Why DO so many celebrities catch Lyme disease? As Serena Williams’ husband is hit by the bug, we ask the experts whether something in the lifestyle of the rich and famous makes them more susceptible

Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, is the newest in a string of well-known faces to say they’ve been struck by tick-borne Lyme illness.

The Reddit co-founder joins the likes of Actual Housewives of Beverly Hills star Yolanda Hadid and her daughter, mannequin Bella Hadid, singer Justin Bieber, actor Ben Stiller and comedian Amy Schumer in having the situation.

Lyme illness is a bacterial an infection unfold by ticks and may trigger normal flu-like signs, together with fatigue, headache, swollen joints and a fever, which might final for a number of weeks, however for causes not but understood, some sufferers endure for years. 

So why does it look like so most of the wealthy and well-known are being identified with it?

Professor Paul Hunter, an professional in infectious ailments from the College of East Anglia, instructed MailOnline there could possibly be some elements that make celebrities extra weak to Lyme illness.

He mentioned the celebs’ elevated leisure time and usually higher entry to the wilder outside areas the place ticks reside, than regular folks, may merely make it a numbers recreation. 

‘If there’s a wealthy and well-known or class bias on this, it is most likely as a result of they spend extra time strolling round in wooded parkland, more cash to exit to these areas, or have large properties with these kinds of locations,’ Professor Hunter added. 

The truth that celebrities usually tend to stay within the US, the place Lyme illness is extra famously prevalent, could possibly be one other issue.

‘As you are strolling alongside the ticks bounce in your legs and crawl their means up…have a blood feast and offer you Lyme illness,’ he mentioned.

‘If you happen to go strolling in these kinds of locations one of the best factor to do is test, while you get house, that you haven’t any ticks on you and if in case you have take away them safely.’

Mr Ohanian 41, detailed his analysis in a collection of posts on X/Twitter yesterday, stating medics instructed him he had Lyme illness after a number of medical procedures.

‘Doing a full battery of well being scans, assessments, and so on, and came upon I’ve lyme illness,’ mentioned the tech entrepreneur, who’s father to 2 kids with the tennis icon. 

He added ‘Wild. No signs, fortunately, however gonna deal with.’

Mr Ohanian continued: ‘I’ve bought a beloved one who had it a number of years again, confirmed tons signs and so on and simply could not determine it out till they examined him for it after which discovered it (handled it efficiently, too),’

‘I spend so little time within the wilderness/northeast this was fairly a shock.’

He mentioned he was ‘gonna seize some antibiotics’ to fight the ailment, including, ‘Cannot preserve me down, tick!’ with an image of The Tick cartoon character.

Professor Hunter mentioned testing for Lyme illness was a posh, and generally controversial, matter with some assessments provided by some non-public clinics not recognised by well being authorities. 

Clinicians have beforehand warned that some clinics are successfully providing Lyme illness analysis on demand for sufferers looking for a solution for signs, actual or imagined.

This could notably be the case for individuals who endure ‘persistent’ or ongoing Lyme illness signs that may final for years.  

Consultants like Professor Hunter say some persistent Lyme illness circumstances are definitely actual, however others are prone to be affected by different situations. 

‘There are individuals who do get long term signs however most likely not as steadily as individuals who imagine they’ve,’ he mentioned. 

‘A variety of signs, long term, are complications, neck stiffness, rashes, facial palsy which is partial paralysis of face muscle tissues, arthritis and joint ache is a standard one, intermittent ache in tendons, palpitations, dizziness, irritation, nerve ache.

‘The issue is all of these are fairly widespread within the inhabitants in the entire, some folks notably as you grow old get joint ache very often which might simply be put on and tear, rheumatoid arthritis, or Lyme illness.

‘Distinguishing them, aside from by definitive blood assessments, will not be simple.’ 

Professor Hunter added the truth that Mr Ohanian had recorded a constructive end result, however had no signs, most likely meant he had Lyme illness prior to now and easily had indicators of his immune system having tackled it.

This, if true, would imply he’s taking antibiotics for no medical motive — one thing that may be harmful. 

A bunch of different celebs have additionally shared their battle with Lyme illness lately. 

Yolanda Hadid mentioned that she had suffered deep melancholy amid a pileup of signs for the higher a part of a decade which she attributed to persistent Lyme.

‘I can’t start to explain the darkness, the ache and the hell I lived by means of day-after-day,’ the socialite instructed British Vogue in February 2021. ‘This illness introduced me to my knees.’

Her daughter, Bella additionally final 12 months described how she had undergone 100 days of therapy amid a battle with the situation that stretched practically 15 years.

Musical artist Justin Bieber mentioned, in January of 2020, that medical doctors had identified him with Lyme illness after receiving nasty remarks about his look. 

‘Whereas lots of people stored saying “Justin Bieber seems to be like s***, on meth” and so on. they failed to understand I have been just lately identified with Lyme illness, not solely that however had a severe case of persistent mono which affected my, pores and skin, mind operate, power, and total well being,’ the Grammy-winning artist wrote on Instagram.

Actor Ben Stiller instructed The Hollywood Reporter in 2011 that he’d been identified with the ailment in 2010.

‘I bought it in Nantucket, Massachusetts, a few years in the past,’ Stiller instructed the outlet. ‘My knee grew to become infected and so they couldn’t work out what it was, then they came upon it was Lyme. I’m symptom-free now, however Lyme doesn’t ever go away your system. It’s a extremely robust factor.’ 

And comedian Amy Schumer mentioned on Instagram in September of 2020 that she had caught Lyme illness, informing her followers of the remedy she had been taking.

