucked insects.

The symptoms of a tick bite are more severe in children, the elderly, allergy sufferers, people suffering from chronic diseases, people with weakened immune systems.

If the tick has not been infected, then the redness and itching quickly pass without a trace, no other symptoms appear. If the insect was infected, then after the tick has bitten, signs such as general weakness, chills, drowsiness, body aches, joints, photophobia, neck numbness appear.

There is tachycardia (rapid heartbeat, more than 60 beats per minute), a decrease in pressure, an increase in body temperature (not lower than 38 degrees), an increase in lymph nodes near the bite site. In severe cases, attacks of nausea, vomiting, headache, nervous manifestations (for example, hallucinations, delirium, convulsions, loss of consciousness), difficulty breathing may occur.

Tick ​​bite temperature

One of the most common symptoms if bitten by a tick is fever. This occurs within the first hours after the bite and is an allergic reaction to the entry of insect saliva into the body.

The temperature after a tick bite can rise within 10 days. If a high temperature is recorded during this period, this is a sign of the development of an infectious process. For example, tick-borne encephalitis is characterized by fever (an increase in body temperature to 38-40 degrees) on days 2-4, which lasts about two days, then the temperature drops. On the 8-10th day the temperature may rise again.

With borreliosis, already in 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 characteristic of all types of infections that are transmitted by ticks.

Possible consequences of a tick bite

What are the consequences of a tick bite? If the tick was not infected with an infection, then after a bite, itching may disturb for some time, a local allergic reaction - reddening of the skin, fever. All symptoms pass rather quickly.

The consequences of being bitten by an infected tick can be very serious. Infections can affect various bodies and systems: skin, nervous system, joints, bones, muscles, cardiovascular system, lungs, kidneys, liver.

The most serious consequences in humans are caused by the bite of a tick infected with encephalitis. With a favorable outcome, the symptoms of a mild degree of the disease completely disappear in two months, with a moderate degree of severity, recovery takes about 6 months, signs of a severe form of the infection disappear in two years.

With an unfavorable development of events, the consequences of a bite of an encephalitic tick in a person become a deterioration in the quality of life on an ongoing basis, for example, impaired motor functions, epilepsy. Possible death.

To avoid serious complications after a tick bite in humans, if an insect is detected, 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 that negative consequences will occur if a tick bites.

In areas where the incidence of tick-borne infections is high, vaccination against encephalitis and other infections is widespread. This measure minimizes the symptoms and consequences of a tick bite.

What should I do if bitten by a tick

If the tick bite has nevertheless occurred, the initial consultation can always be obtained by calling 03.

To remove the tick, you will most likely be sent to the district SES or the district emergency room.

If you do not have the opportunity to seek help from a medical institution, then the tick will have to be removed on your own.

It is convenient to remove ticks with curved tweezers or a surgical clip, in principle any other tweezers will do. In this case, the tick must be captured as close as possible to the proboscis, then it is gently pulled up, while rotating around its axis in a convenient direction. Usually, after 1-3 turns, the tick is removed entirely along with the proboscis. If you try to pull out the tick, then the probability of its rupture is high.

There are special tools for removing ticks.

These devices have an advantage over clamps or tweezers, since the body of the tick is not squeezed, extrusion of the contents of the tick into the wound is excluded, this reduces the risk of infection with tick infections.

If you don't have tweezers handy special devices, then the tick can be removed with a thread.

A strong thread is tied into a knot, as close as possible to the tick's proboscis, then the tick is removed by slowly swinging and pulling it up. Sharp movements are unacceptable - the tick will break.

If, when removing the tick, its head came off, which looks like a black dot, the suction site is wiped with cotton wool or a bandage moistened with alcohol, and then the head is removed with a sterile needle (previously calcined on fire) in the same way as you remove an ordinary splinter.

