Forest tick: what it looks like, why it's dangerous, and what to do after a bite

One of the dangers of forest walks is the risk of being bitten by a tick. This small arthropod belongs to the arachnid family. It inhabits deciduous and mixed forests, parasitizing humans and animals. Its active period lasts from late April until the onset of cold weather. To minimize the damage caused by a tick, it is important to recognize a bite promptly and take immediate action.

Types of forest ticks

There are the following types of ticks:

1. Ixodid ticks. Their bodies are flat, oval, and slightly pointed, with a protective shield on their backs. A hungry tick is 1–6 mm in size and is yellow-brown, black, or brown in color. A fed tick reaches 15 mm in length and turns dark gray. It moves using four pairs of legs. It feeds on the blood of humans, animals, birds, rodents, and reptiles. Ixodid ticks are divided into two subspecies:
   • European forest bat (or "flying bat"). Males are no more than 5 mm long, while females reach 1 cm. Their back is covered with a protective plate. Their body is reddish, and their limbs are almost black. They prefer the blood of large mammals;
     

     The European forest tick is one of the most dangerous parasites for humans.

   • The taiga tick. Its structure is similar to other ixodid ticks. The female is dark red or brownish in color and measures 4 mm. The male is black and reaches 2.5 mm. When filled with blood, the tick can increase in size to 13 mm. It feeds on the blood and tissue fluids of its prey. Using its salivary glands, it secretes saliva, which adheres its oral cavity to the body of a human or animal.
     

     The male taiga tick can be distinguished by its black color.

2. Armored. They have a shiny, dark brown or black body. Size: 0.3–0.7 mm. They feed on rotting plant matter and fungi.
   

   Oriflame mites are most often found on plants and flowers.

3. Argasidae. The largest of the tick family. They can reach 1 cm in length, have a flat, oval-shaped body, and a leathery, armor-less skin. When hungry, they are purple in color, while when well-fed, they are gray or yellowish-brown. They feed on the blood of animals, birds, and humans.
   

   The argas tick is completely flat in appearance.

4. Grazing. They have an oval, flat body, light orange, olive, or dark gray in color. Their diameter reaches 1–3 mm. Males have a carapace that covers their entire body, while females have only the chest. Males feed on plants, while females consume the blood of living creatures to ensure successful fertilization.
   

   Only female pasture ticks feed on blood, while males prefer plants.

5. Mite—The red beetle has a trachea, velvety red skin with hairy warts, and a rounded body 2–3 mm long. It feeds on plant matter, as well as spider and insect particles.
   

   The red mite has eyes on stalks.

Danger to humans and animals

A tick bite can be uncomfortable, but it's not the bite itself that's dangerous, but the pathogens the parasite carries. Ticks can transmit certain infections from one host to another, as they bite many people, animals, and birds throughout their lives, some of whom are infected. These arthropods do not fly or jump, but sit on grass and bushes. When a victim is nearby, they cling to human clothing or animal fur with their outstretched front legs and can crawl over the body for up to two hours, searching for a suitable bite site. After the bite, the tick injects an anesthetic into the wound, but after some time, the affected area may still become red, swollen, itchy, and painful. The tick can remain on a person for several days to two weeks. Afterward, if no one removes it, the parasite falls off on its own.

Tick-borne diseases

Ticks transmit pathogens of certain diseases:

• spotted fever;
• tick-borne encephalitis;
• tularemia;
• babesiosis;
• borreliosis (Lyme disease);
• spirochetosis (relapsing fever).

Tick-borne infections in animals

Animals become infected not only from bites but also when they accidentally swallow an arthropod. Here's a list of possible diseases:

• bartonellosis;
• hepatozoonosis;
• ehrlichiosis;
• borreliosis;
• piroplasmosis.

What to do after a tick bite

The arthropod needs to be removed without delay. This requires a visit to the emergency room or the removal of the parasite yourself.

In case of a tick bite, first aid should be provided immediately.

First aid

The tick must be removed alive, and this must be done carefully to avoid crushing it, as it can release pathogens into the body. It's best to use tools purchased at a pharmacy (tick remover, tweezers, or a lasso handle), but thread or tweezers will also work. The person removing the tick needs to wear gloves and prepare a container with a lid or a small plastic bag with a zip lock. The procedure is carried out as follows:

1. Using tweezers or a special tool wiped with alcohol, grasp the tick by the part of its body closest to the proboscis. If using thread, make a loop and carefully tighten it over the tick's head.
2. Gently, without applying force, twist the tick counterclockwise, without pulling or yanking it out. The head, which remains in the wound, can be removed with a sterilized needle.
3. After removal, wash the wound with soap and treat with an alcohol-containing product.
4. Place the parasite in a pre-prepared container.
5. Mark the day of the bite on the calendar.
6. Contact a medical facility. If it is possible to do this as quickly as possible, then you don’t have to remove the tick yourself, but rather entrust this to a doctor.

