July 30, 2019
Tick-borne Lyme disease may be three times higher in the UK than previous estimates, and might top 8,000 cases in 2019 alone, a new study suggests. 
Tick-Borne Lyme Disease: How To Prevent It, As Study Suggests Cases Are Underestimated In UK
Higher rates of Lyme disease in neighbouring countries have sparked concerns that current estimates of the annual number of UK cases might be too low.Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can be spread to humans by infected ticks – and it’s usually easier to treat if it’s diagnosed early.In 2018, Public Health England (PHE) said there were 1,641 laboratory-confirmed cases of Lyme disease in England and Wales – and it’s thought there are between 1,000 and 2,000 additional cases of Lyme disease each year that aren’t confirmed by a laboratory.  [Read More: Lyme Disease: Symptoms, Causes And Treatment Explained]In the new study, published in the online journal BMJ Open, researchers drew on anonymised medical information submitted by doctors to the nationally representative Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) between 2001 and 2012. This database covers around 8.4 million people from 658 general practices, equivalent to around 8% of the UK population.
They categorised diagnoses of Lyme disease as those that had been diagnosed clinically (42%), suspected and treated (47%), or considered possible and treated (11%).
One in five of those treated were in their 40s, with similar proportions in their 50s (just over 18%) and 60s (just over 17%). Around half the cases were among women and girls (53%) and half the cases occurred in the summer.
Scotland had the highest number of Lyme disease cases, possibly because of its wetter climate and popularity as a hiking destination, the researchers said. It was closely followed by South Central and South West England – but all regions of the UK were affected.
The annual total number of cases recorded in the CPRD increased from 60 in 2001 to 595 in 2012. The figure for 2012 is around three times higher than previous estimates have suggested, which means if these trends continue, the number of new UK cases could top 8,000 this year, the researchers said. This study is observational, but the researchers say the findings point to the need for further preventive measures. What Causes Lyme Disease? Lyme disease is an infection caused by a type of bacteria that is carried by some species of ticks. In Europe, it’s thought 1-5% of tick bites will lead to Lyme.
PHE told HuffPost UK it saw a small increase in laboratory-confirmed cases of Lyme disease in 2018, which follows the trend of the past few years.
It’s believed the rise is due to changes in the distribution of ticks, improved awareness among the public and healthcare professionals, and increased testing.What Are The Symptoms Of Lyme Disease?The main early symptom of Lyme disease is a bull’s eye rash around the tick bite, however not all people will experience this which can make diagnosis tricky.
The rash can appear up to three months after being bitten, states NHS Choices, although many appear within the first month. In most cases, the rash will last for several weeks – during which time you should see a GP.
Other early symptoms of Lyme include aching joints and muscles, headaches, tiredness, and a high temperature. You might feel like you have flu.
Dr Tim Brooks, clinical services director of the Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory at Public Health England, told HuffPost UK that cases of Lyme disease with a characteristic bullseye rash will be diagnosed based on the patient’s symptoms, meaning they won’t need laboratory testing.
“So numbers of laboratory-confirmed cases underestimate the total number of new Lyme disease cases each year,” he explained. [Read More: The Legacy Of A Lyme Disease Diagnosis]How Do You Prevent Lyme Disease?It’s important to be aware of ticks, especially when spending time outdoors.  “Greater awareness of the risks may lead to more rapid diagnosis and treatment which is important to prevent long term morbidity,” said researchers.
High-risk areas include grassy and wooded areas in southern England and the Scottish Highlands, with ticks being most active in the spring and summer months.
People are advised to cover bare skin while walking outdoors and avoid dense vegetation, particularly wooded or grassy areas in moist and humid environments. The NHS recommends tucking trousers into socks if you’re entering areas with long grass. Insect repellent can help deter ticks, too – you can use it on your clothes and skin.
Where possible, stick to paths and wear light-coloured clothing so ticks are easier to spot and brush off. Adults should keep an eye out for signs of ticks or tick bites on their pets and children, too.Where possible, stick to paths and wear light-coloured clothing so ticks are easier to spot and brush off.Ticks can be hard to spot on the body and people may be unaware they’ve been bitten, so PHE recommends carrying out regular tick checks.
If you do spot a tick, use fine-tipped tweezers or a specialist tick-removal tool to grab it as close to the skin as possible. Slowly pull upwards, taking care not to squeeze or crush the tick, and dispose of it when you’ve removed it. Make sure you clean the bite with antiseptic or soap and water afterwards.
The risk of getting ill after being bitten is low, says the NHS. You don’t need to do anything else unless you become unwell. But if that happens, it’s important to see your GP sooner rather than later. If left untreated, Lyme disease symptoms can progress to numbness of the limbs and temporary paralysis of facial muscles. In rare cases, it can lead to inflammation of the heart muscles, which can cause the heart to beat irregularly.
“When you visit your GP or call NHS 111, remember to tell them where you have been and if you remember being bitten,” advises Dr Brooks. How Is It Treated?Oral antibiotics are the most common treatment used for early-stage Lyme disease. In severe cases, antibiotic injections are sometimes used. The good news is that if Lyme disease is spotted early, treatment can be effective.Related... How My Chronic Illness Showed Me Who My Real Friends Are Lyme Disease Symptoms Explained – Would You Know If You'd Been Bitten By A Tick? The Legacy Of A Lyme Disease Diagnosis
Related Stories
Latest News
Top news around the world
Academy Awards

