London, England: Health warning after ‘Lyme disease ticks’ are found in Richmond Park
Thursday, September 24th, 2015
Ticks carrying the debilitating Lyme disease have been found in London’s Richmond Park, according to university scientists.
Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine warned visitors to exercise caution in order to avoid contracting the bacterial infection, which can be passed on to humans via bites from the parasites.
More than 1,000 “Ixodes ricinus” ticks were discovered in Richmond Park, a popular 955 hectare green space in south-west London. Around half of them were immature ticks known as nymphs, which researchers said had around a one in 50 chance of being infected.