Chris PackhamMSD Animal Health has announced the launch of The Big Tick Project, both to investigate whether ticks are carrying more pathogens and to raise awareness amongst the public.

The company highlights research which shows that nationally, tick distribution has expanded by 17% in the last 10 years and tick numbers have also increased in 73% of locations surveyed.1 In addition, the company says there is evidence that ticks are feeding earlier in the year and feeding for longer2, thus increasing their potential to pass on significant disease to both animals and humans. Lyme disease in particular can be serious health issue for both humans and animals, being increasingly recognised and recorded in the UK recent years3.

So, as part of the project, practices are being invited to collect ticks and send them to the University of Bristol for analysis. In addition, there'll be a national PR and marketing campaign fronted by the naturalist Chris Packham (pictured right).

Practices taking part in the project will receive a tick collection kit and marketing support pack including access to dedicated PR services, postcards and posters to raise awareness of ticks within their clinic and local community. The collection kit includes instructions, collection equipment and Freepost packaging to allow ticks removed from dogs to be sent to the university quickly and easily.

Professor Richard Wall from University of Bristol said: "For accurate results we need as many ticks as possible and I really encourage vet practices up and down the country to get involved. We need data from all types of practices ranging from urban to rural locations to help vets and human health professionals make more effective recommendations and help prevent tick-related disease."

To take part in The Big Tick Project, email a contact name and your practice details to: info@bigtickproject.co.uk.

References

  1. Dautel, H., Dippela, C., Kaemmer, D., Werkhausen, A., Kahl, O., 2008. Winter activity of Ixodes ricinus in a Berlin forest. I. J. Med. Microbiol, 298, 50-54.
  2. Scharlemann JPW, Johnson PJ, Smith AA, Macdonald DW, Randolph SE:  2008. Trends in Ixodid tick abundance and distribution in Great Britain. Med Vet Entomol, 22:238-47
  3. Smith, F. D.  Ballantyne, R., Morgan, R., Wall, R. (2011)  Estimating Lyme disease risk using pet dogs as sentinels.  Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 35 (2012) 163-167

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