Every year, thousands of tick bites are recorded in our country. As you know, these insects carry many infectious diseases. In this case, immunoglobulin is a prophylactic agent; in case of a tick bite, it is put in all medical institutions of the country.
General information about ticks
There are over 40,000 species of mites, most of which feed on decayed plants, fungi and small insects. But there are those who prefer blood.
These insects bite mainly in warm weather. They don't like dampness. It is difficult to notice the attack of a tick, since during the bite it injects an anesthetic. Insects prefer places that are hidden under clothing and those where the skin is thinner. Most often, people find them on their elbows, on the scalp, on the arms and legs, and also in the groin.
How dangerous is a tick bite?
These insects are dangerous because they are carriers of many different diseases, the worst of which are encephalitis andLyme disease. Of course, not all ticks carry diseases, but this can only be determined in each case in the laboratory.
The most dangerous species are the European forest and taiga ticks. They are quite large, they feed on blood, and people often become their victims.
The first individuals appear in April. They are most active in the period from May to early July, then the population disappears, but not all. Occasionally, cases of tick attacks are recorded in early autumn.
Ticks can smell the victim from a distance of 10 meters. Usually insects attack from blades of grass or bushes no higher than 50 centimeters. They prefer damp places, not very shady and with dense grass. "Favorite" for them are the edges of forests, paths overgrown with grass, ravines.
Ticks don't attack from above. If the insect was found on the head, it means that it crawled there from below in search of the most suitable place for suction.
Bite Prevention
The best protection against infection with tick-borne encephalitis is a timely vaccination. Its validity period is 3 years. But there is no vaccination against Lyme disease, only precautionary measures can help here.
To avoid contact with a blood-sucking insect, you can use repellents. They are applied to clothing and exposed skin. Be sure to read the instructions before applying. It is enough to process shoes, trousers and sleeves. For the best protection, tuck your pants into your socks or boots.
When bitten by a tick
If it was not possible to avoid contact, and the tick has bitten you, it should be carefully removed. Be sure to make sure that the entire insect is pulled out and that its head is not left in the wound. The tick is placed in a glass jar and, in a live form, is delivered to the laboratory for research on the next day. Tests will tell if he was a carrier of encephalitis or Lyme disease.
Even if the tick itself turned out to be a carrier of the disease, this does not mean that the victim has already become infected. However, you should definitely go to the hospital if the bite site is very swollen and red. If within a month after the bite there is a significant deterioration in well-being, you should also consult a doctor.
It should also be remembered that ticks carry not only encephalitis or Lyme disease. They can also transmit many other diseases, less dangerous, but still unpleasant and in need of treatment.
Emergency
Within 3 days (or better - the first 24 hours) from the moment the tick is removed, you need to examine it in the laboratory, and also contact a medical institution to prevent the development of serious diseases. It is carried out without fail, even if the bitten was previously vaccinated.
And what immunoglobulin is given for a tick bite? There are a lot of them. In medical institutions, doctors prefer anti-encephalitis, since this disease is the most dangerous.
Immunoglobulin will not help if a person is infected with tick-borne borreliosis or otherdiseases. The drug is quite expensive, this is its minus. The cost of one ampoule is about 600 rubles. A pack of 10 ampoules is already quite expensive. It may also cause an allergic reaction.
The medicine is produced from the serum of donated blood of people who have had tick-borne encephalitis. The medicine is used both as a preventive measure and during the disease itself. Before using it, it is important to learn as much as possible about the drug.
Tick-borne immunoglobulin
The preparation contains an immunologically active protein fraction, which is isolated from donor plasma or serum. Donors are people who have had tick-borne encephalitis. They have antibodies to this virus in their body. They are the basis of the medicine. Protein is taken only from he althy people who have additionally been tested for the absence of hepatitis C and HIV.
The protein stabilizer is glycine (aminoacetic acid). There are no antibiotics or preservatives in the medicine.
Immunoglobulin with a tick bite is mainly used in the form of ampoules with a capacity of 1 milliliter each. It is a colorless liquid, which, however, may have a slight yellowish tint. If sediment is found at the bottom of the ampoule, just shake it and it will disappear.
Immunoglobulins belong to class G drugs. The active antibodies contained in the preparation neutralize the tick-borne encephalitis virus in the body. The drug also increases the resistance of the human body.
