There's been a confirmed case of this tick-borne disease in the West Lakes. Happy Days. Masks are no use, long trousers are. It causes 4 or 5 days of feeling shitty and then you come out in a rash - at that point seek medical advice and antibiotics. Chances are small I guess, but our dog has already had lots of ticks this year.

From a mate:
I had a chat with a professor colleague who’s been working on tick-borne diseases for years (and has had Lyme for years due to extensive work on bracken and... ticks). He was about to start a study on of this at several UK sites until Covid. He’s well aware of the disease in Cumbria but they still don’t know which species is the host up here. Here’s a summary of what he said:

“Unfortunately I am only too well aware of the RMSF situation in the UK. It ( a Rickettsia bacterial ) , along with TBE (a Flavivurus ) joined the list of UK TBDs in 2019. ........... overall tick activity as of 10 May in England was up 60% on stml and 130% on 2018. Single pathogen infection rate up 70% on 2019 and multiple infection rate up 220%.”

Ticks really do seem to be increasing. Is there an accepted reason for this? What are their predators?

u02sgb wrote: ↑Thu May 14, 2020 2:36 pm Ticks really do seem to be increasing. Is there an accepted reason for this? What are their predators?

I always wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that the sheep dip used these days is less "toxic" than that used in the past. Also there are a lot more deer around to sustain ticks as well. Dunno if I'm right or not though.

That sounds sensible Jurassic. Just wondered if there was a reason the experts had agreed on. Seem to be lots of people talking about them the last few years.

We never had ticks until 4-5 years ago. They're certainly not as bad as in some parts but numbers do seem to be steadily increasing. I assume warmer winters doesn't help matters?

From the expert:
"Two largely climate related, but also host movement issues have changed the whole picture. The most frightening has been the apparent adaption of our 'domestic' Ixodes ticks to support the pathogens but also the appearance of Dermecenter and Riphocephulus ticks in the British tick species list. Obviously we do not know which species of tick caused the Cumbria case so be very careful."

So climate change and host migration. Still preferable to the Scottish midge.

Thanks Boxelder. I'm used to the midge!

boxelder wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 9:40 am Still preferable to the Scottish midge.

Hmm, I'm not sure about that. Midgies are annoying but at least they don't do any lasting harm.

Jurassic wrote: ↑Fri May 15, 2020 2:29 pm Hmm, I'm not sure about that. Midgies are annoying but at least they don't do any lasting harm.

If by lasting harm you mean death then that's pretty long lasting. It's descried as One of the deadliest tickborne diseases in the Americas

I made the mistake of looking it up. This is what is can do to you

Early (1–4 Days)

High fever
Severe headache
Malaise
Myalgia
Edema around eyes and on the back of hands
Gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, anorexia)

Late (5 Days and Beyond)

Altered mental status, coma, cerebral edema
Respiratory compromise (pulmonary edema, ARDS)
Necrosis, requiring amputation
Multiorgan system damage (CNS, renal failure)

The fact that late is described as 5 days and beyond is pretty scary, that's not very long at all to get medical attention if your on a multi-day trip although there is a 3 to 12 day incubation period.

I assume the Necrosis will start at the bite site which given where ticks often get is not a nice prospect

I assume warmer winters doesn't help matters?

Yep. I worked on a few sheep and cattle properties in Australia many years ago, and the warm weather from climate change is like honey to them. The ticks we have here are small insidious little feckers. Ticks in Oz are like blue bottle flies on ya. Hundreds of them. Imagine a calf covered in Maltesers from the shoulder forward and you get it.

Anyone else click on this thread expecting to see a bike?

I remember lusting after a RM Vertex in the mid noughties