Steve Double, Member of Parliament for St Austell and Newquay has met with local campaigners in order to raise awareness about ticks and the dangerous Lyme Disease that can be transmitted via their bites.
Commenting, Steve said:
“I was concerned to hear that there have been more cases of Lyme Disease reported this summer in Cornwall than ever before. It is very important to be aware of the symptoms and causes of Lyme Diseases, especially in children. I was pleased to meet local campaigner Gail Hodgson and pharmacist Dimitar Antov, to find out more.”
“Since then I have written to the local NHS who have sent out updated guidance on ticks and Lyme Disease to all of the Cornish GP surgeries.”
“I will also be following up with colleagues in Westminster later this year to see if we can improve the awareness and treatment in this area.
“It is important to raise aware of the dangers of ticks and the risk of Lyme disease, especially for parents of younger children. If anyone is bitten by a tick they should seek medical advice from their GP or Pharmacist”
Commenting, pharmacist Dimitar Antov, said:
“I am pleased to have been able to meet with Steve to highlight this issue. I wanted to mention that this year the patients coming to ask me about ticks has been much higher than the last six years.”
“They did not seem to have received good information from their GPs or local A&E about the possible complications after a tick bite.”
“Ticks can carry and transfer not only Lyme disease but a number of other pathogens as well and I am concerned that it appears that not a lot of health care professionals are familiar with this.”
“It will be very useful if a new guidance is introduced that involves tick testing. This will mean that patients will know what type of pathogen and possible co-infection they may have received from the tick. It will make consequent treatment a lot easier and the patient would not have to wait for years to develop possible neurological or low immune system symptoms.”