The infectious disease specialist warned about the risks of diseases in the summer season

With the onset of the summer season, the risk of infectious diseases associated with insect bites, polluted water and soil, as well as hygiene violations increases. On March 18, Andrey Pozdnyakov, an infectious disease specialist at Invitro, Candidate of Medical Sciences, told Izvestia.

"The main danger for summer residents is infections. They can be transmitted through insect bites, water, soil, and poor hygiene. Especially at the beginning and at the height of the season, when people are actively working in the garden, harvesting and spending more time in nature, the risk of infection increases, "— said the specialist.

According to him, one of the main risks in spring and summer remains ticks, whose activity begins already at temperatures above +6 degrees. The bites of these insects can lead to infection with borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis. At the same time, borreliosis is more common: according to research, up to 25-30% of ticks are carriers of this infection. Encephalitis is less common, but it can cause serious complications. Ticks are also capable of carrying a number of other infections, including rickettsiosis and anaplasmosis, and even hemorrhagic fever viruses in the southern regions.

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A separate threat, as the doctor emphasized, is intestinal infections that summer residents can get through unwashed vegetables, dirty hands or uncleaned water. In the warmer months, bacterial infections such as dysentery and salmonellosis are more common, which can be severe. In addition, the risk of infection with parasites, including roundworms and pinworms, as well as giardia, which can remain symptom-free for a long time, increases.

Pozdnyakov added that the danger may come from the water. Enteroviruses, including the Coxsackie virus, are well preserved in stagnant reservoirs, and transmission of viral hepatitis A is also possible. Using such water for drinking or cooking significantly increases the risk of infection.

"The bacteria that cause tetanus, clostridia, live in the soil. They can enter the body through skin damage or wounds, for example, when digging or working on a site. If a person has not been vaccinated or has not been revaccinated for a long time, the risk of infection is high. Tetanus is a rare but extremely dangerous disease: in severe cases, mortality can reach 50%. The main problem is severe muscle spasms, in critical cases, diaphragm spasm and respiratory arrest may develop," the infectious disease specialist explained.

The expert stressed that basic preventive measures help to reduce the likelihood of infection: hygiene, washing food, using safe water, protection from ticks and timely vaccination.

On March 16, Vadim Marinsky, senior lecturer at the Faculty of Biomedical Physics at MIPT, pointed out the importance of vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis. To reduce the risk of a bite, the expert advises using repellents. Since ticks are usually found on grass and branches at a height of up to 1-1.5 m, first of all it is worth treating the lower part of clothing. Additionally, it is recommended to tuck trousers into socks, and for children to apply protective clothing along the entire length.

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