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Aberdeenshire West MSP calls for NHS Grampian to get access to Lyme Disease tick tracker


By Kirsty Brown

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A north-east MSP has quizzed the Scottish Government urging them to roll out the NHS Highland Lyme App Project in Grampian after it was announced a year ago.

LymeApp is being created in a £1.1 million project run between Scotland’s Rural College and NHS Highlands.

The product is the first product from a new company ID MAPPS which aims to change peoples’ behaviour for a number of infectious diseases.

The LymeApp app and website uses satellite data and statistics to create zoomable maps of tick occurrence.

With the warm weather experienced across the Cairngorms and wider north east this year, Aberdeenshire West MSP and Lyme disease campaigner Alexander Burnett has questioned the Scottish Government on the prospect of making the project available to those living in Grampian.

He said: “This summer has already been extremely humid with heatwaves becoming more common in the north-east.

"This, coupled with an increase in running, cycling, hillwalking and other outdoor activities, means ticks are regularly affecting more people.

“A year has passed since the project in the Highlands was announced and with research advances since then, there is no reason why it can’t be rolled out in Grampian.

“The number of people and animals affected by tick-borne diseases has increased so it’s vital this knowledge gets out to the health care system and residents across the north-east.

“It’s quite evident the Scottish Government has been lackadaisical in relation to the threats posed by Lyme Disease, having to be constantly reminded of the dangers by the NFU.

“Ticks live in moist environments in grassy and wooded areas not just in the Highlands, but everywhere else in Scotland so surely it makes sense for the Scottish Government to use resources to expand the app.

“I have now questioned the Scottish Government on this being expanded in the hope residents in Grampian can benefit from its information.”

Ticks, which are small arthropods related to spiders, mites and scorpions, feed on blood and their bodies swell as they feed.

Lyme disease is an infection that can be spread to humans by the creatures carrying the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria.

Across the country, cases of Lyme disease have reached an estimated 3,000 per year with more than 65,000 recorded per year in Europe.


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