With the onset of warming, there is a high probability of finding a tick bite on the body. In summer, this problem becomes especially relevant, ticks are more common. A tick bite can cause irreparable harm to human health, cause disability or even death, so the problem should be taken seriously.
How to protect yourself from a tick bite? What to do if bitten by a tick? Let's look into these issues in detail.
The consequences of such a bite are extremely severe (in case of infection and refusal of treatment):
- paralyzes the body;
- have breathing problems;
- brain activity decreases;
- death is possible.
If a person has suffered from a “sterile” tick, then the complications may not be so dangerous:
- suppuration of the affected area;
- the occurrence of an allergic reaction;
- the appearance of edema, even Quincke's edema is possible.
It is impossible to independently determine whether an infectious tick has stuck or not. Their appearance and color does not depend whether they are infected or not. If bitten by an infected tick, early treatment can save the victim's life.
How long does it take for a tick bite to show symptoms?
The first symptoms appear after 2-3 hours in the form of. A week or later, the symptoms described above may appear.
How is a tick bite different from other insect bites?
How to find out which insect has bitten and left characteristic marks on the skin? There will be one spot, there will not be the same in the neighborhood, the redness will increase every hour, an allergic reaction may occur. Bedbugs, for example, bite in several places at once, fleas too. The bite of a mosquito and a midge is much smaller than a tick.
Can a tick bite without sucking?
Can a tick bite through clothes and pantyhose?
Why do ticks drink blood and how much do they need?
Ticks drink blood in order to get enough and leave offspring. Females will not be able to lay eggs in a hungry state, they definitely need blood. How long can a tick suck blood? From several minutes to several hours, and females, as a rule, stay on the body of the victim longer. It should be noted that most of the time the tick is on the skin of a person or animal in search of a place for suction, so if the tick has not yet stuck, it should be brushed off as soon as possible (no need to press it on yourself like a mosquito, you can bring an infection under the skin) . On average, an adult sucks blood for 1-2 hours, after which it disappears.
How much blood can a tick drink at one time?
Hungry individuals of the ixodid tick weigh from 2 to 15 mg, and sated from 200 to 1200 mg, which is many times their own weight. In one bite, a tick can deflate up to 1000 mg human blood. The size of a hungry tick does not exceed 4 mm, and a full one can reach 3 cm, becoming similar in size to a corn seed.
The photo compares two ticks on the body of a cat - a recently sucked and already drunk blood. Does a tick die after being bitten?
Some people seriously think that a tick dies after it bites a person, but this is not at all the case. Apparently it is confused with a wasp or a bee, which dies after being stung. A tick, on the contrary, only benefits from a bite, this is its nutrition, which contributes to further development and reproduction. A hungry tick will not be able to leave offspring, so biting people and animals is a vital necessity for him.
How dangerous is a tick bite for a person?
A tick can serve as a carrier of a rather extensive list of diseases, so after pulling out a tick, it is better to save it for tests to determine infections (encephalitis, borreliosis, called Lyme disease), this is done in the laboratory at the infectious diseases hospital. It is worth noting that the presence of viruses in an insect does not guarantee that the bite victim will also get sick. It is necessary to examine the insect for peace of mind if the result is negative, and for timely treatment - if an infection is confirmed.
Most often transmitted and pose a huge threat to human life - and. Scientists have proven that the chance of getting infected from a tick is unlikely, since 90% of ticks, according to studies, are not infected. Although minimal, but the chance exists.
Is it possible to get infected from a tick if it crawled through the body?
If the tick just crawled over the surface of the skin, it is impossible to get infected from it. The first stage of infection begins precisely from the moment the tick sucks and injects an anesthetic substance under the skin. So if a tick crawls over you, brush it off as soon as possible and, if possible, with fire.
Bitten by a tick - what to do: first aid
If a tick is crawling on you, shake it off immediately, and if it has already stuck, then remove it as soon as possible and store it in a jar with moistened cotton wool or blades of grass to deliver it alive to the laboratory for the study and diagnosis of infections.
