Six methods to stop tick bites as HSE situation summer time warning

“Anybody who develops a rash or different signs ought to go to their GP”

The HSE has issued a warning over tick bites and their potential to trigger Lyme illness because the summer time season will get underway.

The Well being Safety Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has referred to as for individuals to pay attention to the identified strategies of prevention when spending time open air.

Talking concerning the significance of avoiding tick bites, Paul McKeown, a specialist in Public Well being Medication stated: “Individuals are extra prone to spend time open air within the spring and summer time months.

“Anybody who spends time open air ought to defend themselves towards tick bites. This consists of ramblers, campers, mountain bikers, and individuals who work or stroll in woodland, parkland and heathland, particularly in grassy areas. Stopping tick bites prevents Lyme illness.”

Ticks are current in every single place in Eire – in city and rural areas – and  they’re usually energetic from spring till autumn.

They’re tiny creatures which are exhausting to see, they usually resemble spiders.

They feed on the blood of people, animals and birds, and are way more energetic in the summertime months.

Hiking Credit score: Getty Pictures

Tick bites could be prevented by:

  1. Sporting lengthy trousers, long-sleeved shirt and sneakers
  2. Sporting a hat and tucking in hair
  3. Utilizing an insect repellent (ideally containing the energetic ingredient DEET)
  4. Checking pores and skin, hair and heat pores and skin folds (particularly the neck and scalp of youngsters) for ticks, after a day trip
  5. Checking for ticks and eradicating any out of your pets/ clothes/ out of doors gear
  6. Eradicating any ticks and consulting with a GP if signs develop.

Ticks will chunk grownup people mostly on the legs and in addition the arms, however they will chunk on any a part of the physique, very warm and sweaty components of the physique not coated by clothes.

Ticks are most definitely to chunk across the head and neck on youngsters, so overlaying these areas is essential. Dad and mom or guardians must also examine these areas after spending time open air.

The most typical signal of an infection is a rash (referred to as Bullseye rash or erythema migrans).

In a small variety of instances, the an infection could be extra extreme, resulting in critical nervous system, coronary heart and joint illness.

Dr McKeown added: “Anybody who develops a rash or different signs ought to go to their GP and clarify that they’ve been bitten by a tick. If you happen to suppose you will have been bitten by a tick and also you develop a pores and skin rash communicate to your GP. Your GP might prescribe antibiotics whether it is prone to be Lyme illness, which is able to clear the an infection,”

All the tick, together with its mouthparts which could break off, ought to be eliminated with a tweezers by gripping it near the pores and skin.

The pores and skin the place the tick was discovered ought to then be washed with cleaning soap and water and the world checked over the following few weeks for swelling or redness.

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Originally posted 2023-05-10 08:48:12.