Archive for the ‘Ticks’ Category

A Runner’s Guide to Tick Prevention & Removal (Much of Which is Wrong)

https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a32006656/tick-removal-tick-prevention/

A Runner’s Guide to Tick Prevention and Removal

As the weather warms up, more outdoor runs means a greater exposure to ticks. Here’s how to prepare.
By and JORDAN SMITH

© SANTIAGO URQUIJOGETTY IMAGES

As the weather warms up, more of us head outdoors and wander off paved roads onto trails or into wooded areas to run. That, unfortunately, means a greater risk of exposure to ticks. While no one wants to deal with ticks, there are a few preventative steps we can take to help avoid tick bites and prevent tick-borne illnesses.

If you do happen to find a tick, there are a few important things you need to know. We talked to tick and infectious disease experts to find out everything from prerun tick prevention, to tick removal, to the signs, symptoms, and treatments of Lyme disease.  (See link for article)

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**Comment**

Shame on Dr. Mather for stating  an adult blacklegged tick has to be attached for two days or more to give people a high risk of contracting Lyme disease.  Also, shame on him for perpetuating the “one dose of doxy” myth as a proactive measure.  Mather is a leading expert on ticks but strikes out twice here.

For more on these issues: 

 

Aucott’s statement that Lyme is a “benign” organism is also out of touch.  From everything I’ve learned over the years, I can state that borrelia is one of the most complex organisms known to man. Couple that with the issue of coinfection involvement, and you have an extremely complex disease process.  If it’s so benign, why have we struggled to no avail for over 40 years?  Aucott seems to have completely bought the argument that it’s just our immune system that’s the problem.

Interestingly, after Aucott calls Borrelia “benign” he then goes onto talk about what the CDC has coined “Post treatment Lyme disease syndrome” or PTLDS and that there’s no treatment, no test, and calls it a world class dilemma which is a real biological phenomenon. I thought it was benign?  Again, we are comparing apples to oranges as some, apparently Aucott, believe it’s just our immune systems to blame.

The article also states that 30% don’t get the rash.  That number is not accurate. Depending upon who’s counting, it’s highly variable with anywhere from 25-80% getting it. So many don’t get it that using it for diagnosis is fool-hearty.  If you get it, great – you have Lyme, but if you don’t get it – it means nothing.

The continued myth that only 20% go onto to develop persistent symptoms is also completely inaccurate.  According to this, upto 60% can struggle with continuing symptoms:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/02/25/medical-stalemate-what-causes-continuing-symptoms-after-lyme-treatment/

Dr. Donta comes the the rescue by speaking out for patients. He states:

“The National Institutes of Health has not agreed to have further treatment trials.…so it is left to clinicians like myself who in their clinical experience have sorted out what works and what doesn’t work.”

So there you have it.  What little research exists is owned by The Cabal with clear conflicts of interest who control the study parameters for a pre-determined outcome.  Clinicians are forced to muddle through and figure it out the best they can.  What a predicament – that’s been going on for over 40 years and continues to this day. In light of current events, please remember this debacle and how much of science has been bought out – yielding little more than propaganda. 

For more:  

 

 

 

More on Tick prevention & how to remove a tick:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/12/tick-prevention-2019/

 

 

 

Category:

Prevention, research, Ticks

Infected Ixodes Ricinus Ticks Attracted By EMF of 900 MHz

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1877959X19301979?

Infected Ixodes ricinus ticks are attracted by electromagnetic radiation of 900 MHz

March 19, 2020

Abstract

The electromagnetic field (EMF) is known to influence functions of the nervous, cardiovascular and reproductive systems of many animals, including ticks. The aim of this study was to test the behavior of ticks in the presence of radio-frequency EMF. For testing, 160 adult male and 140 adult female unfed Ixodes ricinus ticks were used. Individuals were exposed to 900 MHz EMF in the Radiation–Shielded Tube (RST). Ticks were attracted to the irradiated area. This effect was significantly stronger for ticks infected with Rickettsia spp., suggesting that pathogens can alter the ticks’ response to environmental stimuli.

