Tick without a head: how the proboscis remaining in the body can cause human infection
If the tick has stuck, it is recommended to contact a medical institution - specialists will remove the parasite painlessly and correctly. But there may not be a first-aid post nearby. In this case, you will have to remove the parasite yourself. Situations where the tick is not completely pulled out are not uncommon and often cause serious complications. To avoid consequences, you need to know how to properly pull out the head of the tick.
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Where are ticks found
Contrary to popular belief, these insects do not live in trees and cannot jump very far. Their favorite habitats are tall grass in the shade, shrubs, swampy deciduous forests. You can meet them both in the wild and in forest park areas, summer cottages and even landscaped courtyards.
What does an encephalitis tick look like?
The encephalitic tick is not a separate type of parasite, but an insect infected with encephalitis. By external signs, it is impossible to determine whether it is encephalitic or normal, this can only be done in the laboratory. The infection is most often carried by iscod ticks.
Where do ticks most often bite?
As soon as the victim is close to the parasite, he, clinging to the skin or clothing, begins to crawl up in search of a suitable place to bite.
They have favorite places for sucking, and they differ in children and adults.
Most likely, this is due to the difference in growth. Children are most often bitten in the ears, adults find a bloodsucker on the neck, in the armpits, on the chest.
Tick bite symptoms
Insects are not inclined to rush to bite their prey if it has already been found. Their small size and protective coloration make them almost invisible; from the moment of preparation to the bite itself, it can take about 20 minutes.
At the moment of suction, the parasite with saliva secretes special enzymes that have an analgesic effect, so the person does not feel discomfort.
All this leads to the fact that a person discovers a bite only when he accidentally finds a tick on himself or when specific symptoms occur. These include:
- headache;
- neck stiffness;
- fever;
- rash all over body;
- muscle weakness.
The above symptoms can only occur if the insect is infected, the bite of an ordinary tick may well go unnoticed.
How to properly remove a tick from human skin
The main rule to follow when removing a blood-sucking parasite is to do it carefully, without trying to quickly pull it out. You can not twist or put pressure on the tick, this will lead to the fact that parts of his body will remain on the skin. In addition, the parasite should not be touched with bare hands, the bite site and the tools used must be treated with an antiseptic. The insect must be saved for examination for infection, and the date of the bite must be noted on the calendar.
How the hospital will get the head
The surgeon will remove parts of the body of the insect using special sterile instruments and disinfectants, and will also give further recommendations.
The head of the tick in the body is the danger
The part of the bloodsucker remaining in the body of the victim can cause suppuration and inflammation. There is also an opinion that a sufficiently high concentration of the virus is present in the salivary glands of the parasite, so the infection process continues.
Prevention of tick bites
A bite can have quite serious consequences, but they can be prevented with the help of simple measures.
You need to know that there is no vaccination against ticks. There is only a vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis and its effectiveness reaches 95%. Subject to the rules, cases of the disease are rare, and, as a rule, proceed in a mild form. There is also a rapid prophylaxis with immunoglobulin. Such an injection must be done within 4 days after the bite.
For walking in areas where ticks are suspected to live, it is necessary to choose clothes that protect most of the body and fit snugly around the wrists and shoes. A hood or scarf is desirable, the ends of which should be tucked into the collar. It is recommended to choose clothes of light colors - parasites are more visible on them. There are many insect repellants on the market today. These drugs have a repellent or acaricidal effect. Do not neglect such means, many of them are quite effective.
Quite often, ticks attack in the adjacent territories and garden plots. You can protect yourself with the help of acaricidal treatment with special means. In every city there are services that provide such services. You can carry out the treatment yourself - preparations for this are commercially available. However, extreme caution should be exercised - acaricidal agents for treating areas are very toxic.