Ticks in the Moscow region 2020-2021

Every year, throughout almost the entire territory of Russia, immediately after the snow melts, a period of tick activation begins. Before the onset of cold weather, parasites burrow into a litter of fallen leaves and withering grasses, where they spend the entire winter hibernating. The exact moment of awakening is determined by climatic conditions. In order for an insect’s thermal sensors to bring it out of suspended animation, the temperature outside must be above +10 degrees for at least several days. In Moscow and the Moscow region, such conditions occur around April-May. The ideal environment for ticks to live and reproduce is created at a temperature of +18 to +20 degrees and a relative air humidity of around 80%. If the numbers in the weather forecast or on the thermometer are close to those indicated above, then we can confidently say that tick activity will increase several times. A slight decline in the vital activity of blood-sucking pests is observed from mid-June to mid-August due to too hot and dry weather, but this does not completely exclude the possibility of a bite, so you must still take safety measures when going to the country house or to the forest for a walk. The second stage of tick activity occurs in September-October, when temperature and humidity values again approach the most comfortable levels. After several days of persistent frost, the tick season can be considered officially closed. Knowing about these simple features of the life cycle and activity of parasites, you can easily make your own forecasts for several days or weeks in advance, simply by observing what is happening outside the window.

However, the weather is quite unpredictable. Data can change at lightning speed and blaming meteorologists for incompetence makes no sense. It is impossible to predict its whims even with the most modern technology. The summer of 2022 was abnormally cold. In May and June in Moscow, people wore demi-season coats, and government authorities turned on the heating several times. This climatic situation naturally affected the life activity of ticks. According to Rospotrebnadzor, in 2022, 13,438 people sought help after tick bites, in 2016 – 15,903 people. The difference of almost 2.5 thousand people may well be explained by weather conditions unfavorable for parasites. How ticks will behave in 2022 depends on the specifics of the season. For the tick body to respond to changes in the atmosphere, 3-4 days of stable conditions are enough.

Nothing about ticks

Many people consider ticks to be insects, but in fact they belong to the class of arachnids. In the modern world there are more than 50 thousand different species. Some of them pose no threat to humans, others can cause a little harm, and there are representatives that are carriers of various diseases fatal to humans and animals. Therefore, you need to fight ticks, use protective equipment when going outside, and immediately destroy them if they are infested at home. The size of ticks does not exceed 3mm. As a result, they are not easy to detect. Mite species are divided into two large groups based on food preferences: saprophages and predators. Saprophages feed on organic debris. They cause more harm in agriculture. But predatory species, on the contrary, feed on animals and plants. It is this species that poses the greatest threat to all living organisms. There are species that simply drink blood and fall off, but there are also those that carry dangerous viruses that are fatal to humans.

Ticks can live without food for up to three years. Therefore, during cold periods, all vital processes in their body slow down, which allows them to calmly survive the winter. Despite the fact that in winter the risk of catching a tick is very small, such cases still exist. If autumn is warm, then their activity continues this season.

Ticks live everywhere. Some species are quite rare, others are more common, but the species' habitat covers the entire planet. Even in water there are representatives of parasites. But still, the main places where they accumulate are forests and meadows. Premises for storing agricultural products are also favorite places, but such species are generally not dangerous to humans. Pets are particularly affected by ticks. After walking with your pet, be sure to inspect it for parasites. Some species live in houses, so precautions even at home will not be superfluous.

More about the parasite

One of the human companions, the linen or bed mite, lives for several hundred years and is distributed in all parts of the world. He feels comfortable with a person. It feeds on dead skin cells, dandruff, lost hair, hides in the folds of dirty bed linen, in pillows, blankets, mattresses and feels great in a dusty room that has not been cleaned for a long time.

Note! A person does not notice the presence of a bed mite if he has good immunity and does not know what an allergic reaction is. Sensitive people have it more difficult

Their skin and respiratory organs respond to pest bites with endless runny nose, coughing, sneezing, and skin irritations in the form of a small red rash

Sensitive people have it more difficult. Their skin and respiratory organs respond to pest bites with endless runny nose, coughing, sneezing, and skin irritations in the form of a small red rash.

It is possible to examine a bed mite (it is a type of saprophyte) only with the help of a microscope, it is so small.

A tick (as we see it in photographs) looks like this:

yellow-brown;
the body is flattened, covered with chitin;
length – from 0.2 to 0.6 mm;
six limbs with suction cups;
head in the shape of a triangle.

An adult tick lives for a month and a half, during which time the female lays more than three hundred eggs.

Tick season

The peak of tick activity occurs in May-June, when the weather in the Moscow region and the capital remains warm, but not hot. Then there is a decrease in tick activity by month by mid-summer, and an increase in the number of bitten ticks begins again in late August - early September. The tick season coincides with the period of dacha work, so it is summer residents and gardeners who are at risk.

To reduce the risk of being bitten at the dacha, sanitary and epidemiological services offer services for treating the area from ticks in the Moscow region. The cost of this procedure depends on the area of the land plot and ranges from 1,500 to 3,000 rubles. In addition to protecting the area from bloodsuckers, you need to protect yourself. Every person should inspect his body after being in the garden or garden for the presence of crawling or already attached arthropods. When working on the site, it is recommended to treat skin or clothing with special tick-repellent agents.

Important!
A tick bite that is not a carrier of infection can cause a severe allergic reaction in a person.

Ticks in the Moscow region

Ticks in Moscow in 2022 - 2022 can also be found in any park area. The prevalence of this parasite is difficult to control, so you should avoid walking on lawns, among bushes, away from paved paths. The administrative website of the capital indicates which parks have been treated against ticks in Moscow. But this does not mean that there is 100% confidence that these places do not pose any danger.

On a note!
You need to be careful while walking in Izmailovsky, Bitsevsky parks, and Losinoostrovsky Nature Reserve. In the summer months, when ticks are dangerous in the Moscow region and Moscow, before going to large forested areas you need to use special repellents against bloodsuckers.

