The doctor named ways to protect against tick bites

With the onset of spring, the risk of tick bites increases, which can lead to infection with dangerous diseases such as tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease. On June 6, Vladimir Neronov, MD, an infectious disease specialist at JSC "Medicine" (Academician Roitberg Clinic), told Izvestia about this.

"The main way to protect against encephalitis is vaccination, which helps to develop immunity to the virus. It is important to remember that ticks are active at temperatures above +5 degrees, especially in warm and humid weather," the doctor warned.

He added that a tick bite does not always cause painful sensations, so it can be overlooked. Usually, there is a slight redness that can spread in the form of a ring if borreliosis develops. Symptoms of the disease may appear after a few days and include fever, headache, and general weakness.

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Now ticks mainly carry borreliosis and spotted fever.

To protect against tick-borne encephalitis, Neronov recommends vaccination, especially for people living in endemic areas or often visiting nature. This year, cases of bites have been recorded in some regions, such as Siberia. In Moscow, ticks are not carriers of encephalitis, and in the Moscow region, cases of encephalitis are rare, mainly in Taldomsky and Dmitrovsky districts.

"It is necessary to vaccinate those who plan trips to endemic areas where vaccination is included in the mandatory list. For residents of Moscow and the region, if they do not plan trips to these regions, vaccination is not required," the infectious diseases specialist explained.

He warned that in Moscow and the region, ticks are carriers of borreliosis, for which there is no vaccine. In this case, the best prevention is to avoid bites. If a bite has occurred, you should immediately contact specialists, and it is better to bring the tick alive to be examined.

"The vaccine is safe and its effectiveness has been proven over time. It is also important to be careful in places where ticks can live: wear closed clothes and check yourself regularly for these parasites. Ticks live in forests, parks, gardens and suburban areas and can bite if a person is in the grass or bushes, where they are actively waiting for their prey," the specialist warned.

He noted that if a tick is bitten, you should not try to remove it yourself. It is best to consult a doctor who can properly remove the tick and perform the necessary tests. It is important to save the tick for further examination to check if it has been infected.

Earlier, on March 18, Lyaman Nurieva, a general practitioner at the Olympus Clinic MARS hospital, told Izvestia that ticks are most often attached to areas with thin skin, such as the popliteal cavities, groin area, the area behind the ears and scalp.