Visitors to two popular parks in South London are at risk of coming into contact with ticks that can transmit Lyme disease to humans, according to new research published in Medical and Veterinary Entomology.
Researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine studied four London parks to see whether ticks were present, and if they carried the Borrelia burgdorferi bacterial pathogen that causes Lyme borreliosis (Lyme disease).
The team found Ixodes ricinus ticks in Richmond and Bushy parks, but reported no evidence of the arthropod pests in Wimbledon Common or Hampton Court.
A total of 1,109 ticks (532 larvae, 568 nymphs, nine adults) were collected at Richmond Park, and nine ticks (nymphs) were collected at Bushy Park. Of these, 280 randomly selected ticks were analysed using molecular techniques to determine whether they were infected with the Lyme disease bacteria, which can be transferred to humans during a tick bite.
No infected ticks were found in Bushy Park; however, six nymphs (immature ticks) from Richmond Park carried the bacteria, with 2.14% of nymphs in this park likely to be infected at a given time.
Most humans are infected through the bites of nymphs. None of the adults or larvae analysed were infected. Five of the six infected ticks in Richmond Park were found in bordering woodland, and one in open grassland, which are the types of vegetation most frequented by the public.
Dr James Logan, senior author of the study said: “The overall risk of Lyme disease in London parks is very low, but precautions should be taken. Check yourself and your pets after frequenting parkland areas, and remove any ticks as quickly as possible using a tick removal tool. To minimise the risk stick to footpaths and wear an insect repellent.”
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