Some far-fetched advice about what to better removal ointment dressings should be applied to the sucked tick or oil solutions should be used. The oil can clog the tick's breathing holes and the tick will die and remain in the skin. After removing the tick, the skin at the site of its suction is treated with tincture of iodine or alcohol. Bandaging is usually not required.

What threatens a tick bite?

Even if the tick bite was short-lived, the risk of contracting tick-borne infections cannot be ruled out.

The tick can be a source of quite a large number diseases, therefore, after removing the tick, save it for testing for tick-borne infections (tick-borne encephalitis, tick-borne borreliosis, if possible, for other infections), this can usually be done in an infectious diseases hospital, on our website for a number of cities there are addresses of laboratories.

The tick should be placed in a small glass bottle along with a piece of cotton wool slightly dampened with water. Be sure to close the bottle with a tight lid and store it in the refrigerator. For microscopic diagnosis, the tick must be delivered to the laboratory alive. Suitable for PCR diagnostics even separate fragments tick. However, the latter method is not widely used even in large cities.

You need to understand that the presence of an infection in a tick does not mean that a person will get sick. Tick ​​analysis is needed for peace of mind in case of a negative result and vigilance in case of a positive one.

The surest way to determine the presence of the disease is to take a blood test. It is not necessary to donate blood immediately after a tick bite - tests will not show anything. Not earlier than 10 days later, you can examine the blood for tick-borne encephalitis and borreliosis by PCR. Two weeks after the tick bite for antibodies (IgM) to the tick-borne encephalitis virus. For antibodies (IgM) to Borrelia (tick-borne borreliosis) - in a month.

Tick-borne encephalitis(see the List of territories endemic for tick-borne encephalitis in 2010) - the most dangerous of tick-borne infections (consequences - up to death). Emergency prevention of tick-borne encephalitis should be carried out as early as possible, preferably on the first day.

Emergency prevention of tick-borne encephalitis is carried out using antiviral drugs or immunoglobulin.

Antiviral drugs.

In the Russian Federation, this is Yodantipirin for adults and children over 14 years of age.
Anaferon for children for children under 14 years of age.
If you could not find these drugs, theoretically they can be replaced by other antiviral agents (cycloferon, arbidol, rimantadine).

Immunoglobulin- it is expedient only during the first three days. AT European countries release discontinued. The disadvantages include high cost, frequent allergic reactions.

Not earlier than 10 days later, you can test the blood for tick-borne encephalitis by PCR. Two weeks after the tick bite for antibodies (IgM) to the tick-borne encephalitis virus. If a person is vaccinated against the tick-borne encephalitis virus, no action is needed.

Tick-borne borreliosis- a dangerous disease, often secretive, but in the event of a transition to a chronic form, leading to disability. Distributed throughout almost the entire territory of the Russian Federation, transmitted by ticks. Emergency prevention of tick-borne borreliosis in an adult can be carried out by drinking one tablet of doxycycline (200 mg) no later than 72 hours after the tick bite, in a child over 8 years old - 4 mg per 1 kg of weight, but not more than 200 mg. Children under 8 years of age and pregnant women are not given emergency prophylaxis. Regardless of whether emergency prophylaxis of tick-borne borreliosis was carried out or not, you should donate blood for antibodies to tick-borne borreliosis (IgM). It is better to take an analysis 3-4 weeks after a tick bite, it does not make sense earlier - it will be negative. If the result is positive, or redness appears at the site of the tick bite a few days after the bite, you need to contact an infectious disease specialist. Tick-borne borreliosis in the early stages is treated very quickly.

Hemorrhagic fevers, a group of natural focal organisms transmitted from animals to humans viral diseases, united by common clinical signs- fever (fever), subcutaneous and internal hemorrhages. According to the causative agent, as well as according to the method of spreading the infection, several types are distinguished.

Crimean hemorrhagic fever occurs in the form of sporadic cases in the southern steppe regions of the Russian Federation - Crimea, Taman Peninsula, Rostov Region, South Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, as well as in Bulgaria, i.e. where common ixodid ticks(Hyaloma). Infection occurs in spring and summer. The incubation period is 2-7 days. The causative agent is found in the blood of patients during the entire febrile period. The blood serum of convalescents has specific antiviral properties.