Photo Gallery: Tick Removal Methods

Saliva that gets into a wound can sometimes cause allergic reactions. People with weakened immune systems and children are especially susceptible. Signs of an allergy include:

• weakness, drowsiness, fever;
• aching joints and headache;
• dizziness and nausea;
• itchy rash around the bite and on different parts of the body.

These symptoms appear with a moderate allergic reaction and disappear after taking antihistamines. However, a sting can have more serious consequences:

• difficulty breathing and loss of consciousness;
• hallucinations;
• Quincke's edema (swelling of the face, limbs, or throat).

If the above symptoms appear after a bite, you must immediately call an ambulance.

Where to go if you are bitten by a tick

If the tick was removed at home, after the procedure, you should take the container containing the arthropod and consult an infectious disease specialist. At the medical facility, you will receive qualified care: you will be given anti-encephalitis immunoglobulin and the parasite will be tested to determine its risk to humans. A blood test for Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis should be done no sooner than seven days later. It's not worth it postpone a visit to the doctor even if there are no negative reactions from the body. Some diseases have a long incubation period, so infection can only be confirmed or denied by laboratory testing.

Symptoms of diseases

Signs of illness resulting from a tick bite can vary.

Tick-borne encephalitis

A severe viral disease that affects the gray matter of the brain. It is characterized by fever and intoxication, leading to damage to the central nervous system (CNS). Severe encephalitis can cause mental retardation, paralysis, and death.

Initial symptoms (appear within 1-2 weeks):

• loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting;
• increase in temperature to 39ºC;
• fever;
• headache and muscle pain.

Later, temporary relief occurs, but soon the disease begins to progress.

Tick-borne encephalitis can cause muscle atrophy

Relapsing fever

This is a group of life-threatening infectious diseases characterized by decreased consciousness. Periods of normal body temperature alternate with bouts of fever. Initial symptoms appear within 3 days:

• increased heart rate;
• sudden fever;
• headache and muscle pain;
• nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain;
• a rash in the form of cherry-colored papules;
• enlargement of the liver and spleen.

Symptoms last 3-6 days, followed by a two-day remission. A second stage, with similar symptoms, occurs a few days later. Four to five such exacerbations occur during the course of the illness. With proper treatment, full recovery follows.

Relapsing fever, among other symptoms, is characterized by the appearance of a rash

Lyme disease

A disease affecting the joints, nervous and cardiovascular systems, and skin. Symptoms appear 2 days after the infection:

• bone and muscle pain;
• fatigue, headache;
• fever;
• a specific rash in the shape of a circle.

If treatment is started promptly, the development of pathogens will be suppressed and the patient will recover quickly. Otherwise, within a few months of the first symptoms, the nervous system, heart and blood vessels, and joints are affected, leading to disability.

With borreliosis, a rash appears in the shape of a circle.

Babesiosis

A severe infectious disease. Initial symptoms appear a week after the bite:

• fatigue, loss of appetite;
• chills, fever, increased sweating;
• muscle pain.

Severe forms lead to the destruction of blood cells, anemia, jaundice, and enlargement of the liver and spleen. Complications can lead to acute renal failure, damage to the lungs, heart, and brain, and ultimately death.

Babesiosis affects red blood cells, which is clearly visible in laboratory analysis.

Tularemia

An acute focal infection affecting the skin, lungs, and mucous membranes. Symptoms begin to appear within the first 2 hours after the bite:

• sudden increase in temperature to 41ºC;
• headache, chills;
• nausea, vomiting;
• compaction of lymph nodes;
• purulent ulcers at the site of the bite.

Heart rhythm disturbances and enlarged liver and spleen are also possible. Treatment is only possible in a hospital setting.

With tularemia, the bite site becomes denser

Spotted fever

It affects blood vessels and causes kidney failure. Stroke is possible. The first symptoms appear 2-3 weeks after the bite:

• sudden increase in body temperature;
• nausea, vomiting;
• headache, joint and muscle pain;
• a rash of purple or red spots that begins on the extremities and spreads to other parts of the body.

Pneumonia may develop later. If medical attention is sought promptly, treatment will be rapid.

