
- Caused by a tick-borne spirochaete of the Borrelia species, which is spread by a bite from an infected tick
- Ticks live in many woodland and grassy areas but only a small number carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease
- 2,000 to 3,000 diagnoses each year in England and Wales.
- erythema migrans rash, examples here.
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Flu-like symptoms to start with. Other symptoms include migratory inflammatory arthritis, uveitis, pain or numbness, trouble with memory, heart block, pericarditis
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ELISA and immunospot testing are used for diagnosis but false negatives are possible especially in first 4 weeks
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Treated with doxycycline or amoxicillin
Distribution map of UK cases here as part of a 2017 paper in Brit JGP on Lyme disease as a cause of Bell’s palsy in children as well as adults.