THE consequences are deeply unpleasant: fever, sweating, tiredness and difficulty walking, but for the former athlete Lorraine Murray, that was the daily reality of Lyme disease. At its worst, says Ms Murray, she felt like an army of ants were running up and down inside her legs. She could not work. She could not get out of bed. And all because she was bitten by a tick while out walking her dog.
Three years on, Ms Murray has now founded a campaign for the better treatment of Lyme disease and it is not before time. The disease is an increasingly serious problem in Scotland – the number of cases has risen from 30 in 1996 to 220 in 2015 – and yet the lack of public awareness of the condition and how to prevent it is still high. Something needs to change.
Ms Murray has a number of good suggestions: better training for GPs, for example, so they can spot it early (detect Lyme disease early and there is a much better chance of treating it effectively).
A campaign to raise awareness is also a good idea, although to be effective, it would have to work on the ground – signs on paths for example – but also online. The aim would be to ensure everyone who goes out in the countryside knows how to prepare (what clothes to wear for example), where they are likely to pick up ticks and how to remove them. Scotland’s great outdoor spaces are a wonderful asset, but everyone needs to know how to use them safely.
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