Ticks are a large subclass of arthropods, which includes more than 54 thousand species. Basically, these are creatures up to 5 millimeters in size with six pairs of appendages and a characteristic oral apparatus. What are the types of ticks that are dangerous to humans?

Harmful representatives are distinguished by a variety of forms with a relatively small number of species. The greatest harm ticks do not bring their bites, but their consequences. In the mouth apparatus of these arthropods is transferred a large number of dangerous diseases - encephalitis, Lyme disease, plague, typhus, hemorrhagic fever and q fever. Other types are provocateurs of skin diseases - scabies, demodicosis.

Dermancetoids can be distinguished from other ticks by their characteristic color with brown stripes on the back.

If you find a large tick, already drunk with blood, it is recommended to carefully remove it and take it to any sanitary unit for analysis. Such a precautionary measure will help you recognize in time the diseases that can come with a bite.
Ixodic

In the literature, you can find another name - the armored mite, so named for the strong chitinous integument.

The arthropod is active in the spring and summer. It is rarely possible to avoid tick bites, so doctors recommend using special vaccines for encephalitis. It is worth worrying about using it in advance - immunity occurs only two weeks after the injection. But such a small precaution can save you and your loved ones from a fatal disease.

Morphologically, several varieties of ixodid ticks are distinguished. Black tick loves dark ones wet places... The characteristic color of its integument, as well as its small size, distinguishes it from the rest of the arthropods of this group.

The white ixodid tick has a creamy, whitish color on the abdomen. The gray ixodid tick closely related to it is best recognizable. It is such a tick that people most often find on themselves.

Argasovy

Gamaz

In the literature it is found under the name demodex. Demodex is a normal inhabitant of human skin. Problems begin with its excessive reproduction against the background of a weakened immune system, malnutrition or taking antibiotics. Uncontrolled reproduction of the tick manifests itself in the form of demodicosis. This is an acute inflammatory process on the integument, accompanied by severe itching, acne, extensive areas of redness of the affected skin. Dermatologists are involved in the treatment of subcutaneous ticks.

Scabby

Ear

It is extremely rare in humans. The main owners of this arthropod are cats and dogs. In them, this arthropod causes acute inflammation of the middle and outer ear, which, without treatment, can turn into otitis media or even meningitis.

Bed

Spiderweb

The representative is not harmful to humans and animals. Plants, including cultivated ones, suffer from it to a greater extent. In plants, mites not only damage the integument and suck nutritious juices from the roots, but also carry extremely dangerous diseases.

Predatory

It is a very large arachnid arthropod that feeds on ticks. It is common where dust mites are abundant. For humans, it is absolutely safe and even useful. The predatory mite is the natural controller of populations of other microscopic arthropods.

Barn

It is also found as a flour or bread mite. Getting along with unprocessed grain or cereal residues in the granary, it feeds on both flour and ready-made products. The presence of eggs or adults in food can lead to allergic reactions and digestive upsets.

External structure diagram

Life cycle

Reproduction of some species occurs before the onset of the imaginal phase, that is, at the tritonymph stage. The average mite does not live long enough. Many individuals live for only a few weeks.

Ixodid ticks are long-lived among these animals and can live up to several years.

When hit in unfavourable conditions some species may enter a state of diapause. This is a condition in which metabolic processes in the body are slowed down, it is used to experience adverse conditions.

Species diversity and features

As noted above, the varieties of ticks are extremely diverse. Let's consider some groups of these animals, the most important for humans and their economic activities. Among the ticks, there are pests. These species are carriers of the most dangerous diseases for humans, spread by these organisms - tick-borne encephalitis and . Specialists dealing with ixodid ticks (sometimes incorrectly called "ixoid ticks") state that they are the most significant for human health. These types of ticks are carriers of the most dangerous diseases for humans spread by these organisms - tick-borne encephalitis and (Lyme disease). The genus Ixodes includes over 240 species. It is this genus of ticks that is most significant for human health. In Russia, the most dangerous diseases There are two representatives of this genus: the taiga tick (Ixodes persulcatus) and the dog tick (Ixodes ricinus).

