“Tick Talk” is a partnership between STEM Ambassadors in Scotland and the Lyme Resource Centre.  “Tick Talk seeks to engage the public with LRC and STEM Ambassador volunteers who have been trained in the key messages of prevention whilst enjoying the outdoors including how to avoid tick bites, how to look for and safely remove ticks after outdoor activity and the identification of the early signs of Lyme disease following a tick encounter. The first of these events took place as part of the “Pint of Science” https://pintofscience.com  festival event held in Drygate Brewery in Glasgow on Wednesday 21st May.  The event is part of a worldwide festival science where local novel research is communicated in a friendly and inclusive way by young researchers interacting with the general public in their local pub! The Glasgow event was billed as “Fever Rising how climate change drives deadly diseases” with presentations concentrating on recent research into changes in zoonotic and parasitic disease as a result of climate change https://pintofscience.co.uk/event/fever-rising-how-climate-change-drives-deadly-diseases  . The “Tick Talk” session was led by STEM Ambassador volunteer Dr Ally Hughes, Strategic Research Partner for SULSA (Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance), who brought her excellent communication skills and Lyme Resource Centre Resources in to play to make key points about prevention of tick bites, detection and safe removal of attached ticks and the early signs of Lyme Disease. The presentation was followed by a lively question and answer session where Ally was supported by Norman Lannigan (Trustee) and Gus Walker (volunteer) Lyme Resource Centre. Gus and Norman also stayed behind at the end of the session to meet and discuss issues with many interested people who had attended the event. LRC Trustee Norman Lannigan said “I am absolutely delighted to get our Tick Talk initiative off to such a great start.  Many thanks to Ally for making this happen and using her exceptional communication skills and LRC resources to make all the key points including reassuring the audience on many occasions that they should continue to enjoy the outdoors whilst encouraging them to manage the risk from ticks.  I would also like to thank the local “Pint of Science” team for making us so welcome and allowing us to distribute our posters and leaflets.” ” We hope this “Tick Talk” session will be the first of many this tick season so if your group would like to host a similar session then please contact the Lyme Resource Centre through the contact page.  “Tick Talk” can be delivered in many formats including face to face and virtual presentations or we can attend with a stand to answer direct questions and to distribute our resources- hope to see you there!

Credit: www.sortiraparis.com Many thanks to Orla Burke who raised £2000 for Lyme Resource Centre by running the Paris Marathon in April 2025. Orla wanted to raise awareness of Lyme disease in Ireland after her sister Grace got Lyme disease in 2018.    If caught early, Lyme disease is very treatable; but unfortunately for Grace and many others like her in Ireland, if not diagnosed promptly, Lyme disease can cause ongoing problems and treatment can be difficult to access.    If there had been more awareness through signage and campaigns in Ireland, and Grace had known that she had had a tick bite, then her Grace’s suffering could have been avoided. Grace was finally diagnosed and is hopefully on the road to recovery.    Orla aims to use money raised for creating awareness of tick bites and Lyme disease through signage in forest parks around Ireland.     Further information of previous awareness campaigns can be found here:    https://www.lymeresourcecentre.com/outdoor-initiatives     Many thanks to Orla for her efforts and congratulations on her success!