Treat the wound with an antiseptic. If signs of allergy are observed - severe redness and swelling of the bite site, immediately give the victim an antiallergic agent. You can purchase the drugs "Zirtek", "Suprastin", "Prednisolone" (spread the bite site): the dosage regimen of the drugs is individual. The action of one tablet is enough for a whole day. These antihistamines are actively used to eliminate the allergic effects of a bite. Taking the pill is not recommended for individual intolerance to the components. Perhaps the development of hypokalemia, sleep disturbances, flatulence and negative nitrogen balance.
If the encephalitis virus has entered the human body, the drug "Ribonuclease" is prescribed for treatment. The drug is administered 6 times a day intramuscularly, in a hospital. The dose is prescribed by the attending physician. The use of Ribonuclease is not recommended for respiratory failure, tuberculosis and bleeding. There is a risk of developing allergic conditions.
How to pull out a tick?
- Movements in a circle counterclockwise, as if unscrewing a screw, pull it out of the skin with tweezers. Be careful not to break off the head of the tick.
- If you had to extract the bloodsucker in nature, and there were no tweezers nearby, an ordinary thread will help. With its help, the proboscis is tied near the very surface of the skin and pulled out with light jerks.
- After removal, you need to make sure that the tick is intact, put it in an airtight container and deliver it to the clinic for analysis as soon as possible.
- Lubricate the surface near the bite with any antiseptic.
People often advise treating the affected area with oil, kerosene, gasoline and other liquids so that the tick crawls out on its own. This action is erroneous - the tick will try to dive even deeper under the skin. But if the insect then crawls out, its body will not be able to be examined in the laboratory.
What to do if the head of the tick remains under the skin?
The head of the tick may remain under the skin in case of careless, excessively sharp removal. It looks like a small splinter, so some are negligent about removing it, saying “the tick is dead, it no longer sucks out blood, it will fall off by itself” or simply do not notice. But it is not recommended to do so. Left under the skin, the proboscis of the tick will provoke inflammation and suppuration of the wound. Therefore, do not leave the head or proboscis of the tick under the skin, waiting for them to fall off on their own. 
Take a sharp needle disinfected in alcohol and pick the remaining proboscis and remove it. After a bite, a small wound will remain on the skin, which will heal quickly if the tick was not contagious. Treat the bite site with peroxide, then brilliant green or iodine. If, use Fenistil gel or a similar remedy that relieves itching. Try not to scratch the inflamed area so that the healing process goes faster.
To prevent the head of the tick from remaining under the skin, cling to it as close as possible to the suction point. What disease can be contracted from a tick bite?
After a tick bite, a person develops various ailments - from ordinary irritation to severe or fatal illness:
Modern drugs can completely cure infections that are transmitted by a tick, provided that it is detected in a timely manner and treatment is started immediately.
Signs of infection with tick-borne encephalitis
According to doctors, the symptoms of this encephalitis are detected after 10-14 days from the moment the victim was bitten by a tick. What to do? There is no need to panic, often elevated body temperature and muscle pain can be a manifestation of a protective psychological response of the body after fright and worries.
The onset of the disease goes through certain stages:
- Causeless and short chills, fever up to 40 degrees. According to the clinical signs of the formation of encephalitis, this period is more like infection with the flu.
- After some time, the patient may experience symptoms: nausea and vomiting, bouts of severe headache. At this stage, all symptoms indicate a gastrointestinal disorder.
- A few days later, the patient suddenly develops symptoms of arthritis or arthrosis. Pain in the head passes, they are replaced by aches of the whole body. The patient's movements are very difficult, there are problems with breathing. The skin on the face and body turns red and becomes swollen, purulent abscesses appear at the site of the bite.
- Further, the symptoms only worsen, because the infection enters the patient's circulatory system and begins its destructive work. Delay can lead to death!
If a tick is found on the body, it should be removed immediately. This procedure can be carried out independently or go to the hospital. Health workers can easily pull it out and run a series of tests. Only in laboratory conditions can you accurately determine whether this tick is dangerous. If treatment is necessary, it is necessary to unconditionally follow the recommendations and prescriptions of the attending physician so that the effectiveness of the treatment is maximum.
