Lyme borreliosis (LB) is a tick‐borne disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex. In Europe, it is predominately transmitted by the sheep tick, Ixodes ricinus . Compared with other European countries, the United Kingdom (UK) is considered to have a low incidence of LB, although this varies regionally. To determine whether an association exists between tick bite consultations and LB incidence in the UK, retrospective questionnaires were sent to general practitioners (GPs) in high (Wiltshire), medium (Cumbria) and low (Wales) incidence areas. During 2011, the greatest incidence of consultations for tick bites was reported by GPs in Cumbria (204 consultations per 100,000 inhabitants), followed by Wiltshire (160 per 100,000 population) and Wales (54 per 100,000 population). In Wiltshire and Cumbria, GPs predominantly provided advice on tick removal, whilst Welsh GPs mostly advised patients on tick bite prevention. Focusing on Cumbria during 2011–2013, 72.5% of GPs removed ticks from patients (incidence of 101 consultations per 100,000 population), and more GPs diagnosed LB based on clinical features than laboratory‐confirmed diagnoses. To date, this is the first study to investigate the incidence of tick bite consultations and LB in England and Wales.

中文翻译：

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在英格兰和威尔士发生莱姆病的高，中，低发地区的tick叮咬的全科医生咨询研究

莱姆疏螺旋体病（LB）是由博氏疏螺旋体复合物引起的a传播疾病。在欧洲，它主要由羊tick（Ixodes ricinus）传播。与其他欧洲国家相比，英国（LB）的LB发生率较低，尽管各地情况不同。为了确定英国的tick叮咬咨询和LB发病之间是否存在关联，我们向高发地区（威尔特郡），中发地区（坎布里亚郡）和低发地区（威尔士）向全科医生（GP）发送了回顾性调查表。2011年，坎普里亚地区的全科医生报告了tick叮咬咨询的发生率最高（每100,000居民有204咨询），其次是威尔特郡（每100,000人口有160咨询）和威尔士（每100,000人口有54）。在威尔特郡和坎布里亚郡，全科医生主要提供关于去除虱子的建议，而威尔士全科医生则主要为患者提供防虱叮咬的建议。在2011-2013年期间专注于坎布里亚郡，72。5％的GP去除了病人的壁虱（每100,000个人口中有101次会诊的发生），并且根据临床特征诊断出LB的GP数量要多于实验室确认的诊断。迄今为止，这是第一个调查英格兰和威尔士of叮咬咨询和LB发生率的研究。