Re: With Lyme disease lurking, here's what to know

[Guest guest]

It's is nice that Lyme is getting some press in USA

Today, too bad some of the answers are incorrect. I

personally think people SHOULD be scared and overly

overly cautious. In Oregon I constantly hear " we

don't have Lyme here " which is so ignorant I can

hardly keep my eyes from crossing. As all of you

know, the more you know about Lyme, the more you know

that there are many many many more people out there

who have it too (and have given it to their children)

but continue to be misdiagnosed or are 'just living

with the symptoms' because they can't afford to go to

the doctor. There's some days when I just think the

amount of misinformation about Lyme is tragic. I pray

things change soon before more people have to go

through what we're dealing with and from being so

ignorant about getting Lyme in the first place.

--- <faces@...> wrote:

> USA Today June 8. 2006

>

> With Lyme disease lurking, here's what to know

>

> Posted 6/7/2006 7:33 PM ET

>

> Ah spring. Time to get out of the house and into

> nature. And time to start

> watching for the tiny deer ticks that carry Lyme

> disease, says medical

> entomologist Falco of Fordham University.

> June and July are the peak season for Lyme disease

> because ticks are in

> their

> nymphal stage and are most active. Reporter Anita

> Manning interviews Falco

> and other experts who offer basic information on

> Lyme disease, a potentially

> dangerous illness:

>

> Q: How do people get the disease?

>

> A: The bacterium is transmitted by the bite of

> infected blacklegged ticks,

> also called deer ticks. It is not known to pass from

> one person to another,

> from

> a pet to a person, through blood transfusion or by

> eating infected deer or

> squirrels.

>

> Q: Is the disease a concern only in the summer?

>

> A: Lyme disease is reported year-round, but the

> majority of cases occur in

> the summer. The disease has been reported in nearly

> every state. About

> 20,000

> cases are reported to the Centers for Disease

> Control and Prevention each

> year,

> a national average of nearly seven cases per

> 100,000. But in the 12 states

> where it is most common, the average was just over

> 27 per 100,000.

>

> Q: What should I do to protect myself and my family?

>

> A: If possible, avoid woods and tall grass. If not,

> the CDC advises using

> bug

> repellant containing DEET and doing frequent body

> checks. The nymphal ticks

> are tiny, about the size of a poppy seed, so it's

> important to look

> carefully,

> particularly on legs, arms and groin.

>

> About 70% of Lyme disease infections are acquired

> around the home. " If you

> live in an urban area and go to the park once a

> month, you're likely be more

> diligent, " Falco says. " But if you live in an area

> where there are ticks and

> there's risk just walking to the mailbox, it's

> difficult to take these

> precautions

> day in and day out. "

>

> Q: What can I can do around the house and yard to

> get rid of ticks?

>

> A: Ticks need high humidity to survive, so remove

> leaf litter, keep grass

> short and cut back underbrush. In regions of high

> infestation, such as the

> Northeast, " chemical control is probably the least

> difficult and most

> effective way

> to control ticks in the suburban environment, " Falco

> says. Spraying an

> insecticide in early June and again in the fall is

> " optimal. "

>

> Q: What are the symptoms, and how is the disease

> treated?

>

> A: Symptoms vary, but about 70% of people develop a

> circular rash at the

> site

> of the bite after three to 30 days. The rash expands

> over days to as large

> as

> a foot in diameter, developing a bull's-eye

> appearance. Patients also have

> chills, fever, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint

> aches and swollen lymph

> nodes. Prompt treatment with antibiotics resolves

> most cases, but some

> people

> continue to have symptoms for months or years.

> Untreated, it can lead to

> chronic

> illnesses, including arthritis and neurological

> problems.

>

> Q: Can my pets get it?

>

> A: Dogs are very susceptible and can pick up ticks

> easily because they're

> low

> to the ground and love to roll around in grasses.

> Ticks apparently aren't as

> attracted to cats, so they're less vulnerable, says

> veterinarian

> Ford

> of the College of Veterinary Medicine at North

> Carolina State University.

