Warning over little-known detail about disease common among A-listers as Justin Timberlake shares diagnosis

Reddit users have been sharing their guidance on tick bites, after Justin Timberlake announce he had been diagnosed with Lyme disease.

Lyme disease, which has hit a whole slew of celebrities over the past decade - including Kelly Osbourne, Justin Bieber, Shania Twain, Miranda Hart, and Alec Baldwin - sees around 476,000 people in the US diagnosed and treated each year.

It is contracted by the bite of an infected tick.

As per the UK Health Security Agency, the biggest Lyme disease indicator is a spreading ‘bullseye’ rash at the site of the tick bite, which typically develops three to 30 days after being bitten.

However, the rash does not occur in every single case and other flu-like symptoms include fever, headache, and fatigue, a facial droop, nerve pains ,and numbness or tingling in the hands or feet.

Lyme disease is usually easier to treat if it's diagnosed early, but it some cases, if left untreated it can turn chronic and cause further issues down the line.

Timberlake explained he had been diagnosed with Lyme disease (Manny Carabel/Getty Images for Audacy)

Speaking about his recent diagnosis, Timberlake said: "As many of you know, I’m a pretty private person. But as I’m reflecting on the tour and festival tour – I want to tell you a little bit about what’s going on with me.

"If you’ve experienced this disease or know someone who has - then you’re aware: living with this can be relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically. When I first got the diagnosis I was shocked for sure."

He added: "But, at least I could understand why I would be onstage and in a massive amount of nerve pain or, just feeling crazy fatigue or sickness. I was faced with a personal decision. Stop touring? Or, keep going and figure it out. I decided the joy that performing brings me far outweighs the fleeting stress my body was feeling. I’m so glad I kept going."

Lyme disease is spread via tick bites (Getty Stock Photo)

According to the CDC and the NHS, if you notice a tick bite, you should ensure the tick has been removed as soon as possible, and definitely within 24 hours.

However, people have been taking to Reddit to warn others that if you do remove a tick within 24 hours, it doesn't necessarily mean you won't get Lyme disease.

The Redditor explained: "Removing a tick quickly does substantially reduce the risk of transmission, but there is no ‘safe window’ of time in which you can pull off a Lyme carrying tick and be 100% sure you’re not infected."

They cited a study from 2018, which explained that some species can transmit the bacteria within 12 hours.

The study explained: "Unlike the American strains, all the European species of B. burgdorferi that we studied were detected in the salivary glands of adult ticks before a blood meal, suggesting the possibility of rapid transmission of the bacteria following a bite. The results were consistent with this theory: infection occurred within 24 hours of a bite from an adult tick.

"Moreover, our analysis shows that nymphs infected by European species of B. burgdorferi are capable of transmitting these pathogens within 12 hours of attachment. Our study proves that B. burgdorferi can be transmitted more quickly than stated in the literature. It is therefore vital to remove ticks as soon as possible after being bitten to prevent infection."

Ticks can be found in long grass (Getty Stock Photo)

People were grateful for the warning, with one commenting: "My wife had a tick embedded for about 4 hours before I removed it. Severe illness, stiff neck and facial palsy for 2+months. Edit: Obvious Lyme Disease (no targeting). Always check and remove them ASAP."

While another said: "Agreed. Daily tick checks esp right after you get out of the woods. If it’s embedded there’s a chance it’s given you Lyme. We have high rates where I live and it’s an unfortunate part of our daily routine from March to November."