Cheerful morning: ticks have woken up in five federal districts

In January 2025, almost one hundred tick bites were registered in six Russian regions, Rospotrebnadzor told Izvestia. The agency recorded the activity of arthropods in Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, Crimea, Sevastopol, as well as in Rostov and Kaliningrad regions. At the same time, residents of five federal districts carry caught ticks to private laboratories for testing: not only from the Southern Federal District, the North-Western Federal District, but also from the center of Russia, the Urals and the Volga region. An abnormally warm winter contributes to the early awakening, stated in Rospotrebnadzor. Interviewed experts urge to make vaccinations now - if immunized against diseases carried by ticks, in the spring, that is, as usual, the immunity will not have time to form.

Who and where were bitten by ticks

In the first month of 2025, 78 tick bites have already been registered in five southern regions of the country - in the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, in Crimea, Sevastopol and Rostov region, as well as in the west of Russia - in the Kaliningrad region. Such statistics was provided to "Izvestia" by Rospotrebnadzor. The supervisory body noted that there are no confirmed cases of infection with diseases carried by ticks.

And in the laboratory "Invitro" reported that since January 2025 they received 62 ticks for research - but not from five regions, but from five federal districts. They noted that during the same period in 2024, this figure was half as low: 36 appeals.

- The leader in the number of appeals this year about tick bites was the Southern Federal District. 33 cases were recorded there. In the Central Federal District - 19, in the Urals - five, in the North-West - three, in the Volga - two, - specified in the laboratory. Ticks were brought for research even in Moscow - only in February there were nine such cases.

In the laboratory "Gemotest" ticks were brought for examination by residents of the Crimea, Stavropol and Krasnodar regions.

- But the cases were isolated. No infections in arthropods have not revealed, - added there.

In Rospotrebnadzor "Izvestia" reminded that the season of activity of ticks is determined by the weather and can begin both earlier and later, depending on the onset of warming.

- Ticks begin to awaken at an average daily air temperature of plus one to plus three degrees, and become fully active at a temperature of plus 10 degrees - noted there. - Their activation will depend on how quickly and evenly the snow will melt and the soil will warm up in different regions.

The first cases of tick bites, indicated in Rospotrebnadzor, are usually registered between the first decade of March and the first decade of April. But in some regions, they emphasized, the activity of ticks can continue throughout the year, if the weather allows them to survive.

Especially active ticks, Rospotrebnadzor noted, can be in temperate and humid climates, in forests, parks, gardens and fields.

But on February 14, the agency held a board meeting dedicated to conducting epidemiological surveillance of natural focal infections. It noted that in Russia there is an excess of temperature norms, which can "affect the timing of phenological phases (stages of development. - Ed.) of infection carriers and increase the epidemic potential of natural foci".

- In this regard, it was decided that it is necessary to introduce additional measures of prevention and anti-epidemic protection, - said in the press service of the agency. Regions were recommended to strengthen control over the implementation of plans for the prevention of natural focal infections, to organize training of specialists of medical organizations, as well as to strengthen sanitary and educational work with the population.

Potential danger

The beginning of tick activity earlier than March-April may lead to a shift in the timing of vaccination, said Roman Ivanov, a doctor at the Hemotest laboratory.

Therapist Svetlana Kanevskaya expressed fear that people will not be vaccinated in time due to the shift in the timing of tick activity, which will prevent immunity to the diseases they carry from forming. This, she said, will increase the risk of contracting such infections.

Ticks are carriers of various infectious diseases. The most dangerous among them are tick-borne encephalitis, Lyme disease (borreliosis), anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis, Roman Ivanov reminded Izvestia.

- Encephalitis damages the central nervous system (CNS). Borreliosis, or Lyme disease, attacks the heart and joints in addition to the CNS. Anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis can cause DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation. - Ed.) - a dangerous condition in which blood clots form uncontrollably in blood vessels, a person develops a tendency to massive hemorrhages, - said the expert.

Without treatment, Roman Ivanov added, DIC can lead to the failure of many vital organs. He warned that the vaccine exists only against tick-borne encephalitis. It does not protect against infection, but helps to avoid a severe course of the disease.

- The vaccine is usually administered in several stages, with several weeks or months in between, depending on the type of drug and regimen. Immunity develops two weeks after the final vaccination and lasts up to three years," he reminded.

Immunization against tick-borne encephalitis, emphasized in Rospotrebnadzor, is carried out throughout the year. According to the supervisory authority, more than 70 thousand people in 73 regions were immunized in January 2025. And annually the number of vaccinated is about 4 million people.

In "Invitro" noted that since January 2025 vaccinations against tick-borne encephalitis in the laboratory made 27% more patients than for the same period last year.

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To avoid tick bites, you should avoid places of their accumulation and cover the body with clothes as much as possible, reminded Roman Ivanov.

It is worth wearing shirts or windbreakers with long sleeves, tuck pants into socks or shoes and give preference to clothing made of dense fabric and light colors - said the doctor. - Hair should always be covered with a head covering. You should also treat clothing and exposed areas of the body with repellents. Means should be reapplied every few hours.

When walking in the forest or park, you should regularly examine yourself and your loved ones, pay attention to the areas of the body where the skin is the thinnest - neck, armpits. Also, the expert added, it is necessary to carefully check the scalp.

The favorite habitats of ticks are mixed, coniferous and deciduous forests with dense undergrowth. But you can also meet ticks in city parks and squares.