Crimean-Congo alarm: Improper tick removal can be fatal

INDIVIDUALS MUST CHECK THEIR BODIES

Stating that citizens visiting rural areas must be cautious, Dr. Tuğba Topbaş, Head of the Suşehri Family Community Health Center, said, "When going to areas at risk for ticks, such as fields, vineyards, gardens, forests, and picnic areas, one should wear clothing that covers the body. After returning from high-risk areas, individuals should check their own bodies and those of their children.

If a tick has attached itself to a person, it should be removed from the point closest to where it is attached to the body without delay and without touching it with bare hands. If the person cannot remove the tick themselves, they must immediately apply to the nearest health facility. After the tick is removed from the body, individuals should monitor themselves for 10 days for symptoms such as fatigue, loss of appetite, fever, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, and headache," she said.

IMPROPER INTERVENTION CAUSES THE TICK TO BURROW DEEPER

Stating that one should absolutely not intervene with a tick using cigarette butts, cologne, oil, or fire, Topbaş added, "Individuals who develop symptoms of the disease should apply to a health facility without waiting. In cases where individuals cannot remove the tick, they must strictly avoid actions such as applying oil, cigarette butts, cologne, or fire to the tick. On the contrary, such actions will cause the tick to try to burrow further into the body and regurgitate infected blood," she said.

News Source: 12punto