Why DO so many celebrities catch Lyme disease? As Serena Williams' husband is hit by the bug, we ask the experts whether something in the lifestyle of the rich and famous makes them more susceptible READ MORE: Pharmacist explains eight tell-tale skin marks of different bug bites By John Ely Deputy Health Editor For Mailonline Published: 12:05 BST, 17 July 2024 | Updated: 12:09 BST, 17 July 2024 e-mail View comments Serena Williams ' husband, Alexis Ohanian, is the latest in a string of famous faces to say they have been struck by tick-borne Lyme disease. The Reddit co-founder joins the likes of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Yolanda Hadid and her daughter, model Bella Hadid , singer Justin Bieber , actor Ben Stiller and comic Amy Schumer in having the condition. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread by ticks and can cause general flu-like symptoms, including fatigue, headache, swollen joints and a fever, which can last for a few weeks, but for reasons not yet understood, some patients suffer for years.
So why does it seem like so many of the rich and famous are being diagnosed with it? Professor Paul Hunter, an expert in infectious diseases from the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline there could be some factors that make celebrities more vulnerable to Lyme disease. Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian, 41, has received a diagnosis of Lyme disease, which came as a bit of a shock to him. Pictured at the ESPYs July 11 with daughter Olympia, six The Reddi.
