A tiny bite is an insidious disease. What is dangerous Lyme borreliosis and how to treat it
It is autumn on the street, but the ticks have not gone anywhere - there is still a threat of being bitten. What...
It is autumn on the street, but the ticks have not gone anywhere - there is still a threat of being bitten. What to do if they brought home an uninvited guest after a walk, read the Minsk-Novosti correspondent’s article.
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The main marker is migratory erythema
In Belarus, the main carrier of Lyme borreliosis is the forest ixode mite (Ixodes ricinus). The pathogen bacterium enters the human skin along with the saliva of the parasite during suction. However, the disease does not develop immediately.
“Bacteria need time to accumulate in the skin in sufficient quantities,” says infectious diseases doctor, head of the department of the City Clinical Infectious Disease Hospital Tatiana Klennitskaya. Usually this process takes about 72 hours, then the first clinical signs of Lyme borreliosis may appear.
The main and most recognizable symptom of the first stage of the disease is a specific spot on the skin: migratory erythema from pale pink to bright red with a bluish tint. Tellingly, it is gradually growing. Over time, the spot can increase to 15, 20 and even 30 cm in diameter, and in its center the skin often turns pale, forming a kind of ring.
The insidiousness of Lyme disease is that a person does not feel any itching, burning, or pain, the infectious disease doctor draws attention to. And this often puts patients to sleep.
The photo is illustrative in nature
What happens if you lose time?
The first stage of the disease usually occurs within a month after contact with the tick. Without timely treatment to specialists and a course of antibacterial therapy, the spot may disappear over time on its own, but this does not mean recovery. In this case, the risk of infection in the second stage is high, which can develop within 1-6 months after the bite.
- At this stage, the bacteria begins to spread throughout the body, warns T. Klennitskaya. - Joints, nervous and cardiovascular systems, as well as other areas of the skin are affected.
The second stage of Lyme borreliosis is characterized by:
- 1.the appearance of similar growing spots in any place on the body (not only where the tick was sucked);
- 2.severe pain in the joints (arthritis);
- 3.unusually severe headaches that are not stopped by conventional analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs.
Immunity to Lyme borreliosis is not developed.
- To prevent the development of infection, it is necessary to consult a doctor in the first three days after suction of a tick to prescribe antibacterial therapy, in particular doxycycline, the head of the department explains.
The photo is illustrative in nature
She also clarifies: after treatment, immunity to Lyme-borreliosis is not developed. Therefore, such prevention should be carried out with each subsequent suction of the arthropod.
- Conventionally, even if you were bitten by a tick today, and the next one - tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, the concentration of the previously used antibiotic in the body decreases, explains T. Klennitskaya. It will not be effective against a new bite, so the protection should be discussed with the specialist again. If 72 hours from the moment of the bite have already passed or a growing spot appeared on the skin, do not self-medicate, seek medical help at the clinic at the place of residence.
The principle of shingles in clothing
- Children, because of their curiosity and love for games in high grass, remain in the main risk group for the incidence of Lyme-borreliosis, adds the infectious disease doctor, head of the organizational and methodological department of the City Children's Infectious Clinical Hospital Alina Savenko. Therefore, adults are obliged to protect their child as much as possible and complicate the life of the tick. The parasite on the way to human skin has the first frontier - clothing. Dress a child for a walk should be on the principle of shingles - layering. This means that pants must be tucked into socks, and a shirt or sweater into pants or tights. The cuffs on the sleeves should fit tightly to the wrists. The head must be protected with a scarf, cap or hat.
Infectionist emphasizes: folk methods such as lubricating the skin with clove oil do not replace full protection.
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- Use repellents. It is better to buy them in pharmacies and strictly follow the instructions for use. Apply the product on the skin or clothing as recommended by the manufacturer, said Savenko.
According to the expert, the most reliable method of preventing tick-borne infections is a thorough examination of the skin immediately after returning home.
- Ticks choose places with delicate skin: the area behind the ears, cervical folds, axillary troughs, inguinal region, hamstrings and interdigital gaps, warns A. Savenko.
The first steps if the tick sucks
In this case, the main thing is not to panic. If you can, remove the tick yourself. Doubtful? Then go to the clinic. Especially if it concerns children: doctors carefully get the parasite and accurately prescribe the dosage of the antibiotic.
- In pediatrics, prophylactic doses of drugs are calculated strictly by the weight of the child, emphasizes A. Savenko. Half of my grandmother's pill or a quarter of my dad's pill won't work for him - it can become toxic. Antibiotic prophylaxis is mandatory for a baby of any age.
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The myth of a safe age
- For a long time there was an opinion that the problem of Lyme borreliosis does not concern infants, continues the child infectious disease specialist. I don’t care how many months the baby is. The youngest patient in our practice was my three-month-old son. It was a shock to me to find a tick in the baby under the diaper! Nobody's safe from that. But even if the child is vaccinated, you can not relax. The current vaccine effectively protects only against tick-borne encephalitis. There is no vaccination for Lyme-borreliosis yet - its development by the world medical community is still underway.
For reference
If 72 hours have passed and prevention has not been carried out, monitor the general condition. Pay attention to the appearance of weakness, chills, fever and muscle pain. Watch the site of the bite, do not paint over the wound with greens, iodine, fucorcin or calamine - they will only mask the problem. Control the dynamics: if a red spot (ring-shaped erythema) appears around the bite point and begins to spread, immediately consult a doctor!
