Lyme disease
There has recently been a lot of focus on Lyme disease in the media, with much attention on people who've been diagnosed with "chronic Lyme disease".
This term has been used by some people to describe persistent symptoms such as tiredness, aches and pains, usually in the absence of a confirmed Lyme disease infection. It's different to "post-infectious Lyme disease" (see above), which is used to describe persistent symptoms after a confirmed and treated infection.
It's important to be aware that a diagnosis of chronic Lyme disease is controversial. Experts do not agree on whether the condition exists, or whether the symptoms are actually caused by a different, undiagnosed problem.
In either case, there's no evidence to suggest people diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease can pass the condition on to others, and there's little clear evidence about how best to treat it.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread to humans by infected ticks.
Early symptoms Many people withearly-stage Lyme disease develop a distinctive circular rash at the site of the tick bite, usually aroundthree to 30 days after being bitten. This is known as erythema
You should see your GP if you develop any of the symptoms described above after being bitten by a tick, or if you think you may have been bitten. Make sure you let your GP know if you've spent time in
If a tick bites an animal carrying the bacteriathat cause Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi), the tickcan also become infected. The tick can then transfer the bacteria to a human by biting them. T
People who spend time in woodland or heath areas in the UK and parts of Europe or North America are most at risk of developing Lyme disease. Most tick bites happen in late spring, early summer and au
If you develop symptoms of Lyme disease, you will normally be given a course of antibiotic tablets, capsules or liquid. Most people will require a two- to four-week course, depending on the stage of t
There is currently no vaccine available to prevent Lyme disease. The best way to prevent thecondition is to be aware of the risks when you visit areas where ticks are found and to take sensible precau
If you find a tick on your or your child's skin, remove it by gently gripping it as close to the skin as possible, preferably using fine-toothed tweezers. Pull steadily away from the skin without twis
There has recently been a lot of focus on Lyme disease in the media, with much attention on people who've been diagnosed with "chronic Lyme disease". This term has been used by some people to describ