As 24-30 March has been Tick Bite Prevention Week, UKHSA has launched its annual awareness campaign. Ticks in England can carry infections, including Lyme disease and rarely tick-borne encephalitis. On average, 4% of ticks are infected in England.
Ticks are small, spider-like creatures which feed on the blood of birds and mammals, including humans. With 6 or 8 legs, they vary between 1mm to 1cm in length. They live in woodland, moorland, grassy areas and gardens. They don’t fly or jump but climb on to animals and humans as they brush past.
To remove a tick safely: Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool. You can buy these from some pharmacies, vets and pet shops. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. Slowly pull upwards, taking care not to squeeze or crush the tick. Dispose of it when you have removed it. Clean the bite with antiseptic or soap and water.
Watch for symptoms of tick-borne diseases in the weeks after a tick bite. These include muscle or joint aches, stiff neck, headache, weakness, fever, swollen lymph nodes, and other flu-like symptoms. Watch for a red spot or rash starting at the site of the bite (called “erythema migrans”).
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection. It’s usually easier to treat if it’s diagnosed early.Symptoms include: A circular or oval shape rash around a tick bite can be an early symptom of Lyme disease in some people. The rash can appear up to 3 months after being bitten by an infected tick, but usually appears within 1 to 4 weeks. It can last for several weeks. The rash can have a darker or lighter area in the centre and might gradually spread. It’s not usually hot or itchy. The rash may be flat, or slightly raised, and look pink, red, or purple when it appears on white skin. It can be harder to see the rash on brown and black skin and it may look like a bruise.
Some people also get flu-like symptoms a few days or weeks after they were bitten by an infected tick, such as: a high temperature, or feeling hot and shivery; headache; muscle and joint pain; tiredness and loss of energy
SWF Health & Social Care Group 