Posted on 05/20/2022 11:10:40 PM PDT by Right Wing Vegan
Lyme disease, caused by the bacterium Borrelia burdogferi which is transferred through bites from hard ticks, has gone from being practically unheard of in Spain to a worrying endemic problem in just a few short years.
A study conducted between 2005 and 2019 shows not only an increase of 191.80% in hospitalisations, but also a widening of the geographical distribution of the disease. In the 14 years covered, a total of 1,865 people were diagnosed with Lyme disease in Spain, the majority of whom were men (58.71%) and people aged over 65 years (34.48%).
Rosa Estévez, one of the authors of the report, explained that the purpose of the study was to aid the development of a national protocol for dealing with the disease and to learn more about its prevalence in Spain.
“This disease was not considered to exist in Spain, but little by little it has been identified that there are ticks and that they are infected. Transmission is very simple and our country has large areas of forests and fields,” she said.
Indeed, the increase in diagnoses has been largely attributed to a booming tick population thanks to climate change, more exposure due to changing agricultural and livestock activities, the vast number of reservoirs in Spain and the change in routes of migratory birds.
Lyme disease begins with nonspecific flu-like symptoms that can be accompanied by a rash. Early antibiotic treatment is essential for the patient to prevent serious joint, cardiac and neurological problems further down the line, but since the tick bite is painless and practically unnoticeable, medical attention often comes far too late.
Ms Estévez explained that “the disease is not fatal, but the problem is that it is totally disabling. With an early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment, the bacteria can be eliminated and leave no consequences”.
Each year the authorities in Spain issue alerts and advice on how to reduce the chances of being bitten by ticks, such as wearing long trousers when walking in high grass and thoroughly examining the neck, behind the ears, armpits and groin after being out and about.
The expert has advised that people should never remove a tick themselves, as part of it can be left embedded in the skin, potentially causing disease, but to go to a medical centre and leave the job to the professionals.
It’s vital that medical attention is sought within 12 hours of being bitten by a tick to prevent the sting being absorbed into the bloodstream.
Ticks in Spain is at the top of my list of concerns.
Monkeyticks?
Threat of rising sea levels and its effects on world populations causes anxiety in ticks, who worry about their futures. This increases their stress, causing them to over-eat and self-medicate, and blame humans for their worsening mental health. So they lash out, naturally, the only way they can.
Best way not to be ticked about it.
The true point!
Take a hot match head to the body,and it will poke its head upe
(Threat of rising sea levels and its effects on world populations causes anxiety in ticks, who worry about their futures. This increases their stress, causing them to over-eat and self-medicate, and blame humans for their worsening mental health. So they lash out, naturally, the only way they can.)
My goodness.
This was written by a great person of science!
What floats?
Leaves!
Very small rocks!
A duck!
😂😄😅😂🤣
That isn’t encouraged anymore, as they can vomit into you as they react to heat. The tweezers to remove them have a pointy head to slide under them to avoid squeezing the abdomen for the same reason (they are supposed to reach all the way up to the head, but that can be difficult). Another tool (”tick key”, sold for pets but certainly usable for humans) uses the logic of the hammer claw to slide it under them, ideally getting the body above it before pulling it out - with the mouth being drawn out as the “unsqueezed” body is lifted.
I find its easier to just keep them off in the first place with Permethrin treatments on clothes I sue to hike/camp (kills them instead of repelling them); good for 6 weeks or 6 washings, and available at Wally World. Exposed skin gets Deep Woods Off...
Hot matches won’t work on seed ticks. They are way too small.
Q: What is the CoupFlu vaxx rate for patients hospitalized with Lyme in Spain...?
I’ve found the easiest was to remove a tick is to grasp it with your fingernails just behind the mouth parts(shoulder area), then pull slowly straight out till the “POP” out. Don’t twist them.
For small ticks I simply scratch them out and often can capture the tick beneath my fingernail.
Been doing it for 65 years since dad moved us to the tick and chigger infested Ozarks.
We're fortunate the good Freeper is on our side and uncorruptible, staunchly refusing opportunities to make 150k a pop presenting at UN forums.
If I took that advise when I was a kid. I would have been to the hospital every day. When I was young, pulling ticks off was a skill taught to every kid by the age of four.
IIRC, the problem is if you screw up the removal, and the tick’s mouthparts get left in your hide, you can’t reliably test what’s left of the tick for Lyme.
If you want to spare yourself an unnecessary dosing with doxycyline, let a healthcare professional remove the little expletive-deleted.
We had Rocky Mountain Spotted fever long before Lyme disease showed up and that disease has a pretty high fatality rate.
I live in the NE.
Been there, done that, got the dang tee shirt.
I just purely hate doxycyline.
I’d rather have a root canal.
And I speak from experience with both.
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