The infectious disease specialist warned about the deadly danger of working on the site without gloves

While working on household plots, there is a risk of contracting dangerous infections, including tetanus, borreliosis and rabies. Evgenia Daeva, an infectious disease specialist from St. Petersburg, told Izvestia about this. She also explained how to reduce the risks and avoid serious health consequences.

Firstly, according to the specialist, there is a risk of contracting tetanus in the country. Working on the site without gloves, a person can damage the skin, injure his hand on objects in the ground or get abrasions. The danger persists when walking barefoot: you can step on a sharp object, including a rusty nail. If the summer resident does not have a planned vaccination, the risk of the disease increases significantly. Tetanus is a severe infection that can lead to serious complications.

"To protect yourself, you need to get vaccinated regularly. Tetanus re-vaccination is carried out every 10 years. If more time has passed since the last vaccination, even several decades, you need to go to the clinic and get the ADS-M vaccine (against diphtheria and tetanus). One vaccination is enough to restore protection for the next 10 years," the doctor said.

Ticks, which carry several infections at once, are often found in suburban areas. Among them, tick-borne encephalitis and borreliosis (Lyme disease) are the most common, as well as rarer diseases such as babesiosis and anaplasmosis.

There is a vaccine for tick-borne encephalitis, and it is recommended to get vaccinated, especially if the region is endemic, meaning infected ticks live there.

Unlike encephalitis, there is no vaccination against borreliosis. Therefore, it is advisable to take the tick removed from the body for examination as soon as possible. However, this is not always convenient for summer residents, especially if the site is located far from the city.

"If this is not possible, for emergency prevention of borreliosis, it is necessary to take the antibiotic doxycycline at a dosage of 200 mg in the first 12 hours after the bite (this is the dosage for an adult. — Ed.)," Evgenia Daeva said, adding that it is a prescription drug.

The incubation period of tick-borne infections can be up to three weeks. If symptoms appear at this time, such as fever, weakness, redness of the skin, or other signs of malaise, seek medical attention.

In addition to ticks, there are also wild animals in the country.

"As they say, foxes and squirrels are not only beautiful fur, but also the risk of contracting rabies, and there is no cure for it," the doctor emphasized.

Infection is possible not only with a bite, but also with blinding of damaged skin or scratches. Situations are especially dangerous when it is impossible to track the fate of an animal — whether it died or not, for example, if it ran away into the forest. In such cases, emergency rabies vaccination is indicated. The course includes six vaccinations, which are administered strictly on schedule. Alcohol consumption is prohibited during vaccination, which often causes patients to refuse treatment. However, in this case we are talking about a vital vaccination, so it cannot be postponed or ignored.

If the vaccination schedule has been disrupted, the course is not stopped — it should be continued as soon as possible by contacting a doctor.

Bite and point: ticks have become more active in the center of Russia and Siberia

Interruptions in vaccines against encephalitis are observed in at least two regions of the country, Izvestia found out

Another risk outside the city is associated with reservoirs. Wild birds and animals can live in ponds, lakes and other water sources, and livestock often come there. All this increases the likelihood of water contamination.

If you drink unboiled water, for example from a well, or if you accidentally swallow it while bathing, there is a risk of infection with leptospirosis. This infectious disease is transmitted through water contaminated with animal secretions and is not transmitted from person to person.

There is a vaccine against leptospirosis, but it is usually given to people at risk, such as those who work with animals. For most summer residents, the main preventive measure remains compliance with simple hygiene rules: do not drink raw water and be sure to boil it before use.

Another potential source of infection in the country is the cellar, where rodents can live.

"Mice are carriers of pseudotuberculosis, an infectious disease with various manifestations. Among them are fever, rash, nausea and diarrhea," said Evgenia Dayeva.

The infection is not transmitted from person to person. Infection occurs through products contaminated with rodent excrement. Most often, these are root vegetables that are stored in the cellar. If the vegetables are poorly washed or insufficiently processed before consumption, the risk of infection increases.

For prevention, it is important to control the appearance of rodents in household premises, as well as thoroughly wash vegetables and fruits before eating, the doctor concluded.

Earlier, Andrey Konovalov, an orthopedic traumatologist of the highest category, told Izvestia what spinal injuries summer residents risk when working in the garden.