Greatestthe concentration of antibodies in the body is reached on the second day after the administration of the drug. Half-life takes 4-5 weeks.
Indications and contraindications
As a rule, immunoglobulin is prescribed as a prophylactic for tick bites. The main purpose is the therapy of encephalitis.
But is immunoglobulin so harmless? With a tick bite, the drug has contraindications. It should not be taken when a person has serious allergic reactions to a certain list of components of the medication. Atopic dermatitis, asthma or systemic diseases associated with immunopathological mechanisms are contraindications to the use of the drug.
When taking the medicine, adverse reactions are quite rare. Among them, the following are noted: fever, hyperemia, soreness in the place where the dose of immunoglobulin was injected with a tick bite, allergic reactions, extremely rarely - anaphylactic shock.
There are no data on the effect of the drug on a woman's body during pregnancy and lactation, so doctors do not recommend taking it to avoid negative consequences.
Pros and cons
This medicine is ineffective after 4 days of being bitten. It can also be used as a prophylaxis, but the effect will last no more than a month.
Immunoglobulin helps a lot with a tick bite, the maximum protective effect is achieved in a day. However, the vaccine is still much better.
Setthe medicine is possible only in a hospital, the procedure must be carried out by a medical worker. There are several reasons for this: firstly, the drug should be stored in a dry and dark place at a temperature of 2 to 10 degrees, and secondly, it can cause various allergic reactions, up to anaphylactic shock. In the latter case, the presence of a doctor will save the patient's life.
Methods of using the medicine
The drug is available in ampoules. It is not put into a vein. The introduction of "Immunoglobulin" with a tick bite is necessarily done intramuscularly. Before this, the drug is recommended to be kept at room temperature for 2 hours. The medicine is drawn into the syringe only with a needle with a wide lumen, in order to avoid the appearance of foam.
An open ampoule cannot be stored. Also, if there is a possibility that the medicine has been spoiled (the integrity of the package is broken or the labeling is in doubt), it cannot be used.
Is it necessary to put immunoglobulin with a tick bite? If there are no contraindications, then it is better to do it anyway. A disease such as tick-borne encephalitis is very difficult to tolerate. It should be remembered that the medicine will only help if it was administered within the first 3 days after the bite.
Immunoglobulin can also be used in advance if there is a high probability that a tick will bite a person in the near future. The medicine has its effect in 24-48 hours, and the general protection will last for a month. Then, if necessary, you can repeat the injection of immunoglobulin. When bitten by a tick, an injection is also givenagain.
Medication doses
As a prophylaxis, the drug is administered at the rate of 0.1 milliliter per 1 kilogram of live weight.
If the symptoms of the disease have already appeared, immunoglobulin is also used as one of the medicines. The dose calculation is the same. The course of taking the drug in this case is 3-5 days. In total, during this time, the patient must receive at least 21 milliliters of medication.
If there is a focal form of tick-borne encephalitis, the course of taking the medicine should be slightly extended until the patient's condition stabilizes. In severe cases of the disease, it is allowed to increase the dose of the drug to 0.15 milliliters per 1 kilogram of weight.
Immunoglobulin with a tick bite can be taken along with other drugs. In this case, it is important not to mix them. This means that the drugs must be administered separately.
If a person has a desire to be vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis, and recently he was injected with immunoglobulin, he will have to wait a month.
You can also put immunoglobulin in case of a tick bite to children. The dosage in this case is also calculated based on the weight of the child. In special cases, only a doctor can write a prescription that will indicate the dose of medicine for the child.
Special Instructions
Injecting the entire dose of medication at the same time may cause a skin reaction. This can be avoided if the injections are made in several parts of the body.
After the injection, the doctor must observe the patient for at least another half hour toin the event of anaphylactic shock, save a person's life. So a doctor should also have anti-shock agents in his arsenal.
Motorists may not be afraid to give an injection of immunoglobulin. Its effect does not reduce their concentration, so they can drive their car with peace of mind.
In closing
Ticks are very dangerous insects, as they are carriers of many viral diseases. The most terrible of them is tick-borne encephalitis. There is a medicine that is recommended to be used after contact with an insect. Does immunoglobulin help with a tick bite? Yes, but only when entered on time. It has many side effects. However, at the moment it is one of the best preventive measures against tick-borne encephalitis.