Treatment of tick-borne encephalitis
Before the onset of the first symptoms of the infection that the tick transmits, a different amount of time can pass - from one day to several weeks. It depends on the type of disease and many factors, such as immunity, age, duration of tick bite, etc.
These arachnids can be large enough or so small that they are almost impossible to see. There are approximately 850 various types ticks. Most of their bites are harmless, but sometimes they can cause moderate to severe illness.
Subsequently, there may be disturbances in the work of the heart and / or nervous system, kidney, adrenal, liver damage and even death.
Symptoms
The first symptoms of major diseases that are transmitted by ticks usually resemble the flu.The male drinks blood and falls off after about an hour. In a female, this process can take more than a week.
Symptoms should be observed for several weeks after the bite. These include muscle or joint soreness, neck stiffness, headache, weakness, fever, swollen lymph nodes, and other flu-like symptoms, as well as a red spot or rash starting at the site of the bite.
Here are some bite symptoms that vary depending on the type of tick:
- Respiratory arrest
- Labored breathing
- blisters
- rashes
- Severe pain in the area lasts for several weeks (from some types of ticks)
- Swelling at the site of the bite (from certain types of ticks)
- Weakness
- Violation of coordination of movements.
If a person is bitten by an infected tick, the incubation period (time between infection and symptoms) is about 5-7 days. Symptoms may vary depending on the condition of the body. Age and underlying health conditions can influence the severity of the infection.
Typical features may include the presence of a black spot at the site of the bite, fever, severe headache, and rash. The black spot is an eschar and looks like a small ulcer (2-5 mm in diameter) with a black center. They can be single or multiple and are sometimes very difficult to find. Usually appears after the onset of headache and general malaise. Lymph nodes in this area may be enlarged.
A rash is usually, but not always, a sign of an infected tick bite, but is rare. Appears as small red spots on the skin, sometimes slightly raised, that start on the limbs and spread to the trunk, and can occur throughout the body, including the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
Lyme disease (tick-borne borreliosis)
"Classic" migratory erythema rash with tick-borne borreliosis Symptoms of early localized Lyme disease (stage 1) may take several days to several weeks to appear after infection. They are similar to flu symptoms and may include:
- Fever and chills
- General malaise
- Headache
- Pain in muscles and joints
- Stiffness of the neck (stiff neck).
There may also be a bull's-eye rash, a flat or slightly raised red spot at the site of the bite. It can be large and grow in size. This rash is called erythema migrans. Without treatment, it can last 4 weeks or longer.
Symptoms may come and go. Without treatment, the bacteria can spread to the brain, heart, and joints.
Symptoms of early advanced Lyme disease (stage 2) may occur weeks to months after the bite and may include:
- Numbness or pain in the nerve area
- Paralysis or weakness of facial muscles
- Heart problems, such as a fast heartbeat, chest pain, or shortness of breath.
Symptoms of late disseminated Lyme disease (stage 3) can occur months or years after infection. The most common among them are muscle and joint pain. Other symptoms may include:
- Abnormal muscle movement
- Articular tumor
- muscle weakness
- Numbness and tingling
- Speech problems
- cognitive problems.
Tick-borne encephalitis
Most infected people do not show symptoms at all - this is called the asymptomatic form. In other cases, the incubation period lasts from 4 to 28 days. Symptoms usually appear faster (within 3-4 days) if the disease is contracted through consumption of milk or dairy products rather than through a bite.
They often appear in 2 stages.
In the first stage, flu-like symptoms usually last 1 to 8 days, including:
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Muscle pain
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Vomit.
At the second stage, the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) is affected. Symptoms may include:
- Encephalitis (swelling of the brain)
- Confusion
- Paralysis (inability to move)
- Meningitis (swelling of the membrane around the brain and spinal cord)
- Myelitis (swelling of the spinal cord).
The severity of the disease may increase with age.
In more severe cases, complications during the second phase can cause permanent damage to the brain, spine, or nerves, which can lead to:
- memory loss
- hearing loss
- loss of coordination
- Death (in some cases).
