As spring progresses, ticks are coming out of their winter hibernation and may sometimes infect household pets. Although usually no more than an irritation to your pet, ticks can transmit serious illnesses if they bite a human.
In extreme cases, bites can cause Encephalitis, which is an inflammation of the brain, or Lyme's disease, which can cause a painful form of arthritis. Lyme's disease can be treated with antibiotics, but there is no remedy for Encephalitis.
Last year there were some thirty reported cases in Finland of people becoming ill from tick-borne infections. Although rarely fatal, infections in humans can be serious and require medical attention.
So far this year, most cases have been in southern regions of the country, particularly the Åland Islands. But as the world's climate has grown warmer, Kokkola in Finland now holds the record for the most northerly incidence of the disease.
In high-risk regions, such as the Åland Islands, campaigns are targeting people over the age of seven for preventative inoculation.
People planning to take a trip to the Baltic states should also consider an inoculation, as tick-borne diseases have been on the increase in those countries as well.
YLE24
