Gwangyang City Health Center Urges Compliance with Prevention Rules to Block Tick-Borne Diseases

Compliance with Infectious Disease Prevention Rules, Immediate Medical Facility Visit Upon Symptom Onset

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] Gwangyang City Public Health Center announced on the 28th that it will strengthen prevention activities to block the occurrence of tick-borne infectious diseases in response to the increase in outdoor activities in spring and the full-scale farming season.

Tick-borne diseases include Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS) and Tsutsugamushi disease. Among them, the probability of SFTS infection, transmitted by the Haemaphysalis longicornis tick, is high between April and August, while Tsutsugamushi disease mainly occurs in autumn but has recently been reported year-round regardless of season, requiring caution.

Patients with tick-borne infectious diseases mostly occur in rural areas with frequent outdoor activities such as farming. Symptoms vary individually but typically appear after an incubation period of 6 to 14 days, including high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, thrombocytopenia, and lymphadenopathy.

If there is a wound suspected to be caused by a tick bite and symptoms appear, immediate hospital treatment is necessary. To prevent infectious diseases, during outdoor activities, long sleeves, long pants, shoes covering the legs, and repellents sprayed over clothing should be used. After activities, worn clothes must be washed, and personal hygiene rules such as showering or bathing should be followed.

Baek Hyun-sook, head of the Infectious Disease Control Team, said, “Recently, deaths from Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS) have occurred (2 people, in Gyeongbuk and Chungnam), and due to climate change, the habitat environment for ticks has improved, causing earlier occurrence and increased population, raising the risk of infection. Since there is no preventive vaccine, avoiding tick bites is most important.” She added, “We hope residents will receive tick repellents at the Eup, Myeon, and Dong offices.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.