posted by Catherine on May 2
It’s not just in the tropics that disease can spread and be debilitating!
The Northern Hemisphere has it’s ‘bug’ that can ruin your eco holidays, andit is found in woodlands all over the US and Europe.
It’s called Lyme’s Disease and is now classified as an emerging infectious disease as it is becoming more widespread over the past 10-20 years. It is not yet as bad as some diseases, but if you have plans to go camping, trekking or hiking - then give this a quick ‘Heads Up’.
What Is Lyme Disease?
This is currently the most common tick-borne disease affecting humans north of the equator.
Ticks are the main vector, and having fed on an infected host like a woodland deer, they fall off onto the floor until they are hungry again. They then sit and wait for the next warm body to come past to hop on for dinner! That could be you.
Once on you, it will search for direct contact with the skin - bite through - and then start feeding. This prolonged contact with your blood allows the infection to pass into your system.
Think you would pick it off before it bit you? Well, no. It is usually the nymph stage of the ticks life cycle that carries the disease, and they are a lot harder to see than the adults! And - they have materials in their saliva that prevent you from feeling pain where they are feeding.
Therefore, making sure that you are well covered in clothing or natural tick repellent is a must. Especially from May through September as this is when the nymph stages are most active.
What Are The Symptoms of Lyme Disease?
There are currently 3 distinct stages of Lyme Disease, but not all stages have symptoms and symptoms can vary immensely from person to person, so these are only a guide.
Stage 1: Local Infection.
Well, you may well get a large rash at the wound site within a few days or up to a month, looking a bit like a ‘bulls-eye’. However, not all people get the rash and it is generally painless.
You could also experience flu-like symptoms, including headaches, tiredness, muscle soreness and a fever. But you could get no noticeable symptoms at all at this stage.
Stage 2: Spreading Infection.
After the initial localised rash, the infection starts to spread around the body in the bloodstream and it is possible to get more rashes anywhere across the body.
Others include a purple lump appearing on the earlobe or other extremities, heart palpitations and muscle, joint and tendon pain. If Stage 1 was left untreated, symptoms can be worse - and include meningitis and facial paralysis (Bell’s palsy). Also shooting pains throughout the body and swelling on the brain have been noted as well as mood changes!
Stage 3: Late Persistent Infection.
This is usually only found in untreated patients - and is reason enough to prevent tick bites in the first place!
Many patients go on to develop severe (short term) or chronic (long-term) symptoms including many important organs: brain and heart, as well as nerves, eyes and joints - and can be disabling. In severe cases it can even be fatal!
And Your Pets?
Dogs, cats, horses and even cattle can get Lyme Disease too from infected tick bites - although the symptoms and time scale are different. It has even been identified in other small mammals.
How To Prevent Infection:
So, when you are planning a summer trip to the woods - make sure you have adequate protection for your skin - either with clothes or natural and organic repellent sprays.
May is actually Lyme Disease Awareness Month, to raise the profile of the problems surrounding this little known but growing infection. Although it is not transmitted people-to-people, it is still important not to get infected in the first place, and to avoid the symptoms.
Don’t let this put you off having a great eco adventure in the forest - but just be aware that we have nasty little bugs too!
May 13th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
For all of you who are vactioning at home this year, I recommend Damminix Tick Tubes. Protect yourself from potentially getting bitten by an infected tick in your own back yard. The tubes are targeted and eco friendly.They contain permethrin treated cotton balls which mice use for bedding in their nests, thereby killing the ticks they carry without harm to themselves. You can get them online at http://www.ticktubes.com. Thye are very effective, and harmless to the environment.