What does a blood-sucking parasite look like?

Having found out whether there are ticks in the Moscow region in September, we will learn to recognize the “enemy”. The insect has an arachnid appearance and a strongly flattened body 3-25 mm long and weighing 3-4 mg. The size of the body depends on the species. Moreover, females of all morphotypes are significantly larger than males. During the active period of ticks, insects drink several times their body weight in blood. Their body spreads out in width, acquiring an ovoid shape. After feeding, the weight of the parasite can reach 40-500 mg. By the time tick season ends, the ticks look like the photo below.

Features of the body structure of the parasite:

sharp trunk;
organs of vision are absent. Instead, insects have well-developed receptors. During the active season of ticks, it is with their help that the blood-sucking parasite catches the smell of warm blood;
four pairs of tenacious and mobile limbs;
the claws on the feet have webbed suckers. During tick activity, the suckers help to stay on the victim's body;
limbs consist of six segments;
the respiratory plates are located at the back (behind the fourth pair of limbs);
dorsal shield protecting the head.

Once again we will answer the question of whether there are ticks in the fall that suck blood and carry viral diseases. Yes, there are, and they are very active. Therefore, experts recommend checking the skin for the presence of embedded parasites after every walk in the forest or in tall grass. The external characteristics of arthropod insects are described above. The color of the cover ranges from light brown and brownish-red to black. After eating, the body color is dark gray. Remember: ticks are present in the fall and they are just as active and dangerous as in the spring.

Tick-borne diseases

The bloodsucker of the arthropod subclass is dangerous because it can be a carrier of unpleasant viruses. In the Moscow region and Moscow, the most common ticks are ixodid ticks (Ixodoidea), which can infect a number of serious diseases:

Tick-borne encephalitis is a dangerous infectious disease that affects the nervous and cardiovascular systems and disrupts the functioning of internal organs. If the victim is not provided with timely assistance and treatment, the disease can cause disability or even death.
Borreliosis or Lyme disease is a disease caused by bacteria. They affect internal organs and reduce the body's immunity. If the disease is not treated, it becomes chronic and can lead to irreversible consequences for human health.
Anaplasmosis is a less dangerous disease that reduces the victim’s immunity and promotes the development of inflammatory processes in the body.
Ehrlichiosis is a bacterial disease that disrupts the functioning of internal organs. Often the infection causes pathologies and deterioration in the quality of life of the bitten person.

All these diseases can be successfully cured if you seek help in the first 2-3 days after the parasite attack. Immediately after discovering an attached bloodsucker on the body, you need to carefully remove it and take it to the nearest laboratory. There are several medical centers in the capital and Moscow region that accept parasites for analysis. Addresses and names of institutions for Moscow residents:

Diseases transmitted by ticks

The most dangerous virus is tick-borne encephalitis. In the Moscow region, you can conduct a test for tick encephalitis in Odintsovo, Vnukovo, Mytishchi, Shchelkovo, Dmitrov and other cities. The largest medical institutions near Moscow are:

Tick season is in full swing: which areas of the Moscow region are the most infectious

For humans, the danger is a bite, which can result in infectious diseases that damage internal organs. The most dangerous of them is tick-borne viral encephalitis. Fortunately, in the capital, as reported by Rospotrebnadzor, this pathogen has not yet been detected in laboratory tests. But other dangerous “gifts” from ticks were discovered. Since the beginning of the season, almost two thousand people have contacted medical organizations in the capital due to tick bites. Eight cases of infection with Ixodid tick-borne borreliosis have been registered.

So why can’t we, two-legged warm-blooded animals, treat tick bites with composure? Which places and areas of Moscow and the Moscow region pose the greatest risk of ticks this year? How to provide first aid and where to run if you are bitten by this bloodthirsty alien? MK understood this.

— Ticks love it when it’s warm and damp. The best weather for them is plus 18–20 degrees and humidity up to 80%. And this fertile time for arthropods in the Moscow region has already arrived,” explained MK, a leading researcher at the Research Institute of Virology named after. D.I.Ivanovsky, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Nikolay MALYSHEV . — It’s good if the tick is not infected, then even the symptoms after the bite (redness of the skin, itching, fever, etc.) quickly pass. But if you are bitten by an infected tick, the consequences can be dire - even death. Now, in mid-May, given the particular aggressiveness of these creatures due to warming, people need to be especially vigilant. It is very important to seek medical help from specialists in the first 2-3 days after a tick has been sucked on.

So what should we fear most? In recent years, in Moscow and the Moscow region, people are increasingly becoming infected with ixodid ticks, including the most dangerous diseases.

Tick-borne encephalitis . The opinion of doctors is clear: the consequences of a bite from an infected tick can be damage to various human organs and systems: skin, nerves, joints, bones, muscles, cardiovascular system, lungs, kidneys, liver. And the most serious problems are from a tick bite infected with encephalitis. Even with a favorable outcome, if treatment is started on time, the symptoms of a mild degree of the disease completely disappear no earlier than two months, with a moderate degree of severity, recovery takes about six months, and with a severe form of infection, treatment will take at least two years, experts explain. And if the disease develops unfavorably, a person’s motor functions may be impaired and epilepsy may appear. A fatal outcome is also very possible.

Borreliosis (Lyme disease) also affects human internal organs. At the same time, immunity sharply decreases. And if treatment is not started in time, the disease can become chronic, which leads to serious consequences.

Ehrlichiosis (bacterial) - most often this infection is the source of many pathologies; the functioning of many internal organs is disrupted.

And that is not all.

Human granulocytic anaplasmosis is an acute febrile disease with inflammation of internal organs from the bite of ixodid ticks. In recent years, people are increasingly becoming infected from them. It turns out that these blood-sucking creatures are carriers of some very dangerous diseases, which also lead to disability and even death. The injured person begins to have a rapid heartbeat, a decrease in blood pressure, dizziness, nausea... And the main reason for the development of granulocytic anaplasmosis is considered to be infection of a person by a bacterium.

Help "MK" . The time for ticks has already come. Traditionally, the peak of tick activity occurs in May, when temperature and humidity increase and their numbers increase. Over the past month, more and more people bitten by ticks have been admitted to Russian hospitals. Thousands of victims have already contacted doctors, a third of them are children. For the first time, scientists from the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor identified infected blood-sucking insects even in Moscow - in the west of the capital, in the Krylatsky Forest Park. But the capital's Rospotrebnadzor assures: in general, the situation in the city is favorable. And Muscovites traveling to the Moscow region, and especially to the northern regions of the country, where traditionally most people affected by the tick-borne encephalitis virus are recorded, need to be especially careful.

“Many Russians, unfortunately, do not take tick bites seriously,” says Professor Malyshev. “They simply remove them from the body, without fear of crushing them, and throw them away. At best, they burn it. And few people know that a sucking tick immediately releases its saliva, which is often infected, into the wound that has formed. Therefore, after a parasite bite, you need to very carefully remove it from the site of suction, put it in a box or jar, leaving them slightly open so that the tick does not suffocate, and take it to the nearest medical center (clinic or laboratory) for examination. And immediately consult a doctor yourself and take a blood test. The earlier treatment is started, the lower the likelihood of unwanted health consequences. All residents of Moscow, even those who do not travel outside the city, should know that ticks can be picked up in the park and even in your own yard, where neighbors’ dogs who have been in the park walk.

“Taldomsky and Dmitrovsky districts are traditionally considered the most dangerous in the Moscow region - this is where encephalitis ticks are recorded,” explains Malyshev. - And precisely in the warm May time.

This is confirmed by another expert at the Center for Molecular Diagnostics of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor, Mikhail LEBEDEV : “Ticks begin to wake up and act when the average daily temperature is not lower than 7 degrees Celsius. And they are most active in humid weather and at temperatures of 18–20 degrees. These parasites are dangerous not only in the Taldomsky and Dmitrovsky districts of the Moscow region, but also in other areas; they are carriers of borreliosis (Lyme disease).”

Indeed, according to the capital's Rospotrebnadzor, in 2018 in the Moscow region, ticks have long since awakened in the Volokolamsk, Dmitrovsky, Naro-Fominsk, Chekhovsky, Domodedovo, Mozhaysky, Mytishchi, Noginsky, Ramensky, Solnechnogorsky, Stupinsky, Taldomsky, Shakhovsky districts.

In addition, Muscovites brought ticks from the Tver, Smolensk, Ryazan, Vladimir, Belgorod, Kaluga regions, Krasnodar Territory, from Crimea, Belarus, Ukraine and even from Germany.

It turns out that ticks have already been spotted in almost all areas of the Moscow region during the May holidays, which means they could be in all the parks of the capital.

“In Moscow, the number of ticks is relatively small - this is how it happened historically,” the manager reassures the townspeople. Laboratory of Natural Focal Infections of the Center for Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor Alexander PLATONOV .

Natalya SHASHINA, leading researcher at the Research Institute of Disinfectology of Rospotrebnadzor .

However, the likelihood of catching a tick during the season remains in Moscow parks, and in forests near Moscow, and in dachas.

And what should you do in this case? In the Moscow region there are places where you can check the tick that bit you.

The research is carried out in four laboratories in the capital region:

1. FBUZ “Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology in the Moscow Region” (address: Moscow region, Mytishchi, Semashko St., 2, laboratory of especially dangerous infections, 1st floor. Reception of ticks from 9.00 to 18.00. Research is carried out only on weekdays. Additional information can be found on the official website: www.cgemo.ru).

2. Center for Molecular Diagnostics of the Federal Budgetary Institution “Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor” (address: Moscow, Novogireevskaya St., 3a; tel.). There are branches of the center in every district of the capital, some work around the clock; you can find out which one is closest to you by calling the same phone number. Or on the website: www.cmd-online.ru).

3. FBUZ “Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology in Moscow” (address: Moscow, Grafsky lane, 4/9 (entrance from the courtyard, 2nd floor); tel.).

4. Federal Budgetary Institution of Health "Federal Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor" (address: Moscow, Varshavskoe Shosse, 19a; tel. Ticks are accepted from Monday to Thursday from 9.30 to 15.00, 9th floor, room 925. Break from 12.00 to 13.00 Research results can be found out 2-3 days after the tick is delivered on weekdays from 15.00 to 17.00, by phone).

Also, victims of tick bites can go to the nearest emergency room or clinic at their place of residence.

Hotline: 8-800-100-50-14.

Hotline numbers and addresses of consultation centers and points are also posted on the websites of the Rospotrebnadzor Directorates for the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.

The hotline (8-800-100-50-14) is also open in the Moscow region. During the holidays (from May 1 to May 15 this year), the Office of Rospotrebnadzor in the Moscow Region also opened a hotline for the prevention of diseases transmitted by tick bites, according to the department’s website. On weekdays from 9.00 to 18.00 . On weekends and holidays 24/7 by phone...

For those bitten who are not vaccinated , emergency seroprophylaxis is carried out - human immunoglobulin against tick-borne encephalitis is administered, but no later than the 4th day (96 hours) after the tick has been bitten. This unique vaccination can be done around the clock: for adults - in the city consultation room for vaccine-serum prevention of tick-borne viral encephalitis at the State Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital No. 2 (Moscow, 8th Sokolinaya Gora St., 15); for children - at the Children's Clinical Hospital No. 13 named after. N.F. Filatova (Moscow, Sadovaya-Kudrinskaya St., 15).

And now - attention!

