Be Tick Aware

By staff writer / 15 April, 2011

With the sun shining and lots of bank holidays to take advantage of, you can’t wait to get outdoors. But if you’re planning a camping trip, a country walk or even just an afternoon stroll in the park, you need to be aware of ticks - a hidden nasty that can cause the debilitating Lyme Disease.

Lyme Disease is contracted through the bite of an infected tick and if untreated can lead to serious complications, including damage to the nervous system, joints and heart.

The first sign of infection is typically a circular ‘bull’s eye’ style rash that appears three to 30 days after infection. But not everyone with Lyme Disease will display this symptom, or if they do, it may be hidden under hair or in an inaccessible place, as ticks have a fondness for dark, moist places like armpits and behind your ears. This rash may also be accompanied by flu-like symptoms.

Figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show a year-on-year increase in cases of Lyme Disease in England and Wales, with a rise from 292 cases in 2003 to 867 in 2009. But the HPA estimate there may be up to 3,000 cases every year. Meanwhile, north of the border, Health Protection Scotland has reported a dramatic rise from 28 confirmed cases in 2001 to 605 in 2009, and they too believe this is a significantly conservative figure given the number of wrongly-diagnosed cases and people who don’t seek treatment.

Although Lyme Disease is present throughout the UK, wherever ticks are present, some areas are deemed high risk by the Health Protection Agency. These include the South Downs, Exmoor, the New Forest, parts of Wiltshire and Berkshire, Thetford Forest, the Lake District, the Yorkshire Moors and the Scottish Highlands. These parasites often live on deer, so areas with these animals present can pose a particular risk. Remember too, that ticks are also present in urban parks and gardens so be vigilant at home as well.

Lyme Disease is not entirely preventable, but you can minimise your risk. If you’re spending time outdoors in mild weather use an insect repellent, wear trousers tucked into socks, and long-sleeved clothing to cover all exposed skin. Where you can’t keep to the centre of paths, use a stick to tap the vegetation in front of you to knock off any waiting ticks.

Regularly inspect yourself for ticks and carefully remove any you find with a specialist tick-removal tool or fine-tipped tweezers. Removing a tick with any other method can increase your risk of infection.

Pets are vulnerable too, so speak to your vet about tick treatments.

For more information and for Ray Mears’ guide to protecting yourself against ticks visit BADA-UK’s (Borreliosis and Associated Diseases Awareness UK) website at www.bada-uk.org or www.tickbitepreventionweek.org

Do you check your skin for ticks after a country walk? Post a comment to tell us more.