Chief Physician Dr. Orkun Kızılöz warned citizens to be careful against tick bites due to the increase in picnics and work in vineyards and gardens with the warming of the weather. Kızılöz stated that Turkey has a geographically suitable structure for ticks to live and continued his words as follows;
“Although it is transmitted by tick attachment to our bodies, it can also be transmitted by removing or crushing ticks with bare hands, by contact with body fluids such as saliva and blood of sick people, and by unprotected contact with blood, body fluids and tissues of animals carrying the infection. In general, mortality rates due to the disease can reach 30-50 percent. The most common cause of death is organ failure (heart, brain, liver, kidney, lung), intracerebral hemorrhage and other internal hemorrhages.”
“BODY COVERING CLOTHES SHOULD BE WORN”
Kızılöz continued his statement by saying, “When going to areas that are risky in terms of ticks such as fields, gardens, forests and picnic areas, clothes that cover the body as much as possible should be worn in order to prevent ticks from entering the body. Long-sleeved sweaters or shirts, long-legged trousers, long socks and boots should be preferred, and clothes should be checked regularly for the presence of ticks.
When a person returns from risky areas, they should check their own bodies and those of their children, if any, for ticks, especially behind the ears, armpits, groins and behind the knees. If a tick is attached, they should remove it immediately by grasping it from the closest place to the body with a suitable material, without touching it with their bare hands.
“Since the disease progresses without showing symptoms in animals, animals in areas where the disease is frequently seen can transmit the disease even if they appear healthy. For this reason, animals’ blood, body fluids or tissues should not be touched with bare hands,” he said.
“TICKS SHOULD NOT BE KILLED WITH BARE HANDS”
Dr. Orhan Orkun Kızılöz said that those who deal with animal husbandry in areas where the disease is seen should use protective clothing such as gloves and goggles, and added, “Another important point in combating the disease is to spray the fields with appropriate chemicals in order to control the number of ticks in areas where the disease is seen. Since the disease can be transmitted through the blood, body fluids and excretions of people who have contracted the disease, people who come into contact with the patient should take the necessary protective measures.
Ticks that are attached to the body or found on animals should never be killed or popped with bare hands. Smoking or pouring substances such as cologne or kerosene on ticks should not be done as this will cause the tick to contract and transfer its body contents to the person it sucked blood from. If you experience severe headache, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, vomiting, muscle pain or signs of paralysis in any part of your body after a tick bite, it is vital that you immediately seek medical attention. (İHA)