With the onset of warm days, a person is waiting not only for a pleasant rest, but also for ticks that can carry various dangerous diseases. The tick clings to clothes, looks for open areas of the skin, digs into it. A person may not feel a bite, but it is extremely difficult not to notice the characteristic symptoms.
It is important to know what the tick looks like, what to do during the bite of a bloodsucker. An important role is played by knowledge of the symptoms indicating dangerous ailments. Carefully study the following material, follow useful advice doctors.
During the bite itself, the tick produces an anesthetic, so the victim does not feel it. After 20 minutes, pain impulses again enter the brain, a person begins to feel unpleasant symptoms, itching.
What should I do if bitten by a tick
Before you figure out what to do with a tick, you need to study the symptoms of a bloodsucker bite, the danger it poses.
Symptoms and signs
What does a tick bite look like? In most cases, a person manages to notice the bite of a bloodsucker before the tick disappears. In place of the vinegar, there is noticeable redness, swelling, burning, and a bump also occurs, which, in a good scenario, will subside in a week. In rare cases, the appearance of pain in soft tissues is noted, some people experience symptoms of an allergic reaction, if there is hypersensitivity, an allergy to tick bites. If the stain does not go away on its own, contact your doctor immediately.
In severe cases, when infected with dangerous ailments, patients affected by bloodsuckers experience the following symptoms:
- fever, chills, headache;
- shortness of breath, swelling of the skin;
- rashes all over the body;
- numbness;
- difficulty walking, paralysis of the lower extremities;
- lack of appetite, sleep disturbances.
Note! The patient has vomiting, nausea, elevated temperature, edema, palpitations, loss of consciousness requires an immediate call to the doctors at home.
What threatens a tick bite for a person
In the worst situation, a tick can infect a person with such infections:
- tick-borne encephalitis. It is a viral disease, the main symptoms include: hyperthermia, intoxication, damage to the human central nervous system (meningitis, encephalitis). The consequences of the course of the disease include: neurological pathologies that lead to a change in personality, in some cases - to disability, even death. The first signs of the disease are noted in the first seven days, prevention should be done several days after the bite;
- hemorrhagic fever. Is an infectious disease that causes the virus. Signs of infection include: intoxication of the body, the onset of fever, subcutaneous hemorrhages, changes in the composition of the patient's blood. Specialists distinguish between Crimean and Omsk fever. With timely treatment to the doctor, the prognosis is favorable. Treatment consists in taking antiviral medications, vitamins that strengthen blood vessels;
- borreliosis or Lyme disease. It is an infectious disease of a bacterial nature. General intoxication of the body is accompanied by a sharp increase in temperature, headache, constantly migrating rash, and fatigue. Bacteria are capable of infecting human organs and systems (especially the nervous and musculoskeletal, cardiovascular). Untimely assistance leads to disability.
Considering the danger of a tick bite for a person, be sure to pay attention to such a nuisance, if necessary, visit a doctor.
How to pull out a bloodsucker
Learn about the main similarities and differences, as well as what to do when bitten by stinging insects.
What not to do:
How to treat a wound
In the first minutes, it is important to provide first aid for a tick bite. Wash your hands thoroughly with soapy water, treat the wound with any antiseptic (alcohol, hydrogen peroxide will do). It is not recommended to apply brilliant green or iodine, this will worsen the view of the affected area, making it difficult to destroy the bloodsucker.
- ticks cannot bite through clothes, it will look for an open area of \u200b\u200bthe skin, so when going to nature, put on a tight shirt and trousers;
- take care to protect exposed areas of the body (put on socks, fasten the buttons on the sleeves). You can also spray yourself with insect repellents, in particular ticks. It is advisable to wear light-colored clothes, small bloodsuckers are visible on it;
- after outdoor recreation, carefully inspect clothes, body. The tick moves slowly, so it can be easily removed (do not pick it up with bare hands);
- if a bloodsucker is found on the body, contact an infectious disease specialist.
A tick bite can be dangerous to health, even human life. Be vigilant, if you experience unpleasant symptoms, immediately consult a doctor or call an ambulance.
