Moorland Communities Need Increased Protection From Ticks
Tick numbers are on the rise across Britain. As climate change drives temperatures up, ticks are appearing earlier in the summer and new species, including the Red Sheep Tick and Ornate Dog Tick, are arriving on our shores from Europe.
This abundance of the arachnids risks becoming a serious public health problem. Cases of Lyme disease have been on the rise since 2005. The charity Lyme Disease England says between 3,000 and 4,000 cases of the disease are officially reported each year – but the real figure could be three times higher.
To make matters worse, in April the UK Health Security Agency reported that tick borne encephalitis (TBE) is now present in the UK. The first confirmed case of the disease was reported in Yorkshire in 2022. TBE can cause symptoms ranging from a mild flu-like illness to swelling of the brain.
Upland communities are especially at risk of tick-borne diseases as heather and bracken on moorland can harbour ticks at ankle-level. Rural workers carry even greater risks, as animals such as sheep and deer act as carriers for the parasites.
All warm blooded animal species are susceptible to tick infestations, in recent years the negative effect of tick on ground nesting birds is being looked at in more detail and is believed to contribute to poor fledging success in many iconic and endangered species, such as curlew, throughout its UK range. Ongoing research by the GWCT in tick prone areas found only 12% of red grouse chicks were free of ticks in the summer of 2023, compared to 25% without ticks in 2022.
Tick Facts
According to the Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory (RIPL), Lyme Disease affects as many as 5,000 people in the UK each year.
Up to 10% of ticks in the UK carry Lyme disease. Symptoms range from a flu-like illness to nerve pains, facial drooping and numbness in the hands and feet.
In rare cases, Lyme disease can be life altering and debilitating. Patients are left with trouble walking even short distances, eating proper meals, or sleeping for longer than a few hours.
Patients in the UK frequently report taking months or even years to get diagnosed. Often they are forced to travel to the USA or Germany to receive accurate answers. One patient, Steven Williams from Maesteg in Bridgend, paid £25,000 on tests before being diagnosed.
Alongside climate change, an increase in wildlife - including deer, rodents, and ground-foraging birds – is thought to be driving up tick numbers.
Experts are concerned that ticks carrying Crimean-Congo fever may arrive in Britain from Europe. The disease causes kidney deterioration and sudden liver failure in just a few days. It has a fatality rate of 10 - 40%.
What Needs To Be Done
Offer the vaccine for tick-borne encephalitis on the NHS for rural workers, including farmers, gamekeepers, ghillies, vets, and forestry workers.
Reduce vegetation known to harbour large tick numbers, such as bracken. Land managers are deeply concerned with the planned withdrawal of Asulam in 2024. This will lead to glyphosate or non-chemical methods such as crushing or cutting being used, which are far less effective at controlling bracken.
Provide education about ticks in upland areas, including seminars in schools and pamphlets in doctors’ surgeries and community spaces.
Commit to improving diagnosis rates for Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses, bringing them in line with other western countries such as Germany and the US.
5. Fast-track research into vaccines and treatment options for Lyme disease.
6. Publish a strategy for how tick numbers will be mitigated alongside measures to improve wildlife populations; in particular species such as mountain hare, which are known to be virulent carriers.
7. Provide clear and accurate signage warning walkers and rural workers about tick-infested areas.
