According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), in 2024 there were 1,581 laboratory confirmed cases of tick borne Lyme disease in England. That’s a slight fall on 2023; but as the UKHSA say, as some cases go unreported or untested, laboratory confirmed cases are known to be an underestimate of the true total.
Awareness of Lyme disease has risen in recent times, partly thanks to a number of high profile individuals who have revealed that they were suffering from the condition. For example, in an Instagram post at the end of July 2025 the pop star Justin Timberlake commented that following his diagnosis: “at least I could understand why I would be onstage and in a massive amount of nerve pain or, just feeling crazy fatigue or sickness.”
In the UK, ticks are more prevalent across the south, south east, and south west of England. The recent mild winters have meant that ticks have not died off as they might usually do. As a result, and as any dog walker in a tick-prevalent area will readily testify, there has been a growth in tick numbers. And whilst larger ticks are easier to spot, young ones can be as small as 1mm, making them hard to identify.
It is important to note that the majority of ticks don’t carry Lyme disease. However, any individual who has been bitten is encouraged to monitor their health and contact their GP if they develop any symptoms. These, according to NHS Inform, can include:
- a pink or red rash
- a temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or above
- other flu-like symptoms, like a headache or joint pain
- swollen lymph nodes
And don’t be misled if the “traditional” marker of a bullseye around the bite wound doesn’t appear. It won’t do so in about a third of cases but if other symptoms arise and are suspected to have been caused by a tick bite then the sooner antibiotic treatment starts the better.
Left untreated, Lyme disease can lead to the development of long-term symptoms including chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, heart problems, brain fog, nerve problems and ongoing joint pain.
Little wonder then that the UKHSA has launched a campaign to be more tick aware. That awareness message is as important for health providers as it is for those who are venturing outdoors into wooded areas or areas of long grass. If individuals present with a collection of vague symptoms including exhaustion and/or joint pain then Lyme disease is one option which should be considered in tandem with other potential causes.
Commenting on the tick and Lyme disease awareness campaign Christina Petridou, Consultant Microbiologist at UKHSA, said:
“It’s really important that people continue to be tick aware this summer to protect themselves against Lyme disease. The disease is usually acquired when spending time outdoors in green spaces, which people do more of in the summer months. After spending time in nature, people should take precautions such as checking for ticks and promptly and safely removing them which will reduce chances of infection.”