ScandTick Innovation

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Through cooperation in Scandinavia, hospitals, universities and authorities take a holistic approach to ticks. The goal is to reduce the risk of infection, disseminate information and improve both diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne infections. As ticks increase and spread to an increasing area, the number of people infected with tick-borne diseases such as TBE (Tick Borne Encephalitis) and Lyme disease increases. — This creates a fear and insecurity that it is important to respond to in an objective and objective manner, which must be based on knowledge. In the Scandinavian countries, we are at the forefront of research, and by combining our knowledge across borders, we can make sure that one plus one actually becomes three and strengthen our competence even more," says Per-Eric Lindgren, Project Manager for ScandTick Innovation and Professor at Linköping University and Research Manager at Ryhov Länssjukhuset, Jönköping. Developments from previous projects: ScandTick Innovation is a further development of the previous project ScandTick. In the project, hospitals, universities and authorities work together to work as efficiently as possible on tick-borne diseases. The new project has been broadened from its predecessor by focusing on both human and animal medicine, as well as on more tick-borne sevens than TBE and Borrelia. In addition, the project has grown from 5 to 11 partners. We have several main objectives and the most important thing is to develop safe and reliable information on how to reduce the risk of tick-borne infections and what risk mitigation measures can be taken. This information we want to reach out to residents in the region as well as to healthcare professionals. Examines the cycle of tick-borne diseases: The project is based on a holistic approach, called one health, which means that they look at the organisms and infections that they carry as a cycle. Since tick-borne diseases can be infected from animal to human and vice versa, project owners believe that one must look at the issues as a whole in order to understand all stages of the cycle. In addition to providing accurate information on ticks and tick-borne diseases, efforts will also be made to improve diagnostics for both humans and animals, develop methods for treating already affected people in a safe way, and work on developing medicines against the diseases that ticks spread. — On the other hand, it is not said that we should develop a medicine, which in principle is impossible in such a short period of time. Instead, we will work on the issues to develop a concept that can then be taken forward and therefore we also cooperate with the business community. Common information across the region: Per-Eric Lindgren believes that cross-border cooperation is necessary to make solutions for the spread of ticks as effective as possible. There are several obstacles that need to be solved. On the one hand, common measurement methods need to be created so that statistics can be compared between countries and, on the other hand, patient information must be able to be shared across borders in a secure way through simplified journal transmission. At the same time, common procedures for sharing information are needed so that everyone receives the same type of information. The aim is to create clear channels of information. It involves both websites, medical information and health centres, but also to ensure that the right information is provided to journalists and the media. There is a lot to work with to make the right information reach out and we can do this together across borders," says Per-Eric Lindgren.

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