Lyme Disease

Lyme disease gets its name from a small coastal town in Connecticut called Lyme. It was named thus in 1981. One theory is that infected ticks had escaped from a nearby laboratory.

There are 32 species of tick in the UK. Only three carry the bacterium Borrelia (Lyme Disease). They include the sheep tick, the hedgehog tick and the one which we are most likely to encounter, the fox tick. This can be found in local parks and some overgrown gardens.

While the course of the illness varies greatly from person to person, initial manifestations can include a unique skin lesion known as erythema chronicum migrans, headaches, musculoskeletal pain, coughing, sore throat, conjunctivitis, and minor neurological impairment.

If the diagnosis is confirmed early enough, Lyme is treated almost exclusively with short-term antibiotics, often penicillin, which are almost 100 percent effective. But if Lyme goes untreated, symptoms can progress. Further information can be found on the NHS web site.

We are unaware of anyone picking up a tick from open spaces in Harrow. However if you do regularly walk in arrow’s nature reserves we recommend carrying tick removal tools which can be purchased at pharmacies and pet stores. You can even get a credit card sized plastic tool that fits in your wallet with other cards. If you are bitten by a tick in Harrow or anywhere else read the NHS advice immediately!

For more information see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tick-bite-risks-and-prevention-of-lyme-disease