Tick ​​bite: how to protect yourself and what to do if you detect a parasite

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With the onset of spring, we spend more and more time outdoors. During this period, ticks begin to become more active, whose bites can lead to death. We tell you what to do to protect yourself from meeting parasites, and what to do if a tick still sticks to you.

How to avoid a tick bite?

When visiting areas where there is a high risk of picking up a tick, it is recommended to wear light-colored clothing that covers the body as much as possible, since the tick bite is imperceptible and it will be difficult to notice the parasite on dark-colored fabric. Instead of a T-shirt, choose a long-sleeved shirt, and instead of shorts and skirts, wear pants, preferably tucked into socks or shoes. It would not hurt to bring a scarf with you, since the neck is one of the favorite places for ticks to bite – the skin on it is the thinnest, and the blood vessels are located closest.

It is also recommended to tie your hair in a bun and wear a hat if necessary, and if you still don't have one, comb your hair about once every two hours to make sure that there are no insects on your head.

Before going out, apply an acaricidal and tick-repellent product to your clothes, which will help prevent insect bites.

What to do if a tick does bite?

It is not recommended to remove an insect yourself. It is best to do this at a doctor's office or clinic near your place of residence. If you decide to remove the tick yourself, experts advise following these instructions. First, you need to grab the insect with tweezers as close to its mouthparts as possible and, holding it strictly perpendicular to the bite surface, rotate the body of the tick around its axis, then pull the insect out. The bite site must be disinfected with 70% alcohol, 5% iodine or brilliant green. After removing the tick, you need to wash your hands thoroughly with soap. If a black dot remains, the skin should be treated with iodine and left until the remains of the tick come out on their own.

Never remove the tick with your bare hands, using oil or kerosene – these liquids block the insect's respiratory tract, which causes it to die, injecting poison into the blood.

What next?

It is advisable to send the removed tick for examination to find out whether it is a carrier of infections. It is recommended to do this as soon as possible: immunoglobulin (a drug against tick-borne encephalitis) is administered in the first 96 hours from the moment the insect bites, and antibiotic therapy is carried out in the first 72 hours.

Before taking the tick to the laboratory, place it in a glass container with a piece of wet cotton wool so that it does not dry out. At the appointment, you must provide information about when, where and approximately when you were bitten.