Early Intervention in Tick Bites Saves Lives

As time spent outdoors increases during summer months, tick-borne diseases are also rising. Dr. Saliha Ayan, Specialist in Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology at Istanbul Okan University Hospital, emphasized that early diagnosis and proper intervention are vital in Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), particularly prevalent during summer months, and issued warnings about prevention methods.

Ayan noted that CCHF cases in Turkey are concentrated particularly in northern Central Anatolia, including Tokat, Sivas, Yozgat and Çorum, the central Black Sea region, and northern eastern Anatolia. She stated that the disease occurs annually between April and October, with case numbers peaking in June and July.

Who is in the risk group?
Dr. Saliha Ayan noted that CCHF is primarily transmitted through Hyalomma marginatum ticks and stated that the virus can be transmitted when a tick attaches to the skin or is crushed with a bare hand.

Ayan noted that the virus can also be transmitted through contact with blood and body fluids of infected animals or patients, and identified the following groups as being at higher risk:

-People engaged in agriculture and livestock farming
-Veterinarians
-Butchers
-Healthcare workers
-People living in endemic areas or traveling to these areas

Symptoms appear in a short time
Dr. Ayan noted that disease symptoms generally appear within 1 to 5 days after tick attachment and shared the following information:

"The disease begins with high fever, weakness, headache and muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. In severe cases, serious bleeding can be seen in the gums, nose, gastrointestinal system and urinary tract within several days. As the disease progresses, shock and multiple organ failure can develop. The vast majority of deaths result from severe bleeding, shock and organ failure. For this reason, early diagnosis and timely implementation of supportive treatment are life-saving."

Experts emphasize that there is no specific antiviral treatment proven effective for CCHF, and therefore early diagnosis and supportive treatment are of great importance.

5 recommendations to protect against CCHF
Dr. Saliha Ayan made the following recommendations to protect against the disease:

In high-risk areas, prefer long-sleeved, covered pants and light-colored clothing.
After returning from outdoors, carefully examine your entire body.
Do not touch or crush a tick attached to your body with a bare hand.
Carefully remove the tick with an appropriate tool from the point closest to the skin.
If you cannot remove the tick, contact the nearest health facility without delay.

First 10 days after tick attachment are critical
Ayan noted that the first 10 days after tick removal should be closely monitored, and stated that if symptoms such as fever, weakness, loss of appetite, muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea appear during this period, health facilities should be contacted without delay.

Ayan also noted that currently there is no vaccine against CCHF that has become widely used globally and proven effective, and stated that the most effective method in protecting against the disease is personal precautions and early awareness.