This new surveillance will allow us to better map the spread of infection in England, so people can take steps to reduce their risk when they are enjoying the outdoors. They will be asked if they recall a tick bite, where in the country this took place, whether they have any pets, their recent outdoor activities, travel and their occupation. We have updated our enhanced surveillance which will see people who test positive for recently acquired Lyme disease being asked to provide information about where they may have picked up the infection. However, as the laboratory data is typically tied to where someone lives, there is a gap in understanding about where an infection is acquired. How do you track cases of Lyme disease across the country?Ĭurrent surveillance tools for Lyme disease use information from ticks collected in locations across the country, and laboratory data from patient samples. There are national guidelines that your doctor will follow that provide advice on diagnosis and management of Lyme disease. If you have developed symptoms such as a bulls-eye rash after being bitten by a tick or spending time outdoors, immediately contact your GP or call NHS 111, mentioning where you have been and if you remember being bitten. What to do if you have symptoms of Lyme disease Rapid recognition of symptoms can ensure that you receive the earliest diagnosis and treatment from your GP. Symptoms typically develop 3 - 30 days after a bite from an infected tick. Prompt tick removal can reduce your chances of acquiring Lyme disease. Looking out for symptoms of Lyme disease, and checking yourself for ticks after you go to green spaces where they may be present is very important. Most patients treated in the later stages of infection also respond very well to antibiotics, although some may have long-term damage to their joints or the nervous system. If untreated, it can cause a wider range of symptoms in some people such as multiple rashes on other parts of the body, facial droop, shooting nerve pain and rarely palpitations or joint swelling. In the UK, Lyme disease is an uncommon infection and can be successfully treated with antibiotics as per NICE guidelines. There were 849 laboratory confirmed cases of Lyme disease in England in 2022, although around 1000-2000 people are diagnosed each year based on clinical assessment rather than laboratory test. Not all ticks in England are infected, and the majority of tick bites will not cause Lyme disease. Ticks are most active in the spring and summer months when the weather warms up but can be found all year round. People are most likely to encounter ticks when doing activities in the countryside or other green spaces such as woodland, some urban parks or gardens. Other symptoms include a non-specific flu-like illness, a facial droop, nerve pains and numbness or tingling in the hands or feet. This occurs in approximately 2/3 of infected people. The most commons symptom is a spreading, bulls-eye rash at the site of the tick bite which typically develops 3 to 30 days after being bitten. Although Lyme disease should not deter you from enjoying the outdoors, you can reduce your chance of infection by following the precautions above. The disease can be acquired when bitten by an infected tick, particularly when spending time outdoors in green spaces. Lyme disease is an infection transmitted by some tick species. Remove any attached tick as soon as you find it using a tick-removal tool or fine-tipped tweezers. Use insect repellent such as DEET and consider wearing light coloured clothing so that you can easily spot ticks and brush them off.Īfter spending time outside, check yourself, your clothing, your pets and others for ticks. While walking in green spaces, consider wearing clothing that covers your skin to make it more difficult for ticks to access a suitable place to bite. You are therefore more at risk of being bitten if you take part in activities such as hiking, cycling or camping, but they can also sometimes be found in urban gardens. Ticks live in many different outdoor environments but they are particularly common in grassy and wooded areas. In this blog, you'll learn how to avoid tick bites, how to recognise the signs and symptoms of Lyme disease and TBE and when to seek medical assistance. To help you stay safe this spring and summer, we've compiled a guide to protecting yourself from tick-borne infections. Ticks can carry infections and while Lyme disease is more common in the UK, we have recently confirmed a case of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in England. As we head into spring and summer we are reminding people to be ‘tick aware’ as they enjoy the great outdoors.
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