Watch out for ticks. They have already appeared in Polish forests

The beginning of spring is not only looking for the first storks, but also for ticks on our clothes and skin. There are already the first signs that these arachnids have appeared. They can be found not only in the forest, but also in the city park, and even in the backyard garden. How to protect yourself from a tick and what to do when it sticks into your skin?

1. It got warmer, which means ticks have appeared all over the country. The temperature above 4 degrees favors them
2. Ticks are not only found in forests, they are present wherever there are tall grass and deciduous trees
3. Ticks are attracted by the smell of our sweat, so even in warmer weather, it is worth wearing long sleeves, long pants and shoes that cover the foot
4. When removing a tick, remember not to lubricate it with anything
5. In 2021, 12 cases of Lyme disease, a disease transmitted by ticks, were detected in Poland
6. You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page

The ticks have already appeared

The higher temperature meant that the first reports of ticks appeared. Employees of the State Forests report the occurrence of arachnids as breasts. Ticks live mainly in deciduous and mixed forests, but they can be found everywhere with vegetation, not only in the forest or in the meadow, as is commonly believed. Ticks are also waiting for us in the city park, and even in the backyard garden.

Where are the most of them? Traditionally in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie and Podlaskie voivodships. – These are voivodeships where ticks are endemic, i.e. they have become established there and there are a lot of them. But the above-average number of ticks is also found in Małopolska and Silesia. Our country is a good home for a tick – explained doctor Bartosz Fiałek last year.

Ticks – how to protect yourself against them?

Ticks don’t like synthetic fabrics. They definitely prefer cotton. Therefore, fleece or elastic tracksuits work well as better protection. Long sleeves, pants, shoes that cover the foot – they protect well against ticks. Some companies produce clothing impregnated with repellent substances – primarily permethrin.

1. Repellants – effective ways to fight insects and more

The color of our clothes does not matter to the tick. They are attracted by the smell. Ticks react to the smell of sweat. They are also attracted to increased body temperature. However, it is worth wearing bright clothes to the forest or for a walk for a simple reason – dark ticks can be seen better on light fabrics.

Repellants, i.e. repellants, can also help protect against ticks. They can be natural (e.g. eucalyptus oil, lavender oil, clove oil) or chemical.

Ticks – what diseases do they transmit?

Ticks living in Poland transmit tick-borne encephalitis, Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and rickettsiosis. Experts estimate that around 10-15 percent of ticks can be infected with pathogenic germs, especially in the Podlaskie and Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodships and in some parts of Mazowieckie, Opolskie and Dolnośląskie voivodships.

The most dangerous disease is tick-borne encephalitis. You can get vaccinated against it, but booster doses must be given every three years. Symptoms of the disease appear within two weeks and are similar to the flu. In 70-80 percent. cases, it is inhibited in this first phase. In the rest of those infected, the viruses travel into the central nervous system, where they can cause meningitis. Sometimes it ends in death, and nearly every second patient leaves the hospital with permanent consequences that require many years of treatment or rehabilitation.

1. Ticks – what diseases do they transmit?

Another dangerous disease is Lyme disease, the characteristic symptom of which is gradually expanding redness – but this symptom does not always occur. Fortunately, Lyme disease can be cured with antibiotics in most cases.

National epidemiology consultant, prof. Andrzej Zieliński explains that the best way to prevent tick-borne diseases is to scrub yourself in the shower with a soft brush. The shower itself is not enough, because there are hooks on the legs of the ticks, which they catch while walking on our skin.

How to get rid of a tick?

The most important thing is to carefully inspect the clothes and body, with particular emphasis on exposed places, after returning from the places threatened by ticks. It may turn out that the arachnid hasn’t had time to dig into the skin yet, and we’ll find it before it does. It is a bit worse when he has already bitten into our body.

– When returning from an area with ticks, it is worth checking the skin carefully. Before 12 hours, we are not at risk of becoming infected – the later after this date, the greater the risk – said Prof. Stanisława Tylewska-Wierzbanowska from the National Institute of Hygiene.

1. What to do when a tick bites? [WE EXPLAIN]

Removing a tick is not difficult, but requires precision and firmness. The shorter the time a tick is in the skin, the less likely we are to be infected with the diseases it carries.

The most important thing is not to lubricate the tick with anything – butter, oil or petroleum jelly. This can cause the tick to vomit into the wound, making it easier for pathogens to enter the skin.

It is worth getting equipment for removing ticks at the pharmacy, but you can do without it. The tool with which we will remove the tick must be disinfected. Ordinary tweezers will do the job at home. We grab the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull it out of the skin with one stroke. We do not twist and squeeze.

After removing the tick, make sure that it is completely removed. Disinfect the place after the bite and wash your hands. Each tick bite should be consulted with a doctor.

Find out more about ticks and Lyme disease:

1. Lyme disease – questions to which it is good to know the answer
2. Mosquito and tick repellants can endanger your health
3. You can protect yourself from ticks, but you should think about vaccination