Second Lyme disease case reported after tick bite at Hartsholme Park

A 6-year-old from Lincoln has contracted what’s suspected to be Lyme disease after suffering multiple bites from ticks in a Lincoln park — the second case of its kind.

As previously reported, Charlotte Campion (16) was diagnosed with Lyme disease after being bitten by a tick on Hartsholme Park on June 20.

Six-year-old Megan Barham was on a school trip to Hartsholme Country Park in Lincoln on June 11 when she suffered four tick bites to her legs and one to her wrist.

After about a week, Megan’s bites began to resemble the red mark commonly identified as a ‘bullseye’, and blisters formed around the areas.

After three trips to her local GP and one trip to the hospital, Megan’s mum Claire Barham is warning others who may have been bitten to seek medical advice as early as possible.

The bites are now healing, but they still resemble the commonly identified ‘bullseye’ pattern.

Claire said: “They looked like normal bites for one week then they turned nasty overnight.

“They turned red and like a bullseye. I took her to the doctors who diagnosed her with an allergy to insect bites.

“By the Friday, both legs were red and swollen and she could barely walk. She was quite poorly by this point with headaches and painful joints along with constant fatigue.

“I took her back to the doctors and the GP said she didn’t know at all. She asked for a second opinion of one of her colleagues and a senior doctor said they were horsefly bites.

“He recommended antihistamines and to return in a week if no better. Her leg was swollen and red all the way past her ankle.

“The next day the redness had spread so I took her to the hospital and they admitted her to the paediatric ward with cellulitis and she then required intravenous antibiotics until the Sunday.

“With no official diagnosis she was discharged home on a high dose of oral antibiotics.

“Then on the Thursday I took her back to the doctors and requested another opinion, the doctor took photos of her bullseye bites and requested an opinion from a dermatologist.

“It wasn’t until then that she was diagnosed. She was placed on the appropriate antibiotics and has another week of them to go.”

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread to humans by infected ticks. If left untreated, it can affect your skin, joints, heart and nervous system.

Ticks are tiny arachnids found in woodland areas and long grass. They feed on the blood of mammals, including humans.

Lincolnshire County Council, the health authority for the area, are looking into the two reports.

The NHS advise you to do the following to prevent being bitten by ticks:

• Wear a long-sleeved shirt
• Tuck your trousers into your socks
• Use insect repellent
• Check yourself for ticks
• Check your children and pets for ticks