Tick bite: what you need to know about local manifestations. What are the consequences of a tick bite in humans? How long do the symptoms of a tick bite occur?

Differently - meningoencephalitis. Every year in Russia there are thousands of cases of tick-borne encephalitis. In more 20% cases this so-called. spring sickness develops in children. The disease is infectious viral in nature. The virus enters the body through the hematogenous route (through the blood) after a bite encephalitis tick(ixodid tick).

It affects the following body systems:

central nervous system;
peripheral nervous system;
gray matter of the brain (polyencephalitis);
white matter of the brain (leukoencephalitis);
both substances at the same time (panencephalitis).

A person with encephalitis is at high risk lethal outcome, but even if a person still manages to survive, his existence turns into an everyday struggle. The patient loses most of his functions, falls into paralysis, becomes an invalid.

Signs of encephalitis in a person after a bite

Signs of a particular disease can only be detected by a specialist when performing laboratory and clinical studies. This is the main difference between signs and symptoms of the disease, which are easily recognized by the patient himself.

To draw up a picture of the disease of tick-borne encephalitis, doctors resort to the following diagnostic methods:

puncture of cerebrospinal fluid;
blood analysis;
x-ray;
biological study of the tick-carrier.

The presence of a neuroinfection that causes encephalitis is signaled to doctors by the following signs:

ring-shaped changes in the MRI of the brain;
violation of cerebral circulation;
circulatory disorders in the neck, face, chest and mucous membranes of the mouth and nose;
change in the composition of the liquor;

The disease is divided into two categories:

primary (independent);
secondary (develops against the background of other pathologies).

According to the course, the disease is classified into:

spicy;
subacute;
chronic (disability).

Symptoms

Primary The symptoms of encephalitis are somewhat similar to those of a cold (flu-like). It manifests itself in an acute form.

Fever and intoxication begin, which are accompanied by classic symptoms of a cold:

Often, after a tick bite, a so-called. tick-borne erythema. The bite site actively turns red and increases in size, surrounded by an additional ring of a reddish tint. Such a symptom may signal other types of encephalitis (Lyme disease).

With the development of the disease, more severe symptoms are observed. Neurological changes appear:

paralysis;
loss of consciousness;
coma;
speech disorders;
movement disorders;
epileptic seizures.

A person infected with the encephalitis virus quickly gets tired and sleeps poorly, becomes sensitive to light. He may fall into a fever, which will be prolonged (up to 10 days). There are also cases of memory loss.

How is encephalitis diagnosed?

The tick-borne encephalitis virus destroys blood-brain barrier and thus enters the central nervous system through the blood, destroys neurons, causes vascular disorders, and affects the spinal cord sections. Often, due to the similarity of the manifestations of diseases, encephalitis is confused with a pre-stroke state.

Laboratory specialists can observe the following changes in the brain:

tissue hyperemia;
edema of the substance of the brain;
infiltrates from brain cells;
pinpoint hemorrhages (vascular damage);
vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels);
the formation of necrotic foci;
occurrence of fibrotic changes.

The manifestation of encephalitis is divided into several forms:

feverish(the acute form lasts up to 5 days and manifests itself in the form of headache, lethargy, fever, nausea);
meningeal(the most common form with symptoms of severe headaches, recurrent vomiting, photophobia, dizziness; a favorable course with recovery after 2-3 weeks);
meningoencephalitic(a more severe form with pathological changes in the work of consciousness, delirium and hallucinations, convulsions are observed);
polyencephalomyelitis(in the first days, general fatigue is noted, there is a violation of movement with muscle twitching, numbness of the limbs, control over the body is lost, pain in the muscles is felt, for 3 weeks the symptoms develop into muscle atrophy and loss of movement);
polyradiculoneuritis(violation of sensitivity, pains are felt along the nerve pathways, tingling, paralysis of the lower sections, lumbar and shoulder girdle develops).

How long does it take for encephalitis to show up?

Ticks, whether female or male, regardless of the time they stay in the human body, infect with a virus immediately after the bite. The longer the pathogen is not removed, the higher the risk of getting more pathogen into the blood.

Does encephalitis show up quickly?

The disease has a certain incubation period (from 8 to 20 days). Its duration depends on the number of bites and the geographical area where the tick lives (the Far East and the Urals are the most dangerous regions).

There are cases when the virus manifested itself on the first day, and sometimes you had to wait a whole month. Already through 2 days after a bite, a virus is found in the brain tissue. After 4 days the concentration of pathogens in the gray matter becomes maximum.

What to do with a tick bite?