>

> A dog carrying ticks poses a threat not only to

> itself but also to humans in

> the house. " The dog moved out of the doghouse a long

> time ago. People are

> sleeping with their pets, " Ford says. Pet owners

> should apply topical tick

> repellant every month, and in areas where Lyme

> disease is common, dogs

> should be

> vaccinated each year.

>

> Q: What should I do if I find a tick on me?

>

> A: A tick has to be attached for 36 to 48 hours to

> be able to transmit the

> bacterium, so even if you're bitten by an infected

> tick, you have a chance

> of

> preventing Lyme disease if you act quickly.

>

> The CDC says to use fine-tipped tweezers to grab the

> tick close to the skin

> and pull it out. Wash the area with soap and warm

> water. Don't worry if the

> mouth parts remain embedded, the CDC says. The tick

> can't transmit the

> bacteria

> if it's mouth and body are separated.

>

> Find this article at:

>

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-06-07-lyme-disease_x.htm

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

This article mentioned becoming infected with Lyme by eating venison from

infected deer. Has anyone else heard anything about this? I'm wondering what

the source of that statement was. I remember a few posts ago we were talking

about cows being carriers of Lyme disease but not exhibiting symptoms and that

we could contract Lyme by drinking unpasturized milk. Wouldn't it follow that

if indeed you could get Lyme from venison you might also be able to get it from

beef? Kim

Barbara Spaulding <barbspaulding@...> wrote: It's is nice that

Lyme is getting some press in USA

Today, too bad some of the answers are incorrect. I

personally think people SHOULD be scared and overly

overly cautious. In Oregon I constantly hear " we

don't have Lyme here " which is so ignorant I can

hardly keep my eyes from crossing. As all of you

know, the more you know about Lyme, the more you know

that there are many many many more people out there

who have it too (and have given it to their children)

but continue to be misdiagnosed or are 'just living

with the symptoms' because they can't afford to go to

the doctor. There's some days when I just think the

amount of misinformation about Lyme is tragic. I pray

things change soon before more people have to go

through what we're dealing with and from being so

ignorant about getting Lyme in the first place.

--- <faces@...> wrote:

> USA Today June 8. 2006

>

> With Lyme disease lurking, here's what to know

>

> Posted 6/7/2006 7:33 PM ET

>

> Ah spring. Time to get out of the house and into

> nature. And time to start

> watching for the tiny deer ticks that carry Lyme

> disease, says medical

> entomologist Falco of Fordham University.

> June and July are the peak season for Lyme disease

> because ticks are in

> their

> nymphal stage and are most active. Reporter Anita

> Manning interviews Falco

> and other experts who offer basic information on

> Lyme disease, a potentially

> dangerous illness:

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Kim,

I didn't read the article but I thought I would pitch in what I have read

before. They say that hunters who handle raw deer meat are at risk of picking up

Lyme. No mention was made of cooked venison or beef of any temperature. I have

to assume for my own sanity's sake that well-cooked meat is safe enough. But I

am wary of raw anything. I think it wouldn't hurt if some national advisory came

out and scared the public into wearing sterile gloves whenever handling raw

meat. They got us to turn our infants on their backs while sleeping, so why not

this? And if it became " the norm " my husband wouldn't tease me so much about my

own glove wearing and parasite phobias:) Also for what it's worth Sally

Fallon, author of the seminal book Nourishing Traditions, advises us to eat raw

meat, but only after it has been frozen for 14 days. She says the CDC makes the

official claim that such freezing kills all parasites. I hope she is right but

am skeptical. She is overly optimistic about raw milk and that may prove

disastrous.

Nice talking with you again.

Trish

p.s. I just got my results back from Dr. and my son has tested negative

for Lyme and all co-infections. While this is not a guarantee, it has made my

day! Thanks to this list for being there when I needed help. I'm sticking around

here to stay educated and on my toes.

