Nature is beautiful at any time of the year. But if in winter a person only threatens to freeze, then in the spring-summer period all kinds of insects are activated. One of the most dangerous is ticks.
Tick activity is high in spring and summer. As soon as the sun begins to warm the earth and green foliage appears on the trees, they appear everywhere.
Big cities such as Moscow or St. Petersburg are no different in this respect. The period of tick activity in the Moscow Region begins already in the spring, and residents who are massively traveling outside the city should know what the threat of meeting with insects might be.
Caution … tick
The ticks themselves are not dangerous, but the diseases that they carry. In the Russian Federation, two species of tick have been recorded that carry such a formidable disease as tick-borne encephalitis.
- A taiga tick, the distribution zone is Siberia and the Far East.
- Dog tick, activity zone - European part of Russia, as well as European countries.
In addition to encephalitis, ticks can carry borreliosis, a dangerous disease for humans.
You can never guess if a tick is infected. They are absolutely no different, and males, females, and even larvae can be carriers of the virus. Infection of insects themselves occurs when they are fed from infected animals.
Of course, not all ticks are infected, and even if you were bitten by an insect, it is not necessary that you become ill.
If you were bitten
Despite the increasing activity of ticks, in the warm season, an increasing number of people rush into the forests. They are attracted by fresh air, the opportunity to have fun in nature, pick berries and mushrooms.
But such walks can end with a bite. If the tick is infected, then the virus immediately enters the human blood. Several options are possible here:
- A person inoculated on time - in this case, the virus binds and the disease does not occur. The body will do just fine.
- A bitten person will receive antiviral drugs like Interferon on time - the disease also most likely will not develop.
- A person did not get vaccinated, did not seek medical help on time, or has weak immunity - the disease develops rapidly.
But not everything is so scary. Despite the activity of flares and mass trips of people to the forest, the presence of the virus does not necessarily lead to the development of the disease. But this does not mean that there is no need to take measures in order to protect themselves from the bites of these insidious insects.
Where ticks live
Ticks can be found everywhere in the Russian Federation. Where there is a forest, be careful. In addition to the Russian Federation, these insects live in the forests of China, as well as in European countries.
No wonder the activity of ticks in spring is the highest. After all, insects need, in addition to heat, good humidity precisely in terrestrial areas. And, as you know, in the spring the soil is most moistened after the winter snow melts.
In addition to moisture, a necessary condition for the life and growth of ticks is the presence of living creatures on which they could feed.
Therefore, the most favorable habitats for them are forest edges, places where ferns grow, the banks of water bodies and deciduous forests.
The most important thing for a tick is the presence of tall grass, so recently there have been more frequent cases of bites in the city. For insects, it’s all the same that there is no forest. If tall grass is present, that is enough for them. And human activity is not a hindrance.
Therefore, it is necessary to cut the lawns, to prevent the appearance of areas with high vegetation and piling of cut branches.
It is noteworthy that in coniferous forests, and there, as a rule, there is very little grass, ticks do not live. But on the forest slopes, warmed by the sun and with fresh grass, ticks simply swarm.
Do not think that while walking through the woods ticks may fall on your head. The highest place an adult can climb into is not more than 1.5 meters. Their usual habitat is grass.
When ticks are active
The season of tick activity begins from the moment when the soil warms up to 6-7 degrees. Therefore, the first cases of bites are recorded even in the month of April.
But the largest number of ticks appears in May and June. During this period, you should be especially careful and refuse hiking in the forest or take all necessary precautions.
Then there comes a period when the activity of ticks decreases, and, accordingly, the number of victims of bites. This period falls on hot July and early August.
But then, closer to the fall, ticks reappear. The season of activity, the so-called secondary, falls at the end of August and warm September.
Be that as it may, as soon as the temperature of the soil drops below 5 degrees, the mites disappear and fall into so-called hibernation until the next season.
The activity of ticks will resume again with renewed vigor next spring as soon as the warm spring sun begins to warm. And so in a circle.
What is dangerous tick bite
Ticks are not all infected with dangerous viruses. But even if the insect is not a carrier of the disease, the bite can cause irritation or an allergic reaction. Therefore, it is clear that this is best avoided.
But still it is infected ticks that are especially dangerous. And not necessarily it will be tick-borne encephalitis. Scientists examined this problem and found that more than 60 types of diseases can be infected.
The danger is that a person can forget about the incident with a bite and decide that everything worked out. But the reaction may appear after two weeks.
But, despite all the dangers, nevertheless, the main cause of fear of ticks is tick-borne encephalitis.
The insidiousness of encephalitis
For those not particularly knowledgeable in medical terms, this is inflammation of the brain. Often fatal.
If a person is bitten by a tick, then, simply by examining it, it is impossible to understand whether it is infected. When does tick activity begin? Points for receiving insects for examination begin to open.
Therefore, with a tick bite, it should be taken to a collection point that operates in local sanitary and epidemiological stations. Only there they will be able to conduct a special analysis and determine if the tick is infected.
You have three days to see a doctor and administer immunoglobulin. Of course, you can’t say that now you definitely won’t get sick. But the fact that the disease will pass in a mild form and will not be fatal is for sure.
Get vaccinated
Advice for those whose lifestyle is associated with a frequent stay in forests and places with thick grass: get a vaccine against tick-borne encephalitis.
It is necessary to be vaccinated when ticks have completely disappeared, the season of activity has passed and autumn has come. As a rule, vaccinations can be done from November.
Vaccination can be carried out in the summer. In this case, calculate the time so that at least 21 days elapse from the moment of vaccination to possible contact with insects.
Especially beware of ticks during antibody production.
Ways of protection. clothing
Properly selected clothing is a very effective means of protection against bites of not only ticks, but also other, no less dangerous insects.
Choose smooth, non-fluffy materials. On such clothes, the tick is difficult to catch. Be sure to wear a long-sleeved shirt and tuck it into your pants.
Pants should be dressed in shoes or socks. It is advisable to have a hat.
After walking through the woods, shake out all the clothes above the bathtub and wash.
Special tools
In addition to properly selected clothes, you should use special means from bites. They are available in three types:
- Repellents - can scare off insects.
- Acaricides - insects die.
- Insecticidal repellents - mixed action.
But before choosing something, make sure that you do not have allergic reactions to the substances included in the funds.
Aerosols should be treated only on a hanger and allowed to dry. You can wear after a few minutes.
Acarecid drugs are able to maintain their properties for a long time. But keep in mind that rain and wind reduce the duration.
What else can be done
In addition to the measures taken, do not forget to periodically inspect clothing while in the forest. Arriving home, the skin must be carefully examined.
It happens that a tick, once on the body, does not bite a person. And if the insect is detected in time, then the bite can be avoided.
It is noteworthy that it is not easy to notice how a tick bit you. This happens almost imperceptibly. A person does not feel pain and discomfort, as, for example, from a mosquito bite.
Therefore, as soon as you notice a tick, immediately remove it. The sooner this happens, the less likely it is to become infected.
