Although ticks are usually associated with summer vacations in the countryside, Julia Geller, the chief specialist of the Estonian Health Board, said that there is no shortage of them in cities, and they pose an even greater risk there, writes ERR News.
Last year, more than 3,300 people in Estonia fell ill with one of the two tick-borne diseases common in the country: Lyme disease or tick-borne encephalitis. Ticks are also not uncommon in cities, and the risk of contracting tick-borne diseases may be even higher than in rural areas. Geller said in the program Ringvaade that the tick population largely depends on environmental conditions and is not static – the number of ticks depends on the climate, whether the grass is mowed and bushes are cut, and other aspects.
The nature of the urban environment can allow ticks to multiply more in certain areas, and they have ample opportunities to find a person or animal to latch onto. Geller said that green areas in cities are usually narrower and more crowded, so when ticks start to multiply there, their numbers are usually high. When people and pets move around in such areas, having picnics and taking children to play, there is a high chance of bringing ticks home. The risk is simply higher because people also tend not to do the things they do in urban green areas, such as reading books or having picnics, in the middle of the forest.
The expert pointed out that the number of ticks can be reduced by regularly mowing the grass. Ticks do not like direct sunlight and prefer places where they can hide.
While there is a vaccine available for tick-borne encephalitis, there is no vaccine for Lyme disease.
In addition to these diseases, ticks can also carry various pathogens, although these infections are usually mild. Geller said that if a person is otherwise healthy and their immune system is strong, nothing serious is likely to happen.
The main problem is often that people don’t notice the tick bite. Therefore, Geller advised paying attention to any symptoms that appear after spending time outdoors – the first symptoms of tick-borne encephalitis usually appear one or two weeks after infection. First, a fever appears, the person feels unwell, has muscle aches and a headache. After a few days, the symptoms subside, only to return a few days later, with a higher fever. Geller warned that this already means that the situation is serious and medical help should be sought.
Lyme disease, on the other hand, develops much more slowly. Although one of the most well-known signs of the disease is extensive redness around the site of the tick bite, it does not necessarily appear in all patients. Symptoms can appear even several months after the tick bite.
To avoid getting sick, Geller recommended using insect repellent and carefully checking both your clothing and body after spending time outdoors.
Read also: Ukraine strikes deepen fuel crisis in Russian-occupied regions