Ticks are making their presence felt both sides of the Atlantic. The British public is being warned to take precautions against ticks following a rise in the tick population after a wet and mild summer.
Weather conditions have seen a sharp rise in the numbers of the blood-sucking parasite along with increased cases of Lyme disease in Hampshire, Dorset and Berkshire.
Lyme disease is a highly infectious disease which is transmitted through tick bites and can lead to blindness, paralysis and even death if left undiagnosed.
Ticks predominantly live in woodland and scrub areas
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) say most cases of Lyme disease occur between late summer and early winter and advise visitors to the countryside to wear trousers, use insect repellent and check their skin for ticks.
According to the HPA tick numbers have risen because of the mild winter of 2006, followed by a long wet, humid period.
Experts say Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi which enters the blood stream when the tick attaches to the host.
The most common symptom is a slowly expanding rash that spreads out from a tick bite, usually after about 5 to 14 days but other symptoms also include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans.
The variety of symptoms means it can easily be mistaken for something else and it is often misdiagnosed.
Experts say incidents have increased by 90% since 2006 across the UK, and the New Forest, the South Downs, Dorset and Berkshire have now been named as tick hot-spots.
While most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with a few weeks of antibiotics if they are spotted, if left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart and the nervous system.
Removal of the tick within 24 hours also helps to stop the transmission of bacteria.