Thus, many ticks can wait for weeks for a suitable prey, and by no means in all cases the hunt for them ends successfully. After the tick is on the human body, it needs to find the most suitable place to bite. For a long time, a tick can choose a place that will be optimal for a bite. Favorite tick bite sites are:
- small of the back;
- stomach;
- groin area;
- armpits;
- breast;
- ear area.
Typical manifestations of infection
As a rule, the first symptoms of a tick bite and diseases that are caused by pathogenic microflora contained in its saliva can be observed after a few days. If a few weeks after a tick bite a person has a headache and characteristic signs of general intoxication of the body appear, he urgently needs to consult a doctor and carry out tests, since the appearance of such symptoms may indicate the development of a particular disease caused by the spread of pathogenic microorganisms through the tick's saliva ...
Pest-borne diseases
- Lyme disease
- tick-borne typhus;
- tick-borne encephalitis;
- Crimean hemorrhagic fever;
- ehrlichiosis.
Tick-borne encephalitis is one of the most common diseases that develop after a tick bite. Tick-borne encephalitis develops when a virus enters the human bloodstream along with the tick's saliva, which primarily affects the nervous system. As a rule, after a 2-week incubation period, signs of general intoxication, headaches, and sometimes impaired motor activity, delirium and other conditions indicating damage to the brain and spinal cord appear. There are several forms of the course of this disease. When infected with some strains of the virus, the tick-borne course can be so severe that even with the correct drug treatment it is far from always possible to save a person's life, and in addition, often, even after the therapy and the elimination of the virus from the blood, long-term rehabilitation is required to get rid of it.
Tick-borne borreliosis or Lyme disease also manifests itself with rather pronounced symptoms. Since a specific annular erythema appears at the site of the bite, and the rash can occupy a fairly large area, it is extremely difficult not to notice it. In the future, signs of general intoxication, headaches and other characteristic symptoms may appear. Tick-borne borreliosis is extremely dangerous in that in some cases it can become chronic and occur with pronounced relapses, and the autoimmune processes triggered by this disease often affect the tissues of the heart, joints, skin and other organs.
First aid to the victim
To remove the tick, you need to choose the right tool. If you have a pair of tongs or a clamp for removing ticks, you can use them, but if you don't have such tools on hand, tweezers or thread will do.
We always look forward to the spring sunlight... Unfortunately, with the first warming, already at temperatures above +5 degrees, arachnids, including ticks, wake up to life. For a very long time, from March to November, these tiny arachnids are active. They prefer to climb the bushes to a height of 1.5 meters, next to tall grasses. They can be found in forests, city parks, meadows, and places we love to visit. The tick bite is not painful, but its consequences, unfortunately, are very dangerous. Can this be avoided? What to do if it is found on the body? What are the symptoms after a tick bite in humans?
How does a tick attack a person?
Choosing the habitat of live ticks for walks, you must definitely get dressed. Long trousers, boots, and long-sleeved clothing should be worn. In addition, people who are especially vulnerable to tick bites (anglers, mushroom pickers, small children) should be protected with drugs against these insects. These medications are available over the counter as creams or sprays. Using the cream, you should especially carefully smear the places around the edges of the clothes: around the collar and cuffs. Often, however, this is insufficient protection, therefore, after such a walk, a person needs to carefully examine the whole body.
What does a tick bite look like?
Tick enough small insect and it is difficult to notice it right away. Look at the photo of the tick and the bite site to get an idea of who to look for.
Types and sizes of ticks photo of a mite in the skin of a photo of a place of a tick bite on the skin
Why is a tick bite dangerous for humans?
Not all ticks spread pathogens. It is estimated that infection is between 10 and 40 percent, depending on the region. In addition, even in the case of infected bites, the disease does not always occur, but the risk of infection is very high, so it should not be underestimated. Insects transmit Lyme disease (Lyme borreliosis), tick-borne encephalitis, and rarely anaplasmosis, babesiosis, or bartonellosis.
Symptoms after a tick bite in humans
The first sign of Lyme disease, an infection with the spirochete Borrelia, is erythema migrans appearing 7 days after the bite (may also take up to three weeks). Erythema migrans has a characteristic appearance - blurred in the middle, it gradually fades away and redness is again observed outside. In some cases, despite a Lyme disease infection, there is no erythema or it is very mild. Other symptoms of infection may indicate the flu:
- enlargement of nearby lymph nodes,
- headache,
- joint and muscle pain,
- general weakness
- fever.
