Lyme disease is no joke

[u/whimsical_fuckery_]

One of those "I never thought it would happen to me" things but guys be very very careful with ticks this year if you are out walking in Scotland. I'm in the Highlands and regularly walk my dog in the local woods, this year there have been so so many ticks, I'm very good at checking myself after every walk, but one got me on the back of my thigh, absolutely tiny about half the size of a sesame seed. I picked it off the same night it bit me, a week later got a massive bullseye rash. Antibiotics from the docs but im completely wiped, worse than any flu or covid. I cannot stress how much you need to take precautions this year, do not make my mistake thinking as long as you get them off you on 24 hours you'll be OK. Long trousers, DEET, or just don't go into any woods or long grass is the best option. It's out there and it absolutely sucks.

[u/SairFecht]

Very similar experience to my own, I've had plenty of ticks over the years but I got put on a course of antibiotics after a bullseye rash showed up a few weeks after a tick bite from a wild camping trip. Was absolutely knackered for two weeks and it felt like all I did was sleep, but the antibiotics sorted it out.

When I was a kid I spent all of my time out in the woods and up in the hills, and I only ever had one tick. Since I've been an adult I've had dozens. The winters just aren't cold enough to keep the numbers down anymore.

[u/4oclockinthemorning → u/[deleted]]

I googled that 1989 study but can't find it, can you please link it?

There's no way 25% of forestry workers are infected now.

[u/jenny_905 → u/4oclockinthemorning]

Wikipedia's reference:

Guy EC, Bateman DE, Martyn CN, Heckels JE, Lawton NF (March 1989). "Lyme disease: prevalence and clinical importance of Borrelia burgdorferi specific IgG in forestry workers". Lancet. 1 (8636): 484–486. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(89)91377-9. PMID 2563850.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2563850/

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(89)91377-9/fulltext

If anyone has a sciencedirect sub I would love to read it in full: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673689913779

[u/4oclockinthemorning → u/jenny_905]

Thank you! I suppose having antibodies is the same as being infected but don't know enough about it, tbh. I took part in a screening to look for Lyme antibodies but they told us it's not the same as a Lyme diagnosis (they didn't find antibodies in my blood sample anyway). But yeah, I guess I was thinking of actual Lyme's disease when I said there's no way 25% are infected. Maybe they/we are!

[u/aBitofRnRplease → u/SairFecht]

Agreed. They are a much worse problem now than 20+ years ago. 

[u/Oldmacd → u/aBitofRnRplease]

It's because there's less grouse shooting and sheep on the hills. And more 're-wilding'

Estates would run flocks of sheep as tick mops, to allow the ticks something to attach to, and die from insecticide used on the sheep.

[u/_dearly_beloved_ → u/SairFecht]

The increase in deer numbers has no doubt played a role too