Omsk hemorrhagic fever was first described among residents of the lakeside villages of Siberia, among hunters and members of their families, in the Baraba steppe. Natural foci of Omsk hemorrhagic fever were found in the Omsk, Novosibirsk, Kurgan, Tyumen and Orenburg regions. It is possible that they are also present in some of their neighboring territories (Northern Kazakhstan, Altai and Krasnoyarsk Territory). It occurs in the autumn-winter period in the form of outbreaks associated with epizootics in game animals. The main carriers of the disease are the ixodid ticks Dermacentor. The incubation period is 3-7 days. In humans, the virus is detected during the entire febrile period. Currently, cases of the disease are extremely rare.

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome(hemorrhagic nephroso-nephritis) occurs in Europe and Asia in the form of group outbreaks and sporadic (isolated) cases. The transmission mechanism is not well understood; the possibility of transmission through gamasid mites is assumed. Natural foci can form in various landscapes (forest, steppe, tundra). The reservoir of infection is some species of mouse-like rodents. The incubation period is 11-24 days. For emergency prevention of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, iodantipyrine can be used.

About tick bites in questions and answers

Q: I was bitten by a tick, what should I do?
A: Read the article: “What to do if bitten by a tick”, the questions discussed in the article will not be considered below.

Q: How do you know if you have an encephalitis tick or not?
A: Tick-borne encephalitis is a virus carried by ixodid ticks - but not every tick is a carrier. By appearance, it is impossible to determine whether a tick is encephalitic or not - this can only be done in a laboratory. In almost all cities where there is a risk of infection with tick-borne encephalitis, it is possible to take a tick for analysis (usually a tick can be tested for other infections common in the region). On our website, for a number of cities, the addresses and phone numbers of such laboratories are indicated.

V .: I took off the tick, it seems that it has just begun to stick, is there a risk of getting sick and with what?
A: The risk of getting sick with tick-borne infections exists even with a slight bite on the time of the tick.

It will not be possible to unequivocally answer the question of what can be infected, since in different regions Ticks carry various infections.
Tick-borne encephalitis is considered the most dangerous disease transmitted by ticks; Rospotrebnadzor annually publishes lists of endemic territories of the Russian Federation for tick-borne encephalitis; unfortunately, such information is not published for other infections.
Tick-borne borreliosis (Lyme) is a very insidious disease, as it often proceeds hidden, becomes chronic and leads to disability. Borrelia-infected ticks are found to a greater or lesser extent in most of the territories of the Russian Federation, as well as in Europe, Asia and North America. Common symptom of the disease tick-borne borreliosis at the initial stage is the occurrence of migratory annular erythema at the site of suction of the tick.
In the southern regions of Russia, the most dangerous tick-borne disease is Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever.

There are other diseases, so if you feel worse, consult a doctor immediately.

V .: I was bitten by a tick, two weeks have passed since the bite, I felt good, and today the temperature has risen, what should I do?

A: Feeling unwell may not be due to a tick bite, but it can be ruled out tick-borne infections it is forbidden. Be sure to see a doctor.

Redness at the site of the tick bite

V .: The tick was removed, the bite site turned red almost immediately. What does it mean?

A: This is most likely an allergic reaction to the bite, inspect the bite site daily, if you notice an increase in the stain, soreness of the bite site or deterioration in general well-being, consult a doctor.

V .: The tick was removed, but after a few days the bite site was swollen, painful to touch.

A: You need to see a surgeon.

V .: The tick was removed, at first the bite was a little red, then the redness went away, and today, two weeks after the bite, it turned red again.

A: You should contact an infectious disease specialist. Very often, the early stage of the disease with tick-borne borreliosis is accompanied by the occurrence of migrating annular erythema at the site of the bite.

