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STEPPING OUT - BE TICK AWARE

All About Ticks Ticks are parasites. They live by temporarily attaching themselves to, and sucking blood from people or animals, also referred to as ‘hosts’. The ticks benefit from this arrangement, but it can bring on significant problems for the hosts. Ticks suck blood for food, and female ticks use it to nourish their eggs. The Tick Habitat Different types of ticks prefer different habitats, some are found mainly around farms, some prefer dry grasslands and others inhabit woodland areas. Ticks generally find their hosts by waiting in areas where potential hosts are likely to pass - they will hide in long grass, shrubs and bushes or brush and then crawl onto their hosts as they pass by. Therefore it is important to remember that ticks will generally come from below rather than drop from above.  Why are ticks hazardous to your health? Ticks are hazardous to your health, because they can transmit various pathogens while feeding on your blood. These pathogens include viruses, bacteria, parasites and even poison (neurotoxins). A tick bite can cause serious illness and sometimes even death in a human host. The pathogen is usually passed to the body of the host through the tick’s saliva, and then spreads to other parts of the host’s body through the bloodstream. Not every tick is infected, and the rate of infection can vary by region. However, it is impossible to see whether or not a tick is infected by looking at it. For this reason, all ticks should be viewed as possible disease carriers. Lyme Disease The main potential risk in the UK from tick bites is the transmission of Lyme Disease. Lyme Disease can have three stages, with a red spot usually developing as the first stage, followed by flu-like symptoms, headaches and fatigue, and finally if untreated, several months later, heart palpitations, joint pains or nervous system disorders can occur - it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible. Preventing Tick Bites The first step in avoiding any risk of infection from ticks when out and about is to prevent them from biting you in the first place. There are a number of means to prevent tick bites - taking standard measures like wearing full length trousers, long sleeved shirts and tucking your trousers into your sock are a good start, but for better protection it would be wise to consider applying an insect repellent or wearing some insecticide impregnated socks.  Stepping Out stocks a range of products that can aid you in the prevention of tick bites -

Care Plus Repel-it Spray (60ml) Repel-it is a Picaridin based insect repellent effective against mosquitoes, ticks, sandflies and other biting insects. Picaridin based repellents have the advantage over DEET that they have a pleasant aroma and they do not corrode plastics. Repel-it offers up to 8 hours protection against mosquitoes and 2 1/2 hours protection against ticks - one bottle contains enough repellent for 3 weeks usage.     Available for £7.49 per bottle     Care Plus 50% DEET Spray (60ml) Care Plus 50% DEET Spray is not just an effective solution against mosquitoes, it works against ticks too! Care Plus recommends a DEET solution of a strength between 30 and 50% - other strengths and application methods are available to inspect in the travel health section of this website. 50% Deet is effective for up to 10 hours against ticks, mosquitoes and other insects and one bottle lasts for up to 3 weeks continuous use.     Available for £7.25 per bottle     Care Plus Anti-Insect For Kids Spray (60ml) Anti-Insect For Kids from Care Plus is a picaridin based repellent formulated specifically for use on or by children. Its spray application provides easy coverage of bare skin and its picaridin based formulation means that there is no risk of corrosion to plastic items such as spectacles, phones or cameras. Anti-Insect For Kids provides up to 2 1/2 hours protection against ticks and 8 hours protection against mosquitoes.     Available for £7.49 per bottle     Care Plus Bugsox Bugsox from Care Plus are revolutionary new impregnated socks that are not only comfortable to wear, but also protect against ticks and mosquitoes. Bugsox are available in two types; adventurer, suiteable for walking or other outdoor activities; and the city, suitable for everyday use. Bugsox are particularly effective against Ticks as they generally come from the ground level, and a tick on the sock is a dead tick!     Available from £10.99 per pair

Removing Ticks
it is essential that if you find a tick, it must be removed as soon as possible. The longer it remains on your body, the greater the risk of infection. This is true especially for hard ticks. To remove a tick, use tweezers or a special tick remover.

The tick must be removed in its entirety. Any mouth-parts or the cement cone (for hard ticks) that remain behind can cause persistent itching and additional infection. Do not use alcohol or any other substance in advance to stun the tick, and do not scare it in any other way (such as with a lit cigarette) as this can cause the tick to release additional fluid into the host. It does not matter if you twist the tick or pull it straight out. Just make sure you do not squeeze it, even after it has been removed. After pulling out the tick, the bite location must be disinfected with alcohol.

Stepping Out has a number of products to aid you with tick removal -
 

Care Plus Tick-Out Tick Remover Care Plus Tick Out Tick Removers have a special grip that ensures that the tick is properly gripped with minimum risk of damage. In the gripping surface there is also a notch for removing nymphs, an early stage in the life of a tick. The pincers are supplied with clear instructions and two antiseptic dabs to disinfect the site of the bite AFTER removing the tick     Available for £2.99     Care Plus Clean - Disinfectant Wipes Care Plus Clean Disinfectant Wipes are useful for cleaning the wound after removing a tick - good care of the bite area can minimise the risk of further infection. However, it is important to note that disinfectant wipes should only be used AFTER removing the tick. The wipes are supplies in a handy pocket sized re-sealable pouch that ensures that the wipes remain moist     Available for £3.99

Tick Bite Aftercare
As it can take some time after a Tick bite for symptoms to develop it is important that when you are bitten by a tick you note the following details -
  i)  the date on which you were bitten by the tick
  ii) the location of the tick bite on your body
  iii) the location / area of the country where you were bitten
If you encounter health problems within 3 months of being bitten by the tick, particularly any symptoms such as heavy fatigue, joint pains or heart palpitations, then report this information to your doctor. In particular, if you have a weak immune system you will be more susceptible to dangerous infection after being bitten by a tick, if in any doubt then consult a medical professional as soon as possible.

Stepping Out offers a number of products that may aid you with aftercare of any tick bite -
 

Care Plus Tick Tester - Lyme Disease A self diagnosis testing set for Lyme disease - when bitten by a tick remove it safely and use the tick tester set to see if that tick was carrying Lyme disease. This test is 98% reliable and allow you to seek immediate medical attention if bitten by an infected tick       Available for £8.99

Further Information
For more information on Ticks please visit the website www.stopthetick.co.uk