Tick Bite Prevention Week 2013

Tick Bite Prevention Week runs between 24th and 30th March 2013. This year the theme of TBPW is ‘Tackling Ticks’ and will focus on promoting awareness about potential tick-borne diseases to visitors of parks and other recreational spaces in certain urban areas, as well as rural environment.

Although ticks are part of the natural environment they are second to mosquitoes in transmitting infectious diseases to humans and animals.

According to the Health Protection Agency (HPA) around 3,000 people contract Lyme disease (Borreliosis) every year in the UK from infected tick bites.

Experts say that this number is increasing and another cause for concern is that a recent study has revealed the incidence of Lyme disease in the UK dog population is much higher than previously predicted.

As yet there is no vaccine to prevent Lyme disease which, if left untreated, can result in serious and debilitating health complications in humans.

For dogs and horses in particular, tick-borne diseases can prove fatal if not diagnosed and treated properly.

As part of TBPW 2013 the charity is making a national call to all recreational landowners and park authorities to adopt ‘best practice’ strategies that could help to decrease the number of disease cases.

The key aim is to encourage the provision of clear guidance for public visitors, so they can take a few simple precautions against tick bites without any effects to their enjoyment of the outdoors.

Free Resources

Details of all TBPW 2013 events and resources can be found at www.tickbitepreventionweek.org