ABSTRACT
Most diseases seen in rural areas of the UK are similar to those seen by the non-rural colleagues. Others are more common and important in rural areas, and some are seen only rarely in urban areas. This chapter describes the conditions that are selected because they are more common in rural than urban areas and because they are clinically important. There remains a great deal of uncertainty about the incidence and prevalence of many rural diseases. Rural doctors and nurses are frequently asked to remove ticks from patients. One method of removing a tick is to grasp it firmly, but not too tightly, with tweezers and, with a steady pull, remove it whole. The widespread use of organophosphates in sheep dip is of particular concern in rural areas. The most common ringworm organisms in rural areas are Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton verrucosum, which affect cattle and horses.
