(Image: lh3.ggpht.com)
06 Oct 2012:
A 38-year-old man being treated for Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust has died.
The man had recently returned home to the UK and was being treated in complete isolation after being admitted to Gartnavel General Hospital’s Brownlee Centre in Glasgow, less than three hours after arriving in Scotland.
He was then transferred to the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. Tests revealed he flew into Scotland from Dubai, though his journey originated in the Afghan capital, Kabul.
It was the first recorded case of the deadly disease in the UK. Other passengers who sat close to him on an aircraft are undergoing daily health checks. – Sky News (link to full story)
Glasgow man ‘critical’ with first UK case of killer fever
05 Oct 2012: A GLASGOW man is being treated in isolation after becoming the first person diagnosed in Britain with the potentially lethal Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever.
The 38-year-old is in a critical condition at the Brownlee specialist unit at Gartnavel Hospital in Glasgow.
He was admitted on Tuesday afternoon, less than three hours after flying into the city at 12:35pm on a connecting flight from Dubai. Test results confirmed his condition yesterday. – scotsman.com (link to full story)
Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever (link to Wikipedia)
17 May, 2012: Five people have died in the Black Sea region of Turkey of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, one of the diseases that can be transmitted by tick bites.
(Photo: NHS Cumbria – Click on photo for advice from NHS Cumbria)
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is spread to humans by infected ticks. Ticks are tiny, spider-like insects found in woodland areas that feed on the blood of mammals, including humans.
Tick bites often go unnoticed and the tick can remain feeding for several days before dropping off. The longer the tick is in place, the higher the risk of it passing on the infection.
Lyme disease can affect your skin, joints, heart and nervous system
Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne infectious disease in Europe and North America. People who spend time in woodland or heath areas are more at risk of developing Lyme disease because these areas are where tick-carrying animals, such as deer and mice, live.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) estimates that there are 2,000 to 3,000 cases of Lyme disease in England and Wales each year, and that about 15%-20% of cases occur while people are abroad.
Parts of the UK that are known to have a high population of ticks include:
Exmoor
the New Forest in Hampshire
the South Downs
parts of Wiltshire and Berkshire
Thetford Forest in Norfolk
the Lake District
the Yorkshire Moors
the Scottish Highlands
Most tick bites occur in late spring, early summer and during the autumn because these are the times of year when most people take part in outdoor activities, such as hiking and camping – NHS Choices
More about Lyme disease here: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Lyme-disease/Pages/Introduction.aspx
Lyme is just one of a lengthening list of emerging infectious diseases that are soaring.
Experts say that increasing temperatures and altered precipitation patterns that accompany climate change are already playing at least a partial role in the spread and intensity of zoonoses — infectious agents that begin in animals and account for an estimated 75 percent of all newly emerging diseases -� Huffington Post
More about global warming and newly emerging diseases here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/04/global-warming-lyme-disease-west-nile_n_1400692.html
The Dangers of Tick Bites…and how to avoid being bitten! See: http://gethealthyandstayhealthy.com/the-dangers-of-tick-bites/
Kristin Collins, Wisconsin Lyme Network VP and mother of Darren, a young boy who contacted Lyme Disease said,
“I know hundreds and hundreds of families dealing with this..” “It’s heart-wrenching. It’s scary. It’s everywhere. Our kids are at a huge risk.”
Early treatment is vital – If you spot a tick on your skin, know how to remove it and/or seek medical attention immediately
Goaty's News (UK) 