If, after a trip to the forest, you undressed naked, examined your body and found a tick stuck into the skin in some area, then a number of measures must be taken:

The most common areas of tick bites:

armpits
inner surface of the thighs;

Unfortunately, emergency therapy is effective only in 60% cases. Therefore, it is advisable not to allow a bite at all. For this, each person must comply simple recommendations, especially if he often happens in nature and goes to the forest.

These measures include:

Putting on a special protective suit. Overalls fit snugly to the body and are fully tucked in. The fabric of such a suit is impregnated with a solution that repels insects. There is a protective hood and cuffs, as well as traps for ticks (special inserts that prevent ticks from moving along the body).
Take a shower. Ticks are susceptible to the smell of sweat. In order not to attract them to you, wash yourself before going out and use an antiperspirant.
The use of repellents (drugs against insects). Before going into the woods, treat your hazmat suit with an anti-tick spray. Do not apply the drug to the body. Make sure that the aerosol does not get on the mucous membrane of the mouth or nose.
Get vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis. In many cities of Siberia, children school age compulsorily vaccinated against this virus. The vaccine is injected under the shoulder blade or in the shoulder. The procedure is recommended for children aged 4 years and older (imported vaccines are allowed from the age of twelve months). Revaccination is carried out every 3-5 years. Vaccination protects in 95% of cases.

Signs of the effects of an encephalitis tick bite

The disease leads to psychiatric and neurological consequences.

After a tick bite, the following diseases can develop:

Encephalomyelitis. Destruction of the myelin sheath. Accompanied by hemiparesis, ataxia, parkinsonism, oculomotor disorders, impaired consciousness.
Myelitis. Inflammation of the spinal cord. Manifested in the form of weakness, fever with chills, back pain, numbness of the limbs, loss of sensitivity.
Meningitis. Inflammation of the meninges of the brain. Symptoms - fever, severe prolonged headache, vomiting, lethargy.
Epilepsy. Convulsive attacks without loss of consciousness.

Encephalitis is accompanied by the following complications:

memory loss;
decrease in intelligence;
disorder of motor functions;
speech disorder;
anorexia.

Conclusion

Tick-borne encephalitis is a viral disease that has no cure. The patient is prescribed supportive therapy aimed at combating recurring symptoms and ensuring his adaptation in society.

It is important to remember that:

encephalitis virus is carried by ticks;
the virus enters the blood immediately after the bite, and into the membranes of the brain - already on the second day;
symptoms of the disease occur in the form of fever;
destructive processes in the brain caused by the virus lead to loss of coordination of movement, paralysis, memory impairment, death;
after a bite, it is necessary to remove the insect from the body and send it for laboratory analysis;
to prevent infection, it is necessary to be vaccinated, wear protective suits, and use repellents that repel ticks.

29.09.2016

If you like outdoor recreation, you should know that such a danger awaits you there, like a tick bite. With proper luck, you will get by with just a couple of grams of blood loss. But if luck is not on your side, there is a risk of contracting several dangerous diseases at once.

Incubation period after a tick bite

The incubation period after a bite can be different and directly depends on the disease that the tick has infected you with. So, the most dangerous are Lyme disease (borreliosis) and tick-borne encephalitis. If bacteria of the first disease have entered the body, its symptoms will appear in about a week.

The entry of tick saliva into the bloodstream through a bite can cause many diseases.

But signs of encephalitis can appear in the period from 2 to 4 weeks after the bite of a bloodsucker, and sometimes even after 2 months. It depends on the state of the person's immune system. However, there are other diseases that are transmitted through tick saliva.

What does a tick bite look like on a human body

The most innocuous manifestation is a slight redness around the place where the arthropod was found, or the complete absence of marks on the skin, except for a small hole in the place where the proboscis was located

In some cases, with an increased tendency to allergies, the bite site may swell, there may be a burning sensation and itching, and a lump may appear. Such manifestations usually disappear within a week without a trace. When bitten by some types of soft ticks, the affected area of \u200b\u200bthe skin can be very sore.

If the body is hypersensitive to tick saliva, symptoms such as:

chills, headache, fever;
muscle weakness;
edema;
feeling of numbness in the limbs;
dyspnea;
problems with coordination, fatigue;
lost appetite;
paralysis.

These symptoms require immediate medical attention.

Tick-borne encephalitis

As already mentioned, in the period from 4 days to 2 weeks, this infection may not manifest itself in any way. But after this period, a person begins to burn out from a fever with a temperature of up to 38-39 degrees, to feel severe soreness in the muscles and eyes. The infected suffer from nausea, vomiting, severe headaches. There is redness of the face, neck, arms, upper chest, and eyes. This acute period lasts 2–10 days and is characteristic of the febrile form of encephalitis, which occurs most frequently.

