More ticks will lead to more cases of Lyme disease

The SOS Lyme Foundation has warned that climate change is causing tick populations to increase throughout the year, which “could increase the number of Lyme disease cases in Spain in the next decade.”

On the occasion of World Lyme Disease Day on May 1, the Foundation explained that a consequence of the significant increase in the number of ticks throughout the year is an exponential progression of bites through which Lyme disease is transmitted, the symptoms of the disease. which sometimes appear only years later.

Hospitalizations due to Lyme disease in Spain tripled between 2005 and 2019, according to the National Epidemiological Center of the Carlos III Institute of Health.

This disease is an infectious multiorgan pathology transmitted through the bite of a tick, mosquito, flea, bedbug or other insects infected with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and its associated infections. If early containment measures are not taken, it can lead to chronic and severe Lyme disease, which can even lead to death.

Bites occur both directly, especially during outdoor activities, be it in nature or in parks, and indirectly, through pets.

Given this prevalence and the risks associated with the bites of this arthropod, as well as the lack of information on this matter, the SOS Lyme Foundation has teamed up with the Spanish Society of General and Family Physicians (SEMG) and the Aragonese Patient Forum (FAP) to launch a prevention and information campaign under called “SOS Ticks”. The goal is to educate about preventative measures and raise awareness of symptoms that indicate a possible bite.