The Lyme Resource Centre (LRC) has become a STEM Ambassador partner organisation for the purpose of delivering an initiative called ‘Tick Talk’.   “Tick Talk” will involve STEM Ambassadors in Scotland who have signed up for this initiative to work with LRC volunteers in attending meetings and events of groups who promote enjoyment of outdoors.  Examples of these groups include local community gardens and woodlands to larger national events such as the Community Woodlands Association annual conference and the Duke of Edinburgh Leaders conference.  Our partner STEM Ambassador volunteers are trained in communication and are experienced in communicating with the public. STEM Ambassador volunteers have received training from LRC advisors on tick bite prevention, correct management of   tick bites and awareness of the early signs of Lyme disease. They will be available to man stalls with information resources and to meet the public face to face at events to which the LRC has been invited.  Norman Lannigan, Trustee of the LRC said “We are very excited to welcome our STEM Ambassadors in joining our volunteers to deliver Tick Talk  to the public. Our experience is that meeting the public face to face, distributing our Tick and Lyme disease awareness resources and being available to answer questions is a very effective way of getting our message across :   Enjoy the outdoors but stay safe by protecting from tick bites, knowing how to safely remove any attached ticks and recognising the early signs of possible Lyme disease .  Partnership with STEM Ambassadors enables us to attend many more events and meet many more people”   Debbie Mathers, STEM Ambassador Programme Manager from SSERC said “We are delighted to partner with LRC to launch Tick Talk . Our STEM Ambassadors are passionate about sharing knowledge and inspiring people, so are ideal volunteers to support the initiative.  The interest so far has been incredible – with many volunteers inspired to support due to their own experience with ticks.  We are looking forward to growing Tick Talk in 2025!”   STEM Learning is an organisation dedicated to supporting learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and enabling young people to thrive in learning within these disciplines.     SSERC (Scottish Schools Education Research Centre) is STEM Learning’s delivery partner for the STEM Ambassador programme in Scotland.  They aim to inspire, enthuse and support STEM educators for the benefit of all learners.  SSERC offers professional learning for educators, an advisory service and a host of STEM Engagement offers, which include the STEM Ambassador programme.     The STEM Ambassador programme across the UK supports a network of thousands of volunteers to bring real-life examples of STEM careers into schools, colleges, and universities across the UK. They help to break stereotypes and offer engaging activities to inspire the next generation into the infinite possibilities of STEM pathways.

The LRC was delighted to attend the above conference of nearly 150 delegates where our trustee, Norman Lannigan, gave a presentation titled “Ticks to be respected not feared”.  In the presentation Norman stressed the importance of enjoying the outdoors to health and wellbeing, but some simple actions can improve the safe enjoyment of the outdoors.   The key messages communicated were: Be aware of ticks  Dress appropriately to prevent tick bites  Check for ticks at the end of the activity  Carry tick removal tools and learn how to remove ticks safely  Be aware of the signs and symptoms of early Lyme disease and seek medical advice if these occur - remembering to mention any tick bites or possible exposure to ticks.   Delegates were challenged to think about what information the students and their parents need before attending any activity and what should be advised and communicated if an attached tick is detected and carefully removed.  In addition, the LRC hosted a stand at the conference, and we were delighted at the interest shown by the delegates and the feedback offered including intentions to review risk assessments and to develop training material making use of LRC resources.

Did you know that Lyme disease can sometimes cause facial paralysis?  Credit: CDC Facial Palsy is the term used to describe weakness or paralysis of the facial muscles,  due to damage to the facial nerve. There are many different causes and the damage may be temporary or permanent. List of causes - Facial Palsy UK Bell’s Palsy The most common cause of facial paralysis is Bell’s palsy, which often comes on suddenly over hours or days and causes complete or partial paralysis of, usually, one side of the face. The cause of Bell’s palsy is not absolutely clear, though it is thought to be related to viral infections.  Bell’s palsy is usually treated with corticosteroids and sometimes anti-viral medication.  Lyme disease-related Facial Palsy Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted by the bite of an infected tick. Facial weakness due to Lyme disease tends to occur within 7-21 days of becoming infected, though can also occur much later.  It may affect one or both sides of the face.  According to research, approximately 5-10% of patients diagnosed with Lyme disease may develop facial palsy [1] At this early stage, there may or may not be other symptoms of Lyme disease. The most common symptom is an  erythema migrans rash, though this only occurs in around two thirds of cases. Other symptoms may include fever, chills, headache, fatigue, neck stiffness, joint or muscle aches and other neurological symptoms such as pain or weakness. Lyme disease requires treatment with antibiotics  Lyme disease | Guidance | NICE   When to consider Lyme disease rather than Bell's palsy: Whilst both conditions may produce very similar symptoms, they require completely different treatments.   Factors which might indicate Lyme disease include: A tick bite or possible tick exposure in the previous weeks or months. An erythema migrans rash or other undiagnosed rash(es).  Flu-like symptoms, headaches, fever or chills, neck stiffness, fatigue, joint or muscle aches, other neurological, or cardiac symptoms.  Bilateral facial weakness.( can be unilateral or bilateral). Facial palsy occurring in summer or early autumn (though does occur throughout the year) [2]. Note that in early Lyme disease, blood tests are unlikely to be reliable, meaning that a negative test result can not be used to exclude the possibility of Lyme disease. In some cases of Lyme disease, facial palsy may be the first symptom  for which they seek medical attention' (they may have had preceding symptoms attributed to something else) The importance of early diagnosis: Although Bell’s palsy is the most common cause of facial palsy, it is important for healthcare professionals to consider the possibility of Lyme disease for the following reasons: Early, adequate antibiotic treatment of Lyme disease provides the best chance of recovery. If left undiagnosed and untreated, Lyme disease could persist and spread around the body, causing more severe symptoms, which may be difficult to treat [3]. The standard treatment for Bell’s palsy is corticosteroids, which can have detrimental long-term outcomes if used in patients with Lyme disease facial palsy [4]. Facial Nerve Palsy in children Facial nerve palsy is uncommon in children. A UK study published in 2020  concluded that “ I n areas endemic with Lyme disease, Lyme disease should be considered as the likely cause of facial nerve palsy in children until proven otherwise.”  [5]   Characteristics and outcome of facial nerve palsy from Lyme neuroborreliosis in the United States - PubMed     Lyme disease and Bell's palsy: an epidemiological study of diagnosis and risk in England - PubMed   Lyme Disease Treatment | Prognosis for Lyme Patients after Treatment       Steroid use in Lyme disease-associated facial palsy is associated with worse long-term outcomes - PubMed High frequency of paediatric facial nerve palsy due to Lyme disease in a geographically endemic region - ScienceDirect   The Lyme Resource Centre website provides information on ticks, tick bite prevention and Lyme disease.  https://www.lymeresourcecentre.com/info    To learn more about other causes of Facial Palsy visit Facial Palsy UK

