Hi everyone,
A while back I asked about Lyme disease,
Little did I think it is going to haunt me,
For outdoor workers working in an area which is known to have a high infected tick population, does anyone know which is the best repellent to use. One spray goes on to the skin, another onto the clothes.
The workers are already aware to be on the look out for tick bites, rashes etc. The best repellent/spray is my concern.
Anyone have experience of different sprays? Samples I have seen have 30% deet.

Thanks

Here is an article I wrote for our website, if you want to use it please feel free, but please add a credit to Wildcrafts.co.uk:

It’s that time of year when the weather is getting warmer and the bugs are also out and about, most of these cause few (if any) real problems, maybe a raised bump and the odd itchy rash. However there is one about that is definitely worth knowing about – the sheep tick, Ixodes ricinus, this little critter also lives on deer and other wild mammals in the UK and is the carrier for Lyme disease.

They are most abundant between April and October; they do not fly and can’t jump so wait for passing animals to brush past. Like mosquitoes they feed by sucking blood from a host, it’s this mechanism that allows the transfer of the bacteria that causes Lyme disease to the host.

Things that can help prevent ticks getting to you are:
Wearing long sleeved shirts, tucking trousers into boots or socks, or using trouser ‘twists’.
Wearing closed shoes or boots rather than sandals.
Stick to paths rather than wading through deep vegetation.
Use of a good insect repellent – repellents that contain "Permethrin" can be used on clothing or material and are very long lasting but are not suitable for skin contact, those containing at least 25% DEET upwards (I personally use a 50% solution) are not as long lasting but are deemed suitable for skin contact.
If you have pets a good tick repellent collar and flea tick treatment is a good idea for keeping pets tick free.

If you find a tick on your body, ideally it should be removed with a tick removal tool, these are designed to remove the tick without damaging it (and more importantly) leaving parts of the tick’s mouth in your skin. If tweezers are used, ensure that the mouth parts are held rather than the body – this prevents the tick’s stomach from being compressed and regurgitating its contents back into your body.

Likewise, many ‘folk’ remedies such covering the tick with Vaseline, shaving foam, salt or trying to burn it off with a cigarette or ember will cause the tick to regurgitate its contents back into your body,

Lyme disease can cause many different symptoms. The most common symptoms relate to the person feeling unwell, having flu-like symptoms, extreme tiredness, muscle pain, muscle weakness, joint pain, upset digestive system and headache. In some cases a very distinct, expanding ‘bull’s eye’ shaped rash appears on the skin.

As Lyme disease isn’t as common as in other parts of the world and the initial symptoms are similar to flu, it is worth mentioning to your doctor when you see them that you spend a lot of time outdoors as this will flag up a strong likelihood of Lyme disease and that (like Leptospirosis) a blood test may be required to confirm diagnosis. The key with Lyme disease is early treatment.


Useful Links:

Pablo ‘Woodlife’ – The trouble with Ticks: http://api.ning.com/file...orV1Nj5wZihux/Ticks2.pdf

Health Protection Agency / Royal Parks Leaflet: http://www.hpa.org.uk/we...e/HPAweb_C/1271256716650

BADA (supported by Ray Mears), (they also sell tick remover tools): http://www.bada-uk.org/


Lyme Disease Action UK: http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/lyme.htm

No worries, glad to help. One thing that we have found when we've had students in areas where Lyme disease is present is that doctors in the UK seem to be far less aware than in say the states or other parts of europe so if a tick bite is found with early symptoms I've always told students to insist on the blood test.