Ticks in autumn: where they hide, what makes them dangerous, and how to protect children

The beginning of autumn is marked by a wave of tick activity. As a rule, they are encountered until November, and in some years, doctors have recorded isolated cases of bites even in December. As long as the air temperature is not below +5°C, it is necessary to consider the possibility of encountering these arthropods when relaxing outdoors.

Currently, nymphs are common in tall grass and bushes — these are small ticks measuring 0.5–1 mm. However, they transmit Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis just like adult ticks.

"In its development cycle, a tick goes through several stages: egg, larva, nymph, and adult. A nymph is a growing generation; such ticks are smaller in size and difficult to notice," said Halina Mlynarchyk, an entomologist from the anti-epidemic department of the Epidemiology Department of the Minsk City Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology.

Antibiotics should be taken within the first 72 hours after a bite

The most dangerous diseases that a tick can transmit are tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme borreliosis. While there is a vaccine for the former, there is no vaccine for Lyme borreliosis yet.

For the Lyme borreliosis bacterium to cause illness in a human, 72 hours must pass after the bite.

"Only after 72 hours can the first signs appear — this is a migratory rash. It can range from pale pink to bright red and bluish. The rash constantly grows, reaching 15, 20, and even 30 centimeters. Its center may be clear. Subjectively, it often does not manifest itself in any way: the person feels no pain, burning, or itching," noted Tatsiana Klyannitskaya, an infectologist and head of the "isolation ward" department at the City Clinical Infectious Disease Hospital of the capital.

If, after a tick bite, a person does not seek medical attention in time and does not start taking antibiotics within the first 72 hours, the disease can progress further and affect joints, the nervous system, and the cardiovascular system. Moreover, unusual headaches may appear, which no medication can relieve.

How to protect children

After a tick bite, children, like adults, may be prescribed antibiotics for Lyme borreliosis. The correct dose is calculated by a pediatrician based on the child's weight. To protect younger children from bites, they should be dressed according to the "shingle" principle when going for a walk.

"This means that trousers should be tucked into socks, and a jacket or top into trousers or tights. We layer one item on top of another: a top with cuffs, a scarf, a hat – and the child is already protected by this," said Alina Savenka, an infectologist and head of the organizational and methodological department of the Minsk City Children's Infectious Disease Clinical Hospital.

During walks, tick repellents should be used. These must be pharmacy products with usage instructions.

On human skin, ticks prefer warm and dry places. These can be the areas behind the ears, neck, armpits, groin, popliteal fossae (behind the knees), elbow creases, and spaces between the fingers. Therefore, after a walk, it is important to inspect the child in all these areas. Particular attention should also be paid to the hairy part of the head.

"There was a case when an ambulance brought a girl directly from a dacha with suspected pneumonia. Pneumonia was confirmed, hospitalization was required, and in the emergency department, a mandatory pediculosis examination is performed. The girl had braids with colored ribbons on her head, which she had worn for half the summer. When the braids were unbraided, I found a tick that had been there for a couple of days," noted Alina Savenka.

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