In the Sheptytskyi territorial community, the number of people seeking medical help due to tick bites has almost tripled. Doctors have already confirmed eight cases of Lyme disease among local residents, whereas none were recorded last year. This was reported during a briefing by the deputy head of the district department of the State Institution “Lviv Regional Centre for Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine”, Oksana Slyvinska.
The specialist reminded that Lyme disease is a dangerous bacterial infection transmitted by ixodid ticks. The illness can affect the skin, joints, as well as the cardiovascular and nervous systems. The danger lies in the fact that a tick often remains unnoticed on the body, and the consequences of the bite can be very serious if timely medical care is not provided.
Doctors recommend that before visiting a forest or park you cover your body as much as possible: wear light-coloured clothing with long sleeves and a hood, tuck your trousers into your socks and, if there is no hood, use a head covering. Special aerosols to repel ticks should also be used.
While outdoors, it is advised to carry out a thorough inspection of your body and clothing every two hours, as well as immediately after returning home, to detect the parasite in time. In the event of a bite, you should not try to remove the tick yourself – you need to seek medical attention as soon as possible to have it professionally removed. It is best to do this within the first 72 hours after the bite.