Experiencing a tick bite? Here's your guide: Collect, spin, and transport the tick to the lab for analysis.
Tick Season Unfolds in Russia, Bringing Rise in Tick-Borne Diseases
Over 127,000 people in Russia have sought medical attention due to tick bites since the onset of spring, according to the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor). This figure is within the usual spring range and does not deviate from long-term averages.
The Republic of Altai, Kostroma, Kirov, Tomsk, and Kemerovo regions, as well as Udmurtia, have been hit hardest by the surge in tick bites. The most dangerous disease transmitted by ticks is tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), for which there is no specific treatment. Last year, there were more than 1,600 cases of TBE, with an incidence rate of one case per 100,000 people, according to an analysis by the journal "Problems of Especially Dangerous Infections."
The first cases of TBE in 2025 have started to appear. A woman in Buryatia was recently infected with the disease at home, where she found ticks on her hair, in her apartment, and on her balcony. The ticks had been brought in on the clothes of her child. TBE symptoms include high fever, delirium, and a severe headache. The woman was hospitalized, and her child remained unscathed.
Lyme disease, or borreliosis, is the most common diagnosis following a tick bite. It requires immediate treatment, as the disease can affect the nervous system and joints. Other tick-borne diseases cause fever but are less severe, such as tick-borne rickettsiosis, also known as North Asian tick typhus or Siberian tick typhus, and ehrlichiosis, which impacts joints.
In 2022, around 66 million people lived in regions of Russia where TBE is endemic. Vaccination against TBE is available and advisable for anyone residing in or traveling to these regions. Over 2.5 million people in Russia have received this vaccine, as of May 2025.
Medical consultations in the Primorye region in 2024 reveal that TBE virus cases represented 0.2% of all diagnoses, while borreliosis accounted for 23%, tick-borne rickettsiosis accounted for 20%, and ehrlichiosis for 1-1.5% of cases.
Dr. Philipp Kuzmenko, a therapist, advises that for those who enjoy spending time in nature, it is crucial to check the list of affected regions online beforehand, as they generally do not vary significantly from year to year.
The standard vaccination cycle for TBE consists of two phases: autumn and spring, with an interval of five to seven months. After the second vaccination, individuals should wait two weeks before entering a dangerous zone to allow immunity to develop. If a nature trip is planned in May, the first vaccination should be administered in October-November, and the second in March-April.
Russia has access to domestic vaccines "Kleщ-Э-Вак" and "EnceVir," which can be used interchangeably. "Kleщ-Э-Вак" can be administered to children from the age of one, while "EnceVir" (for children) is given from the age of three.
Additional protection can be achieved through clothing. Repellents can also be used, and it is essential to check oneself, children, and pets for ticks during and after walks. Rospotrebnadzor treats parks and other territories with acaricides - chemical preparations for tick control. In 2021, over 113,000 hectares have been treated, which represents more than half of the planned area.
If a tick does bite, it should be carefully removed by twisting it out while holding it perpendicular to the skin's surface, without pulling, to prevent the tick's mouthparts from being left behind. The tick should then be taken to the nearest infectious disease hospital for testing, according to Kuzmenko. If the tick is found to be infected with TBE, the patient will be given an injection of human immunoglobulin against TBE. If it is borreliosis, a specific antibiotic will be prescribed.
There is no vaccine for borreliosis, although attempts have been made to create one. Some medical professionals believe that Lyme disease has an incurable chronic form, while the scientific consensus is that borreliosis can be treated with antibiotics in its early stages. If the disease affects the nervous system, heart rhythm, or joints, specialist care from a neurologist, cardiologist, and rheumatologist is needed. Prolonged antibiotic use is hazardous.
One should be aware that tick bites can go unnoticed, as during attachment, ticks inject an anesthetic substance along with their saliva. A distinctive sign that indicates tick attachment is the formation of a skin rash, a round spot with brightly colored edges and a pale center. If such a spot is noticed, medical attention should be sought immediately, as it could be an indication of Lyme disease.
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