The sun is shining and it is getting warmer. This not only pleases people, but also ticks. They are in season now. With these tips you avoid a bite.
- Many people are currently drawn to nature .
- But be careful: the tick season is just around the corner .
- These tips keep ticks at a distance.
North Rhine-Westphalia - During the coronavirus crisis , many people are bored. Shops and restaurants have closed, events have been canceled and Netflix has already looked twice. What remains? A trip to nature maybe. But dangers lurk here too, reports RUHR24.de *.
Ticks benefit from the drought
Many people are currently drawn to nature : forests , lakes and rivers are popular excursion destinations to clear your head. But be careful , diseases are lurking here too. The tick season is coming - and it should be violent.
The past two years have been very dry. This has hit the forests quite a bit, but the ticks benefit from it. Not only are high numbers of domestic ticks expected, but a spread of new species can also be expected.
The hyalomma tick comes to Germany from the tropics and can transmit dangerous diseases.
© Marijan Murat / dpa
New ticks bring diseases to Germany
As the Schutzgemeinschaft Deutscher Wald (SDW) reports, climate change is favoring the settlement of new tick species in Germany. Accordingly, the riparian tick is spreading further and further in Germany from the east. It can cause typhus in humans * and malaria in dogs.
The Hyalomma tick * is likely to come to Germany with the migratory birds. In the tropics, it is considered to be the causative agent of hemorrhagic fever . It is three times the size of its Central European relative and can be recognized by the strikingly light, brown-yellow striped legs.
Ticks in Germany can transmit Lyme disease - there is no vaccination
But the domestic tick species can also transmit bad diseases . For example, dangerous Lyme disease . According to the Robert Koch Institute , between 5 and 35 percent of ticks have borrelia in them. The likelihood of becoming infected with Borrelia after a tick bite is 1.5 to 6 percent.
Rapid removal of the tick can prevent worse, since the pathogen only passes from the tick into humans after 12 to 24 hours. If there is a red circle around the tick bite , you should definitely consult a doctor. This so-called wandering blush can also only appear a few days or even weeks later. So far there is no vaccination against Lyme disease .
Ticks transmit the sometimes fatal disease of early summer meningoencephalitis
Vaccination can be used to protect against early summer meningoencephalitis (TBE) . People who spend a lot of time in the forest for work or private reasons should definitely protect themselves with a vaccination . "TBE is a meningitis that can lead to permanent neurological damage , psychological changes and even death ," says the SDW .
The protection community also points out that the whole of southern Germany and parts of Hesse and Thuringia are TBE risk areas . Austria, Northern Italy and Scandinavia are also at great risk of contracting TBE . Those who go on vacation there should get vaccinated .
It's tick season again. Here are a few tips on how to properly remove the beasts: pic.twitter.com/2qJbgvSHgm
- BR24 (@ BR24) April 5, 2017Tips against ticks - that's not how you get bitten
The German Forest Protection Association has a few tips for the upcoming tick season . How to get through the year without tick bites :
- Avoid the whereabouts of ticks . Ticks live in shrubbery and uncut meadows, whoever is on the forest paths with little vegetation significantly reduces contact with the ticks . Contrary to popular belief, ticks do not climb trees and fall on their victims.
- Wear light, closed clothing . Sturdy shoes, long trousers and tops make it difficult for the tick to bite its skin. You can see the little bloodsuckers faster on light clothing than on dark ones.
- Tick protection agents are intended to keep ticks away. In addition to funds that can be bought in drugstores, natural ticks also help. According to the German Forest Protection Association, lavender oil should also reduce the risk of a tick bite . The oil should be dripped onto shoes and stockings.
- After a walk in nature , the clothes and body should be checked for ticks . Ticks feel particularly well in the back of the knees, armpits and in the crotch. Young ticks are particularly difficult to spot, they are only 0.5 millimeters in size.
- Pets also need protection against ticks . Appropriate means are available in the pharmacy or at the veterinarian. After spending time outdoors, animals should be searched for ticks.
Video: Dangerous diseases after a tick bite and how to recognize them
If the tips didn't work and the tick bit, it should be removed as soon as possible - the less the risk of infection . According to the SDW, the tick should never be smothered with oil, glue or cream before it is removed.
Ticks on the body: how to remove them properly
The tick is removed with a pair of tick pliers, a tick loop, a tick card or fingernails. The arachnid must be packed directly on the proboscis - i.e. directly on the surface of the skin - and carefully levered out.
Crushing the tick should be avoided as this increases the risk of infection . The puncture site should then be washed and disinfected with alcohol. May
* RUHR24.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.
