Rely on triple protection – clothing, defensive chemistry and vaccination.
With a bit of luck and during the warm autumn and spring you can catch it almost all year round. However, the greatest activity of ticks begins right now, with the arrival of warmer nights and more frequent trips to nature.
It concerns the entire territory of the Czech Republic, including mountainous areas. And it is the same everywhere that you can be bitten by a tick that transmits a serious infectious disease – tick-borne encephalitis or Lyme disease. “Due to climate changes, ticks are also appearing at higher altitudes. Mountains are also among the risk areas,” points out Renata Ciupek from the Regional Hygiene Station of the South Moravian Region. In addition, it is possible to commonly meet ticks in gardens or city parks. That’s why it’s worth not underestimating this danger.
Vaccination throughout the year
Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis is available from general practitioners or vaccination centres. The ideal time to start the whole scheme is the colder months, when the activity of ticks is not yet high, but it is important throughout the year and is also carried out throughout the year today.
The vaccination schedule consists of three doses and subsequent revaccination, which results in long-term protection (see box). In addition, as part of the accelerated vaccination, it will start protecting you as early as four weeks after the first dose, or two weeks after the second vaccination. You don’t even have to worry about the price. Health insurance companies contribute to vaccinations as part of preventive programs and cover them completely for people over 50.
Don’t rely on myths
“Someone says that ticks don’t go to him or that his pets catch them all. Or that he doesn’t go out into nature and has no way to get infected. Alternatively, they heard about someone who had a reaction after vaccination. “We explain to everyone the nature of the vaccine and point to many years of experience with vaccination not only in our country, but also abroad. As an example, we give the high vaccination rate in Austria,” said the prescription doctor Hana Tkadlecová from the vaccination center in Prague. Because nothing else will reliably protect you from encephalitis, which is transmitted really quickly.
Get dressed and check
Vaccination forms the basis of protection, but experts also recommend other preventive measures to prevent tick bites. If only because, unlike encephalitis, the vaccination against Lyme disease is still pending. “Use repellents, wear light-colored clothing with long sleeves and pants, and avoid tall grass,” says MUDr. Ciupek adds that after returning from nature, it is advisable to pat yourself down outside, shake out your outerwear and then check each other out.
It is important to remove the attached tick as soon as possible. In the case of Lyme borreliosis, the transmission of the disease occurs after approximately 24 hours – it is thus possible to prevent it by removing the tick in time. In the case of tick-borne encephalitis, the disease is transmitted in a matter of minutes, and even quick removal of the tick may not help.
“First, use a disinfectant that you drop on the tick and kill it. The tick loosens up a bit, and then it is easier to remove it. Gently pull it out with tweezers in a swinging motion, and then disinfect the place where it is attached,” advises Renata Ciupek.
How you can get vaccinated
| A common scheme | Accelerated scheme |
|---|---|
| 1st batch Selected date | Selected date |
| 2nd dose 1 to 3 months after the 1st vaccination | 14 days after the 1st vaccination |
| 3rd dose 5 to 12 months after the 2nd vaccination | 5 to 12 months after the 2nd vaccination |
| Vaccination up to 60 years | Revaccination from the age of 60 |
|---|---|
| 1st revaccination 3 years after the 3rd vaccination | All vaccinations every 3 years |
| Subsequent revaccination every 5 years |
You could find this article in the magazine Recipe No. 05/26.
