ChesterP
Well-Known Member
We hear a lot about Lyme's Disease on SD but not much at all on Leptospirosis.
I bring this up as I am only just starting to recover from the first fever stage of the more serious Weil's disease (Leptospirosis describes the bacteriological infection which in symptoms can vary from none at all to light fever and cramps. Weil's is a more serious form which hits the liver, kidneys and can result in Meningitis and can also prove to be fatal if not treated on time. It is also characterised by an enduring and high fever).
Whilst I have posted on one or two threads from my sick bed over the past few weeks, nothing prepared me for the intensity or seriousness of coming down with this illness which has left me requiring ongoing screening, blood tests and treatment for the foreseeable. Ironically, whilst out and about, it wasn't the tick that proved to be my undoing, but field mice. I had been under canvass in Exmoor and meeting with the landowner to discuss future shooting (Red Deer) and had managed to pick up a few scratches whilst gathering firewood. Mice had got into the tent and were at my food supplies, as evidenced by their droppings next day, not to mention me catching one of the little blighters red-tailed! Whilst cleaning up, I may have inadvertently rubbed my arms in response to midge bites and foolishly had not covered my scratches. I took ill pretty swiftly and on return home thought I was going down with flu.
The week that followed, much of which I cannot remember, was a week from hell. No sleep at all, a very high fever for 5 days (38 to 40 degrees), loss of balance the once or twice i did get up, sickness, very intense abdominal pain 24/7, bad headaches...well you get the picture. Emergency services were called when I took a rapid downturn and the attending GP and paramedics spent several hours with me, taking bloods, monitoring vitals, checking symptoms and trying to stabilise me before making any decision to hospitalise me. The bloods came back overnight, and inflammatory markers were found, as were protein in urine samples, all of which pointed towards Weil's Disease, later confirmed. As I was so poorly, they administered emergency meds there and then in the form of Doxycyclene, and I needed electrolytes due to low blood salt/sugars and rapid response teams came out for several days to monitor my condition. Thankfully, I have pulled through a very nasty phase although I'm told that I have slightly impaired liver function and kidneys were affected, something which may have been avoided had I had earlier diagnosis....my own silly fault for being a typical male and refusing to see the doctor early on.
The nasty thing with this is that in many cases, whilst one recovers from the fever stage, a week or so later, a rapid deterioration can occur and meningitis can take hold, that or kidney and liver failure if Doxycyclene or Amoxillin has not already been administered earlier on.
Whilst not out of the woods yet, I feel fortunate for such fantastic medical treatment and attention and am lucky that I got it when I did, especially given that it was later confirmed as Weils.
Be careful folks, maybe only 40 or so cases are reported a year, but of those, most years, several prove to be fatal. I will never again be so blase about cuts and scratches, and will take far more care with good hygiene in the field.
Remember, it's not just the ticks we have to worry about. Weils can be carried in the urine of all rodents, and dogs as well as some other animals, and you are at increased risk near fresh-water sources, where rodents can breed and are often close to. Treat any scratches you have and preferably cover up first before crawling through long grass and always carry something to clean you hands with before eating. I would not like to think of any other SD members having to suffer what I've had to endure this past few weeks.
Paul.
I bring this up as I am only just starting to recover from the first fever stage of the more serious Weil's disease (Leptospirosis describes the bacteriological infection which in symptoms can vary from none at all to light fever and cramps. Weil's is a more serious form which hits the liver, kidneys and can result in Meningitis and can also prove to be fatal if not treated on time. It is also characterised by an enduring and high fever).
Whilst I have posted on one or two threads from my sick bed over the past few weeks, nothing prepared me for the intensity or seriousness of coming down with this illness which has left me requiring ongoing screening, blood tests and treatment for the foreseeable. Ironically, whilst out and about, it wasn't the tick that proved to be my undoing, but field mice. I had been under canvass in Exmoor and meeting with the landowner to discuss future shooting (Red Deer) and had managed to pick up a few scratches whilst gathering firewood. Mice had got into the tent and were at my food supplies, as evidenced by their droppings next day, not to mention me catching one of the little blighters red-tailed! Whilst cleaning up, I may have inadvertently rubbed my arms in response to midge bites and foolishly had not covered my scratches. I took ill pretty swiftly and on return home thought I was going down with flu.
The week that followed, much of which I cannot remember, was a week from hell. No sleep at all, a very high fever for 5 days (38 to 40 degrees), loss of balance the once or twice i did get up, sickness, very intense abdominal pain 24/7, bad headaches...well you get the picture. Emergency services were called when I took a rapid downturn and the attending GP and paramedics spent several hours with me, taking bloods, monitoring vitals, checking symptoms and trying to stabilise me before making any decision to hospitalise me. The bloods came back overnight, and inflammatory markers were found, as were protein in urine samples, all of which pointed towards Weil's Disease, later confirmed. As I was so poorly, they administered emergency meds there and then in the form of Doxycyclene, and I needed electrolytes due to low blood salt/sugars and rapid response teams came out for several days to monitor my condition. Thankfully, I have pulled through a very nasty phase although I'm told that I have slightly impaired liver function and kidneys were affected, something which may have been avoided had I had earlier diagnosis....my own silly fault for being a typical male and refusing to see the doctor early on.
The nasty thing with this is that in many cases, whilst one recovers from the fever stage, a week or so later, a rapid deterioration can occur and meningitis can take hold, that or kidney and liver failure if Doxycyclene or Amoxillin has not already been administered earlier on.
Whilst not out of the woods yet, I feel fortunate for such fantastic medical treatment and attention and am lucky that I got it when I did, especially given that it was later confirmed as Weils.
Be careful folks, maybe only 40 or so cases are reported a year, but of those, most years, several prove to be fatal. I will never again be so blase about cuts and scratches, and will take far more care with good hygiene in the field.
Remember, it's not just the ticks we have to worry about. Weils can be carried in the urine of all rodents, and dogs as well as some other animals, and you are at increased risk near fresh-water sources, where rodents can breed and are often close to. Treat any scratches you have and preferably cover up first before crawling through long grass and always carry something to clean you hands with before eating. I would not like to think of any other SD members having to suffer what I've had to endure this past few weeks.
Paul.
