It’s that time of year, again, folks. Yep, it’s time to CHECK FOR TICKS!
These tiny little predators can pack quite a wallop if you get hooked up with the wrong one: ticks can transmit a number of horrible illnesses like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF).
Spoiler alert: RMSF is not just confined to the Rocky Mountains. This writer contracted it in Florida!
Lyme disease is transmitted by deer ticks who inject the host with a bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi, and it’s sometimes misdiagnosed as a variety of other ailments including:
- Fibromyalgia
- Depression
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Multiple sclerosis
The longer it goes untreated, the more damage occurs in the body. In some cases, the infected person will develop a bulls-eye shaped rash, which gives the diagnosing healthcare person their first clue.
And while you can run, you can’t really hide from Lyme disease because it’s found on every continent, except Antarctica.
RMSF is caused by a different type of bacterium: Rikettsia rickettsia, and can be fatal if left untreated. In my own particular case, I was treated with antibiotics and made a full recovery, but it was an awful experience.
The best way to avoid a tick disaster is to wear light-colored clothing (with long sleeves) and wear insect repellent. And finally, when you return to the way-safer great indoors, CHECK FOR TICKS!!
In the event you do get bitten, watch for rashes, fever, and other symptoms, and then talk to your doctor about treatment.
So, with all of this helpful information about ticks and the potential disease they carry, I want to leave you with one piece of information I think will surprised you.
Did you know the humble opossum enjoys dining on ticks?
It’s thought they consume around 5,000 ticks per season. Opossums might just become my favorite animal!
