Ticks: How Teachers and Educators Arrest – Society

There are more ticks than in ten years. This poses a creeping problem for schools and day centers: to retreat or move away?

They are naturally lethargic, they hesitate to climb more than 1.50 meters and often force their claws into the skin of children. Ticks tick in the garden or the weekend walk – but often also on the way to school or playground, during school trip in the forest or in the school camp . There, teachers and educators are the first to have a problem crawling: they pull or remove their fingers?

The question becomes more urgent because this summer the risk of infection is greater than before. There are many more ticks than usual in 2018, warns the German Research Center on Infections. With the University of Vienna, a model for forecasting the number of ticks has been developed. Researchers count animals, collect data on how hot and humid it is and how much fruit trees carry. From this they develop a very precise prognosis. This year, they found the highest numbers since the beginning of their investigations ten years ago. On 100 square meters came 443 ticks. Last year, there were only 180.

With the big crawling also the uncertainty grows. Especially when it comes to children: In schools and kindergartens, consent statements for the removal of ticks are distributed or the parents of affected children are quoted for discussion . At parenting nights, educators and parents discuss the benefits of tweezers on ticks, and many children bring home not only homework and storytelling, but also ticks on tape. So parents can test the animal for pathogens, if they want it. But does it bring something? Or should not you let your kids romp in the grbad this summer?

Children are particularly prone to tick bites

Gerhard Dobler, a virologist at the Institute of Microbiology of the German Armed Forces in Munich and the first German researcher on ticks in time. He adds that increased alertness is just because it is clear: with the number of ticks also increases the risk of infection. In animal saliva, TBE viruses can sleep and Borreliosis bacteria in their intestines. The first can cause the dreaded encephalitis ticks (see box ), fever, joint pain and fatigue. Both diseases are tedious and can be dangerous.

And that's also true: children are particularly susceptible to tick bites, confirms Dobler. Their delicate skin and small size make them perfect victims for tiny arachnids. Much more often than adults, they are stung on the head, neck and ears. Also, because they prefer to let off steam in the grbades and bushes, looking for hidden trails on the trails and usually more on the outside. According to the Robert Koch Institute, there were 485 TBE cases reported in Germany in 2017, of which only 31 were in children under 15 years of age. The risk of disease increases dramatically by 40. According to virologist Dobler, it is already clear that 2018 could continue to increase.

There is no need for teachers to bring home ticks at home. The tick researchers Dobler and Josef Kahl of the Professional Association of Pediatricians agree on this point. Too weak is the validity of such tests. "Examine the tick does not make sense, if in doubt, only a blood test brings clarity to the child," says Kahl. However, this test should also be taken with caution: it detects the blood infection is being examined for antibodies against Borrelia. These usually form only a few weeks after the sting. It makes more sense than going to the doctor to observe the child closely.