Ticks have a very bad reputation – and rightly so, because these arachnids spread many contagious diseases. Ticks can be found on the edges of forests and meadows, in clearings, meadows by rivers and ponds, in home gardens and city parks in tall grass and low shrubs. Ticks attack in two major waves, May and June, and September and October.
Ticks cause a number of diseases, and below are the two most common: bacterial borreliosis and viral encephalitis. If you are going on vacation and in areas where ticks may be present, even if you have not noticed a tick bite, you must urgently look for the symptoms of the following diseases.
Lyme disease, or Lyme disease
Lyme disease, also known as Lyme disease, is one of the most common infectious diseases that are transmitted by ticks. Lyme disease is caused by bacteria, specifically Borrelia Burgdorferi, when ticks are feeding.
in the skin of an attacked person. Lyme disease does not spread from one person to another.
Symptoms and symptoms of Lyme disease
Symptoms and symptoms depend on the stage of development of the disease and its duration. In the early stage of Lyme disease, skin lesions appear, most often in the form of a characteristic red round erythema. The erythema first appears at the site of a tick bite, and then it may increase in size (this is called migratory erythema). It is worth knowing that about 20 percent. In patients with Lyme disease, erythema never appears.
In the next stage of the disease, which occurs weeks to months after the bite, the spirochetes of the bacteria spread throughout the body. Then, more symptoms appear. First, the infected complain of a general malaise and flu-like symptoms, such as: chills, fever, cold sweat, heat waves, fatigue and heaviness. There are also paralytic facial and muscular pains, paralysis of the spinal and cranial nerves (including the facial nerve), which are manifested by partial facial paralysis or tics, meningeal symptoms, sensory disturbances, paresis and joint pain. Sometimes patients also complain of double vision and sensitivity to light, problems with balance, dizziness and nausea. In addition, heart rhythm disturbances may also occur.
Some medical associations also talk about the chronic form of the disease. It is supposed to occur when the disease lasts more than a year, and the symptoms are the same as in the advanced form of the disease, but are of a long-term nature. Doctors of other groups do not recognize chronic Lyme disease and talk about post-Lyme syndrome, which should not be treated with antibiotics and only symptomatic treatment should be maintained.
Lyme disease treatment and prevention
Since Lyme disease is caused by bacteria, it is treated with antibiotics. Due to the fact that Lyme disease is transmitted by ticks, it is very important to observe your skin after walks in meadows, forests or parks. Ticks like to settle in warm places with a delicate skin, i.e. on the head, around the eyes and in the groin.
Tick-borne (or tick-borne) encephalitis (TBE)
Tick-borne encephalitis is the second most common, after Lyme disease, and a very serious disease transmitted by ticks. Unlike Lyme disease, TBE is caused by a virus that
in particular a flavivirus from the Flaviviridae family. Viruses enter our blood when bitten by a tick.
TBE viruses do not always cause TBE. It happens that when viruses enter our body, our defense system is able to overcome them and eliminate them. Unfortunately, about 50 percent. infected viruses are not defeated, they get into the nervous system and cause serious disease.
Symptoms of tick-borne encephalitis
The first symptoms of the disease usually appear 7-14 days after contact with an infected tick, but it also happens that this period is even 4 weeks. The first symptoms of the disease are similar to the flu, so they include fatigue, fever, chills, neck and headache, muscle aches and pain in the eyes. Gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are much less common.
In some patients, when the first symptoms resolve spontaneously and the patient is fully healed, the disease never recurs. In this case, the patient himself may not even know that he has been infected with tick-borne encephalitis viruses
Unfortunately, the remaining people who develop the first symptoms continue to develop the infection and develop tick-borne encephalitis. In this case, meningitis develops first. The main symptom of the disease is a very high fever of around 40 degrees Celsius, a headache and a stiff neck. Nausea, dizziness and vomiting are common.
In more severe forms, encephalitis develops. Symptoms of encephalitis include altered consciousness, confusion, lack of concentration and memory loss. Additionally, patients may suffer from nystagmus, limb tremors, and difficulty speaking and swallowing. In the most severe form of the disease, the patient struggles with increasing drowsiness, which may lead to coma.
Viruses can also attack the spinal cord (called myelitis). It happens very rarely, but it is one
from more severe forms of the disease. Myelitis is manifested by rapidly progressive limb paresis and sensory disturbances, and the patient requires many months of hospitalization and rehabilitation.
Treatment and prevention
Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment for TBE, there is only symptomatic treatment. Due to the fact that this disease is caused by viruses, a vaccine has been developed and people who often stay in areas affected by ticks carrying the viruses can be vaccinated prophylactically. It is worth noting that the effectiveness of the TBE vaccine is one of the best achieved against viral infection. The overall effectiveness in regularly vaccinated people is 99%. 3 doses are required for a complete vaccination. After the first 2 doses of the primary vaccination, the effectiveness is between 96 and 100%. Then, after 3-5 years, a booster dose is given.
However, as in the case of Lyme disease, it is very important to check your body after walks and skillfully remove the ticks.