Playboy-moguli Hugh Hefnerin vaimolla Crystal Harrisilla on todettu Lymen tauti. 29-vuotias kaunotar teki paljastuksen diagnoosistaan sosiaalisessa mediassa. Harris kertoi, että hänen pelkonsa oli käynyt toteen, sillä hän on sairastunut vaikeasti hoidettavaan tautiin.

Daily Mail -lehden mukaan Crystal päätti kertoa diagnoosistaan julkisesti varoittaakseen muita. Borrelia-bakteeri tarttuu ihmisiin yleensä punkin pureman kautta. Bakteerin aiheuttama tauti oireilee yleensä yksilöllisesti, mutta pitkittyessä se voi aiheuttaa muun muassa kivuliaita lihas- ja nivelsärkyjä.

Harris epäilee saaneensa taudin punkin puremasta ollessaan lenkkeilemässä. Hän muistuttaakin ihmisiä olemaan tarkkoja punkeilta suojautumisen suhteen. Crystal ei suinkaan ole ainoa julkisuuden henkilö, joka taistelee vakavan sairauden kanssa. Realitytähti Yolanda Fosterilla, laulaja Avril Lavignella, näyttelijä Alec Baldwinilla ja Ben Stillerillä on myös todettu Lymen tauti.

If you have EVER GONE HIKING, please get tested for #LymeDisease. The best lab to do this is called "Igenex" they are based out of Palo Alto. I was diagnosed a few days ago and have a long road ahead of me. Supposedly you get it from ticks but I have absolutely no recollection of being bit or having a rash or ANYTHING. Most importantly there are SO MANY of you carrying Lyme that don't even know you have it. Probably because the ticks can be the size of specs. I always thought of ticks to be big and noticeable. The symptoms are vast and when it has been left untreated for a long time can turn into MS, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Dementia and ALS. Symptoms can range from sore muscles, sore back, sore neck, anxiety, fatigue, heart palpitations, muscle twitches, bladder pain, vision or hearing problems, swollen lymph nodes, flu like symptoms, brain fog, memory problems. Having just one of these could mean you have Lyme. Please please get tested. It is a disease so many people are living with and is becoming an epidemic. I always thought I was a hypochondriac. Doctors told me it was just "stress" or "all in my head" but I finally figured it out and you can too. Lyme is also related to syphilis and can be sexually transmitted and also passed from mother to child during pregnancy. #LymeDisease #lymewarrior ? please tag some friends to raise awareness for this illness not many people know about ?

Kuva, jonka Crystal Hefner (@crystalhefner) julkaisi 6. 03ta 2016 klo 22.01 PST