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Top North doc warns of viral illness increase

Jul 5 2009 by Vicky Robson, Sunday Sun

What to watch for

LYME Disease is a bacterial infection caused from the bite of an infected tick.

Symptoms may appear between two and 30 days after the bite and include:

Feeling unwell with "flu-like" symptoms, extreme fatigue, muscle or joint pain, stiff neck, headaches and disturbances of sight, hearing, digestive system or sleep.

A "Bullseye" rash. If you get a rash take a photograph of it for a record.

It can be treated with antibiotics.

But the disease can become chronic and affect the nervous system – especially in children – and can result in facial palsy and bring on severe arthritis of the major joints.

It can also affect the heart, liver and spleen and even lead to encephalitis – inflammation of the brain.

How to beat the illness

TO minimise the risk of being bitten by an infected tick the Health Protection Agency advises people to:

Keep to paths and away from long grass or overgrown vegetation.

Wear suitable clothing in tick-infested areas, such as long-sleeved shirts and trousers tucked into socks.

Consider using a DEET-containing insect repellent.

Inspect skin frequently and remove any attached ticks.

Make sure that children’s head and neck areas, including scalps, are properly checked.

Check that ticks are not brought home on clothes and check that pets do not bring ticks into the home on their fur.

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