A TOP doctor has warned patients to watch for symptoms associated with Lyme disease after a rise in cases.
Dr Penny Morris, a medical director for Blackburn with Darwen Clinical Commissioning Group, has urged people to be watchful for the disease, which is a bacterial infection spread by ticks.
Researchers found that the total number of Lyme disease diagnoses in the UK could be more than 8,000 in 2019 when compared with previous estimates. This is three times higher than originally estimated.
Dr Morris said: “Lyme disease most commonly presents as a spreading red rash which looks like a bull’s eye around the bite area. However about a third of people with Lyme disease do not notice a rash and may have general flu-like symptoms such as fever, fatigue, muscle aches and pains and headache.
“If recognised and treated early, most cases can be treated with antibiotics without any complications. However if not treated, the disease can lead to permanent damage to the joints and nervous system,” she added.
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