Threat from the East. What is known about the new viruses that ticks carry?
Two new viruses carried by ticks have been discovered in Russia. How are they dangerous and how to protect yourself?
Viruses from the Jingmen virus group, the Flaviviridae family have already been found in some regions of Russia – they were not in our country before. A more dangerous virus is called the Jingmen tick virus. It has already been found in the blood of Russians. Moreover, along with the new virus, the victims were also diagnosed with the Crimean-Congo fever – another dangerous disease, which is also carried by ticks. The second virus from the group, Alongshan, has so far been detected only in the blood of animals; it has not yet been recorded in humans.
Threat from the East
“To date, there is not enough data to say how dangerous new viruses are for humans. Research is actively underway, but additional data will not appear until autumn, – says the epidemiologist, leading researcher, head of the scientific group for the development of new methods for diagnosing natural focal diseases of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor Lyudmila Karan. – All that is known at the moment is that new viruses, like SARS-CoV-2, were also first identified and described in China, but they are also common in Africa, North and South America and Europe. Symptoms of a Jingmen tick virus can include fever, headache, asthenia, chills, sweating, nausea, and in rare cases, seizures. In a number of cases, this virus was found to be concomitant with another dangerous disease – the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, so it is difficult to describe the symptoms for which the Jingmen tick vurus is responsible. But, fortunately, so far there is no evidence that the new virus causes damage to the central nervous system, as in tick-borne encephalitis. “
As for the second virus from the Jinmen group, in Russia ticks infected with the Alongshan virus have been detected in the Kaliningrad region, Karelia, the Volga region, Tatarstan, and Altai. Also, this virus was found in China in the blood of goats, which serves as an additional basis for studying the transmission of these viruses with milk. At the moment, there are no reports of the Alonshan virus being detected in people in Russia. Today, scientists are actively working to determine all possible ways of transmission of infection and find out whether it is dangerous to consume milk from farm animals infected with this virus.
Is there no salvation?
Unfortunately, there is no 100% protection against new viruses today. Now in Russia there is a vaccine against tick-borne encephalitis, a “relative” of the new viruses. “But this vaccine will not protect against viruses of the Jinmen group, since these viruses are segmented and the segment carrying receptor proteins, with the participation of which the virus enters the host cell, does not genetically belong to the flavivirus family. In extreme cases, victims of new viruses can count on blood plasma transfusions from those who have had this infection (however, as in the case of coronavirus, this remedy helps someone, but not to someone). Therefore, we should all rely only on our own caution and vigilance, ”warns Lyudmila Karan. – By the way, the rule “one bite – one infection” does not work in the case of ticks. One carrier can “bestow” several dangerous diseases at once. ” Do not forget that in addition to recently discovered viruses from ticks, you can pick up encephalitis and borreliosis, which are also by no means a mild cold, but are considered potentially deadly infections. However, these diseases, at least to science, are well known. There is even a cure for borreliosis: it is enough to drink a course of special antibiotics to neutralize a dangerous infection. True, this must be done as early as possible, preferably immediately after the tick is found on the body. For tick-borne encephalitis, which is not a bacterial, but a viral disease, there is no specific cure, but there is an effective vaccine. True, it is too late to get vaccinated now, in the midst of tick-borne activity. Even an accelerated course of vaccination should be carried out a month before a potential meeting with an infected tick.
Protection rules:
Today, in many regions, prophylactic anti-tick sanitation of territories – potential reservoirs of tick-borne infection – is being actively carried out. But nevertheless, epidemiologists warn again and again: the health of each of us depends on our own vigilance. Therefore, be sure to follow the rules.
Be especially careful when walking in damp, shaded areas. Dangerous are dense thickets of grass and bushes, forest ravines. There, unlike dry pine forests or sunny meadows with poor vegetation, the risk of meeting a “bloodsucker” is higher. By the way, sitting down on a stump, then be sure to inspect the clothes – often it is on the stumps that ticks wait for their victims.
Choose a place for a picnic as “bald” and open as possible. Sitting in the grass is, of course, more pleasant, but much more dangerous.
When going to the forest for mushroom-berries or going on a hike, or just walking in the fields on tall grass, dress correctly. It is desirable to wear light-colored clothing – it is easier to notice a tick on it. It is good if the fabric is slippery and dense – so that the tick cannot cling to it.
Additionally, clothes can be sprayed with acaricidal agents (be careful, they should not get on the skin). Unlike repellents, which simply repel ticks, acaricides contain a nerve poison that affects arthropods, so they must be used with caution. It is advisable to process clothes with them, let them dry, and then get dressed.
It is important that all parts of the body are protected to the maximum from tick penetration. Therefore, no skirts and shorts with tops with straps and no sandals, only long trousers and sweaters with sleeves, and it is advisable to also tuck your trousers into socks and wear closed shoes. A headdress is required.
Upon returning from a forest walk, it is imperative to take off all your clothes, shake them up and examine them. Brush hair. And then look closely at yourself and the children. Ticks do not stick right away, but at first they crawl for a long time in search of a convenient spot. Most often (although not necessarily), they choose places for sucking behind the ears, in the groin, under the armpits, on the stomach, on the lower back, in the chest area.
Carefully examine the fur of pets if they accompanied you on a forest walk. Often it is our pets that bring ticks into the house.