The symptomatology of tick-borne encephalitis almost completely repeats the signs of a cold, so quite often the disease is diagnosed at an advanced stage.

After the acute phase, there comes a break when the patient becomes much easier. But it is at this time that irreversible changes can occur in the central nervous system and brain. Since the listed symptoms are almost identical to those of the flu, it is very important to immediately consult a doctor when it appears.

Video: what is tick-borne encephalitis

Borreliosis (Lyme disease)

As mentioned above, the first thing that indicates this disease is a rash of a specific type of large size (from 10 to 60 cm in diameter) - annular erythema. The bitten may feel itching, burning, pain at the puncture site. This rash can last from several days to several months. Gradually, the border of the spots becomes swollen and, as it were, convex.

The rash can be up to 60 cm in diameter

After the onset of cyanosis, the bite site begins to scar, a crust appears on it, which eventually falls off. Approximately 14 days after the bite, the skin becomes healthy in appearance. After the rash appears, the first stage of the disease begins, lasting 3-30 days. At this time, infected:

feels muscle pain, weakness, pain in the head;
gets tired quickly;
suffers from sore throat and runny nose;
feels nausea and stiffness of the muscles in the neck.

After this active phase, the patient forgets about the disease for almost a month. At this time, damage to the joints and heart occurs. Quite often, the rash is interpreted as a sign of a local allergic reaction, and the acute phase is mistaken for SARS or overwork. During the absence of visible symptoms, a latent form of Lyme disease begins, the serious consequences of which will appear only after a few months.

Video: symptoms of Lyme disease

Monocytic ehrlichiosis

This infection, which enters the body with tick saliva, was first identified in 1987. Its danger is that it provokes inflammatory processes in various internal organs, and a person can either fully recover or die, depending on the course of the disease.

Patients with monocytic ehrlichiosis often suffer from headaches, which are mainly attributed to the onset of a cold.

The incubation period is from 1 to 21 days, and the acute phase of the disease can last 2–3 weeks. Symptoms of ehrlichiosis resemble a cold - a strong fever (up to 39-40 degrees) with chills, dizziness, pain in the head, muscles and joints, as well as abdominal pain (in the abdomen).

If the nervous system is affected, the infected may feel:

nausea;
dizziness;
increased sensitivity to any external stimuli (hyperesthesia);
insufficiency of the facial nerve;
serous inflammation of the soft membranes of the brain (aseptic meningitis).

Approximately one third of all cases of ehrlichiosis morbidity is characterized by a two-wave course of the disease. Moreover, if the second wave lasts one to one and a half weeks, then in about half of the cases the patient develops encephalitis, and 1% of the patients may suffer from meningoencephalitis. Some victims note inflammation of the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract (catarrhal phenomena). An extremely small percentage of those infected with this infection may suffer from a maculopapular rash on the body.

tick-borne relapsing fever

The average incubation period for this disease is 4–20 days, but most often 11–12 days. Immediately after the bite, a red spot appears in its place, and then a papule (a pimple filled with a clear liquid), the diameter of which reaches up to 0.5 cm. A convex red rim can be observed around the papule. This symptom may last up to 2-3 weeks.

Numerous cherry-colored papules appear 1-2 days after the formation of the papule at the site of the bite

This disease manifests itself in attacks (10-12, sometimes more), following one after another after a certain period of time. Each outbreak is characterized by the following symptoms:

an increase in body temperature to 38–40 degrees, combined with chills and intense thirst;
weakness and pain in large joints;
Strong headache;
delirium, agitation, hallucinations.

The first attack lasts 1–3, less often 4 days. A day after the break (apyrexia), the next attack begins, lasting from 5 days to a week. Apyrexia after it is 2-3 days. Each subsequent attack lasts less, and the intervals between the acute phases of the disease are longer.

This disease is curable and in most cases does not give complications. But sometimes (especially with the African variety of infection) can develop:

iridocyclitis, iritis (damage to the organs of vision);
meningitis;
neuritis;
acute toxic hepatitis;
pneumonia;
toxic psychosis.

Even death is possible.

Tularemia

This acute infectious disease most often affects the lymph nodes, skin, in some cases also the pharynx, eyes and lungs. The incubation period is from 1 to 30 days, but most often - 3-7 days. This disease exists in different clinical forms, each of which depends on the site of infection. So, the saliva of ticks provokes the development of the bubonic form, which is a regional lymphadenitis. With this form of the disease, lymph nodes throughout the body are affected. The primary symptoms are fever (up to 40 degrees), chills, pain in the head, muscles and joints, redness of the eyes and mouth. Fever can be remittent (with sharp fluctuations in temperature - up to 2 degrees or more), intermittent, in which periods of normal and elevated body temperature alternate, or undulating (two to three waves).