What to do with a tick bite? How to behave to prevent an insect attack? Find out the answers in the following video:
Blood-sucking mites are potential carriers of several pathogens that cause life-threatening diseases. The most serious pathologies registered in the post-Soviet countries are tick-borne encephalitis, Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis and spotted fevers.
External examination of damaged skin
Ticks are representatives of the arachnid order, measuring up to three millimeters ( standard sizes- 0.1-0.5 mm). According to the method of obtaining vital energy, small creatures are divided into saprophages that feed on organic residues (for example, dust, barn, scabies, spider mites and linen mites) and blood-sucking predators.
A tick bite can be fatal to humans. The infectious agent in saliva gets under the skin during a bite, which is fraught with subsequent infection.
The tick is attached to the outer shell of its prey with the help of a special organ - the hypostome, located under the predator's oral apparatus (hypostoma: hypo - under, stoma - mouth). Most often, the bite occurs on delicate and thin skin, under which there are many capillary vessels.
- The most favorite areas are the area of the face, ears, neck, abdomen, armpits, as well as the groin and lumbar region.
At first, the patient may not even notice that a tick has stuck into his skin, since the bite itself is almost painless. Over time, focal inflammation and manifestations of allergies appear. This is the standard response of the human body to a tick bite.
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Tick bite symptoms, photo
Tick bite photo and symptoms in humans
The detection of a sucked tick on the skin is reliable and the first sign of a bite. In appearance, it resembles a convex mole of small size. The patient's well-being can deteriorate sharply, in connection with which there are complaints of drowsiness, photophobia, headache and lethargy.
When a tick bite occurs, the symptoms in a person are not always pronounced, so the patient may simply not attach importance to negative changes. It should also be borne in mind that the degree of deterioration in well-being depends on the number of tick bites and the tendency of the human body to allergic manifestations.
The next day (subject to infection) aggravating symptoms appear. The victim's temperature rises to 38 degrees, the number of heartbeats increases, and blood pressure decreases.
Sometimes the signs of a tick bite are manifested in the form of allergic reactions, expressed as a skin rash and irritation. On palpation of the lymph nodes, their increase is noted (especially those that are closest to the bite site).
- The bites of linen mites do not threaten human life.
At the site of skin microtrauma, small hyperemic blisters are formed, causing itching. After a few hours, the burning sensation decreases, and after a few days, complete healing occurs.
Options for the development of events can carry a favorable and unfavorable outcome. A tick bite in humans can lead to a serious illness, the severity of which depends on the speed of diagnosis and the correctness of the prescribed treatment.
It should also be taken into account that such concomitant factors as pregnancy, alcohol use, drug use, persistent stress and psycho-emotional stress worsen the severity of symptoms. Sometimes the usual bite of a small tick leads to serious problems and irreversible abnormalities.
Table. Disability after a tick.
| Health group | a brief description of |
| 1 group | Severe disorders of the nervous and musculoskeletal system, cortical epilepsy (frequent clonic or clonic-tonic muscle cramps in a certain muscle group), cerebral motor disorders, acquired dementia, failure of elementary self-service. |
| 2 group | Frequent epileptic attacks, combined with severe paresis, hemiparesis, changes in mental perception and thinking, muscle weakness, partial loss of control over one's behavior. |
| 3 group | Unexpressed decrease in muscle strength, labor ability and mental analysis, weak attacks of epilepsy. |
Signs of diseases transmitted by ticks
characteristic "red bagels"
The most characteristic external sign that you should pay attention to is the appearance of a specific circular erythema observed with. A red spot forms in the center, surrounded by a red ring after a few centimeters.
In appearance, it resembles a donut (the symptom appears the very next day), then a crust and a scar form at the site of erythema, disappearing without a trace after a few weeks.
Table. The main signs of infectious pathology.
| Disease (pathogen) | Description |
| Tick-borne encephalitis (a disease caused by an acrobovirus) | The duration of the incubation period (latent course of the disease without external signs) after the encephalitic tick bite has occurred is up to three weeks. The disease begins acutely, with persistent fever, severe headache and muscle pain. Encephalitis after a tick bite can occur in the following forms:
|
| (causative agent - borrelia, spirochete family) | Once in the bloodstream, pathogenic microbes spread throughout the body, settling in various vital important organs and tissues such as the brain, heart, kidneys, joints, muscles, eyeballs, liver. The lesion can occur in a latent, acute or chronic form, with progression or self-elimination.
