It will last until early July. And although there are only 5% of infected spiders, Kazakhstan is an endemic zone, there can be up to 20% of them. In addition, in our region there is a more aggressive type of ticks – Far Eastern.
According to official data, in 2025, more than 16 thousand people applied for medical help after tick bites, of which more than 12 thousand, about 40% of them are children. In 2026, there were already 478 such people, about 49% of them are children. Regions endemic for tick-borne encephalitis in Kazakhstan include Almaty and its environs, Zhetysu, East Kazakhstan, Almaty, Akmola and North Kazakhstan regions.
“Ticks are most active in April when they wake up after winter and start actively looking for a food source. However, the dangerous period remains until July,” – said the infectious disease doctor of the National Hospital Saule Shagmanova, – Increased attention should be paid when visiting mountainous and foothill areas, steppe and semi-desert zones. That is why people who live and work in these zones are vaccinated, but this must be done as a prevention in February, before the start of activity.
What to do with a tick bite:
- gently remove the tick with tweezers without crushing it;
- treat the bite site with an antiseptic;
- it is better to contact the emergency room for professional removal;
- hand over the tick for laboratory research to sanitary and epidemiological services.
Diagnosis of possible infections is carried out using modern methods: PCR, ELISA (antibodies), as well as IgG/IgM blood tests. The examination is recommended to take place 5-7 days after the bite, when an immune response is formed in the body.
The first symptoms of tick-borne infections can resemble a common viral infection: fever, headache, weakness. In case of complications, treatment is carried out with the participation of neurologists.
Doctors urge Kazakhstanis to take precautions: use protective clothing, repellents, regularly examine the body after being in nature and seek medical help in a timely manner. Encephalitis, although a rare disease, is very dangerous, causing paralysis of the central nervous system.
