THE HSE have issued an urgent alert over a "difficult to diagnose" infection with symptoms that last years. Lyme disease affects around 400 people in Ireland each year and is caused by a simple tick bite. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that spreads to humans following a bite from an infected tick.
Ticks are commonly found in grassy or wooded areas close to the ground. It is important to fully check your body after time spent laying in grass or after taking a walk in the woods this summer - with the HSE claiming that these are "high risk" areas for contracting a tick bite. Ticks are attracted to warm and moist areas of the body and will usually crawl to these places.
This include skin folds, under the arms, the groin and thighs, the bellybutton and behind the knees. They may also be found on the scalp or neck, shins, back or stomach. If you find a tick on your body it is important to make sure you remove it correctly and wash the area.
Taking a tweezers close to the skin pull the tick making sure to not crush it. Ensure all parts are removed including the head and dispose if it after removal, keeping it away from pets and anyone else in the home. If you are someone who regularly works in grassy areas or walk in forests frequently it may be a good idea to get a tick removal tool from a chemist or pet shop to have on hand.
Lyme disease symptoms will usually develop around four weeks after a bit from an infected tick but it can take up to three months. The first symptom wi.
