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The Dangers of Lyme Disease - A Personal Warning
The female (5-10mm) is larger than the male (2-3mm) (opens in new window)
SAC Consultants in Inverness have used their local Newsletter to issue a timely warning to their Highland Clients about ticks and the “Lyme Disease” they carry.
Farm Business Services Here Consultant Jenny McCallum outlines key factors about ticks and the dangers they pose. She goes on to use a friends experience as a case study to highlight issues surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
She emphasises that the best defence against ticks is through awareness and preventative measures. While it is generally assumed that ticks are most active between October and November and again during April and May, studies have proved they can be found questing all year round and at temperatures as low as 3.5°C. UK Ticks carry many diseases including viruses, bacteria, rickettsia and protozoa. Several of these can cause debilitating symptoms in humans including Lyme disease and there are no vaccines available to protect humans against them.
Jenny’s friend Jane Thomson’s experience highlights how devastating a blow Lyme disease can be and how important it is to act quickly.
Jane’s Story
I am an active outdoor person, pretty fit, part time crofter and keen endurance rider. With my horse Harley I compete in rides up to 40 miles in a day. In 2008, within 8 weeks after being bitten by a tick, I was unable to walk up the stairs without a rest in the middle, and was sleeping for 15 to 20 hours a day. I had Lyme disease, or to give it the scientific name, Borreliosis.
I was bitten in August, during a walk over rough grassland in Easter Ross. After 2 weeks a large, red rash appeared on my calf which grew at a phenomenal rate, but wasn’t particularly itchy or hot. I saw a GP and asked if it could be Lyme, and they said no.
By the time I went back a month later the rash looked like the classic ‘bull’s eye’, with the rings almost meeting round the back of my leg. This time blood tests confirmed it was Lyme and I went on antibiotics straight away. It was during the course of the antibiotics that I became unable to function – walking was an effort, going up slopes or stairs was virtually impossible, I was permanently exhausted and unable to work.
This continued for several months. A further course of antibiotics had no effect. By now I was experiencing numbness and tingling down my right side, extreme pains in my legs, and nerve pain in my face. Sometimes at night I would wake up and not be able to feel the tops of my legs; it was terrifying and I seriously thought I would lose the use of my legs.
I pushed for an appointment at Raigmore, and eventually in February 2009 saw a fantastic consultant who put me straight onto intra-venous antibiotics for a month. I finished the course just in time for lambing!
It proved a turning point, and from there things did and have improved. It took a long time, but gradually I got stronger again, started riding again, and went back to work full-time. The numbness abated and my energy increased slowly. Life returned vaguely to normal.
Now, 2 years and 5 months since I was bitten, though very much better, I still have mobility problems. My legs are still quite weak and walking up slopes is still exhausting. Running is no longer part of my vocabulary! I still take pain relief at night, it is then my legs really hurt. However, I am back to doing most things – though 40 mile rides still elude me!
Throughout my ordeal with Lyme I had help from a charity called BADA-UK – Borreliosis and Associated Diseases Awareness UK. It is well worth looking at the website to arm yourself with information about ticks and Lyme Disease, and ways to minimise the risk of contracting it. There is no need to be afraid to go out into the countryside, or to carry out your normal daily farming/crofting tasks, but just be a bit more aware of ticks and the problems Lyme disease can cause.
Top Tips against Ticks
- Wear gaiters or longs socks with trousers tucked in. Elasticated hems at ankle, wrist and waist also help.
- Use a repellent. Insect repellents that contain "permethrin" can be sprayed on to clothing. DO NOT APPLY THIS CHEMICAL DIRECTLY TO SKIN. Allow clothing to dry thoroughly before wearing (N.B. Permethrin is highly toxic to cats. Make sure they do not come into contact with treated clothing). Repellents that contain 25% "DEET" can be applied to skin but they evaporate quickly and need repeated application. N.B. Confine application to small areas of the arms, legs, and neck, as treatment over large areas can cause toxicity, especially in children. "DEET"-free and herbal products for topical application are available from various outlets.
- Carry a tick remover and antiseptic wipes. Get someone to check you over for ticks at the end of the day.
- Avoid overhanging vegetation at the edge of paths where possible.
- Treat your pets for ticks.
For more information contact Jenny McCallum, SAC Farm Business Services, at 01463 233266. Jenny.mccallum@sac.co.uk