Epidemiologist: ticks carry serious diseases, their symptoms can be confusing

The season for ticks has started. – Ticks transmit serious diseases, especially Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis. That is why it is worth protecting against their stabbing, e.g. through appropriate clothing, as well as vaccinate against tick-borne encephalitis – says epidemiologist Agnieszka Motyl.

1. Ticks can transmit several diseases, including Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis
2. Tick-borne encephalitis is sometimes neglected, e.g. because its symptoms initially resemble the flu or a cold
3. TBE is a very serious disease which, in its most severe form, can cause damage to the spinal cord and paralysis of the limbs – warns the epidemiologist Agnieszka Motyl
4. You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page

Ticks – what diseases do they transmit?

Ticks usually become active at the turn of March and April, but they have become active even earlier in recent years. These small arachnids are considered to be one of the most dangerous animals in the world – they can carry many pathogenic microorganisms, and every person spending their time outdoors, even on a plot, a backyard garden or a city park, is potentially at risk of encountering them.

– Both tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and Lyme disease are infectious diseases transmitted by ticks. Flaviviridae virus is responsible for TBE, while Lyme disease is caused by bacteria: Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes. Tick-borne encephalitis affects the central nervous system, while in the case of Lyme disease, the symptoms include the skin, joints, nervous system and heart, says epidemiologist Agnieszka Motyl, quoted by PAP.

Importantly, unlike Lyme disease treated with antibiotics, there is no specific antiviral treatment for tick-borne encephalitis.

1. Read also: Ticks – the most important questions and answers

The data presented by Motyl show that in 2019 there were 265 cases of TBE in Poland. – The disease is most often recorded in the Podlaskie and Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodships. We should remember, however, that we can find ticks in any green place: in the forest, in the garden, or on the lawn in the city center, explains the epidemiologist.

Tick-borne encephalitis – what are the symptoms?

Tick-borne encephalitis is sometimes neglected, e.g. because its symptoms initially resemble the flu or a cold.

– The first symptoms of the disease may appear a few days after the tick bite, on average after 7-14 days. In the first phase of the disease, patients develop fever up to 38 degrees Celsius, headache, muscle and joint pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, as well as symptoms of upper respiratory tract catarrh. This phase of the disease is called a harbinger, it lasts an average of four days and resolves on its own in most people, explains Motyl.

After several days of well-being, some patients develop the second phase of the disease, with fever of up to 40 degrees Celsius, headaches, muscle and joint pain, nausea and vomiting, as well as the symptoms of the so-called meningeal – stiff neck, photophobia, or hypersensitivity to sounds and other stimuli. – We must remember that TBE is a very serious disease which, in its most severe form, can cause damage to the spinal cord and paralysis of the limbs – emphasizes the epidemiologist.

Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis

The important thing is that you can get vaccinated against TBE. It is the best method of prevention against TBE. Vaccination consists of three doses. Its effectiveness after two doses is 88-96 percent, and after three doses it is 96-100 percent. People over 60 should get a booster dose every three years, and younger people every five years. The best time to vaccinate is early spring.

1. Find out more: Ticks attack. How can a bite end?

– They should be especially considered by people who live in areas where the disease is frequent, as well as people who, due to their profession or undertaken activities, are extremely exposed to contact with ticks, foresters, military, fire and border guards, hunters, farmers, tourists, or participants of camps and colonies – says Motyl.

Ticks – how to avoid them?

The epidemiologist also draws attention to the safety and prevention rules, thanks to which you can prevent a tick bite and appropriate treatment after the bite.

– We should prevent bites by ticks by maintaining safety rules when we are in forest areas. The right outfit is important: for a walk in the forest, choose clothes with long legs and sleeves, a hat, and covered shoes. During trips, we should avoid sitting directly on the grass, by bushes and crossing the bushes – explains the expert.

1. Find out more: Tick ​​erythema and Lyme disease. Diagnosis, diagnosis, treatment

As he adds, it is also worth using repellants that repel e.g. ticks. – Remember that places on the body that are extremely susceptible to a tick bite are the neck, scalp, armpits, groin, navel, and joint bends. Therefore, when we return home, let’s take a close look at the whole body, paying special attention to these places. In the event of a tick bite, it is important to remove it as soon as possible with tweezers, a lasso or a special pump, and then disinfect the skin and wash your hands, says Motyl.

Ticks – how to remove?

Lubricating the tick with fat, butter or alcohol, as well as twisting or crushing the tick may only make its removal difficult. The site after the tick bite should be monitored for up to 60 days. If disturbing symptoms appear – erythema, fever, headache, muscle or joint pain, it is worth consulting a doctor.

1. The editorial board recommends: Attention! This is the biggest mistake when removing the tick. Never do that

A frequently advertised practice is to have a tick removed from the skin for examination. The person stabbed fears that the arachnid was a carrier of Lyme disease or TBE and wants to check it as soon as possible. – However, experts strongly do not recommend laboratory tests on ticks after their removal, because the result of such a test does not change the medical procedure, says the epidemiologist. According to her, if a tick test shows that it was infected, it does not mean that it has transferred the disease to us.

– On the other hand, a negative tick test result does not give us confidence that we were not infected, because such tests have a low sensitivity and can give a false negative result – explains Motyl. Therefore, when a tick bites us, self-observation and proper diagnosis are of great importance when symptoms appear that may indicate tick-borne diseases.

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