read this http://www.surviveoutdoors.com/reference/lyme.asp don't be lazy
you are what you eat: Fast! Cheap! and Easy!
just wear repellent. put permethrin on your clothes.
If you don't have something nice to say,
Be witty in your cruelty.
I sprayed permethrin in my eyes to keep those stupid little bugs away that fly in front of. . . hey, I can'tseeeeeee ;lkjag[iweja
Update on tick-borne disease
Incidentally, the VAST majority of patients with tick-borne illness did not even recall a tick bite. Well over half of those with Lyme had no bullseye rash or lesion.
Excerpts from update for health care professionals on tick-borne disease from NYC DOH:
The most common tick-borne disease affecting New Yorkers is Lyme
Disease, but RMSF, babesiosis, anaplasmosis (human granulocytic
anaplasmosis or HGA, formerly known as human granulocytic ehrlichiosis)
and ehrlichiosis (human monocytic ehrlichiosis or HME) also occur every
year (Table 1). Of these, only RMSF is known to be transmitted within
all five boroughs of NYC; providers should consider and test for this
infection in patients with compatible syndromes even in the absence of a
travel history. For all patients with suspected tick-borne disease, it
is critical for clinicians to take a good travel history. Recent travel
to upstate New York, Long Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts or Rhode
Island in particular should prompt consideration of Lyme Disease,
babesiosis, HGA and/or HME, and diagnostic testing when warranted. Only
a small percent of case patients recall a tick bite: 16% (RMSF), 31%
(HME), and 25% (HGA). A history of a tick bite is not a prerequisite for
inclusion of these diseases in the differential diagnosis for patients
with compatible illness.
Guidelines on Diagnosis, Management and Prevention of Tick-borne Diseases
Evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis and management of Lyme
disease, HGA and babesiosis were published in 2006 by the Infectious
Disease Society of America and are cited here for your review. They
include recommendations regarding the limited use of single dose
doxycycline (200 mg for adults and 4 mg/Kg for children aged ≥8 yrs with
max. of 200 mg) as prophylaxis for Lyme disease when ALL of the
following conditions are met:
1. The patient has traveled to a Lyme-endemic area (>20% of ticks
infected with B. burgdorferi – of note, many of areas surrounding NYC do
meet this criteria, including CT, MA, Long Island and upstate NY,
particularly the Hudson Valley)
2. Tick has been attached for ≥36 hours, based on engorgement or
history,
3. Prophylaxis can be started within 72 hours of the time tick is
removed,
4. Tick can be reliably identified as Ixodes scapularis, and
5. Patient does not have contraindication to treatment with doxycycline.
Case Definitions and Laboratory Diagnosis of Tick-borne Diseases
Lyme Disease: The presence of EM alone is sufficient to make the
diagnosis of Lyme disease; confirmatory laboratory diagnostic testing is
not necessary. Fewer than half of NYC patients reported in 2007 (43%)
presented with the characteristic erythema migrans (EM) or target
lesion. Cases with late manifestations (arthritis, carditis, or
neurologic disease for example) require laboratory confirmation.
Laboratory confirmation requires demonstration of diagnostic antibodies
to B. burgdorferi in serum or CSF. A two-test approach using a sensitive
enzyme immunoassay or immunofluorescence antibody followed by Western
blot is highly recommended. Testing is available through most commercial
laboratories.
Tick Bite Management
• Attached ticks should be removed promptly with a tweezers, ensuring
that mouthparts have not been left in the skin.
• Infection at the site of a tick bite (other than erythema migrans)
does not suggest an increased likelihood of exposure to a tick-borne
infectious disease.
• Testing ticks for disease agents has no diagnostic value because such
testing lacks sensitivity for detecting pathogens. In addition,
detection of a pathogen in a tick does not signify transmission of that
pathogen to the person bitten.
• The NY State Department of Health has a tick identification service.
It can identify ticks, but will not test ticks for infectious organisms.
For more information go to:
http://www.health.state.ny.us/diseas...yme/tickid.htm
Tick Prevention
Patients can do the following to prevent tick bites and tick borne
illnesses:
• Check for ticks on your body (including your armpits, scalp, and
groin) or clothing after returning from wooded or grassy areas. Some
ticks are very small (about the size of a poppy seed) so ask for help to
inspect areas that you cannot see yourself
• Quickly remove any ticks you find using fine-tipped tweezers if
possible and wash the area thoroughly with soap and water.
• Avoid walking in heavily wooded areas; try to stick to cleared paths.
• Apply insect repellents that contain DEET (use according to
manufacturer's instructions). Other repellents such as picaridin,
IR3535® and oil of lemon eucalyptus (also used to prevent mosquito
bites) may provide some protection, but there is limited information
about their effectiveness against ticks.
• Wear light-colored clothing to allow you to better see ticks that
crawl on your clothing.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and tuck your pant legs into your socks so
that ticks cannot crawl up the inside of your pant legs.
• Speak to your veterinarian about tick prevention products for your pet
dogs and cats.
• Remove leaf litter and debris to reduce the likelihood of ticks around
the home.
• If you get a rash or a fever, let the doctor know if you may have been
exposed to ticks or spent time in tick habitat, even if you don't
remember having a tick bite.
A buddy of mine completed his thru in Sept 07. He is a very healthy male in his mid 50s. I just backpacked with him a couple weeks ago and he is as strong as ever. I'm so glad he got tested. I think his story is well worth posting here.
His anecdotal Lyme story (and crypto):
When I went in for my regular yearly physical in February, I asked my doctor about being checked for Lyme disease. I explained to him that I did remove three ticks during the course of my hike, and it was suggested to me by others, while on the trail, that it was a good idea to be checked after completing the trip. My doctor was a little hesitant at first, but he did decide to have me tested. Unfortunately and much to my surprise, the test came back positive. I was surprised because I didn’t have any symptoms while on the trail or after returning home other than fatigue while on the trail. Of course, who doesn’t get fatigued while hiking the AT? So I’m not sure how one would distinguish the difference between expected fatigue while hiking and fatigue resulting from Lyme disease. In any case, I took the antibiotics as prescribed and cannot tell you if the medication worked because I don’t feel any differently now than what I did before taking it. The one thing I really want to stress, and the reason for telling of this, is I really believe it is a good idea that anyone who hikes the AT, or an extended time through tick country, should have themselves checked whether you have symptoms or not. If I had not listened to this advice from others there is no doubt I would have the disease today, but what is worse, are the consequences of allowing the disease to go unchecked. Get yourselves tested!! Lastly, while on the trip I got very sick while hiking to the Partnership Shelter, and eventually spent three days recovering at one god awful motel in Atkins, VA. Looking back at what happened, and what my symptoms were at the time, I’m fairly certain it was a case of crypto. The night I first felt sick was after dropping my outlet hose of my water filter while filtering water the previous day. The water looked to be very clean, and I thought, mistakenly, I will be okay this time. Of all things that happened to me on the trip, I think this had the most severe impact because it definitely weakened me for at least two weeks.
Fear ridges that are depicted as flat lines on a profile map.
I had two embedded deer ticks from SNP hike last week (one very embedded) - thankfully had the antibiotic on hand from August so am taking the regimen now.
Shenandoah is heavily infested with deer ticks and should be added to the list of trouble areas.
Lyme in SNP
I'll second that comment about SNP.
I did a three day hike this past spring in the northern section. About three weeks later I tested positive for Lyme’s. Not fun at all and I knew I had something strange as I have never felt like that before. The good news is after the treatment I feel MUCH better. It actually only took about 24 hours for the antibiotic to help.
Heading out in March to thru so I'm keeping my fingers crossed I can avoid it.
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