Tick Bite Cases Among Hazelnut Farm Workers in Giresun

Abstract

Ticks are arthropod vectors of many diseases. The prevalence of Lyme disease transmitted by Ixodes is not known in Turkey. The disease is caused by Borrelia species and can also be seen in domestic animals. The aim of this study is to identify the ticks, which are collected from the agricultural workers who admitted to hospitals during the hazelnut harvest season between August and September 2015, at species and genus level and investigate whether these ticks vector of Borrelia spp. Method: In this study, 152 ticks collected from 134 patients were investigated. Of all samples including larvae and nymphs, 95.24% were collected in September. All patients who admitted with complaints of tick bites were agricultural workers collecting nuts in the gardens at sea level. The ticks were identified at species and genus level with stereomicroskop, hemolymph fluid examined directly by dark-field microscope and cultured in the Borellia Barbour-Stoenner-Kelly (BSK-H) medium. Results: Of all the ticks, 126 (82.9%) were adults, 13 (8.55%) were nymphs and 13 (8.55%) were larvae. Stereoscopic examination of the ticks revealed that 125 (82.2%) of the adults were Ixodes ricinus and 1 (0.65%) was Rhipicephalus sanguineus. All of the 13 nymphs (8.55%) and 13 larvae (8.55%) were identified as Ixodes spp.. All forms of development cycle were detected in the samples and the forms were inconsistent with the expected development cycle. Borrelia spp., the agent of Lyme disease, was investigated in the 146 ticks defined as I. ricinus and Ixodes spp. Borrelia spp were detected by dark field microscope in 3 (2.05%) of the 146 Ixodes and Borrelia spp. were identified in 5 (3.4%) of the cultures. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that Lyme disease can be seen in our region and the most probable vector is Ixodes ricinus.

Kene Isırığı ile İlişkili Yeni Bir Hastalık: Alpha-Gal Allerjisi

“…Hastalara adrenalin oto enjektörü reçete edilmeli ve hangi durumlarda, nasıl kullanılacağı öğretilmelidir. Diyetin düzenlenmesinin güç olduğu, kazara karşılaşma riskinin fazla olduğu, kırmızı eti devamlı olarak tüketmek isteyen hastalarda kırmızı et ile desensitizasyon halen araştırılan bir tedavi yöntemidir (18,25). Alpha gal allerjisi olan hastaların tekrar kene ile ısırılmasının önlenmesi Alpha gal spesifik IgE'nin giderek azalması ile sonuçlanabilir, bazı hastaların bu yolla ileriki dönemde kırmızı eti tolere edilebilecekleri düşünülmektedir (22).…”

Tick Bite-Associated New Disease: Alpha-Gal Allergy

“…The patients should be prescribed with adrenalin auto-injector and be taught how to use and when to use it. Desensitization with red meat remains an investigated treatment method for patients that have a hard time adjusting their diet, that are at risk of accidental consumption and wish to consume red meat continuously (18,25). Prevention of patients with Alpha gal allergy being bitten by ticks again can result in a gradual decrease in IgE, and some patients are considered to tolerate red meat in upcoming years in this way (22).…”

Red meat desensitization in a child with delayed anaphylaxis due to alpha‐Gal allergy

“…Alpha-Gal has been identified in the gastrointestinal tract of the tick species Ixodes Ricinus that appears to be responsible for alpha-Gal allergy in Europe and in our region. 10,11 In general, desensitization to red meat is not recommended in the routine clinical practice in alpha-Gal allergy. The decisive point in considering the indication for desensitization to red meat needs to be individualized based on the impact and importance of red meat in the patient's family diet and culture, as well as general health outcomes of the diet for the patient.…”