Lyme disease

[Gil Boyd]

One disease worth keeping tabs on is Lyme Disease.
It has always been flagged up on UK Military ranges that the Lyme tick is prevalent and one to be aware of for those spending great deal of time tramping around areas where deer live.

The disease first came to notice in Lyme Connecticut in the USA and thereafter named Lyme disease. It has reared its head again in the UK having come across the pond many years ago, and thought I would mention it on here for all shooters to be aware of if you have medical symptoms that don't compute and you can't tie it down specifically.........worth remembering.
Here is an article that wiped out a whole family who luckily recovered once it was identified. Watch the short video on the tick to see what the little devil looks like.........remember this can cause death.

Phones 4u founder John Caudwell's whole family is struck with Lyme disease | Daily Mail Online

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[muffett.2008]

Creating a bit of a problem in OZ too, Medical profession has it's head in the sand.

[Gil Boyd]

Seems to be getting everywhere it is been around since being identified in 1975, with thousands of cases have been reported in the USA alone. Lyme disease is less common in the UK with 998 possible cases being reported in 2012.

Not all are reported so the total number of cases each year is unknown. However, it is estimated to be 2,000 to 3,000. This is because many cases are not formally diagnosed and clear away without any treatment. Most people affected are forestry workers and other outdoor workers but visitors and holidaymakers to countryside areas where ticks are found are at risk.

Over half of infections acquired in the UK are known to have been caught in the southern counties of England. Areas where it is most common tend to be centres of outdoor activity - in particular, the New Forest, Thetford Forest, the South Downs, Exmoor, the Lake District, the North York moors and the Scottish Highlands. Up to a fifth of Lyme disease is caught while abroad - in particular, the USA, France, Germany, Austria, Scandinavia, and eastern and central Europe.

[Badger]

It's a growing problem here in Canada as well...

Seeing new cases increasing every summer..

Regards,
Doug

[Gil Boyd]

Both our "major" Military training areas have numerous signs now around making soldiers aware of the existance of the Lyme Tick, especially West Tofts in Norfolk which is heavily forested and is renowned for heavy deer and sheep populations.

On sniper courses and shoots where the guys have spent many hours on their bellies in static locations, the old buddy buddy system gets used heavily on inspection for these little critters and sheep ticks to, which always hit the warmer spots on the human body.........cheeky little buggers!!

Worth remembering the symptoms, which are akin to flu in many cases!!

[cplstevennorton]

I actually caught Rocky Mountain spotted fever in 2002 while in the Marines. Its basically the cousin of lyme disease. It about nearly killed me and I still have a lot of issues from it. Mostly in my eyes, it caused optic nerve damage.

The tick born diseases are no joke.

[browningautorifle]

In '77 while in Canungra Queensland we did the body search regularly, and regularly found ticks. Get them early...and no one went down from that.

[CINDERS]

Its is surely here in Australia muffets correct our medical people or the Govt refute the claims of sufferers, after I go traipsing around the scrub I check all the spots, on a shooting course not long ago in Jurien Bay West Au where were were being taught to wring the most out of our calibers we were laying in an open paddock the double gees were a pain but one of the shooters found a tick on the second night where the No.2's come from. The coach refused to remove it and left it to the owner of the tick to get it by mirror oooer? We taped our trouser legs as apparently they are immune to aeroguard.

[Gil Boyd]

I hope he alone travelled to the depths of his own area and the hell out of the little mite.
Surprised he found it on his own

Always found leeches got past all those types of precautions and I am sure these will to!!

[enfield303t]

Here in Canada we have our head in the sand also. IIRC there was a Dr. in BC who was warning about it and that seemed to rile the profession, not sure what the end result was but think he moved out of the province.

My daughter had it in its early stage this spring. The Dr. told her she was wrong, she felt pretty crappy, went to another Dr. who immediately put her on the antibiotic treatment and BINGO she started to improve within a few days. Clear of it now thankfully as it is extremely debilitating if not diagnosed and treated. Yes she had it and thankful the second Dr. took immediate action, she had the classic "target" on her arm.

I am at a loss why so many in the medical profession won't test for it, especially when you show the classic "target" symptom.

There is a clothing treatment and I think the US military are starting to treat some uniforms with it. The treatment will withstand several times washing the clothing HOWEVER it is deadly to cats IIRC so that is a issue with it.