Inflamed and greatly enlarged lymph nodes are one of the characteristic features tick-borne tularemia

With tick-borne tularemia, lymph nodes in the armpits, groin, neck, and hips suffer. Their size can grow to the volume of a chicken egg. The contours of the lymph nodes become clearly defined, and they themselves are felt very painful, but over time, the pain disappears. After a few months, the size of the buboes decreases until they disappear completely, although their suppuration is also possible.

There are other diseases transmitted through the saliva of ticks, but they are much less common.

In this article, I give tips on orthostatic support for the body after a tick bite:

Give preference to organic food with large quantity fresh vegetables and fruits.
Choose whole grains: brown rice, quinoa, millet, etc.
Eliminate the use of white refined grains and products from them: white rice, white pasta, White bread etc.
Exclude if possible fried food, deep-fried, grilled.

Food prepared by frying or smoking (fried meats, fish, potatoes, chips, processed cheeses) is hard enough to digest. Therefore, cook food with the help of steam processing, stewing, boiling. Use olive, butter or coconut oil for this. After cooking, add oils containing cold-pressed Omega 3-6-9 (maximum half a tablespoon per serving).

5. Use food containing proteins, for better detoxification of the liver from the toxins of the bacterium Borrelia.
These are turkey meat, egg yolk boiled in a bag, tofu, tempeh, well-cooked legumes. Alternate your use of these foods.

6.Use the products rich in soluble fiber. Soluble fiber binds Borrelia neurotoxins in the intestines, resulting in the body getting rid of them through bowel movements.
Soluble fiber rich foods: vegetables, fruits, seaweed, chlorella, spirulina, green clay, wheatgrass, coconut flour, mushrooms, psyllium, oat bran.

7.Use the products rich in vitamins A and D, zinc, selenium, beta-glucans. They will help boost immunity against Borrelia bacteria.
Foods rich in vitamin A: butter, oily fish, eggs, biologically clean liver.
Foods rich in vitamin D: butter, oily fish, eggs, organic liver, sunlight (adoption sunbathing within 15 minutes with an open head and hands in non-hazardous sundial: from 10 am to 12 pm and in the evening after 4 pm).
Foods rich in zinc: oysters, organic liver, nuts, seeds, poultry, fish, eggs.
Foods rich in selenium: onion, garlic, brazil nuts, seafood, whole grains.
Foods rich in beta glucan: mushrooms (shiitake, meitake, reishi).

8. Eliminate foods from the diet, that impair liver function: coffee, black tea, alcohol, synthetic additives, fried, smoked and deep-fried foods. The liver has great value in the development of protection against cytokines and neurotoxins of the bacterium Borrelia.

9. Use products that help detoxify the liver: A mixture of hemp oil or Omega 3-6-9 oils (1 tablespoon of the mixture) can be seasoned with already cooked dishes (not while cooking!).

Products, helping to detoxify the liver:

fatty fish (herring, salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout);
vegetables: leafy vegetables, pumpkin, carrots, chicory, endive, cabbage (broccoli, Chinese, pakso, white, cauliflower);
berries: strawberries, blueberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries;
herbs and spices: ginger, garlic, rosemary;
to support liver glutathione conjugation: asparagus, eggs, avocados, garlic, onions, poultry, nuts, seeds, seaweed and broccoli;
foods rich in BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine and valine): cottage cheese, meat, fish, eggs, legumes, yogurt, nuts and seeds.

10. Use choleretic products. The bacterium Borrelia produces neurotoxins in the form of lipoproteins, fat-soluble toxins. By stimulating the flow of bile, you help your body get rid of toxins through bowel movements.

Cholagogue foods: artichoke, beetroot, all green vegetables, radish, watercress, leek, onion, ginger, turmeric, thyme, oregano, rosemary, black pepper, dandelion hydrolate - dandelion tea.

If you have been prescribed a course of antibiotics and you want to reduce side effects from taking them, I advise you to take one course of hydrolatotherapy. You can read about hydrosols.

Educational materials for study and application in practice:

A complete guide to using vitamin D for your health. Details
A complete guide to using MAGNESIUM for your health! Details
Video training "Healing the body with the help of correct application OMEG and PUFA. Details

Nevertheless, many neglect the precautions and begin to think about a possible infection not immediately, but only after some time, when that very tick can no longer be found, and it is too late to carry out prevention (it is effective only in the first 3-4 days after the bite).

In this case, there is only one option left - to observe the condition of the affected person and, at the first symptoms of the disease, go to the hospital and begin treatment. After a bite of an encephalitic tick, in case of infection of the body, the duration of the incubation period of tick-borne encephalitis in humans is several days - at this time, by external signs, it is impossible to say whether the disease develops in the body or not. And only the first characteristic symptoms usually clearly indicate that the disease has begun. Or, if the usual terms of the incubation period have passed, and there are no signs of the disease, you can be calm - the infection has not occurred.

About how long the bite victim needs to carefully monitor his condition and what nuances it is important to take into account, will be discussed below ...

The duration of the incubation period of tick-borne encephalitis

It should be borne in mind that the duration of the incubation period of tick-borne encephalitis is not a constant value - it is individual for each person, and depends on the following factors:

The number of viral particles that entered the body during a bite;
The state of the immune system at the time of infection;
The number of ticks that bit a person.

Cases have been reported when encephalitis manifested itself as early as three days after the bite, but there is also evidence of the development of the disease 21 days after the tick attack. On average, the incubation period of tick-borne encephalitis lasts 10-12 days, and after this period, the likelihood of getting sick is significantly reduced.

People with weakened immune systems should be especially careful to observe themselves - they are more likely to get sick after a tick bite. In people with strong immunity, even an infection that has reliably entered the body is in most cases suppressed by the forces of the immune system, and the disease does not develop.

On a note

Also at risk are people who have recently arrived in an area endemic for tick-borne encephalitis. Old-timers in such areas may have immunity that has developed naturally- with rare tick bites and ingestion of small amounts of the virus. Newcomers, on the other hand, do not have such protection, and when bitten, the likelihood of becoming infected is much higher.

Age also plays a role, although not a primary one. According to statistics, children are most susceptible to tick-borne encephalitis - in some areas, their proportion is more than 60% of cases. This may be due both to the imperfection of the immunity of the child's body compared to adults, and to the banal fact that the child is more likely to be in conditions of possible infection (during games with peers) and is not so careful about his own protection from tick bites.

However, there is not one age group, representatives of which tick-borne encephalitis would not affect at all.

As a result, after a tick bite, the condition of any affected person must be monitored for three weeks. If during this time the symptoms of tick-borne encephalitis have not developed, then you can be calm - the danger of getting sick has passed.

On a note

There is another way of contracting encephalitis - through the raw milk of infected goats and cows, or the corresponding dairy products. Moreover, if goats become ill when infected with the TBE virus, then in cows in the body it multiplies absolutely asymptomatically.

When infected milk is consumed, the incubation of the virus proceeds on average faster, and the disease manifests itself after about a week.

Now let's see what happens to the virus immediately after it enters the human body and how it develops during the incubation period...

Penetration of the TBE virus into the body and the initial stage of tissue damage

Once in the wound, viral particles (in fact, these are RNA molecules in a protein coat) from the intercellular space penetrate directly into the host cells. Usually these are cells of the subcutaneous tissue and adjacent muscles (although if infected through dairy products, this can also be the gastrointestinal tract).

Upon penetration into the cell, the viral particle loses its shell, and only RNA is found inside the host cell. It reaches the genetic apparatus in the nucleus, integrates into it, and in the future the cell will constantly produce proteins and RNA of the virus along with its components.

When an infected cell produces enough infectious particles, it can no longer perform its functions and function normally. Cells literally stuffed with viral particles are destroyed - as a result, a large number of virions enter the intercellular space and spread to other cells, and the decay products of the dead cell (and partly the antigens of viral particles) cause inflammation. During the incubation period, the number of viral particles in human tissues is constantly and very rapidly growing.

The photo below shows how tick-borne encephalitis virus particles look under a microscope:

If the immune system of an infected person is strong enough, it quickly identifies the antigens of the virus as dangerous, and begins to produce antibodies that bind the viral particles, preventing them from infecting new cells. In this case, no symptoms of the disease will appear - gradually the infection will be completely suppressed. But if antibodies are not produced (for example, the immune system does not detect a virus as a structure dangerous to the body), or there are not enough of them, then the viruses pass into the bloodstream and spread throughout the body with it.

Initially, tick-borne encephalitis affects and destroys the so-called reticuloendothelial cells that perform protective function. However, already three days after infection, the virus is able to penetrate the central nervous system.

It is the brain that is the most favorable place for the virus to multiply - and here it works according to the same scheme, destroying cells and infecting new ones. But if the subcutaneous tissue recovers quickly when damaged, then the nerve cells are deprived of this ability. This is why brain damage is dangerous for any organism - the cells of the brain and meninges do not recover for a long time, and their damage leads to persistent health problems.

Despite the fact that in the classical case, encephalitis begins quite abruptly and unexpectedly, sometimes already in the incubation period there are changes in well-being - the so-called prodromal symptoms. These include increased fatigue, weakness, drowsiness, poor appetite, general malaise. These are the first signs that the infection did occur.

On a note

In the vast majority of cases, the infection goes unnoticed, and the disease takes an erased asymptomatic form. Infection can be guessed only by the presence of antibodies in the blood of an outwardly absolutely healthy person.

When the amount of a multiplying virus begins to clearly interfere with the normal functioning of the body, the first symptoms of the disease appear. If tick-borne encephalitis at the same time corresponds to the Far Eastern subtype, then severe lesions occur quite quickly nervous system. Due to the degradation of nerve cells, epileptic seizures, muscle weakness and atrophy, and paralysis can occur.

Mortality among patients in the Far East is quite high - this is a quarter of all cases of the disease. In Europe, the probability of death from encephalitis is much lower - only 1-2% of patients die.

Is a person contagious during the incubation period?

To date, only two are known possible ways infection with tick-borne encephalitis - through the bites of infected ticks, as well as through milk and dairy products from infected goats and cows. If a person falls ill with tick-borne encephalitis, then he is not contagious to others. This applies to both the incubation period and the time of the most severe manifestations. The disease is not transmitted by communication (airborne droplets), touch or through mucous membranes.

The same applies to pets - from a sick dog that has been infected by a tick, the owner cannot get the infection (it is useful to keep in mind that dogs in most cases become infected from ticks not with encephalitis, but with piroplasmosis).

So you don’t have to worry about the danger of a person bitten by a tick for others - the transfer of CE from person to person is simply impossible. Even if infected, a person will not be dangerous for his loved ones, you can communicate with him, be in the same room and take care of him - the virus will not be transmitted either by airborne droplets or by contact.

The first symptoms of the disease that you should pay attention to

When observing the condition of an adult or child who has been bitten by a tick, it is worth paying attention to even a slight deterioration in well-being. Increased fatigue over several days of the incubation period may already be one of the first prodromal symptoms of the disease.

On a note

As a rule, tick-borne encephalitis begins abruptly. Often patients can even name a specific time when they became ill. The classic first signs of the disease:

The temperature rises sharply;

There are progressive headaches;

There is swelling of the face;

Sometimes there is severe nausea and vomiting.

Such primary symptoms are characteristic of the relatively mild European subtype of encephalitis. For a more severe Far Eastern variant, in addition to the above manifestations, at the onset of the disease, double vision, difficulty in speech and swallowing, and impaired urination are characteristic. Pathologies of the nervous system can be immediately observed - for example, a deterioration in the mobility of the neck muscles. Patients are very apathetic and lethargic, any communication enhances their headache and makes it even more uncomfortable. In the future, such symptoms only intensify, especially without timely treatment.

It is especially dangerous if signs of brain damage immediately begin to appear. Difficulty in movement, seizures and convulsions may indicate a severe form of the disease, which requires urgent hospitalization. However, in the same way, any progressive symptom should be a signal for immediate treatment to the hospital.

The help of a doctor is no less important for a relatively “mild version” of tick-borne encephalitis (European). This is not at all the disease in which you can rely only on the strength of your body. vitamins, exercise stress and Fresh air, of course, are useful, but they definitely will not cure tick-borne encephalitis. Self-treatment and procrastination for this disease is absolutely unacceptable.

Sometimes there are situations when the immediate delivery of a person to medical institution impossible. In such cases, you need to place the patient's bed in a darkened, but well-ventilated room. It is recommended to give him plenty of water. Food should be homogeneous so as not to cause an extra headache when chewing. Pain relievers may be used if needed. As at the very beginning of the disease, and then it is necessary to provide the sick person with maximum physical, mental and spiritual peace.

On a note

When transporting to the hospital, it is important to position the person comfortably in the car to reduce shaking. The vehicle must be driven low speed, avoid sharp turns. It should be noted that the more time passes from the onset of the disease, the more difficult the patient tolerates any movements. Therefore, when the first symptoms occur, it is worth contacting a doctor as soon as possible.

Further development of tick-borne encephalitis and its possible consequences

The high temperature with which the disease usually begins, keeps the patient for about a week from the end of the incubation period. But this period can be up to 14 days.

In the midst of the disease, the symptoms of encephalitis can vary greatly, depending on its form. In turn, the form will be the harder, the more the virus multiplies in the nerve cells.

