What are these tiny but extremely dangerous forest invadors?

The warm spring sun may have lured you into the nearest forest or meadow.

The warmer weather has also attracted ticks to surface.

Ticks are usually found just above the ground, often in tall grass. They like moist soil or forests.

They cannot jump onto a person, but they cling upon contact.

Their activity does not depend on the season, but on the temperature of the air. They can become active as early as February during mild winters.

Slovenia is one of the countries where there is a high probability of infection with diseases they transmit.

Some of them can seriously endanger our health.

The most common is Lyme disease.

It occurs in the spring and summer when ticks are most active. There is no vaccine against it, so protection from tick bites is extremely important.

The disease is not fatal, but it could cause a major inconvenience as it affects our organs.

More dangerous is tick-borne meningoencephalitis (TBE), which can leave permanent consequences, including paralysis.

Slovenia is among the countries with the highest incidence of TBE in Europe. It occurs most frequently in Gorenjska, Koroška, ​​Notranjska and the Ljubljana region.

Dr. Marta Grgič Vitek, National Institute of Public Health

About 100 people fall ill with it every year.

In this case, vaccination is available and is recommended for everyone over the age of one who lives or works in an area where the disease occurs.

• Wear light-colored clothing and long pants. Ticks are easier to spot in these.
• Protect yourself with repellent before going into the forest.
• Avoid crawling through bushes or lying in the grass for too long.
• After getting back home, check yourself, shower, and wash your hair.

Glossary

A repellent is a product that protects against insect bites.

Paralysis is the loss of feeling in or the ability to move a body part. Paralysis is caused by injury or disease of the nervous system.

Points to Consider

1. Do you check yourself after you have been in the forest?
2. How do you remove a tick?
3. Do you also protect your dog from ticks?

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The original version of this article was published on April 14^th.