Photo Credit: Regina Gleeson Look out for tick awareness signage across County Sligo, Ireland in the coming months. Lyme Resource Centre was delighted to provide QR-coded outdoor signs to Sligo County Council. Thank you to our dedicated supporter Regina Gleason and Sligo councillors for taking the initiative to highlight the presence of potentially infected ticks and how best the public can enjoy beautiful County Sligo safely. Photo: Fiona Quilter, Cllr Donal Gilroy, Cathaoirleach Declan Bree, Cllr Marie Caserley and Regina Gleeson.

Abi has raised over £500 so far for LRC by swimming the Menai Straight on the 30th of August. A huge thank you to Abi Senior who took on a massive open water swimming challenge - swimming the 24km length of the Menai Straight! Abi chose the LRC as one of her charities in support of her Aunt who is seeking treatment for suspected Lyme disease and was inspired by our mission to educate the public and healthcare professionals about ticks, Lyme disease and other tick borne illnesses Having swum over 100km in training, she undertook and smashed her challenge on Friday the 30th of august! Please share your support and if you can, please donate to Abi’s fundraiser here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/abi-senior-1720377998614?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fabi-senior-1720377998614&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share

Date: August 2024 The Lyme Resource Centre supported a new and provocative collaboration: Lyme disease patient advocate Morven-May MacCallum and medical anthropologist Dr Ritti Soncco gave a joint presentation for the first time. Their presentation was “Its Hand Around My Throat: A Performative Dialogue on the Lyme Disease Epidemic in Scotland”  and was presented at The 4th World Congress of Environmental History in Oulu, Finland on 22nd August 2024. This presentation was a revolutionary discussion because it’s the first time a medical anthropologist invited a patient-advocate to co-present before an anthropological conference. The talk covered Dr Soncco’s PhD research on chronic Lyme disease in Scotland, the Lyme wars, the opposition between biomedicine and Lyme-literate medicine, and the theory she developed during her PhD - biosocial fragilities, which discusses what it means when advocacy work is carried out by chronically-ill persons; the irony of advocacy work being dependent on vulnerable peoples’ health; and the ways in which this makes advocacy work fragile. These insightful topics were interjected by patient experience, delivered by Morven-May, who expressed the lived experience of those suffering with Lyme disease. Morven-May read from her novel  FInding Joy to create an emotive insight into the reality of the challenges of living with Lyme disease. Her readings included sections of her book which illustrate the challenges of the physical and cognitive debilitation of Lyme disease and from a section of her book which gives the Lyme bacteria a voice, allowing the bacteria to speak directly to the audience. Together, Ritti and Morven-May created a beautiful blend of scientific evidence coupled with the authentic and emotive voice of those living with Lyme disease. We thank the Lyme Resource Centre, without whom this trip would not have been possible, for supporting our ongoing work on chronic Lyme disease in Scotland.

