The incidence of tick-borne infections in Belarus more than doubled in 2022

May 15, MINSK . The incidence of tick-borne infections in Belarus more than doubled in 2022. Svetlana Yashkova, an entomologist at the Republican Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public HEALTH, told journalists about this.

“In total, 12 species of ixodid ticks are common on the territory of Belarus, but two species are of medical importance. They are distributed throughout the country in forests. According to Belarusian scientists, our ticks are infected with nine pathogens of infectious diseases. Every year we have two diseases - Lyme borreliosis and viral tick-borne encephalitis. In 2022, we had an increase in tick-borne infections by 2.1 and 2.4 times for tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme borreliosis. This worries us a little. As for this season, the incidence is almost the same as in the same period last year. The season has just begun. We have only two cases of tick-borne encephalitis and more than 200 cases of Lyme borreliosis, but these are cases when the infection occurred last year," Svetlana Yashkova said.

This year, in four months, three times more people turned to healthcare organizations after being bitten by ticks than in the same period last year. "On the one hand, I am glad that people treat tick bites to medical organizations and receive preventive treatment ., which will affect the incidence, in particular, Lyme borreliosis. Cases of tick-borne encephalitis, if we take the statistics of 2022, we are most registered in two regions - Grodno and Brest - up to 70% of such cases. There are cases of infection not only through the bite of a tick, but also when eating raw goat's MILK. There were 19 such cases last year. For the purpose of prevention, a wide range of sanitary and anti-epidemic measures to combat ixodid ticks is carried out annually in the spring-autumn period, which ensures a decrease in the number of ticks in populated areas," the entomologist noted.

According to her, the prevention of tick-borne infections also directly depends on the person himself - on his correct behavior in nature. “When going to the forest zone, to picnics, to cottages, you need to take care of yourself - pay attention to clothes. it should be light so that the tick on it is clearly visible. Clothing should protect the skin as much as possible, you should wear a hat. We must not forget about repellents that repel ticks.Self-examinations should be carried out every hour of being in the forest.With the beginning of the summer season, we recommend deratization, that is, rodent control, as these are the main hosts of ixodid ticks.It will also be useful to improve the territory, remove fallen leaves , mow tall grass.Because in addition to the fact that mites are heat-loving, they are also moisture-loving, therefore, they feel especially comfortable in tall grass. When preventing tick-borne encephalitis, it is very important to know that there is a vaccine against the disease. We mainly vaccinate people who work in the National Park "Belovezhskaya Pushcha", in the Berezinsky Reserve and those who travel to endemic regions of RUSSIA. Anyone can get vaccinated for a fee. A vaccine against Lyme borreliosis has not yet been developed," Svetlana Yashkova informed.

The entomologist drew attention to the fact that if a tick has been sucked, it is not worth delaying preventive treatment. It is effective within the first 72 hours. Correct removal of the tick is also important, for this it is better to contact the nearest health organization.