A tick bite or tick bite can lead to the transmission of some diseases to humans.
Ticks are small insects that suck blood. They can have different sizes:
- small as pinheads (2 mm)
- as big as an eraser (1 cm)
Ticks have eight legs.
They belong to the class of arachnids (Arachnida), so they are related to spiders.
The species can have different colors, from reddish brown to black.
Contents
How does a tick bite?
Tick larvae and ticks can attach to humans in several ways. Unlike fleas, ticks can not fly to get on their host.
- They are hidden in meadows in the dense grass.
- They attach themselves to humans or animals.
Most people are attacked by ticks while engaging in activities such as:
- Gardening
- Camping
- Hikes
- Outdoor games.
Outdoors, there are some areas where there are many of these arachnids that can attach themselves when walking or in contact with infested plants.
They have the ability to survive for a long time without food.
First of all, tick bites cause:
- itching ,
- Irritation.
However, if they stick to the host for a long time, they can transmit diseases such as:
- Rocky Mountain Fever
- Lyme disease
- Ehrlichiosis
- Tularemia
- Typhus (rickettsiosis)
In addition, they can cause many ailments and various diseases in dogs.
It is necessary to remove the larvae and ticks as soon as possible so that these diseases can not be transmitted.
The ticks bite mainly in areas of the body such as:
1. groin bends
2. armpits
3. neck
4. hollows
of the knees 5. behind the ear
You have to prevent infestation and tick bites, because these:
- are very dangerous,
- can be fatal.
Often children do not notice that they have this insect on their skin.
It is advisable to examine children and infants for ticks after a long stay:
- in the park,
- Forest
What are the symptoms of a tick bite?
Usually, tick bites are harmless and do not cause symptoms.
However, if one is allergic to these bites, the following symptoms may occur:
- Pain or swelling in the bite zone, a rash develops
- Skin burning and inflammation
- Shortness of breath
Some ticks can transmit diseases that have serious consequences.
Usually they develop within the first weeks after the bite.
Possible symptoms include:
- Red spots (redness) or erythema in the form of a target
- Neck
- Headache
- Nausea
- Diarrhoea
- Weakness
- Muscle or joint pain
- fever or chills
- Enlarged lymph nodes
A red rash that expands may be caused by Lyme disease.
Eczema develops after an incubation period of 1 to 4 weeks after the bite. On average, a rash appears within 10 days.
The rash is a smooth, round spot, usually 5 cm in size. But it can also be much larger.
Eczema gradually increases in size in a few days. The center of the spot where the tick was stuck may lighten, while the outer ring remains bright red.
This gives the spot the appearance of an ox’s eye.
When is there cause for concern about tick bite?
In rare cases, ticks can transmit diseases to the host that can be very serious. Most signs or symptoms appear within the first few weeks after the bite. If one notices unusual symptoms, one should consult a doctor.
Here is a list of diseases that can occur due to a tick bite:
- Lyme disease
- Colorado tick fever
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Tularemia
- Ehrlichiosis
- Meningoencephalitis
- Anaplasmosis
- People who are not vaccinated against tetanus can get this disease.
Diagnosis of tick bite
There is no research to determine the type of tick after it has fallen off the body.
However, doctors can conduct a careful examination and look for:
- ticks still attached,
- signs of disease,
- Rashes.
If the arachnid can be identified, the doctor will order the most appropriate tests. For example:
The doctor prescribes blood tests for diseases such as:
- Lyme disease
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever,
- ehrlichiosis,
- Tularemia
As a rule, they are not positive in the first few weeks after they appear, although symptoms may already be present.
Blood test under a microscope is required to diagnose the parasite that causes babesiosis. Knowledge of the type of tick that caused the bite can:
- limit the list of possible diagnoses,
- enable the early start of the appropriate therapy.
What is Lyme disease?
