HSE issues important warning to people to watch out for ticks when outdoors

The HSE HPSC have advised people to be tick aware, and to keep you and your family safe from Lyme Disease with these instructions and guidelines for removing a tick

As part of Tick Awareness Day, the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HSPC) has advised on how to stay safe from Lyme disease, as several hundred people are likely to be infected each year in Ireland.

They have offered practical advice on how to protect yourself against ticks and how their bites can lead to Lyme disease, a bacterial infection.

Advising people to be aware of the coming months, Dr Paul McKeown, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, HSE National Health Protection, said: “People are more likely to spend time outdoors in the spring and summer months. Anyone who spends time outdoors should protect themselves against tick bites. This includes ramblers, campers, mountain bikers, people who work or walk in woodland, parkland and heathland, especially in grassy areas. Preventing tick bites prevents Lyme disease.

“Ticks are present everywhere in Ireland, including both urban and rural environments and are active from spring to autumn. They are tiny spider-like creatures that feed on the blood of humans, animals and birds, and are more numerous and more active in the summer months.

“From April onwards is the time when we expect to see cases of Lyme disease most frequently in Ireland, because this is when ticks are most plentiful.”

Tick bites can be prevented by:

• wearing long trousers, a long-sleeved shirt and shoes
• wearing a hat and tucking in hair
• using an insect repellent (preferably containing DEET)
• checking skin, hair and warm skin folds (especially the neck and scalp of children) for ticks, after a day out
• checking for ticks and removing any from your pets/ clothing/ outdoor gear
• removing any ticks and consulting with a GP if symptoms develop.

Ticks most likely go for adults on the arms and legs, but they can still land anywhere on your body, looking for warm, sweaty parts not covered by clothing.

For children, ticks usually bite the head and neck, which is why it is important to keep these areas covered or protected throughout the day when outdoors.

Lyme disease can be very mild, and many infected people may not present symptoms.

The most common sign of infection is a skin rash (known as Bullseye rash or erythema migrans).

However, in a small number of cases, the infection can be more severe, leading to serious issues with the nervous system, heart and joints.

“Anyone who develops a rash or other symptoms should visit their GP and explain that they have been bitten by a tick. If you think you may have been bitten by a tick and you develop a skin rash, speak to your GP. Your GP may prescribe antibiotics if it is likely to be Lyme disease, to clear the infection,” says Dr McKeown.

For removing ticks, if it is removed within the first few hours, the risk of infection is very low, as a minority of ticks can carry Lyme disease.

The entire tick should be removed with tweezers, gripping it close to the skin, as the tick’s mouthparts can break off.

After removal, the skin area should be washed with soap and water and checked for redness or swelling for the next few weeks.

Step by step instructions with images on how to remove a tick are available on the HSE website .

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