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Swedes are likely to spend their holidays in Sweden this year. At the moment, everyone is focused on Covid-19, but there is another threat that should not be forgotten: ticks, which can spread both borrelia and TBE.
– Clearly, there are risks in coming in the cloud, says expert and professor Johan Sanmartin Berglund.
The mild winter has been favorable for the small parasite that can cause so much mess. The ticks woke up unusually earlier this year, and while their progress has been slowed by the spring cold, it may reveal some of the forecasts ahead.
– It is difficult to say so far, but last winter has provided the conditions to make it a very active summer. The temperature has meant they have reached another stage, says association expert Johan Sanmartin Berglund, a professor at the Blekinge Institute of Technology.
And just because Covid-19 is on everyone’s lips right now doesn’t mean ticks are taking a gap year.
ALSO READ: Tick season: how to protect yourself against TBE
Can be vaccinated against TBE
In Sweden, mainly borrelia and TBE are distributed through ticks. In rare cases, you can also suffer, for example, Babesia, a tick-borne blood parasite.
TBE can be vaccinated against, but the corona virus has affected the possibilities.
– Down here we usually go out and vaccinate large populations in risk areas and we will not do it this year. We put it more on people to monitor and say if they want the vaccine, “says Berglund.
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– We have many requests so forgotten that it is not, but now the focus is on Covid-19. Priority is given to non-emergency operations, so it is clear that there are risks of entering the cloud, “says Berglund.
Can many be in a rush to go to a vaccination clinic these days?
– However, measures have been taken there so that you are not too much at the same time and keep a distance. If you are healthy, there is nothing to stop you from going to a reception.
In some areas, tick buses that vaccinate against TBE also circulate.
ALSO READ: This is how you better protect yourself from ticks
Be careful in risk areas.
For the vast majority, it will probably be a Swedish holiday this year. Those who have the opportunity have already moved into their country houses.
This may mean that more people move into risk areas than usual.
– And who may not have been in risk areas before and, therefore, not have been vaccinated before. There is clearly an unconsciousness about this. Then a little advance is required to get good protection against TBE.
Common symptoms of TBE and Borrelia
TBE
The first signs of TBE are often very vague. There may be general problems like headache, muscle pain, fatigue and fever.
Up to a third suffer from meningitis or brain, which can lead to more serious symptoms, such as:
Borrelia
The most common symptom of velcro is a reddening of the skin that can appear one to four weeks after the bite.
You may also have a blue-red lump on your skin, located in the earlobe or a nipple.
If the disease spreads to the nervous system (neuroborreliosis), you may experience severe pain in the neck, back, arms, and legs, headache, stiffness, and partial paralysis of the face.
If the disease affects the joints (arthritis), several joints can swell.
Source: Care Guide 1177
The basic vaccine consists of three doses, two of which are generally administered 1-3 months apart. Dose three is generally administered after 5-12 months. Even if protection is not completed after a syringe, it can still provide some protection. According to Care Guide 1177, it is not too late to vaccinate, even when the tick season has started as it continues into the fall.
A fourth dose can be injected 3 years after dose three. Thereafter, you can receive a refill dose every five years. People over 50 can receive four doses in the first year.
ALSO READ: So you must act if a viper bites you
Borrelia must be treated on time
Borrelia, on the other hand, cannot be vaccinated against, but can be treated with antibiotics.
– And it’s better if you come as soon as possible. If you’re conscious, you don’t have to worry about being outside, says Berglund.
Many people infected with Lyme disease have no symptoms, and the disease heals on its own. However, in some cases, it can spread to the nervous system and, rarely, to the joints, prolonging the course of the disease.
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The classic symptom that is generally talked about is a redness of the annular skin called migratory erythema. But all types of redness must be taken seriously.
– You shouldn’t think it will be a ring. A redness or discoloration of the skin of a few centimeters around the tick bite should always be considered a tapeworm, on the contrary, says Berglund.
The faster you remove a brand, the better. According to chief physician and professor Lars Lindquist, it is possible to prevent the boreal by eliminating the insect within 48 hours.
Berglund recommends that you seek medical attention if you suspect that you have been affected.
– But it is not panic, it takes an average of two weeks before it spreads to the nervous system.
ALSO READ: Borrelia: everything you need to know
Best expert advice during the 2020 tick season
The number of TBE cases has increased in Sweden for many years. The reason is that ticks have spread, they exist today in almost the entire country.
The following areas are considered high risk areas:
Coastal areas of Stockholm, Uppsala and Södermanland.
The central and eastern parts of the lake region.
The coastal zone from Uppsala to Kalmar.
Around the lake.
To the west and east of Lake Vättern.
What advice would you give people now for the summer?
– If you are in a risk area, check your TBE vaccination protection. Inspect the body after you have gone out into the woods and onto the ground. Remove the tick calmly and raw, but as soon as possible, and notice the redness of the skin around the previous tick bites.
