Ticks and Lyme Disease

[foodbag]

It's a definite concern - I contracted Lyme on the AT in 2005.

It's not a bad idea to ask your family physician for a prescription for the requisite antibiotic. You wouldn't necessarily have to purchase the drug itself, just carry the paper with you, just in case.

[Which Way]

I'm in CT - the home of Lyme.

If you stay on established trails of dirt and rock then chances are extremely low of picking up ticks. Bushwacking through low brush is where you pick them up - they climb up and hang on low vegetation with built in grappling hooks waiting for passing mammals to hitchhike on. For me, the risk is typically confined to: overgrown trail sections (use hiking poles to hold the brush back) and getting off trail for: water, firewood, setting up camp, and the morning cathole/#2.

I'm quite comfortable walking across/camping on fallen/decaying leaves, but anytime live vegetation touches me above ankle height, I immediately check for ticks once back on safe ground.

Obviously, they're easiest to spot against light colored pants, but skin is ok if you're not too hairy. I always use a white tyvek ground sheet to sit on (outside of my tent).

Excellent advice and well said, thank you.

[squeezebox]

I would say get checked for Lyme after each long hike or maybe once a year otherwise. How much does a test cost?

[Sandy of PA]

The problem with testing is false negatives if it has not been at least 2 weeks since you were bitten. By then it is harder to kill with antibiotics. Far easier to just take the drugs if you end up with a known tick bite or a very itchy unknown bite. I got a bullseye in 3 days with mine, but the most note able feature was the itch that took 3 years to stop completely. It would heal and then just out of the blue turn red and start itching again.

[Uncle Joe]

I've developed a habit of swatting with my trekking poles at foliage that hangs out over the trail in front of me as I approach it. Especially low foliage. I'm painfully OCD but it's one habit I kinda let go unchecked.

[44terryberry]

I live in Pennsylvania,and nearly every hiker I know has had lyme disease. Me,I douse my clothes with Premetherin,and spray any exposed skin with other repellent.I also change all my clothing when I come home from a day hike. I dont know how multi day hikers passing through this bullseye state will survive without getting lyme

[nsherry61]

I live in Pennsylvania,and nearly every hiker I know has had lyme disease. . .

And, of all those "nearly every hiker" how many have decided to quit hiking because of the risk of lyme disease? Not most of them I'm sure.

So, for all of you out there running scared from Lyme disease, remember, from those that have actually experienced it and know what it's like, the risk or danger of getting Lyme disease is not bad enough to stop most of them from continuing to hike and backpack in these tick infested NE woodlands.

Take reasonable precautions, then, go out and enjoy yourself.

Yeah, you might get sick from Lyme disease or you might not. For certain, you will get sick again some time in your life from something, but it doesn't mean life should be avoided.

[Berserker]

There was a recent thread very similar to this one, you might want to check that one out too.

If you stay on established trails of dirt and rock then chances are extremely low of picking up ticks. Bushwacking through low brush is where you pick them up - they climb up and hang on low vegetation with built in grappling hooks waiting for passing mammals to hitchhike on. For me, the risk is typically confined to: overgrown trail sections (use hiking poles to hold the brush back) and getting off trail for: water, firewood, setting up camp, and the morning cathole/#2.

I'm quite comfortable walking across/camping on fallen/decaying leaves, but anytime live vegetation touches me above ankle height, I immediately check for ticks once back on safe ground.

Obviously, they're easiest to spot against light colored pants, but skin is ok if you're not too hairy. I always use a white tyvek ground sheet to sit on (outside of my tent).

I'm gonna piggy back off of this guy's post and say what I said in the other thread. All of this ^, and make sure not to sit or lay directly on the ground during breaks or in camp (I use a big piece of plastic to sit on). Also, when removing your pack always try to set it on something like a log or rock rather than directly on the ground in leaves or brush.

The best thing is prevention by trying to make a reasonable attempt not to get into a lot of undergrowth or leaves as that's where the ticks hang out. Also make sure to take periodic glances at your legs to try to catch any of them crawling around. The other thing of note is that ticks are particularly bad in the spring (April through May).

This isn't fool proof advice of course, and there are other things such as permithrin that can further assist in dealing with this issue. Also, it probably sounds like a lot of stuff to do, but once you get into the habit of it you'll not even notice it anymore.