Over 80 people infected with boreliosis bitten by ticks in Moldovan capital in 2017

Chisinau, 08 May /MOLDPRES/ – Three people went to see a doctor since early 2018 after being infected with boreliosis as a result of tick bites. The number of similar cases exceeded 80 in 2017, with most occurring in summer months when insects are very active. The data were published by epidemiologist at Public Healthcare Center (CSP) in capital, Larisa Apostolova.

According to epidemiologist, specialists in the capital examined several ticks collected from green spaces and determined that one third of them are infected with borelias, a causative agent of borreliosis.

"Ticks wake up from hibernation as soon as snow melts and air gets warm. Their active periods are March – June and September – October. The man is accidentally attacked when he comes into the area of ​​ticks spreading. At the time of the bite, tick removes an anesthetic substance, so the bite is painless and remains unnoticed. During feeding with blood, contaminated tick can transmit to humans a number of microbial agents that can cause various infectious diseases: acarian encephalitis, haemorrhagic fevers, rickettsioses, tularemia and Lyme disease," says Apostolova.

She mentioned that if after a few days a ring – shaped edema was formed instead of bite, infection with borels probably occurred. A manifestation of this disease is moderate fever, headache, weakness, joint and muscle pain, inflammation of regional lymph nodes. After a few months or a few years, disease can affect nervous system, cardiovascular system and locomotor system.

The quoted source urged citizens to go to a doctor immediately if they were bitten by ticks and did not resort to self – treatment.

(Reporter A. Zara, editor M. Jantovan)