Bella Hadid has it - but what is Lyme disease and how is it prevented

NHS data shows there were more than 1,100 cases of Lyme disease in the UK in 2013

Yolanda Foster and her children Bella and Anwar Hadid are suffering from Lyme disease (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Global Lyme Alliance)

Bella Hadid and her brother Anwar have been diagnosed with Lyme disease, their mother Yolanda Foster revealed last week.

At the Global Lyme Alliance Gala in New York last week Yolanda, who is also a long-term sufferer of the illness, revealed her children Bella and Anwar have been suffering with the disease for years.

So what is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease is contracted when infected ticks attach themselves to people, biting them and transferring a bacterial infection – Lyme disease - into the blood stream. The illness causes flu-like symptoms, neurological damage and fatigue. It can also cause muscle and joint pain.

In the early stages of the illness sufferers may also notice a ‘bull’s-eye’ rash called erythema migrans where they were bitten.

The number of diagnosed cases of the disease, which is caused by infected ticks, has quadrupled over the past 12 years. NHS data shows that in 2013 alone there were more than 1,100 diagnosed cases in the UK, however Public Health England estimates the real number is closer to 3,000 a year.

Experts believe that the recent rise of the disease is down to factors such as an increase in housing developments in the green-belt and warmer British winters.

How can I help prevent catching it?

The infected ticks usually live in rural woodlands, but can also live in parks or gardens. There's no vaccine to protect against Lyme disease but there are some simple steps you can take to help avoid it. Walkers can be more likely to become infected, as ticks climb from woodland foliage onto clothing. It’s advised that if you are planning to walk in areas with high plant growth to wear full length trousers, full sleeves and wear clothing in a light colour, so you can see and remove any ticks that latch on to your clothes.

You should also check yourself and others for tick bites after you’ve been outside and see your GP if you notice any bite marks or ticks.

Billionaire Phones 4 U founder John Cauldwell has told Sky News that it was "the most significant threat to human health of our time” after he, his ex-wife and three children were diagnosed with Lyme disease this year.

Singer Avril Lavigne and former child actress turned fashion designer Ashley Olsen have both also been diagnosed with the illness.