How to remove a tick correctly and not become infected (advice from immunologists)

It is better to do this with a doctor in an emergency room, in a clinic at your place of residence, or in any other medical center. The tick must be removed very carefully so as not to tear off the proboscis - during the period of suction it becomes deeply strengthened. Follow the rules: grab the tick with tweezers or fingers wrapped in clean gauze as close to its oral apparatus as possible and, holding it strictly perpendicular to the surface of the bite, rotate it around its axis and remove it; disinfect the bite site with any means: alcohol (70%), iodine (5%) or cologne; Afterwards, wash your hands thoroughly with soap. If a black dot remains on your body (the head or proboscis has come off), treat this area with iodine. Take the removed tick for examination to the nearest laboratory.

Main signs of the disease : the incubation (hidden) period of tick-borne infection lasts 10–14 days, sometimes up to 60 days. The disease begins acutely, accompanied by chills, severe headache, a sharp rise in temperature to 39 degrees, nausea, and vomiting. I am concerned about muscle pain - in the neck and shoulders, thoracic and lumbar back, and limbs.

Meanwhile . In spring, female ticks lay eggs on the ground. And in the summer, the larvae find the first “host”, feed on his blood and fall back to the ground. And they move into a stage called a nymph. The following spring, this so-called nymph searches for a second “master” and, having become saturated with his blood, also falls to the ground. At the same time, it molts and becomes an adult. And in the fall, adult ticks look for a third “host”, drink his blood and again end up on the ground. The males then die, and the females lay eggs again the following spring.

This is the cycle of ticks in nature.

Where do encephalitis ticks come from?

In the spring-summer period, Russia occupies a leading place in the number of citizens affected by tick bites. The encephalitis virus is carried by birds, pets and other warm-blooded animals. Ticks become infected from these vectors and transmit the virus to humans through their bite. You can pick up a tick anywhere - both in the forest while walking, and in your own garden or city park. Even professional treatment of summer cottages and city parks cannot 100% destroy all ticks, so there is always a risk of being bitten.

There is a rumor that in the thirties the Japanese planted ticks in Russia; they were considered a biological weapon.

Habitats

At home, ticks most often settle in beds.
The main reason is the availability of food. Bed pests feed on particles of exfoliated skin and sweat. Optimal living conditions are warmth, humidity, and the absence of bright sunlight. In a person’s bed, all these conditions are met. Mattress mites settle in furniture, soft toys, interior items, and remain on any surface where a large layer of dust accumulates. It's safe to say that furniture mites are everywhere, always and everywhere. The ideal place is an unmade bed, an old mattress, feather pillows, unwashed bedding with particles of dandruff, skin, and sweat.

Bed or dust mites

There are more ticks in the east than in the west

The degree of danger of contracting tick-borne encephalitis within the main tick habitat increases from west to east. Cases of disease are recorded especially often in the southern regions of the Far East. Most likely, this is due to humid, warm summers and the presence of mixed forests.

The most dangerous regions of the Far East:

Amur region;
Sakhalin;
Khabarovsk region;
Jewish Autonomous Region;
Primorsky Krai.

What is characteristic: following warming, ticks move from east to west, and the peak of their numbers and activity in different regions varies throughout the season.

Where do ticks live and what climate do they like?

Ticks can adapt to various environmental conditions and can even survive at low temperatures. But there are conditions that promote rapid reproduction and comfortable life of arthropod parasites.

The carriers of encephalitis and borreliosis are most often the taiga forest tick and the European tick. They prefer habitats where there is grass and shrubs, as well as areas of forest belt with dense vegetation. A safer place for animals and humans is where the grass is low and there is little vegetation. Ticks are not found on paved areas, wide trampled paths and clearings, but they love to wait for prey along paths.

Ticks are found in almost all types of forests, be it birch, spruce or mixed type. Only the coniferous environment is unfavorable for them. Encephalitis ticks live in almost all climatic zones of Russia, sometimes even found in harsh conditions beyond the Arctic Circle because they have learned to adapt to all environmental conditions.

Ticks feel most comfortable in areas with high levels of humidity.

In Russia, encephalitis ticks are found from Siberia to semi-deserts. Many cases of attacks have been recorded in the Moscow region and adjacent territories, in the Caucasus, in the Altai Republic, Volgograd, Kemerovo and Kirov regions. They are most common in the Far East, in the Central regions of Russia and in the Northwestern District.

The best weather for tick development is warm and humid, which is why the main peak of development occurs in spring and early summer . Ticks cannot tolerate dry and hot weather; the scorching sun is destructive to them.

In which regions of Russia are there few ticks?

These bloodsucking creatures are least often found in the Northern regions of Russia, Siberia, the Urals, Magadan, Murmansk, Kamchatka and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug. But this does not mean at all that there are no ticks there and you can forget about precautions when visiting forests and parks.

Diet of ticks

Depending on their diet, ticks are divided into:

Saprophages that feed on organic matter.

Saprophages are involved in the process of converting humus, therefore they are considered very useful living beings. Parasitic mites, whose diet consists of plant sap, cause significant damage to agriculture. They destroy crop reserves at high speed.

Dust or scabies mites eat dead particles of human skin. Barn mites cause serious damage to food stored in warehouses. Subcutaneous mites eat fat that accumulates in human hair follicles. Spider mites suck the juices of various plants, including cultivated ones. Ear mites feed on the fat layer located in the ear canals.

Predators that parasitize both animals and plants.

Blood-sucking ticks are constantly in their hiding places, where they wait for their potential victim. On the legs of these arachnids there are special claws and suction cups that allow them to cling to clothing, the body or skin of humans or animals. After they land on the body of their victim, they move to their places of vital activity. This could be the armpits, groin, head or neck area, etc. In this case, mites can parasitize the body of other types of mites or thrips.

Ticks, and especially their bites, are quite dangerous for humans, since parasites are carriers of fatal diseases such as encephalitis and others that are no less dangerous.

Ticks can remain without food for 3 years, but if they are very lucky, they become quite voracious, increasing in weight up to 120 times after being saturated with blood.

The 5 Most Dangerous Ticks in the World Watch this video on YouTube

Diapauses in the life of ticks

In the life of ticks there are periods of inactive existence, which are called diapauses. They help these arachnids survive adverse weather conditions and synchronize their life cycle with changes in the environment.

Only a humid tropical climate is optimal for the continuous development of ixodids. In subtropical climates, summer heat and dryness, as well as winter cold, can slow down the life cycle of ticks, but in temperate climates this becomes a pattern. Thus, in mid-latitudes, each stage of development of these arachnids requires at least a year, and in cold regions, the life cycle of a tick can last 5-6 years.

Tick eggs mature in approximately 30-40 days. The hatched larvae seek out birds and rodents for food, but are often forced to spend the winter hungry. After feeding, the larva molts and turns into a nymph, which looks like an adult tick, but is smaller in size. The nymph feeds on larger warm-blooded animals than the larva. She, too, can go away hungry for the winter.

Having had enough, the nymph undergoes a complex process of transformation into an imago. The transformation of the body into an adult can take considerable time and depends on environmental conditions. Without food, the parasite at all stages of development can live for a very long time, and nutrition starts the process of its transformation into a new stage or the formation and laying of eggs. Life cycle of a tick.

There are two types of diapause in ticks: morphogenetic and behavioral. Let's take a closer look at them.

The period of morphogenetic diapause of an arachnid is associated with a slowdown in its development. This manifests itself in a delay in the maturation of eggs; engorged larvae and nymphs in this state take longer to prepare for molting, and the reproductive cells of females do not mature. Thanks to this process, the tick's life cycle is consistent with the changing seasons.

Behavioral diapause manifests itself in the absence of aggressiveness in a hungry arachnid, that is, the tick stops looking for victims and attacking them. This behavior is associated with hot weather or preparation for hibernation - engorged individuals tolerate cold worse. Behavioral diapause allows ticks to spend more than a year in a hungry state.

Photoperiod, that is, the ratio of the length of light and dark time of day, plays an important role in synchronizing the development cycles of these parasites with seasonal climatic rhythms. Its change can cause or stop diapause - this process is called the photoperiodic reaction.

The length of daylight that triggers the photoperiodic response in some tick species may vary depending on climate. For example, in the dog tick (Ixodes ricinus), living in Moldova, diapause occurs during daylight hours at 15-16 hours, and in the same species living in the Leningrad region - at 17-18 hours.

In a state of diapause, metabolic processes in ticks proceed very slowly, and due to the fact that energy is not supplied from the outside, the internal resources of the body are consumed. At the same time, its resistance to such environmental parameters as high or low temperature and low humidity increases.

Types of ticks with photos and descriptions

Scientists know about more than 40 thousand species of ticks, which are divided into 2 main groups. For example:

Parasitiforms, such as gamasid, argasid, nutallium and ixodid ticks.
Acariformes, such as scabies, hair, feather, marine, freshwater, thyroglyphoid, acaridia, oribatiformes, sarcoptiformes and thrombidiformes.
Haymaking ticks are also isolated as a separate group.

Main types of ticks and their description:

Ixodid ticks

They differ in that their body is covered with reliable chitinous plates. Moreover, they can have quite impressive sizes. There are species that reach a length of up to 2.5 cm. This type of tick prefers to parasitize in temperate latitudes, where they hide in the leaves of trees and shrubs. Therefore, they are found on almost the entire Eurasian continent. Potential victims of ixodid ticks are wild or domestic animals, as well as humans. If it gets on the skin of its victim, it will be able to feed on blood for several weeks. The female is quite fertile, as she is capable of laying up to 17 thousand eggs per season.

Argasid mites

They prefer to live in crevices of various buildings and outbuildings, and can also live in bird nests, which birds do not use. Their potential victims are poultry and animals, although they can also attack humans. They are often found in chicken coops. Argas mites bite quite painfully, and a profuse rash appears at the site of the bite and unbearable itching occurs. This parasite is characterized by soft skin, and the head protrudes slightly beyond the body and seems barely noticeable.

Armored mites

They are found on the soil surface, although there are species that live in trees. These ticks are not parasites, since they feed on natural food, in the form of mushrooms, lichens, living plants and their remains, and they also eat various carrion. Despite this, oribatid mites pose a certain danger to both birds and animals. The fact is that they can infect with various types of helminths, including tapeworms.

Gamasid mites

They settle in bird nests, chicken coops, and also in rodent burrows, since they parasitize on them. This parasite lives for a little more than 6 months, growing up to 1 mm in length. During this period of time, the parasite can cause serious damage to poultry farms. Their vital activity leads to significant loss of feathers in birds, as well as the appearance of extensive scratching on the skin.

Subcutaneous mites

They live under the skin of humans or animals, causing a lot of discomfort. However, if parasites are not properly controlled, they can live for years, causing severe itching and irritation. The female lives no more than 3 months, but during this period she lays an average of 100 eggs, from which viable individuals emerge in just a couple of days.

Scabies mites

These are parasites that can cause a difficult-to-treat disease called scabies. At the same time, ticks parasitize both humans and animals. The problem is that parasites make a lot of tiny passages in the skin of a person or animal, which leads to itching and redness. Ticks feed on skin secretions. Adult ticks live no more than one and a half months, but during this time the female manages to lay eggs several times.

Methods of attack

For some reason, there is a widespread belief that ticks need to be expected from somewhere above in the trees. Perhaps this can also happen, but only as an exception to the general rule. Scientists say that these insects live in grass and bushes, and not in trees. Those. In the fall, ticks can easily get on your clothes not from above, but from below, and then slowly crawl upward, looking for your most vulnerable spot.

Most ticks are found near rivers and streams, because... These blood-sucking mosquitoes, like their colleagues - mosquitoes, are very moisture-loving. Another favorite location for ticks is in the grass near forest paths and paths. They have a truly devilish sense of smell, and they can detect the smell of people and animals from 10-15 meters away. The tick is able to move in the air along with gusts of wind, i.e. it costs him nothing to cover this distance almost instantly.