Characteristic erythema is the main sign by which the acute degree of the disease is determined. The size of the rings in diameter is about 10-15 cm. A month after the bite, negative changes in the heart, nervous tissue and joints appear. Severe complications can lead to death. |
| Ehrlichiosis (causative agent - E. Chaffeensis or E. Phagocytophila) | Mortality occurs in approximately 5% of cases. The incubation period lasts 1-2 weeks. Initially, the victim feels chills, muscle pain, then the body temperature rises (37-38 degrees). If we consider a general blood test, we can see thrombocytopenia and leukopenia. Complications are rare, with severe forms. As a rule, the consequences are renal failure and neurological disorders. |
| Tick spotted fevers (pathogen Rickettsia sibirica, R. conorii) | A painless papule with a dark crust forms at the site of the tick bite. The incubation period is several weeks. The elevated temperature lasts from two to fifteen days. Head and muscle pains, sleep disturbance, reddening of the face and neck are also noted, on the third or fourth day - the appearance of a profuse rash. As a rule, the disease is reversible, does not affect organs and tissues. |
First aid for a tick bite
Upon arrival home, it is important to carefully examine your body for the presence of a "spider". Ticks are cautious creatures and, before sticking, they can search for a long time (about three hours) for a favorite site. If a black predator is found on the body, which has not yet stuck into the skin, then it should be shaken off by hand.
- Contact a specialist for safe extraction;
- Take care of the examination of the tick by the sanitary service for sterility (its infectivity and the possibility of being a carrier of dangerous diseases are being studied);
- Treat the bite site with a disinfectant medical agent: brilliant green, iodine or alcohol.
It should be remembered that the tick is studied only in a living state. In this regard, it is not recommended to extract it yourself using improvised means, since the predator may die due to incorrect actions.
Killing a tick is not yet worth it because, when aware of the danger, it can secrete abundant saliva and, if it was infected, then a huge amount of infectious agents will enter the body of the victim.
In addition, if a large amount of secretion enters the bloodstream, there is a risk of a serious allergic reaction in the form of Quincke's edema, leading to respiratory failure up to a stop.
First aid for tick bites when aggravating allergic symptoms appeared:
- Give the patient antihistamines (Diphenhydramine, Suprastin);
- Recommended hormonal agents for temporary inhibition of immune defense (Prednisolone, Dexazon);
- Apply a tourniquet above the bite to prevent the spread of the allergen;
- Provide a flow of fresh air: open the window, unbutton the top buttons on the collar, remove the scarf.
If the analysis of the tick showed its infection, then the victim should undergo mandatory therapy. Depending on the identified pathogen, certain antibiotics and antihistamines are prescribed.
In the first three days, immunoglobulin against tick-borne encephalitis is administered. If the victim's body temperature has risen, then antipyretics are prescribed. Ten days later, it is recommended to take a blood test for antibodies to the identified pathogen.
Prevention and vaccinations
Today, vaccination is the most effective method of preventing encephalitis. It must be carried out by those who live in disadvantaged areas, in which diseases from ticks are often recorded.
The first vaccination can be carried out at the age of 12 months. The drug protection period is one year. After that, it is recommended to revaccinate (in a year), the effect of which is 36 months. There is also such a thing as emergency vaccination". It is carried out immediately before leaving for nature or a tourist trip. Its duration is one month.
- Vaccination is not carried out after a tick bite, as the course of the disease may worsen!
Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis has a number of contraindications. It is not done with symptoms of a cold or SARS, temperature, allergic reactions. Before it is carried out, a medical examination is necessary!
It is important not to self-medicate when bitten by a tick. Remember that your own life is at stake. An appeal to a specialist (infectionist) is recommended for diagnosis and obtaining a subsequent treatment regimen. You must completely trust your doctor and follow his recommendations.
