How to distinguish an infected tick from a healthy

Mites belong to the order Acarina of the class Arachnida. They are one of the most ancient groups of arthropods on the planet. As a rule, these insects feed on decomposition products of plants, soil fungi or small arthropods. The world fauna includes more than 40 thousand species of mites, many of which are virtually unstudied.

Some species of ticks are adapted to feeding on the blood of living creatures, the most common among them – ticks (Ixodoidea). Real threat of infection represent the two main types of Ixodes Persulcatus (taiga tick), living in Asia and some regions of the European part of Russia, as well as Ixodes Ricinus (European forest tick), common in the European part of the country.

Body taiga and the European wood tick is covered by a hard shell and is equipped with 4 pairs of legs. In females, the inner part of the body that can be stretched, allowing them to absorb a large quantity of blood, hundreds of times greater than the weight of a hungry tick. Males are smaller in size and attach themselves to the victim for a short time (less than one hour). In the surrounding area ticks are guided through touch and smell, as the eyes of these insects have not. But the sense of smell is extremely acute – the mites are able to smell an animal or people at a distance more than 10 meters.

Another type of mites that live on the territory of Russia, are members of the genus Dermacentor. They carry encephalitis, Omsk hemorrhagic fever, tularemia and other infections, in addition, these mites are the main culprits of piroplasmosis in dogs. The main victims of young forms of ticks of the genus Dermacentor are small rodents, so their number depends on the number of populations of mice. These mites can be distinguished by the characteristic white pattern on the back. A tick of the genus Dermacentor in contrast to Ixodes trial makes a series of punctures before it begins to suck blood.

Carriers of encephalitis are also Haemaphysalis ticks of the family. They live in the Crimea, the Caucasus, the far East, preferring the birch and larch, and deciduous aspen forest. The base of the proboscis they are rectangular, and the dorsal shield – one color, and the edge is framed with scallops. Adult ticks Haemaphysalis parasitize mostly on animals, but can attack people.

Where did the nature come from infected ticks? In fact, the natural foci of encephalitis existed in Siberia long before the coming of man. Moreover, it is unknown whether initially the causative agent of encephalitis associated with only ticks or vertebrates. In the process of evolution, the virus has adapted to the presence in organisms of both.

On external signs to distinguish an infected tick from uninfected individuals of the same species impossible. To accurately determine the presence of infection in the tick it is possible only after special analyses that are carried out in medical laboratories. The percentage of infected ticks varies for different regions of the country. In the European territory of the Russian Federation are infected with the virus of encephalitis no more than 2-3% of insects. In Siberia and the far East this figure is slightly higher – up to 20%.