schmiggle
Arachnoking
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2013
- Messages
- 2,220
Doing fieldwork on butterflies and bumblebees this summer, I'm often in areas where I'm liable to get ticks. Tall grass and open areas are their favorite hide-outs, and they're out in some force this year (although less than last year, at least so far). No matter how many precautions you take--long pants tucked into socks, maybe some DEET spray if you decide you're not worried about the environmental impact--you're going to get at least one or two ticks on you. They're very persistent, tough little animals. So my family is all convinced that I'm going to get Lyme disease, and also that I'm mistaken about ticks being able to get through human protection.
Now, though I understand this fear, I think it's irrational. The main reason is that Lyme disease usually takes at least thirty-six hours of attached tick to transfer. I've gotten dozens of ticks in my life--my personal record is seven, and I'm sure that's not even particularly high. All but one of these were deer ticks, and I think the main thing, other than statistics, that's kept me from getting Lyme disease is that I'm very, very careful to always check for and remove ticks. If you do that as soon as you're done in the field, a tick is exceedingly unlikely to have transferred enough saliva to give you lyme disease. To be sure, you have to be cautious during removal, since you don't want to tear the head off or squeeze the gut contents into your bloodstream. But at the same time, Lyme disease is treatable (horrible, but not lethal) and very unlikely if you're careful. Everyone is afraid of ticks, but no one complains about mosquitoes, even though the risk of contracting something problematic in my area is not much lower as long as you're methodical about tick removal. And that's the key: removing ticks is at least as important as preventative measures, because as long as it's done on the same day they're picked up, it is a preventative measure.
In short: don't be constantly afraid of Lyme disease, just treat it as you would any other hazard: with the weight it deserves, and with appropriate precautions.
PS if someone has alternative information about how long it takes to transfer lyme disease, as well as a source, I am all ears, since that's quite important with regards to what to do about ticks.
Now, though I understand this fear, I think it's irrational. The main reason is that Lyme disease usually takes at least thirty-six hours of attached tick to transfer. I've gotten dozens of ticks in my life--my personal record is seven, and I'm sure that's not even particularly high. All but one of these were deer ticks, and I think the main thing, other than statistics, that's kept me from getting Lyme disease is that I'm very, very careful to always check for and remove ticks. If you do that as soon as you're done in the field, a tick is exceedingly unlikely to have transferred enough saliva to give you lyme disease. To be sure, you have to be cautious during removal, since you don't want to tear the head off or squeeze the gut contents into your bloodstream. But at the same time, Lyme disease is treatable (horrible, but not lethal) and very unlikely if you're careful. Everyone is afraid of ticks, but no one complains about mosquitoes, even though the risk of contracting something problematic in my area is not much lower as long as you're methodical about tick removal. And that's the key: removing ticks is at least as important as preventative measures, because as long as it's done on the same day they're picked up, it is a preventative measure.
In short: don't be constantly afraid of Lyme disease, just treat it as you would any other hazard: with the weight it deserves, and with appropriate precautions.
PS if someone has alternative information about how long it takes to transfer lyme disease, as well as a source, I am all ears, since that's quite important with regards to what to do about ticks.