‘Anybody get LYME this summer time? I bought it and I am on doxycycline,’ Schumer mentioned. ‘I’ve possibly had it for years. Any recommendation? Can you will have a glass of wine or 2 on it? I do know to remain out of the solar. I am additionally taking these herbs from cape cod known as lyme-2. I additionally need to say that I really feel good and am excited to eliminate it.’

Lyme illness, which has traditionally been discovered within the North East of US, however has just lately unfold additional afield to different states, might be tough to diagnose. 

The primary signal of the illness, which can also be discovered within the UK and Europe, is a tell-tale bullseye rash that develops the place the particular person was bitten, however this solely seems on some folks. 

This rash can seem as much as three months after the chew. 

Victims then develop normal flu-like signs, together with fatigue, headache, swollen joints and a fever, which might final for a number of weeks.

The delay between the chew, the rash which can not seem and the broad signs which may belong to quite a lot of different situations, means sufferers can battle to get a analysis. 

Two blood assessments that may diagnose Lyme illness can be found, however the NHS warns they are often unreliable within the early levels of the illness. 

A course of antibiotics is often sufficient to deal with most Lyme illness sufferers, although the method can take a number of weeks.

Nevertheless, for causes scientists are nonetheless exploring, some folks with the illness can endure ongoing signs for years.

The NHS warns that, as this type of the illness remains to be not understood, there isn’t any agreed upon therapy. 

Earlier analysis has prompt the overwhelming majority of individuals identified with Lyme illness don’t even have the situation.   

Consultants from John Hopkins College within the US discovered that out of a pattern of over 1,200 sufferers identified with Lyme illness over 13 years, three-quarters weren’t affected, based on gold commonplace blood assessments.

Publishing their findings within the journal Open Forum Infectious Diseases, they mentioned this had led to sufferers being generally given ‘pointless antibiotic therapy’.

About 850 folks in England had laboratory confirmed Lyme illness in England final 12 months, based on Authorities figures.

Nevertheless, a further 1,000 to 2,000 folks have been identified with the illness with out laboratory testing. 

Solely as much as one in 20 tick bites are thought to trigger Lyme illness in England, although danger varies by particular space and time of 12 months. 

The telltale signs of Lyme Illness that nobody ought to ignore… 

A rash 

A rash is without doubt one of the most blatant indicators of Lyme illness to look out for. 

The erythema migrans (EM) rash, also known as a bull’s-eye rash on account of its purple round rings, ought to be handled immediately, says the charity Lyme Illness UK. 

Nevertheless, the rash does not all the time current in the identical means, particularly on darker pores and skin, and a 3rd of individuals don’t develop a rash in any respect. 

It may possibly additionally not tackle a hoop form and as a substitute have a strong or bruise-like look.

The behaviour of any rash after a tick chew is an important factor to pay attention to, warns Lyme Illness UK. 

An EM rash takes no less than three days, and in some circumstances as much as three months, to look. 

It typically is not itchy, painful, or sizzling, and progressively spreads outwards. 

Nevertheless, if in case you have redness or itchiness instantly after a tick chew is normally a histamine response. 

Flu-like signs

Not everybody develops a rash.

Some folks expertise flu-like signs.

Typically likened to a ‘summer time flu’, Lyme Illness UK says some folks can get complications, a stiff neck, muscle ache and fatigue. 

Some babies may have behavioural modifications as they’re unable to articulate how they’re feeling, the charity provides. 

If Lyme illness is left untreated or if it isn’t handled early on, weeks, months and even years later extra severe signs can develop. 

Ache and swelling within the joints, often called inflammatory arthritis, is without doubt one of the extra severe signs that may comply with Lyme illness, based on the federal government web site. 

Muscle and joint ache may also be felt simply weeks or days after getting tick chew, the NHS says.  

Facial paralysis 

Extra severe signs can develop if Lyme illness is left untreated. 

Drooping on one aspect of the face or a weak point of your facial muscle tissues is one other indication of an an infection. 

That is as a result of the micro organism that causes Lyme illness may harm the nervous system, together with the facial nerve.  

Weak point or a paralysis of the facial muscle tissues might be seen in somebody contaminated by Lyme illness and it normally impacts on aspect of the face, based on the charity Facial Palsy UK. 

This symptom is particularly widespread in kids, says Lyme Illness UK. 

Some folks may expertise taking pictures nerve pains. 

This ache can really feel sharp or prickly and comply with the course of the nerve, based on the federal government web site.

Reminiscence issues 

Being forgetful and struggling to pay attention are additionally later signs of the illness.  

The micro organism that causes Lyme illness can’t solely trigger numbness and nerve ache, but in addition reminiscence issues and problem concentrating, based on the federal government web site. 

If the illness is handled early on it’s much less probably you’ll endure with reminiscence issues.  

Eye issues 

Blurry imaginative and prescient could possibly be an indication of Lyme illness.  

The Borrelia burgdorferi micro organism that causes Lyme illness may change your imaginative and prescient, based on the charity Information Canine UK.  

Individuals can expertise floaters and irritation usually within the late levels of the illness. 

Nevertheless. this imaginative and prescient change might be momentary and may enhance or resolve with therapy of the illness.  

Within the early levels the illness may cause conjunctivitis making your eyes bloodshot, irritated and swollen. 

As a result of neurological results of the an infection, it could actually trigger twitching anyplace on the physique together with the eyes. 

The charity additionally highlights a extra uncommon eye symptom, often called optic neuritis. 

That is the place the optic nerve turns into infected, which might result in extreme eye ache and imaginative and prescient loss, however consultants say it’s unclear how Lyme illness immediately causes this to occur.