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The West Nile Virus and Lyme Disease


Dee

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The West Nile Virus is some nasty stuff. Make sure you take precautions when your out and about, anywhere in the US. My mom works for The Disease Control Center and the virus is spreading out west. We have already had several dead crows and other dead birds found in my area, and they have all tested positive for West Nile.

Lyme Disease is another summertime disease to be careful about picking up. A few years ago I was on the Cape and a big old tick bit me on the butt, stuck to my butt and had to be taken out with tweezers. I had a bullseye mark on my butt that people could see for miles. Even with several courses of meds the Lyme still kicks in every once and a while. These are not so nice diseases. Take safety precautions when your outside.

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On ticks....

The deer tick which is a major carrier of Lyme's Disease is extremely small. They can attach to human host in any of their stages, though mostly during nymph or adult stage. During these stages the tick is the size of a period or freckle. That is pretty darn small, folks.

Opinions vary on the amount of time it takes a tick to transmit disease (Lyme's isn't the only tick-borne disease BTW), from 10 hours to 48 depending on who you talk to. The biggest thing is check thoroughly and check often. Use a mirror for those hard to see places (yes, this includes "private areas"--ticks don't discriminate) and ask a family member to check your back and scalp. During tick season, 2x a day is recommended.

Unlike what most people think, ticks do not see you walking beneath them and jump out of trees onto you. They are in the grass and low vegetation and when you brush one, it attaches to you and climbs up. Don't think that because you live in suburbia or don't go in the woods you're safe. Do you have lawn? Do you have pets that go outside?

Though deer ticks are the major carriers of Lyme's, they aren't the only ones. Other ticks can carry it too. If you remove a tick and a few days to several weeks later develop achiness or flu-like symptoms (rash is NOT present for 1/3 of Lyme's) SEE YOUR DOCTOR and TELL the doc you removed a tick this long ago. Some doctors won't ask and will just diagnose flu and send you home, especially if you are in a low-Lyme's area. The earlier treatment is begun, the better your chances of full recovery.

OK....ahem.... grin.gif....y'all glad to have me back now? Sorry....*blush*

As you can see from my sig, I'm a woodsy-type person....used to moderate the (no longer) Wilderness Survival forum at this site. I'll stop now. smile.gif

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