The taiga tick predominates in the Asian part of Russia, as well as in some European regions of our country. In the European part of Russia, the dog species dominates. Forest species is another variant of the name of the dog tick. The most common disease (for the northern hemisphere) transmitted by these organisms is borreliosis. It is caused by spirochetes that enter the human bloodstream when bitten by an infected tick. At the very beginning, this disease manifests itself:

• muscle aches
• chills
• headache
• general weakness

Gradually the defeat grows different systems organism, up to death. Unlike Lyme disease, tick-borne encephalitis is a dangerous viral disease caused by a neurotropic, RNA-containing pathogen. This disease is characterized by seasonality due to life cycle ixodid ticks. In the Far East of Russia, a subtype of this disease is widespread, characterized by a more severe course and increased mortality. Similar to Lyme disease, encephalitis is initially characterized by fever, malaise, muscle pain, and headache. Canine and taiga ticks are the main vectors of encephalitis in Russia. Bite of an infected pathogen taiga tick dangerous to humans due to the fact that at the same time he transfers a dangerous infection to the affected host. The bite is also dangerous for people because, in addition to encephalitis, it can spread borreliosis.

In some cases, some types of insects are confused with ticks. For example, lice are not mites, they are insects. Also, the moose louse belongs to insects (otherwise it is called the moose mite). In fact, this is not a louse or a tick, but blood-sucking flies called deer bloodsuckers (Lipoptena cervi). That is, the so-called moose ticks belong to the class of insects, not arachnids.

Subcutaneous view (demodex) under a microscope

Argas view

The rat mite is a representative of the gamasid. He, like a mouse, attacks rodents, birds and people. When bitten by infected rat mites, itching and dermatitis develops. This species is also dangerous because it can even infect the plague and rat typhus.

However, it causes significant harm, affecting crops and indoor plants.

Practical significance and presented danger

Let us summarize what kind of ticks are dangerous to humans, what kind of danger do they conceal in themselves, how is a certain species dangerous to humans? It is believed that of everything species diversity ixodids are the most dangerous to humans. Data on the statistics of tick bites show that not all ixodids are carriers of infectious diseases. Many individuals do not carry pathogens of infectious diseases, and their bite is fraught with only painful sensations... What ticks are dangerous to humans depends on what diseases they carry. Their number in a certain region and the level of their infection with the pathogen directly reflect the degree of risk to the population.

Encephalitis and borreliosis among the widespread diseases transmitted by these animals are the most dangerous, they must be avoided by people spending time in nature.

Scabies itching causes a much less dangerous, but very unpleasant disease and a fairly common disease. Dust mites, invisible to our eyes, are permanent inhabitants of dwellings and can cause imperceptible harm to the health of the respiratory and immune system person. Of course, modern science knows far from everything about these animals, and further research is required on this important group of species.

The size of the ticks is very small - from 0.2 mm to 5 mm, while the size of the female is slightly larger than the size of only some species can reach 3 cm in length. A section of zoology called acarology deals with the study of ticks.

Of the whole variety of species in human dwellings, you can find gamasid mites, saprophytes (ticks house dust) and ixodid ticks.

They feed on the blood of mammals, can enter living quarters with rodents (rats and mice) and usually live in the places of supply of communications (in the kitchen, in the bathroom, in the toilet), under the baseboards, behind furniture.

Small dust is almost impossible to see with the naked eye. In a human dwelling, they are most often found in the pile of the carpet on the floor, as well as in the upholstery of furniture, in soft toys, on clothes, in bedding - pillows, mattresses, blankets. Exfoliated particles of human skin serve as food for them.

Ixodid ticks can enter housing by attaching themselves to a person's clothing or animal hair, as well as together with things, firewood, bouquets of flowers, etc. The blood and lymph of mammals serve as food for them, while the saturation process can last up to three weeks.

Ticks attack their prey during the warm season - from April to October, the greatest activity occurs in late spring - early summer. It is worth noting that the number of ticks capable of infecting a person with any diseases, including tick-borne encephalitis, Crimean or only 1%, that is, bites of 99% of ticks are not dangerous for humans.

Ticks do not jump on their prey, they wait for it on the ground or in the grass. Once on the body, the tick does not immediately stick to the skin - until this moment it can take several hours, which means that if ticks of small size are noticed in time, then the bite can be avoided.

Having marked the place, the mite bites through the skin and inserts into the wound a special outgrowth of the pharynx (hypostome) covered with chitinous teeth, which looks like a harpoon. This is why a tick, which grows in size as it fills with blood, is difficult to remove. This is usually done with tweezers. After removing the tick, the wound is treated with iodine solution or alcohol. Bandaging is optional. Did he bite a man Tick-borne Encephalitis, size and appearance which does not differ from nonencephalitis, can be determined only in laboratory conditions, and therefore it is necessary to contact a medical institution as soon as possible.