Date: June 2024 Author: Ian Wright Ian Wright is a veterinary surgeon and co-owner of the mount Veterinary practice in Fleetwood. He is also chair of the European Scientific Counsel of Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP). While enjoying the great outdoors, it’s very important to protect ourselves against ticks, but what about our pets? It’s fantastic to have the company of our furry friends on our outdoor adventures and as temperatures start to (hopefully!) increase, our cats with outdoor access will be getting into all sorts of mischief. Just like us though, all this wonderful fresh air will inevitably bring us and our pets into closer contact with ticks! Tick-borne diseases can affect dogs and cats as well as humans, with both Lyme disease and Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) being of particular concern. With a few simple precautions though, our pets can continue enjoying green spaces while keeping tick risks to a minimum.   Tick protection for dogs Ticks in the UK do not infest houses like fleas but attach to people and pets that walk or sit in grass, bracken or other undergrowth. Tick numbers can be especially high in areas shared with deer, sheep and cows. but can be found in any green space where wild or domestic animals have access. Preventative measures we can take for our dogs include. Staying on paths where there is little or no vegetation will limit the opportunities for ticks to attach. Mercifully, ticks in the UK, unlike some of their continental relatives, won’t chase you down the road, and ticks don’t jump or swing from vegetation.  Current evidence suggests it takes several hours and sometimes more than 24 hours for most UK tick-borne pathogens to be transmitted once a tick has attached. Viruses such as TBEV however, may be transmitted much faster so it is important to remove ticks as soon as you can. If you and your dogs have been walking in pasture, tall grass, or undergrowth you should check for ticks as soon as you return. When checking your dog, remember juvenile ticks can be small (just a few millimetres long) so can easily be missed, especially if your pet has long fur. Where ticks are most likely to be found on the body will depend on the size of your dog and the height of the vegetation! Any ticks found should be carefully removed with a dedicated tick removal device. Do not use blunt tweezers or fingers as squashing or squeezing the tick will stress it. While the psychological state of your tick may not seem a big concern, stressed ticks are more likely to transmit disease. Burning, or applying paraffin to ticks will have the same effect so don’t be tempted to torture your tick!  A product that rapidly kills ticks or repels and kills them should be considered for pets whose lifestyle puts them at increased risk of tick exposure. Licensed products are highly effective and come as tablets, spot-ons or collars. Speak to your vet about which one is most appropriate for your pet. No product is 100% effective though, so it is still important to be vigilant for ticks after outdoor activity.  What about cats? Advice for protecting dogs also applies to cats but they are unlikely to stick to the path! Cats often love checking out animal dens and burrows, getting covered in ticks in the process. Cats living the feline dream in this way should have a tick preventative product in place and if possible, check for ticks when your cat returns. If there are lots of ticks attached, don’t panic as cats tend to be more resistant to tick-borne disease than dogs and humans but you may need some help from your local vet practice to get the ticks removed.  What should I do if I think my pet has a tick-borne disease? If you think your pet has been exposed to ticks and then develops a fever, raised lymph nodes, joint pain, is lethargic or develops neurological signs (loss of balance, head tilt, tremors, or seizures) then contact your vet for advice. Some tick-borne diseases such as Lyme and TBEV are zoonotic (infect humans as well as pets) but there is no direct risk to you if your pet is infected. You may though, also have been infected at the same time enjoying the same bit of outdoors and being bitten by ticks in the same place. If you develop an erythema migrans rash, flu like signs , neurological issues or other unusual symptoms then you should contact your GP and mention that your pet has been diagnosed with a tick-borne disease.  For more information on tick prevention and tick-borne diseases in pets visit ESCCAP UK & Ireland   https://www.esccapuk.org.uk .

