Reduce your risk

What precautions can be taken to reduce the chance of getting bitten by a tick?

Clothing
  • Wear appropriate clothing in tick-infested areas such as long sleeved shirt and trousers tucked into your socks
  • Wear light coloured clothing so ticks are easier to spot and brush off
Repellents
  • Use an insect repellent containing the ingredient DEET on any exposed skin and your clothes to deter ticks
  • Clothes specific insect repellents should not be used on the skin
Vegetation
  • Walk on clearly defined paths and avoid long grass and brushing against vegetation

How to check for ticks

Clothing
  • While you are out inspect your clothes for ticks.
  • Make sure you do not bring any ticks home with you
On your body
  • Inspect your skin for ticks, particularly at the end of the day. Look especially at your head, neck and skin folds (armpits, under breasts, backs of knees groin and waistband).
  • Ticks may look like a freckle or a speck of dirt.
  • Ask a family member or friend or (tick buddy) to check places that you cannot see, or use a mirror if a tick buddy is not available
Children
  • Check children for ticks, especially in their head and neck area including the hairline
Pets
  • Check your pets so they do not bring any ticks into the home in their fur. Check the muzzle, neck behind the ears and then the rest of the body.
  • You cannot get the disease from your dog but your dog may act as a reservoir for the ticks in your garden
Forest Research (2017) [70]

How do you reduce the chance of getting Lyme disease if you are bitten by a tick?

If a tick has attached itself to you, you need to remove it as soon as possible. Not all ticks carry Lyme disease, so if you are bitten by a tick you may not be infected.


Transmission of B. burgdorferi is unlikely to take place unless the tick has been in place for > 24 hours [51].
Studies in laboratory animals have found that transmission of Lyme disease usually requires the tick to be attached for at least 48 hours, with the risk of infection being low if attachment is for less than 24 hours [Hytonen et al, 2008] [71]. In a study investigating the risk of B. burgdorferi transmission in gerbils after different periods of feeding, all gerbils with ticks removed ≥ 47 hours post-attachment were found to be infected whilst 50% of gerbils were found to be infected 16.7 hours post-attachment [51].