Summer is coming and many of us will take walks in the woods. If you like walking in the woods, beware of ticks. They transmit Lyme disease to humans, which is a bacterial infection that should be treated properly.

Ticks and Lyme disease

In the 70s in Lyme County in the United States appeared a curious syndrome involving the skin and joints. The disease was new and it was given the name of the county where it was found the first time. Lyme disease in the northern hemisphere is now well known by specialists in infectious diseases. The disease is prevalent in Europe and Northern America.

The disease is transmitted by ticks infected with a bacteria called Borrelia. Infected ticks are carried by wild forest mammals such as rodents and deer, and can cause disease in men in connection with bites. But ticks do not like high altitude or the sun, which explains why the disease occurs primarily in temperate countries. In Europe, Austria is one of the countries most affected, but the disease also seems endemic in Germany, Switzerland and Sweden. It also seems to have recently increased frequency in the United States, where it is more common in states located in the east of the country.

Tick bites usually occur from late spring to early autumn, between May and September, peak periods of tick activity, and this is when the risk of contracting the disease is greatest. About 80% of cases have been recorded during this time.

How to react to tick bites

If you have been bitten by this insect, do not panic. Lyme disease is perhaps not in the region where you are. You should promptly remove the tick, if possible within 12 hours after the bite. Proceed gently, so as not to spill its contents, possibly infected with the Borrelia bacteria in your blood.

If you are bitten, the tick must be quickly removed using tweezers or a special tick puller that you can purchase in pharmacies. It is inadvisable to apply any product such as ether or alcohol, as that could make the tick regurgitate and thus increase the risk of infection for you. Indeed, ticks vomit its bacteria under the skin of the host. If you are unable to remove all of the tick, head on to your doctor promptly. But even if you managed to get rid of the tick you should monitor the bite for about 1 month.

Make sure you take adequate prevention measure if you plan going to the woods. You can wear long sleeved shirts and trousers instead of shorts. In many countries you can have access to a vaccine against ticks, and this would be your best bet if you love walking in the woods.