4 days ago
Just a tick — take time to find out about Lyme disease
People enjoying outdoor activities during the June bank holiday are being advised to take precautions against tick bites which could lead them to contracting Lyme disease.
Ticks are most active during the warmer months of summer and autumn and are often found in areas with high grass, woodland and sand dunes.
Lyme disease is spread through a bite from an infected tick on a person's skin. Symptoms include red rash, fever, headache and fatigue. And, chances are, they'll have you bitten before you see them.
The HSE points out that a tick can cause Lyme disease in humans after it has bitten an infected animal.
According to Professor Jack Lambert, a Dublin-based infectious disease consultant, between 5% and 15% of ticks are carriers and many people may not know they have Lyme disease which, he said, is poorly understood and poorly recognised here.
We knew the tick by its Irish name, 'sceartán', and have good reason to remember this little bloodsucker from bites received, almost daily, during childhood days roaming the fields in summertime.
It's always interesting to refer to the renowned Irish-English dictionary compiled by the distinguished Fr Patrick Dinneen (An Duinnineach), well over a century ago.
Not alone did he give an exact translation of a word, he often provided numerous, detailed definitions as well… some strange or quirky, but always descriptive and even amusing at times.
The scholar-priest, who was born, in 1860, into 10 hungry acres in the shadows of the Paps Mountains, on the Cork-Kerry border, defined a 'sceartán' as follows: 'A parasitical insect, a bug, a crab louse, a flesh worm, an insect found in healthy sheep, dogs etc."
That's quite comprehensive. No mention of deer, however, which many people now link to the spread of Lyme disease — understandably so due to the massive growth of the national deer population. Deer were not nearly as numerous in Fr Dinneen's lifetime.
To prevent bites, people are recommended to wear long-sleeved shirts, and long pants, which should be tucked into socks, when outdoors; and to use insect repellent.
If a tick is removed within the first number of hours, the risk of infection is very low. The entire tick, including its mouthparts which might break off, should be removed with a tweezers by gripping it close to the skin. The skin where the tick was found should then be washed with soap and water and the area checked over the next few weeks for swelling or redness. Image:
It's also wise to check your body for bites. If you find a tick, the advice is to remove it with a tweezers, avoiding squeezing, or crushing it.
The HSE urges people to stick to paths, where possible, and to wear light-coloured clothing so that ticks easier to spot and brush off.
Because of climate change and rising temperatures, Asian and north African ticks are moving towards Europe. And, though no new species have been reported in Ireland in recent years, existing species are becoming more prevalent, thriving in warmer, humid conditions.
Click here for more practical advice on avoiding ticks and preventing Lyme disease.
