Cases of tick bites in the Minsk region have decreased, but the incidence of tick infections has increased

August 14, MINSK . In January-July, residents of the Minsk region applied less for tick bites compared to the same period last year. At the same time, the incidence of tick-borne infections has increased. The situation was analyzed at the Minsk Regional Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public HEALTH, BelTA informs with reference to the agency's website.

In particular, in July, 516 people, including 184 children, applied to the regional healthcare organization for tick bites, which is 32.9% lower compared to July 2022. Cases of tick attacks have been registered in all districts of the region, except for Starodorozhsky.

"The season of activity of ticks, through the bite of which pathogens of tick-borne infections (Lyme disease , less often tick-borne encephalitis) can be transmitted, continues. Infection occurs when a tick is sucked. Tick-borne encephalitis can also be infected by eating raw goat MILK, extremely rarely - cows," - epidemiologists said.

Most cases of bites (86%) occurred when visiting forests, as well as in rural areas and suburban summer cottages. In the first half of the year, to reduce the number of carriers of tick-borne infections in the Minsk region, acaricidal treatments were carried out.

To avoid trouble, experts recommend taking precautions: when visiting the forest, wear a hat and light-colored clothing that covers exposed areas of the body as much as possible; use repellent-acaricidal agents; examine yourself and your pets when returning from walks.

If the bite could not be avoided, you should contact the nearest healthcare organization or remove the tick yourself using specialized devices, a thread loop, thin tweezers. Usually, after 1-3 turns, the tick is removed. it is important to get the whole tick, with the proboscis, without crushing it. The suction site must be treated with any ALCOHOL solution.

After removing the tick, you should contact a general practitioner (pediatrician) or infectious disease specialist, who, if necessary, will prescribe prophylactic antibiotic treatment and establish medical supervision. The maximum effect of chemoprophylaxis is achieved only if antibiotics are started within the first 72 hours after a tick bite.

If there are contraindications for the appointment of preventive treatment, a laboratory study of the removed tick is carried out. In other cases, the procedure is optional, since the study delays the timing of effective chemoprophylaxis.

“If within a month after the bite of a tick there are changes in well-being, fever, muscle pain, headaches or an increasing red spot at the site of suction, you should immediately consult a DOCTOR,” the sanitary and epidemiological service said.

On a paid basis, studies are carried out for the presence of pathogens of tick-borne encephalitis, Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis by PCR in the Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology (Minsk, Filimonova St., 23), in the microbiological laboratory of the regional center of hygiene, epidemiology and public health ( Minsk, P. Brovki st., 9).

You can test ticks for Lyme borreliosis in the centers of hygiene and epidemiology of Borisov, Vileika, Volozhinsky, Lyubansky, Minsk, Molodechno, Nesvizh, Pukhovichi, Slutsk, Soligorsk, Uzda districts and Zhodino, Minsk region. Also, on the basis of the Soligorsk Zonal Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology, it is possible to study by PCR for infection with the tick-borne encephalitis virus.