The second stage occurs a few months after the bite.
There are:
- unexplained fatigue
- red spots on the skin
- changes in heart function
- neurological and
- eye problems.
The third stage is manifested by signs of damage to the function of the brain, musculoskeletal system, cardiovascular activity. Lyme disease requires antibiotic treatment and close monitoring of studies. Tetracycline antibiotics and / or penicillin are usually recommended for Lyme disease.
Untreated Lyme disease can result in an infection of the nervous system - paralysis and / or neuritis.
Signs of an encephalitis tick bite
In turn, tick-borne encephalitis produces flu-like symptoms. In the first phase, appear:
- fever,
- muscle pain
- headache.
Usually, within a week, the human body itself fights the infection. Unfortunately, some patients develop a second stage of the disease and the appearance of neurological symptoms. Yet again,
- fever,
- severe headaches
- may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting,
- loss of consciousness,
- meningitis or encephalitis.
This can lead to inflammation of the spinal cord or brain, paresis, impaired consciousness. The outcome of the disease can be fatal, in 1-2 percent of patients. Therefore, people who often live in the forest should be vaccinated.
Bitten by a tick - what to do
What is the best way to remove a tick? At the pharmacy you can buy special tool and, if necessary, have it at hand. Currently on sale are suction cups, pens, plastic tweezers that make the process easier. The special tweezers with grooves in the corners of all sizes are very easy to use. Instruments must be disinfected with hydrogen peroxide or alcohol before use. We need to grab the tick as close to the skin as possible, being careful not to squeeze its blood-filled abdomen or push it back into our body.
Observation of the victim is mandatory if there are no signs of infection, erythema migrans or other diseases. If skin erythema migrans develops within 30 days (usually 3-7 days) after tick removal, there is no point in laboratory tests to confirm infection. In this case, the doctor prescribes an antibiotic treatment. Unfortunately, in some cases, erythema and other signs are less pronounced or no symptoms at all. Therefore, even if alarming symptoms do not appear, tests must be done. Recommended ELISA test performed after 4-6 weeks. If required, another positive Western blot test is done, which detects IgM and IgG antibodies to Lyme disease.
When bitten by an encephalitis tick
One should also not forget about the possibility of contracting tick-borne encephalitis. At the first stage, the spread of the virus in human blood occurs 7-14 days after the bite. Typical symptoms include: fever, headache, muscle pain... The first phase symptoms are observed for about a week. After several days of well-being, the second phase of the disease occurs, associated with the spread of the virus into the central nervous system. Symptoms include headaches, fever, vomiting, nausea, unconsciousness, meningitis, or encephalitis. They usually disappear after 2-3 weeks, however, complications can occur in almost 60% of patients. Tick-borne encephalitis is diagnosed by determining IgM antibodies (detected in patients with TBE after about 7-10 days) in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid and IgG (detected after about 10-14 days) in the blood serum and cerebrospinal fluid.
First aid: how to remove a tick correctly?
Tick bites do not always require medical attention, since in most cases the bloodsucker can disappear on its own.
tick removal step by step photo
If you are unable to remove the tick correctly, see your doctor.
The risk of Lyme disease is low if the tick is removed within 24 to 36 hours.
Treatment
Some authors recommend that if a tick from the genus Ixodes has been on the human body for a long time (this is determined by the size of the bloodsucker) within 72 hours from the moment of its removal, a prophylactic single dose of 200 mg of doxycycline should be taken. Pregnant women and children under 8 years of age for whom doxycycline is not recommended may take amoxicillin. V recent times azithromycin is also recommended, which is also approved for children and pregnant women. Be sure to check with your doctor before taking any antibiotic.
After removing the insect, a month of observation should pass. After this time, the following may occur:
- the so-called erythema migrans (creeping), which usually occurs 3-30 days after the tick bite. Erythema is the first symptom of one of the tick-borne diseases, Lyme disease. Initially, erythema appears as red spots that grow rapidly. However, you should be aware that in more than half of the cases, the skin reaction does not appear,
- fever and flu-like manifestations (severe headache, muscle and joint pain, cough), which can be a sign of anaplasmosis (HGA) - tick-borne encephalitis.
