Ticks abroad and while traveling: are they dangerous, where do you encounter them, where can you see them?
What is a tick?
- A tick is a type of small, flat spider and belongs to the arachnids (arthropod parasites). They are related to mites.
- Ticks live on the blood of animals. Sometimes that animal is a human.
- Ticks can sit on your skin or clothing unnoticed for hours or days and then gorge themselves on blood without you noticing.
Where can you get a tick and a tick bite abroad?
- There are approximately 900 species of ticks. You can encounter them worldwide. In the Netherlands, most people are bitten by the sheep tick. Some other ticks that regularly transmit diseases are the taiga tick (Russia), the large rough spotted tick (Africa), and the Mediterranean tick (e.g. Turkey - popular under the names 'Hyalomma tick,' 'giant tick,' and 'horror tick').
- You can pick up a tick during a walk in the woods, dunes, parks, and even on the beach and in gardens. You can also be bitten by a tick in the tropics. They are mainly found in bushes and tall grass. Unfortunately, a tick is also capable of crawling under your clothing
Is a tick dangerous, and how dangerous is a tick bite?
- Usually, tick bites are harmless, but they can cause several diseases that you really do not want to have.
- The four most important tick-borne diseases for humans are Lyme disease, tick-borne encephalitis, Ehrlichiosis, and Boutonneuse fever.
- Lyme disease occurs in the northern hemisphere, mainly in Europe, North America, and Asia. So also in the Netherlands and Belgium. In 2014, it was found that approximately 20% of ticks in the Netherlands are infected with the Borrelia bacteria, which causes Lyme disease in humans. This percentage is still growing and varies by region. If not treated in time, Lyme disease is a very serious illness with long-lasting, painful consequences.
- Tick-borne encephalitis (FSME & RSS virus) is prevalent in typical holiday destinations. FSME occurs in Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Scandinavia, eastern France, Austria, and southern Germany. The related RSSE virus occurs in large parts of Russia, Central Asia, Northern China, and Africa. It is possible to vaccinate against tick-borne encephalitis. In Austria, this vaccination is part of their standard vaccination program.
- Ehrlichiosis (anaplasmosis) occurs throughout Europe and America and is a serious bacterial infection that is easily treatable.
- Boutonneuse fever is a treatable bacterial infection found in the countries around the Mediterranean Sea.
- Other diseases transmitted by ticks: Babesiosis (parasite), alpha-gal syndrome/meat allergy (via tick saliva), and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (virus).
Is a red ring visible around the bite in every Lyme infection?
- No, a red ring was seen around the bite in less than half of the tick bites that lead to Lyme disease.
- In people with dark skin, no red ring is visible.
- A red ring is therefore a good signal that you need to see a doctor; the absence of a red ring is not a good indication that there is nothing wrong.
- Another symptom that can raise an alarm after a bite is swelling of your knee.
What can you do to prevent ticks and tick bites?
- Do not walk in the woods, tall grass, or bushes wearing shorts or with exposed body parts, and tuck your trouser legs into your socks or treat exposed body parts with tick repellent (for example, containing DEET).
- Wear impregnated socks and other insect-repellent clothing.
- Check yourself for ticks after leaving the woods or in the evening, and have someone else inspect the parts of your skin that are not visible to you. Young tick larvae are only 1 mm in size!
What should you do if you have a tick or a tick bite?
- It is best to remove a tick as soon as possible. Preferably within 8 hours. If you check regularly, for example during a walk, you will often find the tick before it is fully attached. Note: Ticks that were on your clothing, for example, can still end up on your body hours after an outdoor activity.
- Using tongs, grab the tick close to your skin by the head and pull it straight out.
- Ensure that the tick is not damaged during removal: do not pull or twist the tick, and the tick must not be crushed, squeezed, or pierced. Doing so may cause the tick to empty its stomach contents into the victim's body, increasing the risk of infection.
- Do NOT treat the tick with alcohol or oil. But disinfect the skin with alcohol (70%) or iodine after removing the tick.
- If the tick is removed within 24 hours without damaging it, the risk of infection with Lyme disease is low. If a red, expanding ring appears around the bite site after one to six weeks, or if no red ring was seen or present but symptoms are present, a doctor should be consulted. Tip: Write down the day you got the tick bite and take the dead tick with you to the doctor.
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