3rd July 2012
The charity Lyme Disease Action is running its annual conference in Carlisle on Saturday July 21st. Chairman Stella Huyshe-Shires, who contracted Lyme disease from a tick bite in her garden, says “This conference is suitable for the public, for doctors and for anyone with Health and Safety responsibilities for rural workers.” Full details of the programme can be found on the charity’s website www.LymeDiseaseAction.org.uk where bookings can be made online. Alternatively, telephone 01935 826829.
Lyme disease, carried by ticks, is endemic in the UK and on the increase. Tourists, rural workers, residents and especially doctors need to be aware of the symptoms and of the precautions that can be taken. Recent studies collecting ticks from pet dogs across the UK has shown that the danger is not just in the countryside: Lyme disease is a threat to anyone and its diagnosis has trebled in the last decade.
The Moorland Association strongly endorses the work of Lyme Disease Action. “350 square miles of tick harbouring bracken have been controlled in the last decade in the UK, yet it is still on the increase. So too is the occurrence of disease within the tick population. Moorland Association members have been responsible for a large proportion of bracken spraying to date, but the EU ban on Asulam – the only selective and safe herbicide – could lead to all the good work being undone. The need for education and awareness could not be more important as we enter this worrying time.”
