Tick Bite Awareness

Tick awareness: Lyme Disease prevention

Please be tick aware when you are walking in long grass or going through bushes. Some ticks – not all – can carry Lyme disease, some can cause Meningitis and other severe illnesses. No need to panic - you still can enjoy the outdoors with some precautions. And infected ticks are still rather rare. However, Southern England is a tick hot spot by now, and ticks do move closer to urban areas (around London, there have been sightings in several parks and wooded areas, such as Richmond Park, Gunnersbury Park, Chiswick House, Boston Manor, Blondin Park etc.).

If you develop the typical Lyme disease rash after a tick bite (see photos below), go see your GP. You will need to take a blood test - and probably again after 6 weeks. You may need to take antibiotics for 2-3 weeks.

If you go to see your GP, make sure they are well informed. As ticks have not been a big problem in the Southern parts of England so far, many doctors may not have encountered tick disease patients before. Please note:

If you remove the tick, bring it along, so it can be tested.
Take a picture of your rash and bring it with you to the doctors appointment. If your rash is gone by the time you can see your doctor, that does not mean that all is fine. Show your picture - and ask for a blood test (to be repeated after about 6 weeks, as Lyme disease does not always show immediately in the blood).

It is important to be well informed and assertive, Lyme disease can destroy your life.

Tick in skin

Tick before bite

Tick after filling up with blood

Disclaimer:
The information on this page is not complete and there may be more up-to-date research findings.
The information does not replace your seeing a doctor or seeking expert advice.
You can also inform yourself on the NHS or government website - resources are below.

Typical Lyme Disease rash

NOTE: You may have a tick-born disease / Lyme disease without this rash. It does not show in all cases. However; If you see it - you are likely to have Lyme disease (can be treated - see a doctor!)

Lyme Disease symptoms

'flu like' symptoms of aching, fever, headache
fatigue
sweating
joint pain
light and sound sensitivity
abnormal skin sensations (tingling, numbness, itching)
stiff neck
erythema migrans rash (see above).

Lyme disease can remain dormant for weeks, months or even years. When symptoms do eventually develop, they can be severe, and patients often need aggressive treatment. Intravenous treatment is often required to treat late-stage infection. Late-stage treatment can last many months as seen in other infections as well.

Tick in your skin: What to do

If you find a tick in your skin:

Take a photo for further reference.
Do not ‘rip it out’, do not use oil, cigarettes or any other substances on it. If tick is stressed, it will release more saliva that may contain the bad bacteria. Use a tick removing tool (you can buy in pharmacy, petshop or online). No sharp tweezers, as these may cut the head off and leave it in your skin. If you have sharp tweezers only, wrap them with a tissue.
Grab the tick as close to your skin as possible. Lift it out. Then examine it carefully under the magnifying glass and make sure the head is still on the tick, and not in your skin.
Keep the tick for further reference (small plastic bag). Take a photo of the tick.
Wash with soap and water and disinfect the bite. Wash your hands.
Keep watching the bite-site for the typical Lyme disease rash. A harmless tick will just leave a little dot, that disappears rather soon. A Lyme disease carrying tick might create a rash, which does not have to be visible right away (can come out after weeks).
Important: Not all Lyme disease ticks will create this rash. So if you develop flu-like symptoms or joint pain – even in a few months or years: Make sure you tell your doctor you had a tick bite (mark it in the calendar, so you know when it was, and share the photos).
If you have the rash, see a doctor. You will likely need blood test and antibiotics. NOTE: The blood test needs to be repeated, as the early testing is not reliable (the anti-bodies often do not show within 4-5 weeks).
If your GP does not want to take serious action, point them to the NHS information or the government information on the internet. Have them call the local hospital’s department for microbiology and infectious diseases to get adequate information.

Tick removing tools. In pharmacy or petshop, at vet's or online.

How to prevent tick bites

There is less risk if you keep to broad trails and cut grass. Walk in the middle of the trail and don't brush against bushes and long grass.
If you walk through long grass or bushes, make sure you wear long trousers. Pull your socks up over your trouser.
Bright clothing is ideal, as you will see the ticks crawling around right away.
Use bug-spray over your shoes and lower trouser legs. You can also spray your skin. Make sure you buy the ones that also says 'preventing ticks' on it, some weaker ones are just for mosquitos.
After being in nature, check your skin for ticks. The sooner you remove them, the better. When they bite, they put some anaesthetic in your skin: so you may not feel the bite at all.
Check your clothes and shoes for ticks. They often crawl along for a long time before they find a piece of skin they like.
Check your pets: Ticks may crawl on your dog and not find an easy way in through thick fur. They then may change over to you to enjoy you as an easier target. Check shared sofas, carpets, camper vans, etc.

Long trousers, socks over trousers. Light coloured clothes.

Bug spray on shoes and socks

Tick Awareness Resources

NHS information on Lyme Disease and ticks
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease /

NHS information on TBE - another tick related disease: Not found in the UK yet, but in most of Europe and Asia. There is a vaccine for it if you travel/camp/hike in these areas.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/tick-borne-encephalitis

On this site. You can download Leaflet, Posters, etc. for Tick awareness (for your school, scouts, walking group)
www.gov.uk/government/publications/tick-bite-risks-and-prevention-of-lyme-disease

Online teaching resources for schools
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/tricky-ticks-11862982

Guardian article on tick bites: they point out here that not all Lyme Disease ticks create the typical rash)
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/aug/22/bitten-tick-prevention-symptoms-treatment-lyme-disease

Colours may vary. Make sure the mouth part is taken out as well.

Helpful Videos

Good medical and preventative information. This video is quite long. Go to 4'50'' for tick removal demonstration.

A deep look: How ticks can jump on you and how they bite. Beautiful nature - but maybe not for the faint-hearted.

The video below is from John Hopkins university - rather geared to the USA, but interesting. Talks about creating a tick-free zone around your house with a barrier of bark cuttings if you live near the woods. Clear-cut lawns may go a bit out of fashion with the rewilding movement in the UK, but if you have small kids playing around the house and live very close to the woods, it might make sense. It also says that ticks get Lyme Disease bacteria from mice.