It has been known since time immemorial that tick bites can cause Lyme disease. But this is not the only dreaded tick-borne disease.
Now a new study shows that six people living in a limited area in Denmark have developed arthritis as a result of Lyme disease in the last two and a half years.
What the six had in common was that they had been walking in Marbeck Plantation, a nature area just north of Esbjerg in the west of Jutland.
– This is the first time we have seen many cases of tick-borne gout. “This is amazing and we have never seen it in Denmark,” says Nanna Skarup Andersen, Head of Department at Odense University Hospital. Danish TV 2.
Many cases
The channel confirmed it had treated six cases of arthritis caused by Lyme disease from hospitals in Esbjerg and the nearby town of Grindstedt.
Lyme disease, an infectious disease, is transmitted by tick bites and is the most common tick-borne disease in both Norway and Europe.
According to Hell's Norge, the disease is caused by bacteria called Borrelia bacteria, which are spread by tick bites.
All six cases of arthritis caused by Lyme disease were diagnosed in men between the ages of 40 and 80. They have been diagnosed with arthritis in their knees or wrists as a result of a tick bite.
A new invention
The Danish Statens Serum Institute tells TV 2 that it knows Lyme infection can cause joint problems. This is especially true later in the course of the disease, which usually occurs weeks to months after infection.
But according to Nanna Scarp Andersen, who has been researching it since 2018, only so many cases have been found in a particular area.
– He says that this is the first time we have seen gatherings in a small geographical area of Denmark.
The study is currently unpublished and is currently undergoing peer review, meaning the study is being evaluated for publication.
According to Norwegian Health Informatics, symptoms of arthritis include pain, swelling and warm joints. The disease usually affects the small joints in the fingers and toes. A characteristic morning stiffness and reduced general condition.
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