After these symptoms appear, the person should see a doctor immediately.
Erythema after a bite may be allergic or toxic-inflammatory in nature, which does not indicate the presence of microorganisms that cause tick-borne diseases. The rash does not protrude above the level of the skin, it is warm to the touch, and usually does not cause pain or itching. This allergic skin reaction does not exceed 5 cm in diameter and disappears after a month, regardless of whether you are taking medication or not.
Erythema migrans
Erythema migrans caused by bacteria Borrelia and is one of the symptoms of severe tick-borne disease - Lyme disease. As a rule, it appears within 7-14 days after a tick bite infected with borreliosis. Usually disappears spontaneously after about 1 month.
The characteristic rash resembles a blasting shield: an oval or round spot in the middle, and then a white circle. Erythema ends with a red rim, which every day, "goes" further and becomes more and more. Erythema may be accompanied by flu-like manifestations.
This type of rash is hard to miss, as erythema migrans is at least 5 cm in diameter, a hallmark that differentiates it from an allergic reaction to a bite.
It should be noted, however, that the rash appears only in a fraction of those infected (30-40 percent.) Its absence does not mean that there is no Lyme disease infection.
Erythema is not always present, but when it does, it forms around the bite, although it sometimes occurs elsewhere. Each patient has an individual shape, and even the color of redness.
The bite site itches - what to do
As a rule, the tick bite is painless and does not manifest itself in anything. However, in some patients, after the removal of the blood-sucking insect, the bite site begins to itch.
Why is this happening?
Causes of itching at the site of the tick bite:
With proper treatment early in the disease, most patients achieve rapid improvement (usually within 4-6 weeks) and minimal complications.
In patients in advanced stages (second and third), treatment can also lead to significant improvement and lack of consequences.
In the later stages of the disease, some damage may remain permanent or heal very slowly, despite treatment. Residual facial nerve palsy or knee pain may occur. Some people develop persistent muscle and joint pain, constant fatigue, and decreased concentration, despite the absence of borrelia in the blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and synovial fluid.
Every year the number of cases when the tick has become a carrier of these diseases is growing. This means that you need to be more attentive to yourself and your health. Consider the places where the tick most often lives, as well as know the symptoms that indicate the bite.
What symptoms appear if a person is bitten by a tick
The hypostamus is a special organ of the tick, with the help of which it attaches to a person. As a rule, due to the fact that the mite lives in the grass, less often on low bushes, and is a sedentary insect, it sticks up from the bottom up. Most often, he chooses the delicate skin located in the groin, lower back, abdomen, ears, neck and armpits as a bite site.
The place where the tick has sucked is characterized by inflammation and the occurrence of allergic manifestations. This is a response to the action of insect saliva. In the case when the tick is a carrier of Lyme Borreliosis, the bite site takes on a specific spot-like shape. This spot grows quickly enough. Sometimes its diameter can reach 60 cm. So, how to determine that a person has been bitten by a tick? How long after a tick bite do symptoms appear? What to do if you are bitten by this insect? Each of these issues requires close study, since the number of cases of severe infectious diseases carried by insects is constantly growing.
First signs
The tick bite is not painful. That is why people are not always able to immediately identify the cause of their poor health. If you are a visitor to a park or forest, then you should carefully examine your body and exclude the possibility of injury. Certain symptoms may indicate that tick poison has entered the body. These include:
- Chills;
- Weakness;
- Drowsiness;
- Fear of light;
- Joint pain.
It should be noted that the signs may not be pronounced. It all depends on how many ticks have stuck to the person, to what place, whether the person has health problems and a tendency to allergic reactions.
The very first and most important sign that it is worth sounding the alarm is the detection of a sucked tick. The insect must be removed and sent for research. If it is clean, no further treatment is required. If the tick is a carrier dangerous diseases, then timely detection is a guarantee of the elimination of severe consequences.
Symptoms the next day
If a person did not notice a tick lesion in a timely manner and did not pay attention to the first symptoms, which can easily be confused with fatigue, then the next day his condition may worsen significantly. Separately, the symptoms are similar to the first signs of a cold, but it is worth remembering that a combination of such factors can speak specifically of a tick bite. What should you pay attention to?
First, the body temperature rises to 38 degrees. In this case, a person begins to tachycardia (the number of heart beats more than 60 times per minute), and the pressure decreases. Secondly, the presence of skin rashes and itching can be noted. Thirdly, the lymph nodes are enlarged.
