Lyme Disease

Scipio Africanus

Active Member
Picking ticks off today (from roe shot 2 days ago) I wondered those carrying disease(s) are geographically localised or whether they are ALL risky, wherever they may be?
 
In a related area - sad to note that the BADA UK charity is in the process of closing ( see note on webpage ) due to lack of support funding.
 
I read to the effect that the incidence of Lyme disease is not detailed geographically as it may affect toursim.
 
Mmm...did wonder about that. For years I stalked 2 areas that had their fair share of ticks. They each now have large, well-known commercial holiday villages....& I often wonder if any holiday makers ever pick up unwanted stowaways...
 
I wonder how manny sd mebers have had to pull a tick out of them on retuning from a stalk probably 95% ,and how manny then have felt unwell a fews weeks -months later ,i read that the uk dont test for lyme like they do in europe or the us .i cant rember where i read it but it said that lymes is one of the most misdiagnosed disease ,there are alot of people living with the disease and dont even know they have it ,there needs to be more done to raise awareness not just in the shooting comunity but all that enjoy the countryside .
 
Several of us on SD self included have Lymes disease. It's far worse than many tropical diseases including Malaria and Bilharzia which I have both also had.

If you have been bitten by ticks and feel at all unwell seek medical help ASAP. Lymes is quite difficult to diagnose as it's a slow developing bacteria, there is an antibody test, but this is only effective about 40% of the time - ie picks up about 4 out of 10 cases. It also requires disease to be well established for it to work at all.

Thus:

1) try and avoid long grass or crawling through the heather - sit on a rock rather than on the grass to have your lunch.

2) use a good tick repellent

3) wash all over with a good insecticidal shampoo - kids not treatment - to get rid of ticks and tick larvae from all the knooks and crannies

4) if you ache, feel sick, tired, fluey etc suspect Lymes and get the Dr to look into it. If they haven't a clue get them to refer you to infectious diseases.

5) consequences of delaying treatment are pretty horrendous and potentially life threatening.
 
I think there are definite hot spots . locally there are a fair number of people with lymes and local surgery are clued up.
I wonder about public land like forestry commission ground and whether the odd sign is enough to deliver their duty of care where lyme disease is prevalent. It is possible to deliver acaracid to deer via self medicating bait stations which could assist with control but currently this is illegal out side a park enviroment
 
I contracted Lyme's two years ago I went to the local hospital for a check up they hadn't got a clue what to look for but the doctor got on his computer researched it they took the right blood tests gave me the right antibiotics. They got in touch with me two weeks later to confirm that I did have it but I'm all well now caught it in time.
 
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