A consultant in infectious disease says there are nearly 2,000 cases of lyme disease in Ireland every year.
Professor Jack Lambert says HSE figures are misleading as they only document cases of the disease when people are hospitalised.
It’s a highly-debilitating illness that is contracted from the bites of infected ticks, normally found in grassy or woodland areas.
Concerns have been raised over the prevalence of the disease in Donegal.
Early symptoms include a circular rash around the bite and flu like symptoms.
Professor Lambert says it’s important to catch the infection early:
