Last week in Komi, a staggering 720 individuals sought medical attention due to tick-inflicted wounds.
In the territory of Komi Republic, during the timeframe of May 29 to June 4, a staggering 720 individuals, including 115 minors, sought medical attention for tick bites. According to official reports, this brings the grand total of tick-related medical visits to a whopping 2215 persons, with 460 being kids, since the start of the season. The neighborhoods of Syktyvkar, Priluzsky, Syktyvdin, Sysolsky, Ust-Vymsky, Ust-Kulomsky, and Koygorodsky districts reported the highest number of cases.
Recent studies reveal some alarming findings: 540 investigations were conducted within a week, with 10 cases of tick-borne encephalitis antigen detected, 184 instances of Lyme disease, and 1 case of human monocytic ehrlichiosis.
Ticks are notorious for carrying various infectious diseases. The list includes tick-borne encephalitis, Lyme disease, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, human monocytic ehrlichiosis, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and others. Among these diseases, a vaccine is only commercially available for tick-borne encephalitis.
Preventive measures form the cornerstone of protection against tick-borne infections. They can be effectively applied in regions like Komi Republic. Key prevention strategies include:
Recommended Prevention Methods
1. Protective Clothing
- Opt for treated clothing: Don apparel treated with permethrin, an effective agent against ticks[4].
- Cover up: Tuck your pants into socks and wear closed-toe shoes to safeguard your feet from tick bites[4].
2. Repellents
- Employ DEET-based repellents: Apply repellents containing 20%–30% DEET onto exposed skin to repel ticks[4].
- Apply to clothing: Moreover, apply repellents to your attire for additional protection[3].
3. Regular Body and Clothing Checks
- Conduct routine skin examinations:** Thoroughly scan your body, particularly focusing on areas like the pubic area, armpits, and neck, after spending time outdoors[3].
- Check clothing: Look for ticks on your clothes, wash them, and dry them on high heat to eliminate ticks[4].
4. Tick Removal
- Utilize tweezers: If you spot a tick, remove it using pointy tweezers by pinching the head and pulling it upward in a steady motion without twisting[4].
5. Showering and Clothing Care
- Take a shower:** Post-outdoor activities, a shower can help wash off ticks, but regular checks remain vital[3].
- Dry clothing: Dry your clothes on high heat for a few minutes to eradicate any lingering ticks[4].
6. Environmental Measures
- Consider employing environmental modifications or treatments, such as using permethrin-treated materials for outdoor furniture or treating mice with permethrin, to decrease tick populations in high-risk zones[5].
Given the ongoing political climate in Russia, it's advised to consult travel advisories prior to visiting Komi Republic[1]. Despite this, these preventive measures remain valuable for protecting against tick-borne diseases in any region with tick activity. Keep in mind that rapid identification and removal of ticks are crucial for timely emergency treatment of tick-borne encephalitis using human immunoglobulin, which should be administered within 96 hours of the bite.
- To safeguard oneself against tick-borne diseases, such as tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease, common in the Komi Republic, one should consider adopting preventive measures like wearing treated clothing with permethrin, conducting regular body checks after outdoor activities, and using DEET-based repellents.
- When it comes to health-and-wellness, nutrition plays a vital role, especially in maintaining a healthy-diets that supports the immune system, which can help combat medical-conditions like tick-borne encephalitis.
- In light of the increasing number of science-backed reports on tick-related medical-conditions, it's essential to prioritize health-and-wellness by implementing the recommended prevention methods, such as routine skin examinations and tick removal using tweezers, to minimize the risk of contracting these harmful diseases.