These results lead to the question of whether man-made EMF may have an impact on I. ricinus activity and, as such, be a contributing factor to the ongoing changes in the distribution of the tick and its pathogens currently observed in Europe and elsewhere.

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**Comment**

Great work here and exposes yet another reason we should be concerned about EMF and 5-G rollout. This adds a fly into the ointment of all of those who want to blame the climate for tick and pathogen distribution. It certainly doesn’t fit the accepted narrative, but could very well turn out to be a major contributing factor to tick movement.  Independent research has proven the climate to be a moot point regarding ticks:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/11/07/ticks-on-the-move-due-to-migrating-birds-and-photoperiod-not-climate-change/

Mainstream medicine is in complete denial about the effects of EMF on the human body. Lyme/MSIDS patients once again are told that their sensitivity to it is “all in their heads.” For those that look; however, there’s much to indicate we should be quite concerned about EMF:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/11/02/new-russian-list-of-emf-hazard-prohibition-signs-for-wireless-users-general-public/ and https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/08/21/5g-risk-the-scientific-perspective/

We should also be especially concerned now due to 5G being fast-tracked due to COVID-19: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/03/31/how-surveillance-5g-are-being-fast-tracked-under-the-pretext-of-fighting-coronavirus-study-showing-risks-to-health/ (It’s under the pretext of surveillance for public health, but will not only infringe upon civil rights but will cause harm to living cells.)

I’m extremely thankful for those who dare to tread down a path that others are probably laughing at, but all we have to do is look at the recent history with Alzheimer’s research to learn a valuable lesson IF we actually learn from it:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/01/05/the-maddening-saga-of-how-an-alzheimers-cabal-thwarted-progress-toward-a-cure-for-decades/Excerpt:

Alzheimer’s has a Cabal similarly to Lyme in that research has been hijacked by a group of individuals with blinders on (or vested interests or both).  According to Norins, the 2017 Alzheimer’s Association had a conference in London where researchers from 70 countries could share progress.  A keyword index of the presentations showed the largest entries:

  • 110 entries were for amyloid/APP
  • 85 entries for tau, the tangled protein
  • 45 entries for Inflammation—the body’s reaction to something

Presentations of germ importance had only single digit presence:

  • 8 entries for prion proteins
  • 4 entries for infectious disease 
  • 1 entry for bacteria 
  • Virus was not even listed as a keyword

For more on 5G: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/04/25/coronavirus-science-policy-politics-5g/  (More links within)

Category:

research, Testing, Ticks

Predict High Season for Ticks

https://www.easthamptonstar.com/villages-health/2020416/predict-high-season-ticks

Predict High Season for Ticks

A lone star tick, which can be a carrier of human ehrlichiosis and other infections, can be found in the eastern and southern U.S.  National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
By Christine Sampson
April 16, 2020

With consistently warmer weather on the way, and already here on some days, and people out and about enjoying that weather, one particular pest has the potential to cause havoc: ticks.     

Health professionals said this week that symptoms of some tick-borne diseases can mimic those of Covid-19, and an already stressed health care system may not be able to handle an influx of new patients who have been bitten by ticks and get sick.

“It confuses the picture of trying to assess and see if someone is positive for Lyme disease,” said Rebecca Young, a nurse who is the patient navigator for the Stony Brook Southampton Hospital Regional Tick-Borne Disease Research Center. “That’s what a lot of the conversations are about. Because we had a warm winter, I’m sure it will be a high season for ticks, especially since there are so many more people out here for this time of year.”

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**Comment**

Important quote:

Fever, chills, weakness, headaches and body aches, and even respiratory symptoms can occur with the bite of an infected tick. (Not all ticks carry an infection.) Illnesses like Lyme disease, babesiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, anaplasmosis, Powassan, and others — though not all are present in this region — have symptoms that can overlap with those of Covid-19.     

The doctor interviewed for the piece states that due to current restrictions, treatment for tick-borne illness may be hard to get.  He also states that those who suspect TBI may end up in the E.R. because of the similar symptoms, and get exposed to COVID-19 while there.

For more: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/category/lyme-disease-treatment/

 

Category:

Lyme, Testing, Ticks

Help! I Got Bit By a Tick! What Do I Do?