The tick attacks in a jump. Its light body is easily carried by the wind, so it is not difficult for it to jump on you and look for a place to drink blood. As soon as they get on the skin, the parasite climbs to those places where it is easier and easier to bite. Usually these are the chest, neck, armpits, knees and groins.

Also, a tick may not jump, but fall on you from a tree, get caught on clothes in tall grass, or jump off animals. Then everything happens according to the scheme described above.

The parasite digs into the neck, chest, armpits and groins

What diseases do they carry?

The tick can be the host of many pathogens. But the most famous of them are the tick-borne encephalitis virus and the causative agent of Lyme disease , or, as it is otherwise called, borreliosis . The fundamental difference between them is that the virus is not affected by antibiotics. Vaccination can be done against encephalitis ticks . But this is a last resort. Usually it is done only to forest workers and once every five years to residents of areas where ticks are common.

There is so much talk about tick-borne encephalitis because it can be very dangerous - causing severe illness with meningitis and encephalitis. But in reality it is not as common as borreliosis. In total, tens of thousands of people turn to specialists for tick bites per season. Of these, about a thousand suffer from borreliosis, and less than a hundred from encephalitis.

Dangerous areas on the map of the Moscow region

In Moscow and the Moscow region, statistics are kept every year on the number of registered tick bites and the presence of dangerous viruses in their DNA. According to this information received in September last year, no cases of tick-borne encephalitis were recorded in Moscow and the Moscow region. Based on data obtained over past summer seasons, a list of dangerous areas on the map for ticks in the Moscow region and Moscow in 2022 was compiled:

the first places were taken by the districts of Ramensky, Serpukhovsky, Kolomensky - in the territory of each of them more than 800 cases of attacks by arachnid parasites were registered;
in Lyubertsy, Naro-Fominsk, Dmitrov and Noginsk regions, the number of bite cases exceeds 500;
In the Chekhovsky, Pushkinsky districts, and in Orekhovo-Zuevo, tick bites in 2022 are expected in an amount not exceeding 300 cases, as was the case in 2022.

On a note!
According to data for the last summer season, among the 15,857 registered reports of victims, about 4 thousand of them were bitten children. 5958 parasites were delivered for the study. The presence of borreliosis pathogens was confirmed in 15% of cases, 3.5% of ticks were infected with anaplasmosis bacteria, and ehrlichiosis pathogens were found in only 0.3% of the parasites studied.

The number of ticks in the Moscow region in 2022 depends on several factors. In the case of very hot and early summers, the parasites should be less active. They also do not like very rainy weather, which often occurs during the summer months in the metropolitan area.

The map for encephalitis ticks in the Moscow region in 2022 was created based on data for previous summer seasons. Despite the absence of recorded cases of encephalitis infection, there is a likelihood of the presence of encephalitic parasites in the Dmitrovsky, Taldomsky districts, and Dubna. Epidemiologists studying the question of whether there are encephalitis ticks in Moscow have been keeping statistics for the last few years. So far, not a single case of infection with a dangerous infection has been recorded.

Dangerous areas for ticks on the map of the Moscow region

During the tick period, the safest areas of the Moscow region in terms of the number of calls from victims are considered to be the eastern and southern ones:

Odintsovo;
Mozhaisk district;
Shakhovsky district;
Kashira district;
Troitsk and others.

It is impossible to say for sure whether there are encephalitis ticks in the Moscow region. The virus can be brought from other northern neighboring regions: Yaroslavl, Tver, Ivanovo. Bloodsuckers are able to travel distances through transport or while on the human body.

Incubation period of the disease

The incubation period from the moment of infection to the onset of symptoms of this disease occurs from ten days to two weeks. Moreover, the incubation period may be longer if a person has been vaccinated against encephalitis, which is given in childhood.

There are two stages of this infection:

fulminant, when initial symptoms occur within the first twenty-four hours. In the absence of prompt medical care, people quickly fall into a coma and may die due to paralysis of the central nervous system;
protracted, when the incubation period can last a month, and sometimes even exceed thirty calendar days.

The first symptoms of the disease, often a week after relaxing in nature, are headache, nausea, vomiting and fever, which reaches forty degrees. The person also feels weak. After the first symptoms, paralysis, pain in the nerve endings, convulsions and loss of consciousness begin to appear.

Treatment of tick-borne encephalitis

Treatment of people who have become infected with tick-borne encephalitis occurs according to general principles, regardless of the presence of vaccination or the use of specific drugs that contain antibacterial antibodies.

During acute periods of the disease, even if it is mild, it is necessary for the patient to remain in bed until all symptoms of intoxication have passed. Almost complete immobilization and non-active transportation leads to minimal pain and, accordingly, improves recovery prognosis. It is also important to remember the need for a balanced diet for the sick person. The diet can be prescribed if dysfunction is detected in the stomach, intestines and liver.

In addition, many patients with encephalitis experience an imbalance in the vitamin balance and need to consume vitamins B and C. Therefore, at least three hundred milligrams of ascorbic acid should be administered daily, which will stimulate the functions of the adrenal glands and improve liver function.

Life activity in winter cold

If the temperature drops below 0 degrees, ticks become inactive, namely, they hibernate. They sleep until weather conditions favorable to them arrive.

With light snowfall and severe frosts, conditions become destructive for parasites - it is worth noting that this leads to the death of 30 percent of larvae, nymphs, as well as the death of 20 percent of mature adults. We cannot ignore the fact that it is easier for hungry individuals to survive the cold than for those who have recently drunk blood.

You can be subjected to a tick bite in winter only when, after the parasites first get inside the living space, they gradually warm up and begin to actively look for something to feed on. The risk of a person bringing an individual from a forest/park/nature (places where parasites hibernate) in winter is eliminated.