In rare cases, additional symptoms may be added:
- Severe dizziness headaches;
- Vomiting and nausea;
- Shortness of breath;
- Hallucinations.
If the temperature rises immediately after the bite, then this may indicate the development of an allergic reaction to saliva. If the temperature lasts for a week, then this may be a sign of an infectious lesion.
Signs of an encephalitis tick bite
Tick-borne encephalitis - viral disease that affects the nervous system. Untimely treatment can lead to disastrous consequences. The disease progresses very quickly. As early as 1.5 weeks after the bite, the motor neurons of the spinal cord may be affected, Gray matter the brain, resulting in paralysis individual groups muscles. After the disease covers the entire brain, a person may notice the following symptoms:
- Headache;
- Fainting;
- Disruption of the cardiovascular system;
- Increased excitability;
- Digestive system problems;
- Increase in body temperature up to 40 degrees.
Complications this disease lead to flaccid paralysis of the upper limbs. The percentage of deaths depends on the country in the world. In Europe, this figure does not exceed 2 percent. In countries Of the Far East it is 20%. Lethality occurs a week after the defeat.
With Lyme borreliosis
Lyme Borreliosis is an infectious disease that affects the work of the heart, nervous system and musculoskeletal system. The virus is carried by a tick. At the site of the bite, the skin turns red. In this case, the stain grows rapidly. As a rule, its diameter is about 10 cm, but in some cases it can be 60 cm. The spot has an irregular shape and the inflamed edge rises slightly above the level of the skin. Without treatment, the stain lasts for about 3 weeks, after which it disappears.
A month later, symptoms of damage to the cardiovascular and nervous system are noted, pain in the joints occurs. The state of a person corresponds to the state at the initial stage of a cold: headache, muscle aches, weakness and fatigue, as well as sore throat. Added to all this are neurological symptoms - paralysis, hearing loss, insomnia. Complications of this disease rarely cause death. However, it is they who can provoke the development of dangerous diseases, which in the future can lead to death.
What does a tick bite look like on the body: photo
As practice shows, basically a person detects a bite after the tick has time to fall off. The bite site is a red speck, from which the body of an insect sticks out. In this case, the diameter of the redness is about one centimeter. Many people try to get the tick out on their own. If there are insect legs or tentacles in the wound, then you should not worry. The body itself will reject them. The head is another matter. In the photos presented in this section, you can get acquainted with how the bite sites look in practice.
What to do after a tick bite? (Video)
Since the tick is a carrier of serious diseases, when you return home after a trip to a park or forest, you should not immediately lie down on the sofa. It is important to carefully examine yourself and your loved ones for the presence of a tick on the body.
It is immediately worth noting the measures that will allow you to avoid the bites of this insect. First of all, it is worth knowing the places that they choose for themselves. These are herbs and low bushes... You should not wander unnecessarily through such landscapes.
Secondly, the tick is a slow and circumspect insect. Before sucking, he looks for the most optimal place. It can take them up to 3 hours to find such a part of the body. Therefore, try to examine your baby every hour and shake off the tick if found.
Third, when going outdoors, choose airtight clothing. If the weather permits, wear long sleeves and long sleeves. Pants should be as long as possible. It is best when the clothing fits the body completely.
Treat exposed areas of the body with a special tick repellent. If the above measures did not allow you to avoid a tick bite, then you must do the following:
It is worth emphasizing that only live insect... That is why you need to trust your doctor to extract it, because at home it is not possible to remove the tick correctly. Based on the results of the research and assessment of the general state of health, the doctor decides on further treatment. Antibiotics may be prescribed depending on age, as well as antihistamines. Signs of infection begin to appear only after a few weeks, however, a general blood test after 10 days already allows us to conclude that there is an infection in the human body.
Ticks from the order of arachnids are carriers of pathogens of infectious diseases, as well as skin irritants.
The most widespread these are saprophages, their length reaches 0.2-0.5 mm. There is types of pests that harmless to people. They feed only on sap of crops.
Tick activity is especially evident in spring and late autumn, when the air temperature is positive. The largest number of bites occurs in the second half of spring and early summer, during flowering, active growth of plants and trees. A tick bite is not painful for humans, it is expressed in the form of redness.