The following article is a great resource. Please file this away somewhere handy so you can retrieve it if you need it.

https://www.lymedisease.org/tick-bite/

LYME SCI: Help! I’ve gotten a tick bite. Now what?

By Lonnie Marcum

Nov. 2019

Help, I've been bitten by a tick

Tick season is in full-swing. How do I know that? I wake up practically every day to another text or email from a friend or relative telling me they had a tick bite.

Last week, I got a desperate call from a relative whose son had found a tick embedded in his skin after a camping trip. Both my cousin and her son are well aware of my daughter’s missed diagnosis and years’ long battle with Lyme and co-infections. Needless to say, they were in a panic. More about this later…

Of course the best thing is toprevent tick bitesin the first place, but life happens and that’s probably why you’re reading this.

Here’s my advice if you have a tick bite:

Step 1 – Take A Picture Of The Tick That Bit You

Take a picture while the tick is still attached. This will show details of the tick that can help you identify it later. It will also show how deeply embedded the tick is, how engorged it is, and if a rash has already formed prior to you removing the tick and cleaning the area.

Step 2 – Remove The Tick

See how the tick mouth looks during a tick biteProper and prompt removal of the tickis critical. Read this section very carefully beforegetting started. If you do not feel comfortable removing the tick, see your physician or go to the nearest urgent care. (Although I’ve heard horror stories of MDs improperly removing ticks…)

  • DO NOT squeeze, twist or squash the tick. Don’t burn it with a match or cover it with Vaseline or nail polish. Squeezing or agitating the tick may force it to expel more pathogens into your body.
  • Use fine-point tweezers or a special tick-removing tool. Grasp the ticks mouth parts or get as close to the skin as possible.
  • DO NOT pull back sharply; this may tear the mouthparts from the body of the tick and leave them embedded in the skin.
  • Pull the tick straight out with steady, slow, even pressure as pictured above. Be patient. The tick has long mouthparts. Pull steadily without twisting until you can ease the tick head straight out of the skin. It may take several seconds to a few minutes for the tick to unhook its mouth.
  • Wash the bite area and your hands with soap and water. Disinfect the site with rubbing alcohol, then apply a triple antibiotic ointment or antiseptic.

Step 3 – Identify The Tick You Were Bitten By

Tweet Image

It’s important to identify the tickbecause different kinds of ticks can carry different bacteria, viruses, protozoa and parasites. (Lyme disease isn’t the only thing you need to worry about with ticks bites.)

There are two families of ticks found in the United States: Ixodidae (hard ticks) and Argasidae (soft ticks). Of the 700 species of hard ticks and 200 species of soft ticks found throughout the world, only a few are known to bite and transmit disease to humans. Knowing the type of tick will help you be aware of what possible symptoms to watch for.

Here’s How To Identify A Tick After A Tick Bite:

  • After removing the tick, place it on a white piece of paper or clear tape, then take a picture of the front and back of the tick. DO NOT let it crawl away.
  • Place the tick in a small plastic bag with a green leaf, damp cotton ball or moist piece of tissue. DO NOT place it in alcohol. Label the bag with your name, date, site of bite and how long the tick was attached.
  • Use one of the following links to identify the tick. (If you can’t identify the tick, don’t worry, the testing lab will do it for you. Step 5 below)
    • TickEncounter.org(you can submit a picture of the tick and they will identify for free)
    • or you can download the TickTracker appon your smart phone.[Optional: log your information in the app if you’d like advance knowledge of ticks in your area.]

Step 4 – See Your Primary Care Doctor

Before you get to the doctor, I highly recommend doing a little research about what tick-borne diseases are known to be in your area’s ticks.

