Bitten by the bug

The warning about an invasion of dangerous tics from europe (Mail) is, indeed, timely.

I was in the second week of my holiday when I took an extended camel tour to a Tunisian plantation.

afterwards, I fell very ill with ’flu-like symptoms, fatigue, malaise and dysentery. I then found inside my knee joint an extended target-like bite mark that appeared ragged and felt hot and sore.

The hotel doctor couldn’t speak english but immediately injected me with — presumably — antibiotic three times a day for the rest of my holiday. I was also given a large supply of oral capsules and powders and put on a special diet. I couldn’t wait to get back to england because I felt so ill.

Since then I’ve endured years of chronic lethargy, weakness, fatigue and neurological symptoms. This all happened in my 20s and I’m now 58. I have disabling tinnitus, cognitive

impairment, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, joint swelling, migratory joint pain, hair loss, headaches and Temporomandibular Joint disorder among many other symptoms.

I’ve also lost my long-term nHS job on ill-health grounds without compensation as I was, unfortunately, recently knocked unconscious and injured by a reckless driver, whereon my symptoms reappeared. I’ve since read that lyme disease can be reactivated by trauma.

I still have a horrible bite mark scar, which is aggravating and appears to be getting deeper, as if something is still chewing down into my flesh.

last year, at Winchester county hospital, I tested ‘ weakly positive’ for lyme disease, but owing to lack of funding, the supportive unknown pathogens clinic closed. I’ve recently seen a neurologist who wishes to re- test me and says it’s ‘ unlikely’ that I’m suffering from lyme disease.

What does it take to convince UK doctors that this disease is alive and kicking? DEBRA DORRER, Sevenoaks, Kent.