The doctor talked about ways to avoid the negative consequences of a tick bite.

A tick bite can lead to serious illnesses and health problems. On March 18, Lyaman Nurieva, a general practitioner at the Olympus Clinic MARS hospital, told Izvestia about how to detect it and minimize negative consequences.

Most often, ticks stick to places with thin skin, such as the popliteal cavities, the groin area, the area behind the ears, and the scalp. However, the bite can be detected on other parts of the body, so after staying in the forest, it is recommended to carefully examine the skin. According to the expert, a tick bite usually manifests itself as a slight redness with a pale halo around it. A dark dot may be visible in the center — the place of attachment of the parasite. If the tick remains on the skin, this is the main sign of its bite.

"If a tick is found, it is not recommended to touch it with unprotected hands, crush it or treat it with chemicals. This can lead to the spread of infection. The best solution is to consult a doctor, but if this is not possible, you can remove the tick with tweezers or thread, trying not to damage his body," said Nurieva.

If a thread is used, it should be tied around the proboscis, followed by a slow upward pull. After removal, the bite site must be disinfected, and the extracted tick placed in an airtight container and delivered to the laboratory.

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It is impossible to determine by appearance whether a tick is infected with the encephalitis virus. The risk of infection depends on the region and season. In the central part of Russia, the peak of tick activity occurs at the end of April — early June, as well as at the end of August — early September. To identify dangerous pathogens, the extracted tick should be sent for laboratory examination.

To protect against bites, it is recommended to wear closed clothing, use repellents and carefully inspect the skin after staying in the forest. Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis is an additional preventive measure, especially for residents of endemic areas. It is important to remember that ticks do not fall from above, but rise from below, so clothes should be shaken before removing them.

On March 12, infectious disease specialist Evgeny Timakov told Izvestia what to do with a tick bite. According to him, the most important thing is to try not to scare the arthropod. He clarified that the tick can be unscrewed with a special loop or seek help from the nearest medical facility. In order to avoid bites, you should choose closed clothes and treat shoes with special repellents.