They can get inside the house with a stick, hay, or leaves. But cases were observed during an abnormally warm winter (the temperature did not fall below 8 degrees Celsius) when ticks attacked people.

The level of activity of the parasite completely depends on the temperature; the optimal option for their comfortable development is 18 degrees or more. At low temperatures they become sluggish and passive. If you answer the question at what temperature individuals die, then it is -15 degrees and below.

Little snow in the winter and lack of necessary shelter leads to the fact that individuals die. They can feel great at a temperature of 0 degrees, but you should not expect activity from them, since their metabolic functions are reduced to a minimum.

Where does the encephalitis tick live?

It is impossible to distinguish an encephalitis tick from a regular tick by appearance. To find out whether there is a virus in his blood, he is sent to a laboratory for examination. The spreaders of the infection are ixodid ticks, especially European forest and taiga ticks. In a hungry state, the size of the arachnid’s body does not exceed 3 mm; as it feeds, the abdomen increases in size.

In the wild, the parasite lives in grass and on the lower branches of bushes. Prefers bright clearings, but without direct sunlight. Natural habitat:

spruce, birch, deciduous, mixed forest;
City Park;
unkempt vegetation near the house;
meadows;
pastures.

The parasite does not tolerate coniferous forests, low grass - less than 7 cm in height, asphalt, compacted roads.

It feeds on blood and waits for prey on the grass and lower branches of bushes - up to 1.5 m. It can remain in a hungry state for several months. At the sight of a potential victim, it becomes more active - it falls from the branches onto the animal’s back, clings to a person’s clothing, and crawls out of the grass.

On a note!
Borreliosis is transmitted by a bite through saliva, encephalitis - through blood. If the parasite's head comes off if the parasite is removed incorrectly, infected blood gets into the person's wound and illness will follow.

Where do they live in winter?

Basically, ticks live in forests and parks in winter, but not always. As soon as the air temperature becomes low, they begin to look for the nearest suitable shelter to sleep. If an animal brings a tick into the house in late autumn, it will overwinter there. There are several other sources where ticks can appear in your home in winter. If you run a subsistence farm and stock up on hay or straw for animals for the winter, ticks also live very comfortably in winter in such deposits. Sometimes ticks overwinter in the bark of trees, which is why you can bring a tick into your house on the Christmas tree or along with firewood. True, these parasites rarely overwinter in coniferous forests, because the lack of leaf cover reduces their chances of survival in a snowless winter.

Where are encephalitis ticks found?

The habitat of ixodid ticks covers the continents. They live almost all over the world, in all climatic zones. They quickly adapt to the most extreme conditions and are found even beyond the Arctic Circle. The greatest number is in tropical and subtropical forests with tall grass and high humidity.

In temperate climates, arachnids live everywhere. In Russia, the habitat begins with taiga and ends with semi-deserts. Regions endemic for tick-borne encephalitis are Karelia, the Far East, the North-Western District, the Volga region, most regions of the Central District. The distribution map of tick-borne encephalitis is updated annually, but in the above areas, the danger of an epidemic always remains at a high level.

Important!
Parasites appear in early May and disappear at the end of October, when there is a persistent decrease in temperature indicators. They are extremely active in dry, humid climates – long spring, rainy summer, warm autumn. They are not found in the hot summer when temperatures rise above 30 degrees Celsius. Optimal climatic conditions are temperature 15-25 degrees Celsius, high humidity.

How to protect yourself from ticks

No remedy or method of protection against ticks guarantees 100% safety, but combining several approaches at once helps to significantly reduce the likelihood of bites and transmission of infections as a result.

Use tick repellents and acaricides regularly.
When going into the forest for a walk or picking mushrooms, wear light, closed clothing on which ticks will be easy to spot.
Do not lie on the grass without a blanket, do not place hammocks, garden chairs, swings or tents near bushes and thickets.
While in nature, periodically inspect yourself for insects crawling on you and brush them off.
If you have pets, consult with your veterinarian on the best way to protect them from ticks and purchase tick repellent drops, spray and/or collars.
Teach your young children about ticks, why they are dangerous and how to be careful in nature to avoid being bitten.
Regularly mow the grass in your dacha; the shorter it is, the less likely it is that ticks will hide in it.
Carry out acaricidal treatments of the entire summer cottage in spring and autumn yourself or order the appropriate service from the SES.

Methods of safety and control of tick bites

Considering that ticks are active at any time of the day, you must always use means of protection against them, as well as select the most suitable control methods. Such measures are taken before the parasites go into hibernation - throughout the entire warm period of the year.

Folk remedies

The most common option is essential oil. Use a concentrated substance and apply it pointwise to things. Another solution is prepared: a few drops of essential oil are mixed with water. It is used to treat clothes before going outside. Another recipe:

Mix the ingredients: 2 glasses of vinegar, 1 glass of water, essential oils (citrus and eucalyptus) - 10 drops each.
The solution is poured into a spray bottle.
Clothes are processed before going outside.

Essential oil with water against ticks

Sprays, repellents, ointments

If you happen to live where there is a high level of endemic danger, it is recommended to use more effective means:

Moskill – acaricidal drug (spray);
Gardex - represented by a line of products for people of different age categories, produced (spray);
Tornado anti-mite (spray);

Pretix (chalk);
Off Extreme (aerosol);
Barrier (cream);
Lesovik (cream).

The concentration of the active component is low, which does not allow the destruction of pests. Sprays and aerosols often exhibit acaricidal properties - they kill ticks upon direct contact with the treated areas

Moreover, it is important to re-treat in time, when several hours have passed since the substance was sprayed

Effective remedies for taiga ticks

Smoke bombs, solutions

There are preparations intended for irrigating crops to kill parasites. This is done if the grass is mown, but parasites still appear. Additionally, such drugs help destroy other pests (mosquitoes, midges). They are sprayed outdoors and do not harm crops, people or animals. Examples of smoke bombs: Quiet Evening, City, Samuro.

