Lyme Disease

Be tick aware

Populations of ticks carrying Borrelia – responsible for causing Lyme Disease – are distributed widely throughout the UK. Late spring, early summer and autumn are peak feeding times for ticks, but they pose a risk all year round.

Since it was first described at Old Lyme, Connecticut, in 1975, incidences of Lyme disease have risen dramatically. More than 100,000 cases now being reported worldwide each year. Although Lyme disease is relatively uncommon in the UK, the number of cases is increasing steadily and has quadrupled in 12 years. People working in or visiting woodland are at risk of being infected.

Find out more

The article Watch out, ticks about! that first appeared in our Quarterly Journal of Forestry (QJF) in July 2015. It was written by Stella Huyshe-Shires, Chairman of Lyme Disease Action. Members can access the article through our QJF online archive https://rfs.org.uk/insights-publications/quarterly-journal-of-forestry/

For more information go to https://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/