In the mildest form - febrile - there are no symptoms of brain damage at all, and only standard infectious manifestations are observed. Therefore, this form of encephalitis can sometimes be confused with the flu.

The most common form of TBE, meningeal, is similar in symptoms to meningitis. Patients suffer from severe headaches, they have increased intracranial pressure and there is photophobia. This changes the composition of the cerebrospinal fluid. However, the meningeal form, for all its danger, also responds well to treatment.

The disease is especially severe in the meningoencephalitic form, which has a high mortality rate. Multiple small hemorrhages are found in the brain, gray matter dies, convulsions and seizures are observed. Recovery is possible, but can take years, and full recovery is very rare. Due to necrosis of brain tissue, a decrease in intelligence can develop, which leads to disability and the development of mental disorders.

There are other forms of tick-borne encephalitis - polio and polyradiculoneuritis. In this case, the virus is localized mainly in the spinal cord, causing a complex of motor disorders. This may be tingling or numbness of the muscles, a feeling of "running goosebumps", weakness of the limbs. With an unfavorable outcome, the disease can result in paralysis and death.

Statistics show that about a third of patients who had symptoms of a serious damage to the nervous system fully restore their health. It's about about all the above forms of encephalitis. At the same time, mortality for severe forms of the disease ranges from 20 to 44%, depending on the region. A separate group of patients (from 23 to 47%) are people who have pronounced consequences after the disease, including the disabled.

The photo below shows the consequences of tick-borne encephalitis (atrophy of the muscles of the shoulder girdle against the background of the polio form of TBE):

In view of the foregoing, it becomes quite obvious that with any obvious signs of a health disorder during the incubation period of tick-borne encephalitis, it is necessary to deliver the victim of a tick bite to a doctor as soon as possible to clarify the situation and start treatment. The sooner treatment is started (if it is required), the significantly lower the risk of possible severe consequences of CE.

Treatment of tick-borne encephalitis

The main way to treat the disease is a course of injections of a specific anti-encephalitis gamma globulin. This substance is a protein from the class of antibodies that neutralizes tick-borne encephalitis virus particles in the body, preventing them from infecting new cells. The same immunoglobulin is also used for emergency prevention of the disease.

Often, ribonuclease is also used in the treatment - a special enzyme that “cuts” the RNA strand (and this is the hereditary material of the virus), blocking its reproduction. If necessary, the patient may be prescribed interferon, a special protein that enhances the cells' own protection against damage by viral particles.

Usually it is not necessary to use all three drugs at once, but such a need may arise with the development of a severe form of the disease.

Despite the level of severity of symptoms, all patients with tick-borne encephalitis are shown strict bed rest. The more a person moves, especially in the initial period of the disease, the higher the chance of getting complications. Any increased intellectual activity during the acute period of the disease is also prohibited. At the same time, it is important to increase the duration of sleep, eat a varied and sufficiently high-calorie food.

Normally, the patient must be treated in a hospital for 14 to 30 days. The minimum duration of TBE treatment is required for the mildest (feverish) form of the disease, the maximum - for meningeal - from 21 to 30 days.

After this time, patients usually fully recover and can return to their normal lives. However, for two months after recovery, it is worth choosing for yourself the most sparing daily regimen, not overworking. The body needs time to full recovery.

For more severe forms of tick-borne encephalitis, the period spent in the hospital is in the range of 35-50 days. The patient can either fully recover or get serious complications in the form of impaired motor functions, muscle numbness, and mental disorders.

The resumption of well-being in such cases can take from six months to several years, and sometimes the consequences of encephalitis remain with a person for life.

It's important to know

Sustained positive dynamics in the first days of treatment does not guarantee recovery. There is a two-wave form of encephalitis, when, after a week of imaginary improvement, a new acute febrile period begins. Therefore, during treatment, you must strictly adhere to the recommendations of the doctor in order to avoid relapse. With the correct actions of the patient, in most cases, a complete recovery is observed, but for this it is important to treat the interaction with the doctor as responsibly as possible.

Incubation period for other tick-borne infections

In general, the most dangerous period after a tick bite is two weeks. Taking into account possible fluctuations in the duration of the incubation period, it would be optimal to monitor the condition of the affected person within 21 days after removing the tick. Of course, there have been precedents for later manifestations of disease after a bite, but these cases are very rare. Therefore, if three weeks have passed since the tick attack, and everything is in order, then we can quite confidently say that the infection has not occurred.