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[Guest guest]

I went to the USA today site and carefully read the article...the answer to the

first question states that " It is NOT known to pass from person to person, pet

to person, by blood transfusion or by eating infected deer or squirrel " (

capitals mine)

While I take issue with the blood transfusion part of it, as far as I know

spirochetes are killed by cooking ( hence pasturized milk is safe...the articles

suggestiong milk infection all mention RAW milk),and I doubt anyone will eat raw

deer or squirrel. Plus digestive enzymes are pretty strong anyway, many

parasites need to have hard shells or protection against being digested. I

havent seen concrete evidence of drinking raw milk and then retreivable live

spirochetes lower in the GI tract...but anything may be possible.

Always go back to the original source

[some men see things as they are and say why... I dream of things that never

were and say why not.

G.B. Shaw]

Re: [ ] With Lyme disease lurking, here's what to know

This article mentioned becoming infected with Lyme by eating venison from

infected deer. Has anyone else heard anything about this? I'm wondering what the

source of that statement was. I remember a few posts ago we were talking about

cows being carriers of Lyme disease but not exhibiting symptoms and that we

could contract Lyme by drinking unpasturized milk. Wouldn't it follow that if

indeed you could get Lyme from venison you might also be able to get it from

beef? Kim

>

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[Guest guest]

Im not saying I trust all government web sites or info but several sites

corroborate the following:

When infected with Lyme, deer do not carry large numbers of bacteria; so far not

a single documented case of deer to human transmission ( or even deer to deer).

Plus the low number of bacterial load make it VERY unlikely that muscle tissue

itself harbors spirochetes, and unless the hunter has a severely open wound and

then contaminates it with direct blood to blood exposure from deer vessels AND

also the bacteria are numerous enough...maybe perhaps possibly it can

happen...but theyd have a better chance of being struck by another careless

hunter's bullets!!! So for safety latex or nitrile gloves are recommended " in

case " .

BUT deer can have many ticks that carry Lyme so the real danger appears to be

when hunters are handling the carcass with hide attached ( and also the

hitchhiking ticks) and traipsing thru the woods.

[some men see things as they are and say why... I dream of things that never

were and say why not.

G.B. Shaw]

________________________________________________________________________

Check out AOL.com today. Breaking news, video search, pictures, email and IM.

All on demand. Always Free.

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Finette. I really should have gone back and read more carefully! I

thought it was odd with everything else in the article sounding so conservative.

Thanks for setting me straight. Kim

[Guest guest]

Kim

I wasnt trying to " set you straight " ...just trying to be careful to not alarm

others who may read these posts...I just try to do my small part in making sure

the information about Lyme is as accurate as possible ..and gets to any who need

it...and ask for help at times as well...

..in the political climate we are all in, its so important that those against us

cant use anything untrue or something we say to go " see these people are

alarmists " etc.

Not at all meant to sound personal!!! ( typing has no tone of voice so its hard

to come off as gently correcting or questioning without sounding like a school

teacher admonishing the class)

Apologies

Finette

[some men see things as they are and say why... I dream of things that never

were and say why not.

G.B. Shaw]

Re: [ ] With Lyme disease lurking, here's what to know

Thanks, Finette. I really should have gone back and read more carefully! I

thought it was odd with everything else in the article sounding so conservative.

Thanks for setting me straight. Kim

[Guest guest]

Hey Finette, please don't apologize. I didn't mean " set me straight " with any

bitterness at all; I was very, very sincerely grateful you pointed out that

" not " I had missed! Thank goodness I had only mentioned the venison thing to my

husband and not to anyone else! I would have felt even more terrible if I had

inadvertently started a misinformed rumor. Hugs, Kim

FinRussak@... wrote: Kim

I wasnt trying to " set you straight " ...just trying to be careful to not alarm

others who may read these posts...I just try to do my small part in making sure

the information about Lyme is as accurate as possible ..and gets to any who need

it...and ask for help at times as well...

..in the political climate we are all in, its so important that those against us

cant use anything untrue or something we say to go " see these people are

alarmists " etc.

Not at all meant to sound personal!!! ( typing has no tone of voice so its hard

to come off as gently correcting or questioning without sounding like a school

teacher admonishing the class)

Apologies

Finette