In January of 2021, my older brother woke up one morning feeling very disorientated, and it seemed he couldn’t even support the weight of his own head. I assumed he had overdone New Year’s Eve, and was maybe struggling with a hangover to match such an occasion. He probably thought so too. But after a few more days had passed, his condition deteriorated. He had to sit down and place himself on each step in order to go up and down the stairs, he had to hold on to walls as he stumbled around the house, and when he finally sat down, he could no longer sit upright, but rather had to support his own head using his arms or any furniture nearby. He’d been excited, preparing to set off for university, his student life and all it entailed ahead of him. Suddenly everything was on hold.  After months of searching for an explanation for his anomalous condition, he was diagnosed with late Lyme disease, following the advice of a Scottish GP and family friend. His condition had become late neurological Lyme disease, which would take him nearly a year and a half to recover from. In order to raise awareness for Lyme disease, I decided that for my Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), I would host a charity football match at my school, and invite everyone from year 11 to 13 to play, and the rest to watch. With the help of my friends and family, we collectively raised £1,600 to support the work of the Lyme Resource Centre and left a mark of Lyme awareness on my school that will hopefully continue now that I have finished. This further carried into my Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Gold award, which saw the addition of a tick removal kit to the essential kit list. We were further advised by our instructors that at the end of each day of walking, to do a tick check amongst ourselves as a team.  With the awareness raised, my group were particularly cautious when walking through tall grass, and constantly checked our legs as we trekked through the large bogs of Dartmoor. Witnessing my brother's struggles has taught me that it only takes one tick bite to do irreparable damage. https://youtube.com/watch?v=_dGJY4N1TN8&feature=share   Nicholas Auld                                                                                                                        16.10.23 LRC is extremely grateful to Nicholas Auld for his initiative in organising a charity school football match, resulting in a very generous donation of £1600 to support the ongoing work of the LRC.  Alongside the fundraising, his initiative has also ensured that his school is now “Lyme Aware’ and continuing to raise awareness of ticks and Lyme disease amongst its pupils.

Date: Jan 2024 “We are thrilled to welcome The Right Reverend Dr Christopher Herbert as patron of our charity Lyme Resource Centre. Dr Herbert’s passion for raising awareness of Lyme disease has been primarily driven by his granddaughter’s ill health following a tick bite and a subsequently delayed diagnosis of Lyme disease. Dr Herbert was ordained as a priest in Hereford in 1967. He was appointed  Bishop of St Albans (1995-2009) and is a former member of the House of Lords (1999-2009). He  presently holds the post of Visiting Professor of Christian Ethics at School of Medical Sciences, University of Surrey. He brings a wealth of experience in the fields of Education, Health and Social Care Ethics and has a genuine commitment to making a positive impact both for individuals and through our work as a charity. Together, we look forward to creating meaningful change and fostering a brighter future for those affected by Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.”

Date: Jan 2024 An article by Bishop Revd Christopher Herbert PhD Visiting Professor of Christian Ethics at School of Medical Sciences, University of Surrey. Lyme disease, caused by being bitten by a tick, is a horrible and exhausting illness...and it's made worse in the UK by the way the recording of the disease happens. GPs are not required to notify anyone if they have a patient who has been bitten by a tick. Instead, the numbers are calculated only if a doctor asks for a test to be carried out at national level...tests which are scientifically very difficult and which can result in false negatives and false positives. The Government claims that 849 people had Lyme disease in the UK in 2022. Compare that figure with the statistics from the USA where over 300,000 people were diagnosed with the disease in 2022, or France, where over 50,000 were diagnosed in 2019. Our Government's figures make no sense at all. In addition to the 849 figure they also offer an  'estimate' that there might be more than 2000 to 3000 new cases each year. But if they do not collect the proper data, how can they know whether or not their 'estimate' has any validity? Their estimate can only be a guess...this is not science, this is lazy, slap-dash thinking. Let me put this starkly: how can France with a population of just over 67 million have 50,000 cases, and the United Kingdom with a similar population only have 859 cases? Believe me, this is not just a quibble about statistics. Numbers matter. When the numbers are incorrect, money for research is harder to come by, and worse, families with a child suffering from the disease are not taken seriously. They  have to fight every inch of the way to get a proper diagnosis because the disease is not seen as statistically significant. It is like battling with a pillow. Every punch you land just results in the pillow regaining its old shape... but missed or incorrect diagnoses can lead to the patient suffering from cardiac problems, severe joint pains, crippling headaches, and long-term exhaustion.  For children, in addition to the pains of the disease, it means totally disrupted education and considerable family stress; for adults it can mean unemployment, mental ill-health and a breakdown in relationships. With climate change, ticks are on the increase, so, unless the Government acts, the situation for families will only get worse. I raise a question: when will the Government make Lyme disease a notifiable illness? It would take very little effort to change the system and collect accurate statistics. Once those statistics are available, proper assessments of the scale of the problem can be made. Until then, the current situation can only be described as an outrage and a moral scandal. Bishop Christopher Herbert has a family member who has battled Lyme disease for many years. This article was previously published in 2023 in a number of newspapers in the UK, including The Times.