Cases of Lyme disease in Europe have more than
doubled in the last decade and, it is estimated, those caused by
infections acquired abroad have tripled. There are so many sick people today
that the health authorities sound the alarm. The cause is ticks, which also seem
to have not only increased dramatically in number, but have become
even more ‘bad’. The risk, as mentioned, is that of contracting an infection
which, in turn, causes the potentially fatal disease. Ticks, a fatal bite
Infected ticks
are the main cause of Lyme disease in humans . These tiny parasites feed on the blood of humans
and animals. Their habitat is wooded and grassy areas – species where the grass
is tall. But they are often found attached to grazing animals such as sheep and
goats or domestic animals such as cats and dogs. When you are bitten by a tick
there is a risk of contracting Lyme disease, which is easier to
treat if it is diagnosed early. The problem is that often this
does not happen and a late or not fully performed treatment can be
lethal. Among the various complications of the disease are viral meningitis,
paralysis of the face and other parts of the body, even irreparable damage to the
nerves and arthritis. More information is needed to prevent tick bites
According to the health authorities, in order to seriously combat the
problem, more information is needed about it and more awareness of the risks involved
when visiting wooded areas or uncultivated fields. As well as when
dealing with parasitic animals. Then, even the cases of
ticks present in small gardens are not rare. Ticks, the symptoms of Lyme disease
Although Lyme disease infection can be
caused by a small percentage of ticks – ie only those that
are already infected with them – it is essential to remove the insect immediately from the area that
has been attacked. If, after removing the tick, some manifest themselves
symptoms of discomfort and good to seek immediate medical attention, pointing out that you
have been bitten by a tick. According to health sites,
those with early-stage Lyme disease develop a
circular rash at the site of the tick bite, which usually appears about 3 to
30 days after being bitten. This rash is known as erythema migrans or
‘bull’s eye’. The rash is usually about 15 cm in diameter, but it can
also be larger or smaller. Rashes can also
show up on different parts of the body, and not just where you have been stung. It is
however important to know that one third of infected people do not develop
the rash, so it is more difficult to be diagnosed in time. The
first noticeable symptoms after a sting are a
flu-like malaise, with body aches, fever, chills, headache,
general fatigue. If the disease is not identified in time,
more severe symptoms may develop, occurring several weeks if not months after
the tick bite. How to remove ticks
Experts explain that ticks can be removed
from the area they have attached to using denatured alcohol and a
pair of tweezers. First wet the tick with a soaked cotton swab
of alcohol, so as to stun her and make her let go a bit for a moment
(however, someone does not recommend this step). After that, with
fine-tipped tweezers, the tick is squeezed as close as possible to the skin to
which it is attached. Then it is pulled not too hard to prevent the head and
claws from getting stuck in the skin. Immediately after washing the skin well and
disinfect.
