England star: My heart ops after tick bite
FORMER England rugby captain Matt Dawson has revealed how he needed heart surgery after being bitten by a tick.
The 44-year-old developed Lyme disease after visiting a park in London early last year.
The bacterial infection, caused by infected ticks, can lead to conditions such as meningitis or heart failure and can be fatal.
Dawson said: “I’d heard of Lyme disease before. It was something I’d always associated with places abroad.” He added: “It was a really scary time for me and my family. Such a tiny creature caused me to end up needing heart surgery.”
Dawson had multiple heart operations and 18 months of treatment. He is now free of the disease but still on medication.