Lyme disease (also known as Lyme disease or Lyme disease) is an infection caused by spirochetes. The responsible bacterium is called Borrelia burgdorferi and is usually transmitted by the bite of a “hard tick” such as the common wood tick. In the UK, this species of tick is commonly known as Ixodes ricinus (or sheep tick or forest tick).
Even “soft ticks” can trigger Lyme disease.
On animals were shown:
- placental transmissions,
- the spread of infection of the bacterium through blood transfusions.
Therapy for tick bites
Usually, the treatment of a tick bite depends on the symptoms that a person develops.
There is no need to worry immediately, because the risk of getting a tick infection is quite low. However, you should contact the doctor if the following symptoms develop afterwards:
• eczema
• muscle pain • fever • joint pain and inflammation • crooked neck • enlarged lymph nodes.
• symptoms similar to influenza
If you can preserve the tick, you should show it to the doctor. It is recommended to call 112 if the following side effects occur:
1. severe headache
2. difficulty breathing
3. paralysis
4. chest pain
5. palpitations
Treatment depends on the disease that the tick has transmitted to the person.
As a rule, some measures are carried out, such as:
- Cleaning of the area
- Applying a cream containing antibiotics
If there is itching, the doctor may prescribe a product containing diphenhydramine (Betadorm).
Prophylaxis includes a cycle of 5 days with an antibiotic: doxycycline (Oraycea), if the tick has been stuck for more than 36 hours.
Doxycycline is contraindicated:
What to do in case of tick bite?
The first step is to remove the tick as soon as possible.
Removing ticks and especially their larvae can be very difficult.
Removing a tick must be done very carefully, even before it drills into the skin.
If the insect is detected on the skin or on clothing, it should be caught with tweezers, contact with fingers should be avoided.
There is a special method for this: the use of tweezers to grasp the tick close to the head or mouth. You should pull them out slowly, applying a light pressure and constant force. Care should be taken not to pierce the body of the mite.
After removal, put the mite in a bottle of alcohol to kill it.
If it is removed from the skin, the area should be cleaned well with alcohol or an antiseptic solution to prevent infection.
How to remove the head of a tick from the skin?
It can happen that the head of a tick gets stuck in the skin. This should not cause fear.
If only the hypostoma (part of the tick mouth apparatus) gets stuck, there is no risk of infection.
To remove the hypostoma and the stuck parts, you should use sterilized needles or tweezers as if you wanted to pull a splinter out of the skin.
If the mouth and salivary glands remain in the skin, one must be very careful, because it is possible for pathogenic bacteria to penetrate into the skin by squeezing the salivary glands.
You can try to pull out the mouth part with tweezers. If this does not succeed, you should consult a doctor.
What to do and not to do to remove ticks from the skin
One should follow these recommendations, because they help to prevent the transmission of bacteria into the body.
A tick should never be touched with:
- a glowing cigarette,
- a burning match,
- Vaseline
- Acetone
- other chemical products.
This only serves to irritate the arachnid.
These actions:
- stimulate the tick to inject a large amount of saliva, which lubricates the mouthparts,
- help to advance the suction tubes that anchor themselves in the skin.
This saliva may contain bacteria:
- Lyme disease,
- of the Rocky Mountain typhus.
After removal, you should check whether the area has become infected.
The tick should always be carefully removed and its body should not be rotated. Because there is a risk that the mouth is torn out of the skin, while the other parts remain in the skin.
You should never use your fingers, but always tweezers. If the tick is anchored and squeezed with the fingers, blood and saliva containing bacteria are pushed into the wound and cause infection.
Prevention of tick bites
After removing the tick, care should be taken that this does not happen again.
Ticks of pigeons can become a nightmare in the buildings where these birds nest.
Ticks of pigeons are located in:
- excrement (guano),
- invade the buildings,
- sting people at night.
They can cause a serious allergic reaction, for example, hives (urticaria).
One should:
- remove the nests of pigeons,
- remove the remaining dirt thoroughly.
