25.06.2025 14:41
As the weather warms up, we continue to receive tragic news about the increasing cases of tick bites. A 39-year-old man working as a shepherd in Gümüşhane and a 66-year-old man engaged in farming in Yozgat have lost their lives due to tick bites.
With the arrival of the summer months, the risk of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) has also started again due to the increasing tick cases. Recently, two sad news came from Gümüşhane and Yozgat.
A SHEPHERD DIED FROM A TICK BITE
Alaattin Uzuntürk (39), who worked as a shepherd in the Şiran district of Gümüşhane, was bitten by a tick. After a while, Uzuntürk fell ill and was taken to Kürtün State Hospital by his relatives. As his condition worsened, Uzuntürk was transferred from there to the Farabi Hospital of Karadeniz Technical University (KTÜ) in Trabzon with a suspicion of CCHF.
Alaattin Uzuntürk, who was treated in the Intensive Care Unit of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, could not be saved despite all interventions and passed away. Uzuntürk's funeral will be held today at the family cemetery in the Deregözü neighborhood of Vakfıkebir district in Trabzon.
ANOTHER SAD NEWS CAME FROM YOZGAT
In the Alembey village of Sarıkaya district in Yozgat, a farmer named Celal Sarsılmaz (66) had a tick attach to his body a week ago. After removing the tick, Sarsılmaz fell ill and was brought to Sarıkaya State Hospital by his family. As his condition worsened, Sarsılmaz was later transferred to the Sivas Cumhuriyet University Medical Faculty Hospital. There, he was treated with a suspicion of CCHF and passed away. Sarsılmaz's body, taken from the hospital morgue by his family, was taken to his village for burial.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF CCHF?
Ticks living in grassy, forested, and meadow areas pose a vital risk to human health as they carry many diseases, including CCHF. Symptoms of CCHF, transmitted through tick bites, begin with high fever, weakness, headache, muscle pain, nausea, and vomiting.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE TO PROTECT AGAINST TICKS?
Experts warn that when going to grassy areas, long-sleeved and light-colored clothing should be preferred, pant legs should be tucked into socks, and the body and clothes should be checked upon returning home. Experts advise that when a tick attaches to the body, it should not be touched with bare hands, and chemicals like cologne should not be poured. Some experts state that the tick should be removed with gloves, thread, or tweezers as soon as it is noticed on the body, and the nearest health institution should be consulted, while others suggest going directly to a health institution without touching the tick, and having it removed by health personnel.