‘Oppenheimer’ Reigns at Oscars With Seven Wins, Including Best Picture and Director

Get the latest news about the 2024 Oscars, including nominations, winners, predictions and red carpet fashion at 96th Academy Awards

Around the World

Celebrity News

> Latest News in Media

Watch It
Olivia Munn Reveals Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Double Mastectomy Procedure | E! News
March 13, 2024
kUaEV1Kd3S0
Travis Kelce Shares Details From His Trip to Singapore With Taylor Swift | E! News
March 13, 2024
3YXi-Dgf4eg
Kate Middleton VIRAL Photo: Agency Addresses Photoshop Claims | E! News
March 13, 2024
S4VkO0TpkCY
Da'Vine Joy Randolph Plays 'Smash or Pass' With Iconic Moments From Her Career
March 13, 2024
vkPdJEF2BX4
Jean Smart Wears a Hotel Bathrobe to Present an Award to Hannah Einbinder l Power of Comedy SxSW
March 12, 2024
Bw7uVEYQev4
Lenny Kravitz Walk of Fame Ceremony
March 12, 2024
MlWq8BcnwhE
Dak Prescott Extortion Plot & Steph Curry for President? | TMZ Sports Full Ep - 3/12/24
March 13, 2024
jHFsrjs7OFY
A Japanese space rocket blew up after takeoff Tuesday, turning the sky into a fireball of smoke.
March 13, 2024
YkfJ3Qg8B7c
#KimKardashian and #BiancaCensori hung out at #KanyeWest's listening party Tuesday night!
March 13, 2024
EfwLLq6bx9k
‘Pioneer Woman’ Ree Drummond denies using Ozempic to lose 60 pounds
March 13, 2024
Omfjk1AlZ3A
Chrissy Teigen reveals her ‘boob lift scars’ in daring dress at Jay-Z & Beyoncé’s Oscars 2024 party
March 13, 2024
VxZ2qXAlpmU
Zoë Kravitz pokes fun at dad Lenny Kravitz's style during Hollywood Walk of Fame speech
March 13, 2024
j3-lcFu_1sQ
TV Schedule
Late Night Show
Watch the latest shows of U.S. top comedians

Sports

Latest sport results, news, videos, interviews and comments
Latest Events
17
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Atletico Madrid - Barcelona
17
Mar
ENGLAND: FA Cup
Manchester United - Liverpool
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Inter Milan - Napoli
17
Mar
GERMANY: Bundesliga
Borussia Dortmund - Eintracht Frankfurt
17
Mar
ENGLAND: FA Cup
Chelsea - Leicester City
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Roma - Sassuolo
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Verona - AC Milan
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Juventus - Genoa
17
Mar
GERMANY: Bundesliga
SC Freiburg - Bayer Leverkusen
17
Mar
USA: Major League Soccer
Atlanta United - Orlando City
17
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
West Ham United - Aston Villa
17
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Rayo Vallecano - Real Betis
17
Mar
ENGLAND: Championship
Leeds - Millwall
17
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Las Palmas - Almeria
17
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Villarreal - Valencia
17
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Sevilla - Celta Vigo
16
Mar
GERMANY: Bundesliga
Darmstadt - Bayern Munich
16
Mar
ENGLAND: FA Cup
Manchester City - Newcastle United
16
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Fulham - Tottenham Hotspur
16
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Osasuna - Real Madrid
13
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 1/8 Final
Atletico Madrid - Inter Milan
12
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 1/8 Final
Barcelona - Napoli
12
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 1/8 Final
Arsenal - Porto
11
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Chelsea - Newcastle United
10
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Liverpool - Manchester City
10
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Real Madrid - Celta Vigo
10
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Aston Villa - Tottenham Hotspur
10
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Juventus - Atalanta
10
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Fiorentina - Roma
10
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
AC Milan - Empoli
09
Mar
GERMANY: Bundesliga
Werder Bremen - Borussia Dortmund
09
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Arsenal - Brentford
09
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Bologna - Inter Milan
Find us on Instagram
at @feedimo to stay up to date with the latest.
Featured Video You Might Like
zWJ3MxW_HWA L1eLanNeZKg i1XRgbyUtOo -g9Qziqbif8 0vmRhiLHE2U JFCZUoa6MYE UfN5PCF5EUo 2PV55f3-UAg W3y9zuI_F64 -7qCxIccihU pQ9gcOoH9R8 g5MRDEXRk4k
Copyright © 2020 Feedimo. All Rights Reserved.