Examine your skin carefully, especially after outdoor trips and hikes. Today I want to talk about the treatment of a tick bite in humans.
Symptoms after a tick bite in humans
The greatest preference for ticks is caused by subcutaneous folds: behind the ears, neck, leg. The first signs of a bite can appear in the period from one hour to two days, depending on the severity of the skin lesion. The most common skin redness, dizziness and shortness of breath, vomiting and fever. Other symptoms depend on the type of infection.
In Lyme disease (borreliosis), after loss of appetite, muscle and leg paralysis occurs.
The most common tick-borne encephalitis, which is detected within a week, through headache, nausea, shortness of breath. In special cases, cardiac dysfunction.
Vaccination is the most best prevention from encephalitis tick.
You can get infected after taking raw cow and goat milk from a sick animal. The virus enters the body and causes two waves of inflammation in the brain and spinal cord. These vectors are ixodid ticks.
Consequences after a tick bite in humans
The complexity of the consequences depends on the immunity of the human body and the degree of skin damage. The type and toxicity of the tick must also be considered. The consequences of a tick bite in humans are most often found such as:
- redness of the skin, rash;
- fatigue, weakness;
- headache, dizziness;
- nausea and vomiting;
- temperature up to 40 ° C, chills;
- aching joints and in the neck;
- labored breathing;
- insomnia.
There are also serious consequences, they are rare:
- convulsions;
- loss of consciousness;
- mental problems;
- diseases of the brain and spinal cord;
- symptoms of cardiac activity;
- paralysis;
- death.
If you find these signs, contact medical professional, donate blood for analysis to prescribe the necessary treatment.
Signs of a tick bite in humans
In most cases, it is difficult to immediately identify a tick bite. Symptoms may appear after a month. The tick bite does not cause pain due to a special substance produced by the insect itself.
Try to prevent the tick on the body for a long time by examining the skin after walking in the forest, especially in the spring-summer period in warm and humid weather.
How to treat a tick bite in humans?
When you find a tick, it is better to consult a specialist for its removal and examination for infection. If necessary, you will have to undergo treatment. In an outpatient setting for encephalitis, immunoglobulin is prescribed against ticks. 
At home, the head of a female tick is usually removed by dropping on it vegetable oil or alcohol. After 5-15 minutes, it will come out and fall off completely. Gently pick it up with tweezers, put it in a plastic bag, take it to the laboratory for infection detection, as a last resort burn. Immediately after removing the tick, the wound must be treated with hydrogen peroxide.
If the tick is under the hair, part it to show it. Hair for convenience is moistened with water. The remnants of the tick are removed, like a splinter, with a needle heated over a fire.
Sometimes, to remove ticks, they take a regular thread or remove them with hands wearing rubber gloves. For added safety, it is recommended that you wear a bandage over your mouth and nose.
Questions and answers on tick bites in humans
Svetlana: After a tick bite, the bite site became inflamed even after treatment. What to do?
Doctor: Go to the hospital, preferably to the surgical department. 
Veronica: A consultation is urgently needed! I was bitten by a tick, and I am already eight months pregnant. How to be?
Doctor: In your position, it is advisable not to use drugs against tick bites, but in rare cases, treatment is carried out under strict control specialist. Usually, when a tick infected with tick-borne encephalitis bites, people do not get sick.
Alexander: My five-year-old son was bitten by a tick. I removed it, properly treated the wound. I want to somehow secure it in the future, which is your advice.
Doctor: As a prophylaxis of tick-borne encephalitis in children, children's anaferon is recommended.
Olga: I have a long trip to places with increased tick activity. What should I do?
Physician: Use skin protection precautions, clothing and footwear. Get vaccinated and stock up on iodantipyrine 20 days before travel.
Kenneth: Bitten by a tick! After extraction, a small seal turned out, which I discovered after a couple of days. Do I need to donate blood for infection?
Doctor: Yes, absolutely! But after 10 days, from the day of the bite. For antibodies, after 14 days. Re-treat the seal with iodine.
Anatoly: Is it possible to identify an encephalitis tick or not?
Doctor: It is necessary to hand over the tick for laboratory analysis. By outward appearance it is impossible to detect it.
Conclusion: when hiking in nature, use effective special means from insects. Protect your body and head with clothing if possible. Check your body every three hours for ticks. Do not put your health at risk!