Britons have now been warned to watch out for ticks over the Easter weekend by health officials because a new disease has been found to be carried by the insects.
The risk of tick-borne Encephalitis (TBE) remains low as only three people in England have been confirmed to have been infected since 2019 according to health experts. However, the ticks species that carries the illness is widespread in the UK.
Experts say the disease has now embedded itself in the UK after being brought here by migatory birds and spread by living on deer – they can also carry Lyme disease, which is a bacterial infection that causes a severe rash.
The virus has also been detected in the Hampshire/Dorset and Norfolk areas, but may also be present in other parts of the country, the assessment published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and DEFRA committee said. The report was based on both humans cases and the detection of the virus in ticks.
Symptoms of TBE range from completely asymptomatic infection to mild flu-like illness, to severe infection in the central nervous system such as meningitis or encephalitis. Symptoms of encephalitis are similar to other causes of meningitis, and can include a high fever with headache, neck stiffness, confusion, or reduced consciousness.
Dr Meera Chand, Deputy Director at the UKHSA, said: ‘Our surveillance suggests that tick-borne encephalitis virus is very uncommon in the UK and that the risk to the general population is very low.
‘Ticks also carry various other infections, including Lyme disease, so take steps to reduce your chances of being bitten when outdoors in areas where ticks thrive, such as moorlands and woodlands, and remember to check for ticks and remove them promptly.’
The UKHSA added that investigations into why the virus has been discovered in ticks more frequently in recent years are under way.
Image: Erik Karits