Why Lyme disease could be coming to a park near you

Lyme disease, previously thought to be a risk primarily in rural areas, is now being detected in urban parks, posing a potential threat closer to home. Researchers have found ticks carrying the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease in parks across several UK cities, including Inverness, Perth, Falkirk, Dunfermline, and Scarborough, with previous studies also identifying them in Bath, Salisbury, Southampton, and London. The presence of infected ticks in city parks is more likely when there is extensive woodland surrounding the urban areas. The bacteria causing Lyme disease are transmitted by ticks, which are carried by various animals, including deer and small mammals. While deer support large tick populations, they are immune to the disease, mean... download the app to read more