Lyme Disease On The Rise In The United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom the number of Lyme disease cases is on the rise. The castor bean tick, ixodes ricinus is another species of this disease spreading pest that is responsible for the spread of Lyme and it has been found in twice as many areas of the UK as it has been in previous decades. Here’s an article with more information.

Lyme disease risk doubles in UK in a decade as ticks found in twice as many areas

A TICK that carries Lyme disease has been found in twice as many areas in the country as a decade ago, new figures reveal. A study from Public Health England (PHE) found that numbers of the castor bean tick Ixodes ricinus, the main carrier of the infection, were up thanks to warmer weather that helped the bug thrive.

Warmer temperatures than usual, appear to be aiding these disease spreading pests to survive longer. This means that the tick population is thriving in parts of the globe that previously did not feel such a concern.

Ticks can be difficult to remove, so you need to make sure you know how to remove a tick correctly, if you discover you’ve been bitten and the tick is still attached. There are also many myths that circulate on the internet, so make sure you know the do’s and don’ts.

 This Is the Only Thing You Should Do If a Tick Lands on You

Scientists already predict Lyme disease to surge this year, but a viral tick “trick” could put people even more at risk. The only problem? The “tip” directly contradicts experts’ advice and actually increases the likelihood of contracting tickborne illnesses, like Lyme and Powassan virus. “Ticks carry all sorts of diseases,” entomologist Dr. Neeta Connally recently told KFGO. “Those are actually salivated into the body when the tick attaches, and so we don’t want to agitate the tick in any way that is going to make it salivate more and thereby be more likely to transmit anything.”

Wherever you are in the world, these tiny ticks are a huge risk to your health, so be vigilant and ‘in the know’ when it comes to being in contact with a tick.