|
TIC PREVENTION
WEEK 7th-13th April 2008
www.tickpreventionweek.org
Tilly is 27 and has spent 5 years confined to her bed or a wheelchair -
and all because of a bite between her toes from a blood-sucking creature
as small as a sesame seed.
Tilly was bitten by a tick (a tiny blood-sucking parasite) in her back
garden at her home near Shaftesbury in Dorset. Plagued by flu-like
symptoms, and then frightening seizures, she had no idea that her
weakened state was because of the bite, or the fact that she had
contracted Lyme disease. As the disease progressed, she became too weak
and uncoordinated to walk and too ill to continue at university doing a
BA in English literature. She has been bed- and wheelchair-bound ever
since.
Lyme disease is caused by a complex bacteria called "Borrelia",
and is just one of a number of infections carried by ticks in the UK. It
is estimated that 2,000 people contract Lyme disease annually and the
incidence is increasing year by year. There are no vaccines available to
prevent infection. Awareness is the only defence.
'Tick Prevention Week' is an annual campaign to
raise awareness regarding the dangers of tick bites, and how to reduce
the chance of contracting an infection like Tilly did. Endorsed by the
Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, the campaign week is held
in early spring when the weather gets warmer, people spend more time
outdoors, and ticks become more active.
Tick-borne disease is not just a rural issue. Infected ticks have been
found in urban parks and gardens. Due to changes in land management and
the climate, tick numbers have steadily increased and it is important to
be aware of their presence and the risks that they pose.
Easy to prevent!
Simple precautions against tick bites, and knowing how to correctly
remove ticks can prevent a life time of ill health and physical pain.
IT'S TIME TO GET TICK SMART!
Tick Prevention Week is organised by BADA-UK (Borreliosis &
Associated Diseases Awareness-UK), which is a registered charity run by
volunteers who have been affected by UK-acquired tick-borne diseases.
www.bada-uk.org
Tic-borne
encephalitis
(4/4/08)
|