The rash with spotted fever first appears on the extremities

Animal diseases

Ticks carry diseases that are dangerous to animals:

1. Hepatozoonosis. Infection occurs by ingesting a parasite. Symptoms appear only when the immune system is weakened: fever, eye discharge, and pain in the extremities.
2. Bartonellosis. This disease affects the animal's red blood cells. Initial symptoms include drowsiness, weakness of the hind limbs, anemia, inflammation of the eyelids, and weight loss. Later, nosebleeds, eye hemorrhages, meningitis, and pulmonary edema develop.
3. Ehrlichiosis. The pathogens parasitize animal cells. Two to three weeks after the bite, the animal's behavior becomes inactive: the pet sleeps frequently, refuses to play, and is sluggish. Gradually, the eyes, blood vessels, joints, and bone marrow become affected.
4. Piroplasmosis. The most common disease. Initial symptoms include lethargy, thirst, and refusal to eat. After a few days, the temperature rises, jaundice progresses, internal organs cease to function normally, and urine turns dark brown.

Unfortunately, even with timely treatment, all these diseases lead to damage to internal organs and destruction of the nervous system. If you notice any of the listed signs, you should immediately contact a veterinary clinic.

How to protect yourself from tick bites

To avoid bites, preventative measures should be taken.

In the forest

The following rules must be observed:

1. Avoid wearing revealing clothing in tick-infested areas, as they bite unprotected skin. It's best to wear light-colored clothing so ticks can be easily spotted. A zippered tracksuit made of slippery fabric is ideal. This will prevent ticks from getting caught or getting under your clothing.
2. Be sure to wear a hat.
3. Avoid being near dry trees, as ticks love such places.
4. Do not sit on the ground or a log without first laying an oilcloth there.
5. Use protective measures in the form of a spray or cream against ticks.

There are various medications that paralyze and subsequently kill the bloodsucker. Clothing, tents, and other items are treated with an acaricidal repellent, such as Medilis Comfort. Exposed areas of the body are sprayed with repellents that protect against bloodsucking insect bites, such as DEFI-Taiga. For children under 7 years old, special creams are used: Kamarant, Off, etc.

Helpful tips

If you don't have any special tick repellents on hand, folk remedies will do. These include clove, lavender, eucalyptus, and tea tree essential oils, as well as garlic and Zvezdochka balm:

• garlic is taken internally before going outside (hiking in the forest);
• Zvezdochka balm is applied to the wrist, neck and ankle area, and also behind the ears;
• Essential oils are diluted with water: 15 drops per 50 ml of water. Pour the resulting mixture into a bottle and shake well. Place a small amount in the palm of your hand, rub it together, and apply to your neck, hair, and limbs. After your walk, spray the remaining solution on your clothes and shoes.

To repel ticks, you can use well-known remedies, for example, Zvezdochka balm

In the apartment

To prevent a forest tick that accidentally enters your home from lingering for long, inspect clothing and items brought in from the outdoors immediately upon arrival. Check the ears and fur of pets for parasites before entering the home. If a tick somehow enters the home, take the following measures:

• review all clothes and shoes;
• shake out blankets and carpets and take them out into the sun;
• vacuum all cracks in the floor and furniture;
• Spray the apartment with a special parasite killer, sold in hardware stores.

Prevention of tick-borne diseases

Vaccination is the most effective protection. Unfortunately, when it comes to humans, vaccinations are not available against all tick-borne diseases, only against tick-borne encephalitis. For this purpose, FSME-Immun and Encepur injections are used. Children are prescribed Encepur for children and FSME-Junior. Vaccinations are administered in three stages and in two ways:

• standard;
• accelerated (shorter intervals between vaccinations).

Russian encephalitis vaccinations are approved for children aged three and older. Some foreign vaccines are suitable for children aged one and older.

Video: Encephalitis vaccination

Vaccination schedule against tick-borne encephalitis for adults and children over 12 years of age

Standard vaccination with Encepur is administered in several doses. The interval between the first and second doses is 1–3 months, and between the second and third doses is 9–12 months.

With the accelerated method, vaccinations are given 7 days apart. A booster dose is given 3 years after the last one.

FSME-Immun injections are also administered in several stages. The first two doses are spaced 1–3 months apart, while the second and third doses are spaced 5–12 months apart. The accelerated vaccination schedule involves only two injections, separated by a two-week interval. A booster dose is administered three years later.

Vaccination schedule against tick-borne encephalitis for children under 12 years of age

With the standard Encepur injection, the interval between the first two vaccinations is 1–3 months, with the third administered one year later. With the accelerated schedule, the interval between each subsequent vaccination (there are three in total) is seven days. The first booster is administered one year later. Subsequent injections are administered every three years.

The method of vaccinating children with the FSME-Junior injection is the same as the vaccination plan for adults with the FSME-Immun injection.

Ticks have no eyes, but they have a highly developed sense of smell. They can detect the warmth and scent of animals and humans from up to 10 meters away, allowing them to quickly locate their prey. Unfortunately, the best time for forest walks coincides with the time when these arthropods are most active. Therefore, to avoid trouble, it's important to consider preventative measures in advance.