Despite the danger of tick-borne encephalitis and the need to monitor your condition after a tick bite, it should be borne in mind that infection, fortunately, is quite rare. Not all ticks carry encephalitis, even in areas endemic for this disease. For example, in Siberia and the Far East, only 6% of ticks are infected with the virus.
Most often, those who have been badly bitten become infected. Such risk groups include tourists, foresters, hunters - these people can regularly remove 5-10 ticks from themselves. If a person is bitten by one tick, then the risk of getting sick is minimal. With a high probability, after such a bite, nothing terrible will happen, so you should not panic. But it is necessary to monitor your well-being, just as you must definitely consult a doctor if obvious symptoms of the disease appear during the standard incubation period.

which are common in middle lane Russia, in the forest among the foliage and on garden plots, i.e. wherever there is any planting. They belong to the order of small arachnids (lat. Acarina), a subclass of arthropods. before the bite is usually 0.4-0.5 mm, occasionally it can reach 3 mm.

Lyme disease or borreliosis

The disease is transmitted by bacteria that cause intoxication of the body. Incubation period: 5-14 days, the disease passes in several stages, the primary symptoms are similar to a cold, and then a latent form occurs, passing for several months, during which the joints and important organs of a person are affected.

Signs of infection are expressed as follows:

a sharp increase in temperature;
pain in the head, constant fatigue;
the tick bite site is swollen and reddened, then a specific erythema 10-20 cm in size appears, which gradually swells and transforms from a red spot into a ring up to 60 cm in diameter, in the center its color changes to light bluish;
after a few days, a crust or scar forms, which disappear after 12-14 days.

Such a disease after a tick bite causes damage to the nervous, cardiovascular and motor systems, which can lead to disability.

Hemorrhagic fever

The disease is transmitted by a virus, the main symptoms of which are: a sharp rise in temperature and the onset of fever, hemorrhages in upper layers skin, changes in the blood composition of the victim. Experts divide the disease into 2 types: Omsk and Crimean fever. Timely diagnosis and treatment of a tick bite ( antiviral drugs, vitamins for blood vessels) help to successfully cope with such an ailment.

On a note!
The carriers of these diseases are not all "bloodsuckers" who encroach on human blood, but only 10-20% of them. But some specimens can become carriers of several infections at once, the most common of which is tick-borne encephalitis.

Symptoms of other infectious diseases

jumps in blood pressure, tachycardia (rapid heartbeat);
plaque on the tongue, runny nose, sore throat;
nausea and vomiting;
an increase in lymph nodes and the appearance of rashes on the face are signs of typhus;
nosebleeds, diarrhea and abdominal pain - indicate infection with tularemia;
increased sweating, chills, pain in the lumbar region, loss of consciousness are signs of hemorrhagic fever.

It is impossible to recognize a tick and determine by eye whether it is contagious or not. To clarify the diagnosis, it is necessary or a sanitary and epidemiological station to determine the presence of pathogenic pathogens. If the analysis is positive, then it is urgent to consult a doctor about treatment.

If any unpleasant symptoms appear and you feel worse when you are bitten by ticks or after them, you should contact a general practitioner or an infectious disease specialist at a polyclinic, in case of a serious condition, call an ambulance.

What to do if bitten by a tick - instructions

After returning from a walk in the woods or a summer house, it is imperative to examine yourself, family and friends so as not to miss a tick that has settled on the leg or other parts of the body. When found, you need to quickly .

The tick bite site is usually painted in pink-red shades, which depends on the individual reaction of the victim's body. In the center there is a small depression in which you can find a stuck tick on the human body. It is held very tightly, so it is impossible to extract it in the usual way without tearing off its head or proboscis. If any of its parts remain under the skin, then in the damaged area, inflammatory process and the bite heals for a long time.

For this, the following steps will be useful:

Wash your hands with soap.
Treat the wound with a disinfectant: alcohol, hydrogen peroxide.
It is not recommended to apply coloring agents (brilliant green or iodine) so as not to change the picture of the affected area.
If an allergic reaction is likely to occur, apply any soothing ointment: Fenistil-gel, Panthenol, Rescuer cream, etc.
If there is a rash after a tick bite or another individual reaction, then an antihistamine should be taken: Diazolin, Tavegil, Loratadin, Erius, Tsetrin, etc.
Drink plenty of fluids, bed rest is recommended in the early days.

Tick bites in children

All of these actions increase the risk of human infection with bacteria and infectious diseases, lead to purulent processes in the epidermis.
Bite Prevention
In order not to think about whether a tick has bitten or not, and what consequences this may lead to, while visiting a forest, park or cottage, you should take preventive measures, which will protect children and adults from such a problem:

Tick ​​bite: what you need to know about local manifestations. What are the consequences of a tick bite in humans? How long do the symptoms of a tick bite occur?