Lyme Disease

Who's at risk and where are ticks found?

Source: NHS

In this topic (9)

People who spend time in woodland or heath areas in the UK and parts of Europe or North America are most at risk of developing Lyme disease.

Most tick bites happen in late spring, early summer and autumn because these are the times of year when most people take part in outdoor activities, such as hiking and camping.

Cases of Lyme disease have been reported throughout the UK, but areas known to have a particularly high population of ticks include:

  • Exmoor
  • the New Forest and other rural areas of Hampshire
  • the South Downs
  • parts of Wiltshire and Berkshire
  • parts of Surrey and West Sussex
  • Thetford Forest in Norfolk
  • the Lake District
  • the North York Moors
  • the Scottish Highlands

It's thought only a small proportion of ticks carry the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, so being bitten doesn't mean you'll definitely be infected. However, it's important to be aware of the risk and seek medical advice if you start to feel unwell.

Articles for Lyme Disease

"Chronic Lyme disease"

There has recently been a lot of focus on Lyme disease in the media, with much attention on people who've been diagnosed with "chronic Lyme disease". This term has been used by some people to describ

How to remove a tick

If you find a tick on your or your child's skin, remove it by gently gripping it as close to the skin as possible, preferably using fine-toothed tweezers. Pull steadily away from the skin without twis

How you get Lyme disease

If a tick bites an animal carrying the bacteriathat cause Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi), the tickcan also become infected. The tick can then transfer the bacteria to a human by biting them. T

Introduction

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread to humans by infected ticks.

Preventing Lyme disease

There is currently no vaccine available to prevent Lyme disease. The best way to prevent thecondition is to be aware of the risks when you visit areas where ticks are found and to take sensible precau

Signs and symptoms of Lyme disease

Early symptoms Many people withearly-stage Lyme disease develop a distinctive circular rash at the site of the tick bite, usually aroundthree to 30 days after being bitten. This is known as erythema

Treating Lyme disease

If you develop symptoms of Lyme disease, you will normally be given a course of antibiotic tablets, capsules or liquid. Most people will require a two- to four-week course, depending on the stage of t

When to see your GP

You should see your GP if you develop any of the symptoms described above after being bitten by a tick, or if you think you may have been bitten. Make sure you let your GP know if you've spent time in

Who's at risk and where are ticks found?

People who spend time in woodland or heath areas in the UK and parts of Europe or North America are most at risk of developing Lyme disease. Most tick bites happen in late spring, early summer and au