Emergency prevention of tick-borne encephalitis

Q: I live in a region endemic for tick-borne encephalitis. Yesterday I bitten a tick, noticed it in the evening, immediately removed it and took it to the laboratory for analysis. Today they called from the laboratory, they said that the tick-borne encephalitis virus was found in the tick and that I needed to drink a course of iodantipyrine. What else can be done to prevent tick-borne encephalitis? Very worried.
A: You should not worry too much, because the bite of an infected tick does not mean that a person will get sick (even without prevention). Yodantipyrin, along with immunoglobulin, is approved for use for emergency prevention of tick-borne encephalitis - its effectiveness has been proven. You can also recommend a balanced diet during the incubation period of CE, try to avoid any stressful situations for the body (overheating, hypothermia, heavy physical exertion, etc.).

V .: I was bitten by a tick, I threw it away, and now I'm worried - suddenly the tick was encephalitic. When can I donate blood for analysis?
A: Donating blood immediately after a tick bite does not make sense - tests will not show anything. Not earlier than 10 days later, you can test the blood for tick-borne encephalitis by PCR. Two weeks later for antibodies (IgM) to the tick-borne encephalitis virus.

Q: I am pregnant (10 weeks). Bitten by a tick - what to do to prevent tick-borne encephalitis?
A .: Studies of the effect of immunoglobulin and iodantipyrin on the fetus have not been conducted, therefore pregnancy is listed as a contraindication to them. The intake of both drugs is prescribed by a doctor according to strict indications, when the intended benefit to the mother outweighs the potential risk to the fetus. Many doctors recommend simply monitoring how you feel - most people do not get sick when bitten by a tick infected with tick-borne encephalitis.

V .: A tick bit a one-year-old child. What can be done to prevent tick-borne encephalitis?

A: For emergency prevention of tick-borne encephalitis in children, immunoglobulin or anaferon for children is used.

Q: I was bitten by a tick, I am vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis, what should I do to prevent it?

A: Vaccination is the most reliable protection against tick-borne encephalitis. For prevention, you do not need to take anything - you already have immunity.

V .: A week ago, I was given an immunoglobulin of tick-borne encephalitis, and today I was bitten by a tick again. Should I be concerned about tick-borne encephalitis?

A: The introduction of immunoglobulin creates immunity, it is weaker than with vaccination, but it is able to protect for some time (usually up to 1 month) from tick-borne encephalitis. That is, in your case, you do not have to worry about CE.

V .: I took Jodantipyrin according to the prophylactic (before the tick bite) regimen. I was bitten by a tick, what should I do, according to what scheme should I take Jodantipyrin?

A: You should move on to the “after tick bite” scheme.

V .: The tick was removed, most likely on the 4th day from the moment of suction. The tick was not preserved, did not go anywhere, I feel good. What can I do to prevent tick-borne encephalitis?

A: You can start taking iodantipyrin (immunoglobulin is ineffective already on the third day, on the fourth day its use is inappropriate), although, of course, the time for emergency prevention has already been lost. Monitor your well-being, if you notice a deterioration in the condition, consult a doctor.

V .: I am going on a long trip, I will not have the opportunity to see a doctor in case of a tick bite. What do i do?

A: Avoid tick bites - read the article: Prevention of tick bites. If there is at least 3 weeks before your trip, then it is better to take a course of vaccination - this is The best way prevention of tick-borne encephalitis. If there is no time, then take Jodantipyrin on a hike (you won’t be able to take immunoglobulin with you).

V .: I was bitten by a tick, I pulled it out. I am very worried, but there is no way to see a doctor (I am far from civilization), there is no way to buy medicines. How to be?

A: Most people who have not received emergency prophylaxis when bitten by a tick infected with tick-borne encephalitis do not get sick. Since you don't even know if a tick has been infected or not, you shouldn't panic. Try to find an opportunity to consult a doctor in case of deterioration of health.