How prevalent is Lyme Disease in Scotland?

**roadbowler** · 28-Jan-10, 13:13

I've been reading through tons of info on Lyme Disease for the past two years. More so recently, as i'm doing a paper on it for a course I'm on. The case for its' true prevalence is becoming more and more frightening to me the more I read!<p> My interest starts with my cousin who is in her early 30's. She had just graduated Uni and literally became ill overnight. Very ill. That was 11 years ago. She was diagnosed with a multitude of diseases, MS, CFS, dysautomia, depression. This whole time she has not been able to walk! She has to use anti-gravity chairs to sit up. She has so much 'brain fog' she cannot concentrate on a book. It wasn't until two years ago that she went to another doctor who finally tested her for Lyme, the test came back negative. But, apparently, to a Lyme literate doctor the levels recorded on the test actually read positive to him. Later on, another test it actually read a full on positive. I'm stressing this because the tests for Lyme are not very good considering the complexity of the life cycles of the spirochete bacteria. They can go dormant, biofilm etc. Even the symptoms of illness and come ad go and fluctuate and manifest new or entirely different symptoms. My cousin is now on intravenous antibiotics, month 4.

HTML Code:

<p>

However, she is the 4th person I know that has been diagnosed as having Lyme. Another girl I know was suffering RSD symptoms and was also found to have Lyme. They say Lyme is the "great imitator". It is recorded and known to imitate symptoms of 350 illnesses ranging from autism, alzheimers, chronic fatique syndrome, multiple sclerosis, to ALS (lou gerhig's), RSD, Parkinsons. They are now saying that at least 1 in 5 ticks in Scotland carry Lyme and other co-infections like babeosis. The rate of Lyme Disease is going up and up every year as well and they reckon the true numbers are 5-10 times higher than that. Note in Scotland it is the sheep tick Ixodes ricinus that carries most the Lyme. However, they are now finding mosquitoes and other insects now also carrying the borrelius bacteria. It is also now known that the spirochete bacteria can be found in all bodily fluids of the infected, blood, semen, urine, and saliva. It is not only passed through the bite of a tick but, also known to be passed congenitally, via blood transfusion and very possibly sexually. Of course, via saliva that could be from pets as well? Note again that under 50% of those diagnosed report a known tick bite or the hallmark bullseye rash. My thread is not to freak you out! Honestly. It's more of an awareness issue as the threat is very real and even the specialists in scotland know the number of cases is much bigger than the official numbers but, the good news is that it is very treatable with antibiotics and other medications, even herbs. The earlier you suspect it and get tested and treat it the better, they say. So, keep an eye out for the wee beasties and find out how to remove them properly if you are bitten! If you are interested in finding out more there is a really good documentary called, "Under Our Skin" you can get. It explains the minefield of this disease very well.

**S&LHEN** · 28-Jan-10, 13:55

Intersting reading Thanks for that,

In the case studies are Farmers more suceptable to the disease?
I mind when I was farming after shearing time always being covered in them but worst thing is pulling them out but you actually get a wee thing now that takes them out the proper way.

**George Brims** · 28-Jan-10, 20:23

I have only had a few get really embedded in me. The gadget for getting them to pull out is called a lit cigarette! I got one in my knee once while camping, and before I even noticed it was there, banged my knee on a tree trunk and broke off the abdominal part of the tick, leaving the front end embedded. It healed over fine, but then a mole type thing grew over the years. I had to have that removed on the off chance it might be malignant. Then the whole thing tore open a few hours after the stitches were taken out. So one tiny tick has left me with a beauty of a scar.

**roadbowler** · 29-Jan-10, 00:02

s&lhen, yea, i suppose in scotland farmers and crofters keeping sheep will be much more susceptable. Never seen a study relating to farmers specifically but, have seen them comparing rural people and radiating inward towards urban areas. Eventho these carrying ticks can be found in city parks, rural people are far and away more likely to get it. George, yours sounds a nasty one. I mind a camping trip in perthshire one summer pulling 20-25 of them out of my legs and torso.

**Liz** · 29-Jan-10, 14:04

Very interesting Roadbowler and so very sorry about your poor cousin. Are the antibiotics helping or is the damage caused by the Lyme disease permanent?

As you say though Lyme Disease mimics so many illnesses that there could be millions of people undiagnosed with this.
I suppose a Dr may only think of this is someone said that they were bitten by a tick.
Nasty little blood suckers!

