Devastated parents fear Lyme disease killed daughter 11 years after tick bite
The parents of a woman from Gloucester who died after eight years of unexplained illnesses say a tick bite was to blame.
Ian and Cheryl Ellis found their 39-year-old daughter Carly dead in her bed at their home in Finlay Road, Gloucester, on June 29.
The pair believe she succumbed to Lyme disease, a bacterial infection spread to humans by infected ticks.
They say Carly was bitten while in Australia in 2008, and became increasingly unwell and susceptible to infections following her trip.
Cheryl and Ian told ITV News their daughter's health would have been much better if the need for treatment of the tick bite had been identified sooner.
Recalling the day Carly died, Cheryl said they knew “something was wrong” the second they saw their daughter lying in bed.
The number of Britons diagnosed with Lyme disease could be three times higher than previously thought, new research has found.
Up to 8,000 people a year in the UK may suffer from the disease, which can lead to severe joint and nerve problems.
Cheryl and Ian are now calling for greater awareness of the disease following Carly’s death.