Smoke bomb against parasites

Clothing against ticks

To avoid having to leave the forest ahead of time (for example, if the repellent has worn out), you can prepare a special suit in advance. Such clothing completely protects the entire body and even the head thanks to the presence of a hood and mosquito net. There are cuffs and muffs on the sleeves and trousers. The lower part of the jacket is tucked into the pants. The hem of the trousers should also be hidden in the shoes. The material is quite smooth, which does not allow the parasite to climb up to its favorite areas of the skin.

Protective suits against ticks

Vaccination. When is the best time to get vaccinated against ticks?

This measure will help avoid the development of complications due to encephalitis infection. In addition, vaccination helps reduce the risk of infection. Statistics show that vaccinations are effective in 95% of tick attacks. In addition, this measure helps prevent the development of other dangerous diseases transmitted by ticks.

It is recommended to get vaccinated no later than 1 month before going out into nature or traveling to regions with a high risk of endemic danger. This assumes the need to undergo two stages of vaccination with a break of 2 weeks to 7 months between them.

Video: Vaccination video

If you have additional questions about the administration of a drug containing inactivated tick-borne encephalitis virus, you can watch the video.

Prevention and protective measures

To reduce the risk of Muscovites and residents of the Moscow region being bitten by a tick, parks in Moscow are being treated for ticks in 2019. Specialists from sanitary and epidemiological stations have been sent to public gardens and parks to destroy “unwanted guests” using special chemicals.

On a note!
Tick extermination in Moscow is carried out from March to May, when they are just emerging from winter hibernation.

To protect yourself from the possibility of contracting encephalitis, you can use a special vaccine. This vaccination must be given before ticks appear in the Moscow region. The vaccine is given in two stages: the first injection is administered 2-3 months before ticks begin to bite - in November or December. Then the second vaccination is prescribed after 1-2 months. And only after it, after two weeks, immunity begins to act. The third injection is given after 12 months, then the vaccination is repeated every three years. Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis in Moscow is carried out in budgetary, commercial clinics.

The situation with ticks infected with the equally destructive infection borreliosis is worse - there is no vaccine against the infection. In case of infection, treatment with antibiotics is carried out. To prevent bloodsuckers from biting a person, you need to dress appropriately for a walk in the forest or park:

choose closed clothes with long sleeves;
tucking pants into socks, a jacket or shirt into pants;
gather long hair in a ponytail or braid and put on a headdress;
wear plain, light-colored clothing, which makes it easier to catch ticks.

Special acaricidal agents in the form of aerosols that repel bloodsuckers will also help. It should be remembered that after each visit to nature it is necessary to carefully examine the body for the presence of attached parasites.

Why is encephalitis dangerous?

Tick-borne encephalitis is an acute severe neuroviral seasonal infection characterized by fever, intoxication, central nervous system damage with the development of paresis and paralysis.

The consequences of a bite can be disastrous.

Mortality is:

For the European subtype – 1-2%.
For the Far Eastern subtype – 20-25%.

Death occurs within 5-7 days after the onset of neurological symptoms.

Long-term outcomes in focal forms:

Complete recovery – 4%.
Mild residual effects with a slight decrease in quality of life, the presence of complaints, without pronounced paresis and other focal pathology - 30%.
In other cases - significant limitation of life activity or disability.

In conclusion, we note that there is practically no specialized treatment for tick-borne encephalitis. The basis of care for those infected is supportive therapy; the outcome is difficult to predict, so it is better to prevent the disease.

A set of measures to prevent tick-borne encephalitis includes:

When going outdoors in spring, summer or autumn, you need to choose clothes that cover your body as much as possible. It is optimal to tuck the trousers into boots, high boots or socks. It’s good if the jacket has sleeves with elastic bands and a collar that protects the neck. You should also not neglect your hat.
Use chemical anti-tick agents of a repellent, poisonous or mixed type, which are applied to clothing. The manufacturer indicates the effective action time of a particular product on the packaging.
Upon returning, thoroughly inspect the body for ticks and shake out forest clothing (preferably outside the house). This recommendation is based on the peculiarity of blood-sucking parasites not to attack immediately, but to carefully select the site of absorption. Therefore, timely action can prevent a bite or detect it at an early stage, when the tick is easier to remove.
As a specific prevention in the Russian Federation, vaccination (before a bite) and emergency immunoprophylaxis (after a bite) are used. In EU countries, specific immunoglobulin is not used, only vaccines, the effect of which is more effective and predictable.

In most cases, after a bite, a person is not in danger, but precautions will not hurt. Tick-borne encephalitis is a severe but manageable infection

Compliance with preventive measures minimizes the likelihood of disease.

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Precautionary measures

To avoid ticks, it is important to protect yourself in advance. Avoid untreated areas of forests and parks; it is advisable not to visit places with tall vegetation during the period of activity.
If you happen to end up in such a place, you need to cover all exposed areas of your body with clothing as much as possible, and be sure to wear a hat. The picture shows the most favorite places where ticks bite.
You can also use protection, such as repellents, which are sold in any supermarket.
When you arrive home, be sure to check yourself and your loved ones for ticks. Clothes should be washed in hot water, because the larval forms are invisible to the eye and can reach you already at home.
If a tick has embedded itself, take the measures listed in the previous subheading as soon as possible. In no case should you ignore the symptoms and blame everything on the flu, because the first signs of encephalitis at the initial stage are not much different from it, but the consequences are many times worse!

Ticks in the Moscow region 2022: dangerous areas

Only Taldomsky and Dmitrovsky districts are considered endemic for tick-borne encephalitis in the Moscow region. At the same time, ticks are found and annually bite people in absolutely all areas of the region, but either do not transmit any diseases at all, or transmit some other tick-borne infections. Unfortunately, there are no accurate statistical data reflecting the full picture. You can see where ticks live in the Moscow region in 2022 and see how far dangerous areas are from you on the map.