The number of ticks in Spain “has skyrocketed in recent years and does not stop growing”, a dangerous trend for the population that requires “extreme precautions” to avoid the possible lethal effects of their bite, warned the National Association of Companies of Environmental Health (ANECPLA).
Pest control experts warn, in a statement, of the increase in cases of tick bites that have recently been experienced in medical and veterinary consultations in Spain, mainly as a result of the increase in temperatures caused by climate change, which lengthens the period of activity of these parasites.
Vithas experts, for their part, have pointed out that more and more dermatologists attend patients who come because they confuse it with a new mole. Thus, they have pointed out that identifying what the bite is like is important to remedy the consequences. “The patient comes most of the time because a lump or a new mole has been noticed. When we look closely we see that it is a tick embedded in the skin that normally has been there for a few days,” said the head of Dermatology at Vithas Malaga and Vithas Xanit, Dr. Enrique Herrera Acosta.
Prevention of a tick bite
To avoid these parasites, ANECPLA recommends staying alert not only during walks or hiking trails in the countryside, but also when traveling to other environments such as parks, gardens, swimming pools or beaches, where ticks can also be found.
Wearing “appropriate protective clothing, leaving as little skin as possible visible”, as well as inspecting clothing, skin -mainly the armpits, neck, waist and head-, and hair when returning home are other measures aimed at detecting any ticks that may have attached themselves. “It is always important to be aware of each new lesion or blemish that appears, because checking the skin is an individual responsibility and knowing at all times what new moles or rarities appear is essential to avoid this type of problem,” they explain from Vithas.
What to do if a tick is detected
Once the tick is detected on the skin, it is necessary to go to the specialist. “The extraction process has to be done with special care. You have to prevent the head from staying inside the skin so as not to run the risk of infection,” explains the head of Dermatology at Vithas Málaga and Vithas Xanit, Dr. Enrique Herrera Acosta, who has pointed out that you have to shoot “hard and uninterruptedly”.
This expert has specified that if the bite is not treated “it could lead to Lyme disease that produces fever, fatigue, headache and rash in the area”, emphasizing that “the infection can spread to the joints, the heart and the nervous system”.