Two people died from tick cases in Erzincan, experts warn about June-July period

As the weather starts to warm up, attention is drawn to the months of June and July in tick cases, especially in the districts of Çamoluk in Giresun and Yedisu in Bingöl, where two people brought to Erzincan due to tick bites have lost their lives. Assoc. Dr. Faruk Karakeçili, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases Clinical Microbiology at Erzincan Mengücek Gazi Training and Research Hospital, stated that ‘This year, we had 2 fatal cases out of 21 patients with tick bites.’ Karakeçili stated that so far, 21 suspected cases have applied to the hospital, and tick-borne encephalitis usually starts to increase rapidly in April-May with the warming of the weather and activation of ticks, and this year, they started to see many tick cases, especially in April. Pointing out that the rate of increase was slightly curbed in May due to the weather being a bit colder and rainy, Karakeçili said, ‘So far, we have monitored 21 patients. Out of these, the results of 5 are not definitive, we have a few negative patients, but we have over 10 positive patients for whom we have made a definite diagnosis.’ Emphasizing that there was a slight decrease in cases in May due to rainy and cold weather, Karakeçili said, ‘I especially want to draw attention to the period when cases peak in June and July. Probably, we will see a significant increase during these periods. Unfortunately, this year, we had 2 fatal cases out of 21 patients (patients from Giresun and Bingöl). We also had patients who progressed rapidly and did not respond to all interventions.’ Karakeçili stated that the symptoms of tick-borne encephalitis resemble influenza, saying: ‘Our recommendation to patients is that they can often confuse their symptoms with the flu. Patients may experience severe headaches, fever, muscle and joint pain, weakness, and in severe cases, they may see bleeding in the nose and skin. Even in such simple complaints, people in rural areas, especially those in contact with animals, should seek medical attention.’ Emphasizing that citizens need to be careful against tick-borne encephalitis, Karakeçili noted: ‘Our prevention advice is that insect repellents work especially well. They can be sprayed on the cuffs of pants and clothes. If one lives in that region, it is a very good precaution to tuck the cuffs of pants into socks. When a tick approaches, it is beneficial to wear light-colored clothing. Wearing closed shoes instead of sandals is among the general precautions.’