There are a lot of misconceptions surrounding Lyme and tick-borne diseases. These are the main points I think you need to know before heading to the doctor:

The Following Are The Most Common Misunderstood Facts About Tick Bites:

tick bite rash

  1. Ticks can transmit several pathogens(especially viruses) in as little as 15 minutes.While it is true that the longer a tick is attached, the more likely it is able to transfer Lyme, no one really knows how long a tick needs to be attached to transmit infection. A minimum attachment time has NEVER been established. It is dangerous to assume there is zero risk of contracting a disease if the tick has been attached less than 24 hours.
  2. Not everyone with Lyme gets a rash. Studies have shown that only 40-60% of Lyme patients will get an erythema migrans rash, and only 20-30% of those will present as the telltale bullseye rash. Several other tick-borne diseases may cause a rash. See here for Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and other common rickettsial rashes.
  3. A Single dose of Doxycycline is only effective at reducing the tick bite rash. It does not adequately treat any of the known pathogens. In fact, a single dose of doxy may only prevent the rash from surfacing, masking a crucial sign of illness. (Dr. Daniel Cameron does a great job of explaining the science here.)
  4. There is no point in testing for Lyme if you’ve just been bitten by a tick. First, Lyme disease is a clinical diagnosis based on signs and symptoms and history of possible exposure to infected blacklegged ticks. Second, the test for Lyme is prone to false-negatives, especially in the first 4-6 weeks, before the body has had a chance to produce the antibodies that are detected by the standard test. Each tick-borne disease requires a different test, and some of them are more accurate than others. Testing the tick can help you know what you’ve been exposed to. More about Lyme disease testing here:
If your Lyme disease test is negative, that doesn’t mean you are out of danger. It depends on your exposure and your symptoms.

Step 5 – Start Tick Bite Treatment

Rather than give medical advice about recommended treatment, I’m going to quote the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS – how to handle a tick bite):

“ILADS recommends that prophylaxis (preventive treatment) be discussed with all who have had a blacklegged tick bite. An appropriate course of antibiotics has been shown to prevent the onset of infection.

When the decision is made to use antibiotic prophylaxis, ILADS recommends 20 days of doxycycline (provided there are no contraindications).The decision to treat a blacklegged tick bite with antibiotics often depends on where in the country the bite occurred, whether there was evidence that the tick had begun feeding, and the age of the person who was bitten.  Based on the available evidence, and provided that it is safe to do so, ILADS recommends a 20-day course of doxycycline.

Patients should also know that although doxycycline can prevent cases of Lyme disease, ticks in some areas carry multiple pathogens, some of which, including Babesia, Powassan virus, and Bartonella, are not responsive to doxycycline. This means a person could contract a tick-borne illness despite receiving antibiotic prophylaxis for their known bite.

ILADS recommends against single-dose doxycycline. Some doctors prescribe a single 200 mg dose of doxycycline for a known bite. However, as discussed in detail in the guidelines, this practice is based on a flawed study that has never been replicated.

Read more in the ILADS treatment guidelines.

Step 6 – Mail The Tick For Testing

Knowing what diseases the tick is carrying (if anything) will either give you peace of mind or provide valuable clues as to what symptoms to watch for and which disease(s) to treat. One thing we know for sure, early treatment for any tick-borne disease is the key to full recovery. Delaying treatment by as little as 3-4 weeks can increase your odds of having long-term damage.

Many states offer free tick testing, although they may only test for one or two pathogens. You can call your local public health department and see what they offer.

I recommend sending the tick in for testing to determine if the tick is carrying any pathogens that can lead to tick-borne illness. If you can not find free testing, I recommend one of following laboratories:

  • IGeneX(tests individually for up to 8 pathogens, $75 each)
  • Tick Report(test for up to 23 pathogens, $50 – $200)
  • Ticknology(test for up to 11 pathogens, $25 – $45)

Step 7 – Start Tracking Symptoms From Your Tick Bite

Immediately start tracking any symptoms that are out of the ordinary.  On a calendar or diary, write down any flu-like symptoms, headache, fever, ringing in the ears, weird numbness or tingling, facial palsy, nausea, migrating pain, joint swelling, night sweats. Seriously, write down anything that is not normal for you.  Symptoms of tick-borne diseases can begin anywhere from 1-3 days to 4-6 weeks after the bite. (More about tick bite symptoms to watch for)

Observe the bite site over the next three weeks for any signs of a rash. Take pictures of any visible changes anywhere on your body (not just the bite site). Place a quarter or tape measure next to any rash for size reference.

