Scots lab says tick testing enquiries have doubled this year
Ticks can carry diseases and bacterial infections. (Image: Getty) Chief Operations Officer Stuart Marshall said the risk of being bitten by a tick increases during the summer months.
'People enjoying the outdoors over the summer holidays are more at risk of being bitten if taking part in activities such as hiking, cycling or camping,' Marshall said.
'However, people can also be exposed to ticks while on a walk in some urban parks and gardens."
Symptoms of untreated tick bites can include facial palsy, joint pain, heart palpitations, and short-term memory loss.
Marshall added: 'Most people will not realise they have been bitten at the time and will only realise when they see a tick embedded in their skin, or when a 'bullseye' rash develops weeks later.
'A positive result from our test does not mean the individual will definitely go on to develop Lyme disease, but it does show the causative agent is present. This allows discussion with the individual's GP to enable early preventative treatment.'
If you find a tick on their body, remove it using fine tip tweezers. Clean the area with soap or antiseptic, and monitor for signs of illness.
Do not use alcohol, petroleum jelly, match end, or cigarette end to extract the insect.
Stuart Marshall is COO of Biobest. (Image: Biobest) People are encouraged to speak to their GP practice if they may have been bitten by a tick and have a pink or red rash, a temperature of 38C or higher, flu-like symptoms, and swollen lymph nodes.
According to Mountaineering Scotland, hill climbers should avoid walking though areas with high grass and cover all exposed skin on legs and arms.
People should check themselves for ticks upon returning home, especially in concealed spaces such as the groin, navel, arm pits, between toes, and behind the ears.
Mountaineering Scotland's website states:
'Although ticks were once regarded as nothing more than a bloodthirsty nuisance, the increasing prevalence of Lyme Disease and its potentially long-lasting effects means we all need to be much more aware of how to avoid them, safely remove them and the signs and symptoms of tick-borne disease.'
Biobest's Marshall went on to say: 'With the warmer weather and the approach of the school holidays, many of us will be spending more time outside and this increases risk of exposure to a booming tick population.
'In the UK, bites are most commonly acquired when walking in woodland and heathland areas, with ticks most prevalent in southern England and the Scottish Highlands.
'There is much more awareness of Lyme disease and we are seeing an increase in sample numbers and we're receiving more and more enquiries. We can test to see if the tick carries the causative agent for Lyme disease in humans so they can have a discussion with their GP as early as possible.'
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Charities have previously warned that ticks could thrive year round due to climate change. The insects are typically active between early spring and late autumn, but milder winters could see the timeframe increased.
"We are seeing cases of Lyme disease in Scotland in the winter months, as the winter season is milder than a decade ago," Prof John Lambert, of Fife-based Lyme Resource Centre, told the BBC in 2022.
"We are getting more reports of increased numbers of ticks and people presenting with signs and symptoms of Lyme disease outside the classic time ticks are active."
In 2023, after reports of a possible human case of tick-borne encephalitis in Loch Earn, Dr Nick Phin, Director of Public Health Science and Medical Director at Public Health Scotland, said:
'We would encourage everyone to familiarise themselves with the steps we can all take to avoid bugs and germs outdoors.
'Being tick aware, trying to avoid being bitten by ticks and removing any ticks that do bite as quickly as possible, are all important precautions.'
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