Probably Weill's disease if he's a canoeist. Carried in rat's urine and a bit unpleasant.
Probably Weill's disease if he's a canoeist. Carried in rat's urine and a bit unpleasant.
They can be hard to spot, sometimes when I've had them I have at first assumed that they were part of the general mud and dirt on my legs, but they don't wash off! Really just look like a hard raised speck of black.
Don't just check your legs though- they like warmth so once they are on you they crawl up to a hot spot. Last year after orienteering I found one on my tummy, and have had another on the back of my shoulder.
They are that size when they first bite and latch on but once they've been sucking your blood for a while they swell to about the size of a pea and are unmistakeable. You really need to get rid of them before then though as the longer they are attached the higher the risk of contracting Lyme's disease. Have a look on IanDarkPeak's link here.Originally Posted by Bladerunner
Pudgy...you're right...I got confused...Weills, Limes its easily done
Janeho...don't like the sound of this...there a couple of warm patches closer to my legs than my tummy that I would want to find one of them feasting on
The organism enters the body through breaks in the skin such as cuts, blisters and abrasions, or via the lining of the nose, throat or alimentary tract. The incubation period is 7-13 days and the disease starts with a fever, muscular aches and pains, loss of appetite and vomiting with prostration. Subsequent bruising of the skin, sore eyes, nose bleeds and jaundice may occur. The fever lasts about five days and may be followed by significant deterioration.
Ah the power of Google. Or are you that organism?
See IainR's post earlier in this threadJaneho...don't like the sound of this...there a couple of warm patches closer to my legs than my tummy that I would want to find one of them feasting on
I find the NHS direct Health encyclopedia website good for all these 'natural born killers' like Lyme's, Leptospirosis, tetanus etc. Here is the link for Lyme Disease which is spread by infected ticks
http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles...36§ionId=1
Stu
Many fellrunners will know that LD is a threat - I have a friend who's sister is now seriously disabled as a result of a single tick bite in Wales - can happen to any of us. There is a petition on the No 10 website to petition the Prime Minister to put in place Clinical Guidelines, SPECIFIC to the United Kingdom, for the diagnosis and treatment of all patients, including children, who have acquired Lyme disease or associated Tick-borne diseases. These guidelines should be part of a national strategy to combat this increasingly common threat to health in the United Kingdom and should address the UK presentation of Lyme disease and other emerging Tick-borne Diseases.
The E-Petition will run until 7th April 2009. Anyone living in the UK can sign, so your friends, relations and colleagues can do it too!
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Lyme-guidelines/#detail
Consider it signed! x
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