2023-08-18 14:44:02
A small puncture, sometimes imperceptible, may be enough to expose oneself to even serious pathologies. For this reason, in the summer, especially if you spend a lot of time in nature, it is important to pay attention to ticks, which are present not only in the woods of the Apennines, but also in city areas, parks and urban meadows, especially in tall grass in shaded areas, with hot and humid climate. The sting of these small arthropods – warned by the veterinary service of the Local Health Authority of Modena – can cause dangerous consequences such as Lyme disease and tick-borne meningoencephalitis. Hence the advice to protect yourself.
To prevent tick bites, when you go to woods, parks and natural areas in general, the best weapon is personal prevention, emphasizes the veterinary service of the Local Health Authority of Modena, through various actions: avoid, if possible, walking in tall grass and stay on marked trails; keep the courtyards mowed, an indication, the latter, particularly recommended for green areas of schools; when going to risky areas, wear a shirt and long trousers, high white socks (to make any insects more visible) and closed shoes. It may be useful to use repellent products on the skin as long as they are specific against ticks. Furthermore, it is necessary to wash clothes at a temperature above 30 degrees; once back home, a thorough check of the body is essential, from head to toe, to identify any presence of ticks, which can look like small moles.
If you discover that you have one or more ticks stuck in your skin, you need to remove them using specific tick pliers that can be purchased at pharmacies. The animal must be extracted at the skin attachment, without using chemical substances (alcohol, oils, creams, sprays). After removal, the skin must be disinfected and if the sting should remain in the skin, do not be alarmed: it is sufficient to extract it with the help of tweezers or a disinfected needle.
The important thing is to locate and remove the tick as soon as possible, on the same day, before it can inject potentially infected saliva (which takes several hours). If possible, it is useful to keep the tick inside a closed container and deliver it to the Local Health Authority veterinary service for subsequent analysis. In the following 30-40 days it is necessary to check the sting area to check for any reactions. If localized infections (eczema), fever and joint pain should arise, you should contact your doctor immediately.
Finally, with regard to Lyme disease, a bacterial disease transmitted by ticks, the veterinary service of the Local Health Authority of Modena points out that it is generated by a bacterium called Borrelia and mainly affects the skin, joints, nervous system and internal organs. It manifests itself with eczema at the site of the bite, a painless circular lesion with a bright red border and a lighter interior which, over the days, enlarges and can move on the skin. Lyme disease can cause headache, fever, arthralgia, muscle pain and if left untreated it can become chronic. From 2018 to today – concludes the note – there have been 82 reports of Lyme disease, with numbers in constant decline: 34 in 2018, 14 in 2019, 20 in 2020, 7 in 2021, 5 in 2022, 2 in 2023 (1 in the District of Carpi and 1 in the District of Sassuolo). Of these reports, 73 are confirmed cases: 29 in 2018, 12 in 2019, 19 in 2020, 6 in 2021, 2 in 2022.
#Tick #bites #expert #advice #avoid #risks