Top North doc warns of viral illness increase

Jul 5 2009 by Vicky Robson, Sunday Sun

“The tests that are being done in this country are not always sensitive enough to pick it up and we have to be clinically aware of that.

“If it is not treated then there can be severe symptoms and complications. I don’t think enough doctors understand that,” he said.

Lyme Disease sufferer Ellie Marshall, of Hexham, in Northumberland, went to see a private specialist out of desperation, claiming her own GP refused to believe she had the disease.

In 2002, the 48-year-old started suffering from a catalogue of horrendous symptoms, including excruciating chest pains, palpitations, dizziness, extreme fatigue and severe headaches.

But it was only at the beginning of last year that Ellie was finally diagnosed with Lyme Disease after a private specialist ran a blood test.

The mum-of-two said: “I remember having a bite on my arm and I thought nothing of it until a few weeks later when I started to feel really weird. But I didn’t know anything about Lyme Disease back then.”

Dr Sue O’Connell, consultant medical microbiologist at the HPA, said: “It has been estimated that the likely number of infections in UK patients could be between 2000 and 3000 cases per year, because some patients with the characteristic erythema migrans rash are treated without having laboratory tests performed.”

For more information on Lyme Disease visit www.hpa.org.uk/infections or www.bada-uk.org

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