Be tick aware: Keep yourself and your family safe from Lyme disease

Lyme disease can be difficult to diagnose. There is not always an obvious rash. Blood tests help confirm or rule out Lyme disease —  but these tests are not always accurate in the early stages of the disease

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can be spread to humans by infected ticks. It's usually easier to treat if it's diagnosed early. The rash can look like a bull's-eye on a dartboard. https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/lyme-disease/

With the summer holiday season upon us and more people in the outdoors, a warning about the danger of contracting Lyme disease is timely.

The disease is spread through bites from infected ticks, but can only be caused if the tick has already bitten an infected animal, usually a deer or a sheep.