Concern about rise in UK Lyme disease cases

"Surging numbers of people are being diagnosed with Lyme disease as cases spread from rural areas to the suburbs," the Daily Mail reports. The ongoing rise in Lyme disease cases in the UK – thought to be driven by climate change, leading to warmer winters – has been known by public health officials for some time. Reported cases in England and Wales rose from 268 in 2001 to 959 in 2011, but the true figure is thought be much higher. Current estimates put the actual figure at around 3,000 cases a year in England and Wales.It may also be the case that the disease is, as the Mail puts it, "moving into the suburbs," or least into the parks. A recent study from September 2015 found ticks that could potentially carry infection in two South London parks: Richmond Park and Bushy Park.This latest media interest in Lyme disease is driven by the fact that a number of high-profile people on both sides of the Atlantic have reported contracting the infection, such as billionaire founder of Phones4U John Caudwell and High School Musical star Selena Gomez.So what exactly is Lyme’s disease, what are the symptoms and treatments, and most importantly, how can you stop yourself contracting the condition? Find out below.What is Lyme disease?Lyme disease, or Lyme borreliosis, is a bacterial infection spread to humans by infected ticks.Ticks are tiny spider-like creatures found in woodland and heath areas. They feed on the blood of birds and mammals, including human...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Medical practice QA articles Source Type: news