UKHSA issues alert for anyone spending time outdoors to 'check all body parts' (Lyme)

[Sly Saint]

The UK Health Security Agency has revealed that over 1,500 cases of Lyme disease were reported across the UK last year, according to its latest annual report. The South West, South East and London regions saw a significant number of these cases, prompting renewed calls for people to be aware of tick safety and Lyme disease symptoms.

If your symptoms are severe, you may be referred to a hospital specialist for intravenous antibiotics, according to the NHS. Most individuals can recover from Lyme disease, although recovery can take months for some.

A small number of people may experience persistent symptoms, often likened to fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. The cause of this is uncertain, and there isn't a definitive treatment for these long-term symptoms either.

full article https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health/ukhsa-issues-alert-anyone-spending-35653424

 

[Peter T]

Here is the actual alert from the HSA, asking people to stay tick aware this summer. It has been picked up by a number of media outlets.

Although useful information that people should be aware of, are we heading into the news Silly Season?

 

[Kitty]

They seem to fail to mention that unfed ticks can be the size of pinheads. They often attach to the lower legs, and if you have dark skin or a lot of dark hair on your legs they can be really hard to spot—especially if what you're expecting to see is something the size of the fully engorged adult you once saw on an animal.