Ticks that is not Drs.lol

I know that animals can get Lyme Disease as well but you can get tick repellent for them.
I suppose for humans it is just a case of making sure no bare flesh is exposed for them to grab onto!

**Bill Fernie** · 30-Jan-10, 00:17

I now know two people in Caithness who have been diagnosed with Lyme Disease. I have know about this disease for some years having been out on walks for many years.

My last tick bite was a couple of years ago following an outing with the Field Club - disvoered the tick on my back. It must have crawled all the way up under my trousers as I had walked through some boggy ground which weas very wet with heather and long grass. I ought to have sealed off the bottom of my trousers with gaiters but faileld to do so that day. Prevention is the best cure so don't walk in shorts in country where deer or sheep might have grazed.

Take particular care with children and protect them at all times. Do not sit on bare grass in the hills. There are plenty of web sites now with the full details on what not to do so it is worth taking a look.

**annemarie482** · 11-Sep-10, 22:42

scary stuff!
my three year old has 2 bites one on his side and one on his arm.
he got 1 two weeks ago in the forest, and a second has appeared on his arm in the last 2 days.
it would appear he must have had a tick on his side that then transfered to his arm as the bites actually touch when his arm is down.
i had him at a & e today and they sent me home with anti-histamine cream.
a few folk have raised the above concerns to me and i'm now thinking maybe i should push for anti-biotics to be on the safe side?!
what do you think?

**Dadie** · 11-Sep-10, 22:50

I dont know!
As im not a doctor but if you are any way concerned I would make an appointment to have a chat with the doctor.
But it sounds like 2 ticks to me...any we have removed didnt move once attached and only left one wound!
I come up with golf ball sized lumps when bitten so notice how many lumps I get when gotten pdq!

**DeHaviLand** · 11-Sep-10, 22:56

Originally Posted by annemarie482

scary stuff!
my three year old has 2 bites one on his side and one on his arm.
he got 1 two weeks ago in the forest, and a second has appeared on his arm in the last 2 days.
it would appear he must have had a tick on his side that then transfered to his arm as the bites actually touch when his arm is down.
i had him at a & e today and they sent me home with anti-histamine cream.
a few folk have raised the above concerns to me and i'm now thinking maybe i should push for anti-biotics to be on the safe side?!
what do you think?

They're unlikely to be tick bites. Ticks bite, and stay attached for 3 or 4 days. I'm sure you would have noticed this on an infant.

**Dadie** · 11-Sep-10, 23:02

Oh I assumed forest to mean Dunnet...which is very ticky.
Sorry.
But as I said any concerns see the doc!

**annemarie482** · 11-Sep-10, 23:06

Originally Posted by Dadie

Oh I assumed forest to mean Dunnet...which is very ticky.
Sorry.
But as I said any concerns see the doc!

it was trees on the family farm.

i was at a & e today and they didn't seem bothered like i said.
just gave cream!

they thought it was most likely a tick.

what else could it have been? they look like a blister thats had the top take off them (yuck)

**DeHaviLand** · 11-Sep-10, 23:11

Seems more likely to be a cleg bite. Pretty nasty, but unlikely to have any lasting side-effects.

**Dadie** · 11-Sep-10, 23:15

Cleg bite?
Or the common midge.
If its inhabited by sheep or deer it might be worth a chat....
But ticks are usually found, but they prefer animals to us somehow!
Clegs on me usually end up in antibiotics....anyway..as the bites end up infected somehow..

**annemarie482** · 11-Sep-10, 23:16

Originally Posted by DeHaviLand

Seems more likely to be a cleg bite. Pretty nasty, but unlikely to have any lasting side-effects.

thats what we thought about the first bite, a messy bite.
but we havent been near the trees again, and there was no visable insect in the bite, but suddenly a new bite on his arm where his arm touches the last bite?! weird

**Dadie** · 11-Sep-10, 23:20

could have come up without knowing the bite took place

but if it was a tick you would expect it to be still there..so to speak...though new ticks are very little...but still noticible!

**S&LHEN** · 11-Sep-10, 23:23

Youve got to be really careful with bite -- My son was playing in rock pools in Skye and he got what looked like a midgie bite but by evening it had got bigger next morning was huge and filled with liquid it just kept spreading and expanding the doctor never had a clue what it was.
All i know is it was bad!! I ll try and upload pics of it. Now thankfully its gone but I had to heat a needle and burst it!!

Its left a scar but hes ok thankfully!! x