Milan – Ticks? They are on the rise and risk becoming invisible and uncomfortable travel companions during excursions, picnics, trekking and walks in the woods, activities that will become increasingly frequent in these months with the summer. “The presence and numerical density of this arthropod is increasing, thanks to various factors. We ‘experts’ are ascertaining this during our monitoring activity. Certainly the climate change and the availability of guests” to ‘dining’ on, “influence their diffusion. And if ticks increase, the pathogens they can transmit also increase and therefore the number of cases relating to transmitted diseases also increases”, he explains to Adnkronos Salute Sara Episassociate professor of parasitology all‘University of Milan.
The expert does the example of the Ticino park“which is a bit like our ‘observatory’ on ticks: until a few years ago there were very few of them, now it is very easy to find them in different areas. These are areas where ticks have found favorable environments and availability of hosts, and have become particularly widespread. Returning to pathogens, evidence is growing on the Tick Borne Encephalitis, meningoencephalitis from ticks, caused by an arborvirus belonging to the Flavivirus genus. This tick-borne virus causes a severe acute infection of the central nervous system and until last year the reports in Italy were localized in Veneto, Friuli and Trentino Alto Adige. Last year there was important work conducted by the Izs (Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute, ed.) in province of Bergamo which reported positive animals and there was also one human case. It means that also in Lombardy we are starting to see this pathogen and not just cases of Lyme disease. There is no need to be alarmist about it, but simply to keep our attention high”, she points out.
What to know about this unwelcome inhabitant of the greenest areas? Ticks, Epis explains, “are arthropods belonging to the Arachnid class, the same as spiders, mites and scorpions. They are ectoparasites with dimensions that vary from a few millimeters to more than 1 centimeter, depending on the species and the stage of development. body is rounded and the head, indistinguishable from the body, is equipped with a mouthparts (rostrum) capable of penetrating the skin and sucking the blood of the hosts. In Italy, around 36 species of tick are described, the most widespread and relevant from from a health point of view are certainly Ixodes ricinus (the woodland tick), Rhipicephalus sanguineus (the dog tick) and Hyalomma marginatum”. The blood mealduring which the tick remains constantly attached to the host – it is not very selective and passes peacefully from rodents to ungulates, from foxes to dogs and humans – it takes place “over the course of days or weeks”.
This is the most risky period. In fact, with the start of the summer, ticks abandon their state of winter quiescence and set off in search of a host. In the spring and summer months it is therefore more likely to be parasitized by a tick. “Ixodes can be found from spring, already in the months of February MarchAnd until November-Decembertherefore several months”. The peak, “which obviously corresponds to the peak of Lyme disease cases, is in the summer months”, therefore June-July-August.
“The bite of a tick is not dangerous in itself – points out Epis – but during the meal an infected tick can transmit pathogens to its host causing serious diseases. Ixodids are able to transmit for example: the Lyme diseasefor which there is a high risk even in our country, land rickettsial fever, tularemia, babesiosis, viral encephalitis and also Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic feverassociated in particular with species of the genus Hyalomma“.
How can you reduce the risk of returning home with unwanted guests? It’s important prevent infections which can be transmitted by the tick, Epis reiterates, “especially when you go to the mountains, but also in the woods, on the hills or in the countryside, in particularly green parks, such as for example the Ticino park which is very rich in roe deer, rodents, and therefore welcome hosts for ticks”.
Prevention must be implemented “when you go trekking, look for mushrooms in the woods, go on ecotourism, but also simple picnics on the lawn or walks. First point clothing: long trousers and socks which cover the trousers, to prevent any tick from exploiting uncovered spaces to sneak in”. The other important thing is “avoid rubbing your legs against grass and vegetation at the edge of the paths when walking, because ticks are on the blades of grass and shrubs”.
Fundamental, then, upon returning from the outdoor trip“make a careful visual and tactile examination of the skin, which people tend not to do. It is a test that must be done on the entire body, especially considering that ticks in the nymph stage, not adults, are very small, about a millimetre, so it is also very difficult to see them. They are dark, a small black dot, and you can notice their presence after a few hours when the blood meal begins: the part can swell a little and then you can feel something, because in reality when ticks attack they inject substances anticoagulants and anaesthetists, so you don’t feel anything at the moment. Which body parts to explore in particular? “It is good to pay attention to armpits, groin, legs, navel, neck and head, both for us and for our animals.”
And if you find a tick on your skin“it must be removed immediately – suggests Epis – It is done with a tweezers: it is grasped without crushing the body, as close as possible to the skin, and rotated slightly so that the mouthparts can be detached. Then you apply light pressure and pull it. The important thing is not to crush the body because otherwise it favors the regurgitation of the pathogen. Then the possible appearance of symptoms must be monitored for a few days, and this is necessary contact your doctor or emergency room if you start to feel it malaise, fever and other flu-like symptomsor you notice some unusual skin reactions after the bite”.
Does the tick have any natural enemies that can be our allies? “In reality – concludes Epis – they have very few predators. Birds, spiders or reptiles that can feed on ticks are described, but in this case the concept now known to the general public of reduced grass mowing to increase biodiversity and therefore also predators, useful for other cases such as mosquito control, is of very little value to the tick.” Last useful tips dispensed by the expert are “certainly the use of mite repellents for particularly exposed categories” to the insidious arthropod and another very useful operation in case of removal of a tick is “keep it in alcohol as a support for any disease diagnosis“.
