Lyme disease can be acquired when bitten by an infected tick, particularly when spending time outdoors in green spaces.
Although Lyme disease should not deter you from enjoying the outdoors, you can reduce your chance of infection by following the precautions above.
Not all ticks in England are infected, and the majority of tick bites will not cause Lyme disease. There are around 800-1,200 laboratory-confirmed cases of Lyme disease in England and Wales each year, although an estimated 1,000 to 2,000 more people are diagnosed each year based on clinical assessment rather than laboratory tests.
The most common symptom is a spreading, bullseye rash at the site of the tick bite which typically develops 3 to 30 days after being bitten. This occurs in approximately 2/3 of infected people. Other symptoms include:
- a non-specific flu-like illness
- a facial droop
- nerve pains and numbness
- tingling in the hands or feet
Lyme disease is treatable with a course of antibiotics in accordance with Lyme disease national guidelines. However, if left untreated, the infection can spread to affect the nervous system, joints, or the heart. In the UK, preventative antibiotic treatment following a tick bite is not recommended.
If you become unwell (for example with a spreading circular rash, flu-like symptoms, nerve pain or a droop on one or both sides of the face) within a few weeks of being bitten by a tick, contact your GP or dial NHS 111 promptly. Not everyone will realize that they were bitten by a tick, so you may still develop Lyme disease without remembering a tick bite. There are national guidelines that your doctor will follow that provide advice on diagnosis and management of Lyme disease.
More information on Lyme disease treatment can be found on gov.uk