Lyme disease: how to stay safe from tick bites
The number of people with Lyme disease (also known as Lyme borreliosis) in the UK is estimated to be anywhere between 3,000 and 45,000, according to the charity Lyme Disease UK.
This huge discrepancy is due to several factors. It's a disease that's difficult to diagnose, with symptoms that are often non-specific and overlap with other conditions. The fact that many people just aren't aware of Lyme disease and wouldn't think to mention an insect bite to their doctor further impacts the stats.
We speak to Dr John Lambert, a specialist in Lyme disease and consultant at the Mater and Rotunda hospitals in Dublin, to find out everything you need to know about Lyme disease prevention and tick bites:
How do you catch Lyme disease?
Most commonly, from being bitten by a tick carrying the infection, although it's thought that other insects can carry Lyme, which is a bacterial infection. Tick bites are normally painless and don't itch, so unless you actually see a tick on your body, you might not notice you've been bitten.
If you do see a tick and it's still attached, remove it with fine-pointed tweezers or a special tick hook, which you can buy in pet shops or vets. The latter in particular will help ensure you don't leave the mouthparts of the tick behind, which can cause irritation or infection.
What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?
You may notice the telltale 'bull's eye' rash around the bite soon after infection but it's important to remember that not everyone gets this rash and it doesn't always look like the perfect bull's eye, says Dr Lambert.
'It's often misdiagnosed as ringworm, which is a fungal infection,' he says. 'You might feel fluey and feverish, with aching muscles and a stiff neck.' If you feel like this a few days to a couple after noticing an insect bite, see your GP straight away.
How is Lyme disease diagnosed?
It can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are similar to other conditions, such as fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome. In the UK, doctors use two blood tests, called the ELISA and the Western blot, to confirm a diagnosis, but there is a risk of a false negative, especially in the early stages of the infection when blood levels of antibodies against Lyme disease bacteria are too low to be detected.
However, the bull's eye rash is considered to be diagnostic, and patients who get this after a known tick bite will be treated with antibiotics without waiting for blood test results, according to the NHS.
How is Lyme disease treated?
Treatment with antibiotics increases the chances of a successful recovery. 'Either doxycycline or amoxicillin are very good at knocking the bacteria out of the bloodstream before it spreads,' says Dr Lambert. 'Standard treatment at present is between two to four weeks of antibiotics, but more serious cases may need intravenous antibiotics, or a combination of antibiotics to combat the disease.'
It's a contentious area because health experts are divided on symptoms, severity and the best course of treatment. 'In my view, if a patient has symptoms that indicate Lyme disease, they should be treated with antibiotics straight away,' says Dr Lambert.
Is Lyme disease lifelong for life?
'Unfortunately, a general lack of 'Lyme awareness' means this early treatment often doesn't happen, which allows the disease to progress to a more chronic stage as it spreads through the body,' says Dr Lambert.
'Lyme can affect the heart, brain and joints, leading neurological problems, such as memory loss and 'brain fog', arthritis and inflammation of the heart muscle. It also suppresses the immune system and can lie dormant, meaning symptoms can recur.'
The NHS refers to cases whereby symptoms persist after diagnosis and treatment as post-infectious Lyme disease, and it may need treatment by a specialist. However, experts are still in dispute about whether chronic (long-term) Lyme disease truly exists.
How can I protect myself from Lyme disease?
To protect yourself from Lyme disease this summer, follow these top tips:
✔️ Use insect repellent and wear long-sleeved tops and trousers tucked into socks if you're walking in an area known for ticks.
✔️ Keep to footpaths, rather than walking through long grass, and be diligent about checking yourself, your children and any pets for ticks.
✔️ Remove any ticks you find as soon as you can.
✔️ You can't get Lyme disease from your pet directly but ticks can drop off pets and attach to humans, so check them regularly. A vaccine to protect dogs against Lyme is available in the UK and Ireland.
✔️ Not all ticks carry Lyme disease, and even those that do won't necessarily transmit it though a bite. Take precautions and continue to enjoy the great outdoors.
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