To protect yourself from ticks, you must take special protective measures before going into the forest - wear long-sleeved clothes and tuck your trousers into socks, wear a hat and, if possible, use tick repellants that are applied to open areas body and clothing. If you plan to visit frequently the places where attacks of these arthropods are possible, it is best to get vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis. Returning home, you should especially carefully examine yourself and your pet for the presence of pests, since the size of mites that have not yet adhered to the skin does not allow them to be detected immediately.

Compliance with these basic safety measures can save not only health, but, possibly, life.

Ticks are classified as arachnids. More than 48,000 species of mites are known. Ticks live in all climatic zones, on all continents. Not all ticks are dangerous to humans. Most species feed on decaying organic matter, mushrooms, plants and contribute to the formation of humus - a nutrient layer of the soil.

Most mites are very small - up to 0.4 mm. But certain types reach a size of over 1 cm. When sucked on the blood of an animal or person, a tick can grow up to 2.5 cm. Ticks that feed on the blood of animals and humans carry various infections, viruses, including deadly ones. Therefore, everyone must know which ticks are dangerous to humans, how they look, where they live, what kind of danger they are.

What ticks are dangerous to humans

Here are some of the types of ticks that can harm humans, from the least dangerous to the most dangerous ticks in the world:

• Barn mites (flour, bread). They live in places where cereals, grain, flour are stored. They can attack people, cause allergic reactions. They quickly leave the human body, as they prefer plant foods.
• Bed mite. Lives in blankets, pillows, mattresses, carpets, house slippers. It feeds not on human blood, but on dead cells that every person loses every day (for example, in the form of dandruff). The danger to humans is an allergic reaction to the discharge of ticks, which can manifest itself in itching, skin rashes, in the most severe cases bed mites cause bronchial asthma.
• Dust mite. Lives in the dust of an apartment. Vital activity and danger are similar to the bed mite.
• Scabies mite (itching). Has very small size, up to 0.3 mm, it is almost impossible to notice it on the skin. A tick is transmitted from one person to another by touching, shaking hands, sharing things in everyday life. The tick drills tunnels in top layer the skin and moves along them. The vital activity of the tick causes severe itching.

The most dangerous ticks in the world

Ixodid ticks are extremely fertile, the female lays up to 17,000 eggs. But not so many individuals survive to adulthood. The tick itself is not particularly dangerous, the main danger is that it can carry many infections. The most serious of tick-borne infections is encephalitis.

In the mildest case, encephalitis occurs as a fever, the symptoms of which disappear without a trace after about 10 days. If the virus infects the brain, the consequences can be dire: paralysis, mental illness, death.

To avoid danger, you need to take precautions when going to nature, in the forest. If a tick embedded in the body is found, you need to remove it correctly, process the bite site, and hand over the tick to the laboratory for research. It is advisable to see a doctor and get tested so that, if necessary, start treatment on time.

In Russia greatest value ticks of the family Ixodidae () are carriers of infectious diseases.

The family of ixodid ticks includes the genus: Ixodes, Amblyomma, Anomalohimalaya, Bothriocroton, Cosmiomma, Dermacentor, Haemaphysalis, Hyalomma, Margaropus, Nosomma, Rhipicentor, Rhipicephalus.

In Russia, there are representatives of five genera of the Ixodidae family: Ixodes, Dermacentor, Haemaphysalis, Hyalomma, Rhipicephalus.

Ticks from the same family are very similar, so the exact species are not shown in the photo.

Ixodes

The body length of the male and hungry females is from 1.5 to 6 mm, of the fed females - up to 15 mm.

The habitat occupies most of the the globe penetrating in the north and south to the polar latitudes.

In Russia, the main vectors of infections affecting humans and animals are two types of ticks of this genus: (dog tick) and (taiga tick).

Photo by: Stanilevich Nikolay (Minsk region)

Male tick of the genus Ixodes

The most epidemiological species are Haemaphisalis punctata, Haemaphisalis sulcata and Haemaphisalis otophila, Haemaphysalis leporis palustris (hare tick).

Habitat - mainly flat and foothill steppes, partially semi-deserts and forests.

Distribution - the south of the European part of the Russian Federation (mainly the North Caucasus zone - Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan), Crimea, Far East, Altai, south of Western Siberia, Transbaikalia, Central Asian republics, Kazakhstan, Transcaucasia, Turkmenistan, Eastern Europe, Japan, China, Germany, France, Australia.

The body length of males and hungry females is from 3 to 14 mm.

Hyalomma

The body length of males and hungry females is from 4 to 10 mm, while females are fed - up to 25 mm. The color of the mites ranges from reddish brown to dark brown.

A female tick of the genus Hyalomma

Author of the photo: Sergey Markov (Crimea. Feodosiya district)