Let your doctor know immediately of any signs of illness. (Check your symptoms for Lyme.)

Step 8 – Await The Results Of Your Tick Test

Most of these results are coming back within a week. During that time, monitor your symptoms and notify your doctor if anything gets worse. If you are on doxycycline, you may actually avoid getting sick.

Once the results come back you will need to discuss what to do. If the tick is positive, you will want to stay on treatment. Many ILADS practitioners will prescribe 4-6 weeks for early Lyme.Other pathogens, like Anaplasmaor Ehrlichia, will be treated for a different duration. Babesia is treated with an entirely different medication.

If the tick test is negative, that doesn’t mean you are out of danger. It depends on your exposure and your symptoms. One thing to consider is how long you were exposed to the ticks and whether there could have been another bite that you did not see. Even though one tick is negative, another tick could have been positive. This is something you will really need to discuss with your medical provider.

What happened to my relative?

To finish the story about my cousin’s son. I basically told them everything I have spelled out above. Just as I predicted, when they got to the doctor, he said, “If the tick hasn’t been attached for over 24 hours you’ve got nothing to worry about.” STRIKE ONE

They showed him the photograph of the embedded tick and the red circular rash that had started to form. The doctor said, “Well, because you’ve got a rash, I’m going to give you a single dose of doxycycline and that should cover it.” STRIKE TWO

They explained what they had learned and the doctor was actually very interested. They established a rapport. In the end, they left with a 20-day supply of doxycycline and their doctor wanting them to come back with the full tick report and any information they had to share. He was interested in learning more. A HOME RUN!

LymeSci is written by Lonnie Marcum, a Licensed Physical Therapist and mother of a daughter with Lyme. Follow her on Twitter: @LonnieRhea  Email her at: lmarcum@lymedisease.org .

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**Comment**

Despite Wisconsin being 4th in the nation for Lyme disease, our state has ZERO tick testing for the public.  I was told that this is due to the fact they do not have the proper equipment.

The only thing the University Wisconsin IS doing is something called the Tick App:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/05/31/tick-app-wi-tick-chats-testing/

In short, it’s a research study that you would be participating in by submitting information for essentially tick surveillance.  While this is important, it doesn’t help patients know if they are potentially infected with pathogens – which is also extremely important.  Many states offer this testing service for free.

We keep being told that early treatment is imperative yet most doctors take the “wait and see” approach which isn’t working. In order to treat each and every tick bite as seriously as a heart attack to avoid perhaps life-long symptoms, I encourage prophylactic treatment.
As you read above, ILADS recommends at least 20 days of doxycycline for an acute tick-bite. It’s important to remember that this mono therapy will not cover many of the confections so it’s important to track symptoms and keep in close contact with your doctor – preferably an ILADS-trained doctor who understand the nuances of treatment.

Category:

Lyme, Prevention, Testing, Ticks

Doctors See Early Increase in Tick Bites, Lyme Disease Concerns

https://www.boston25news.com/news/doctors-see-an-early-increase-tick-bites-lyme-disease-concerns/  News video in Link

Doctors see an early increase in tick bites, Lyme Disease concerns

The early spike in tick bites could be attributed to the mild winter, but also because people are taking breaks from quarantining at home, to go on walks and hikes outside.
By: Kirsten Glavin
Updated: April 10, 2020 

 

WELLESLEY, Mass. — For 2-year-old Piper Rosen, it started with an itchy head on Thursday night. It wasn’t until that next morning that her mother, Lori Rosen, said she found the culprit.

“This morning when I was putting her hair up in a ponytail, I found a tick on the back of her head.”

Rosen said over a video interview on Friday that she believes the tick must have latched onto her daughter’s head after she went outside for fresh air and played in the driveway. (See link for article)

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**Comment**

Great reminder that despite the frenzy over COVID-19, ticks are out.

The doctor in the article states she’s receiving several calls per day – months earlier than in the past.

There’s  a few points in the article I’d like to address:

Rashes-larger-blog-3

More on tick prevention: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/12/tick-prevention-2019/

 

Category:

Lyme, Ticks