Environment & Energy

Martin Eden

(14,735 posts)

8. I've been backpacking for decades, often in the southeast

Sun Jun 29, 2025, 10:36 AM

Jun 29

People who don't know much about it ask me if I'm afraid of dangerous animals like bears and snakes.

Other than the usual concerns about getting lost or hurt in remote areas, or getting back to the trailhead to find my car has been broken into, my #1 concern is ticks.

There are preventive measures like permethrin and other repellents, long pants with ankle gaitors, and limiting contact with foliage.

But even with all that, a daily thorough inspection is necessary. If you find one attached, prompt removal will usually forestall tick related disease.

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eppur_se_muova AllyCat Bernardo de La Paz erronis RockCreek

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Highlight:

Alpha-Gal Syndrome, Carried By Expanding Tick Populations, Has Gone From Dozens Of Cases In 2009 To 450,000 Today [View all] hatrack Jun 29 OP

OMG. This is really scary. Bookmarking. nt Ilsa Jun 29 #1

Actually, a female physician began mwmisses4289 Jun 29 #2

If I was into raising cattle, sheep, or pork, I'd be alarmed Vogon_Glory Jun 29 #3

Meat growers are already alarmed by screw worm, just as Canteloupe Caligula is cutting funding related to it. . nt Bernardo de La Paz Jun 29 #6

More fun stuff from the article: erronis Jun 29 #4

The ticks and this disease are definitely NOT funny, but this description in the article... highplainsdem Jun 29 #15

Seems the opposite of Alpha Male syndrome Bernardo de La Paz Jun 29 #5

Alpa-gal is indeed an odd name, but what am I sensing from your comment.. hmm. Exp Jun 29 #10

Hopefully you sense a little levity about a very serious topic. . . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Jun 29 #11

Hardly "levity", more like, what's the word? You know, often described as hate speech? Exp Jun 29 #13

I think you have mistakenly veered off on a strange personal tangent Bernardo de La Paz Jun 29 #14

Ditto. The reaction was a bit strange. erronis Jun 29 #19

Seriously! I thought the headline was a joke at first Geechie Jun 29 #20

I know of one case. Not pleasant. Tetrachloride Jun 29 #7

I've been backpacking for decades, often in the southeast Martin Eden Jun 29 #8

I would only add, defacto7 Jun 29 #23

I have a tick removal tool with 2 different size ends, for big & small ticks. Martin Eden Jun 29 #33

Why was the gas not a good idea, snot Jun 29 #34

I suppose kids messing with a gas can defacto7 Jun 30 #38

I just heard about this a couple years ago. AllyCat Jun 29 #9

We already have Lyme disease from deer ticks here out west, not looking forward to another. Rather have an invasion Exp Jun 29 #12

armadillos carry leprosy, lol mike_c Jun 29 #35

If you are concerned about leprosy, talk to your doctor. They can provide you with more information about the risks and Exp Jun 29 #37

I was joking mike_c Jun 30 #39

I first heard about this last year, and only because I found out two members of my family who live highplainsdem Jun 29 #16

My sister got this. hunter Jun 29 #17

I'd love to drop a tick bomb mountain grammy Jun 29 #18

Don't ticks need real blood? Not the fake green stuff that courses through their veins. erronis Jun 29 #21

MAGAts and ICE goons might benefit from a reduction in red meat consumption Wicked Blue Jun 29 #26

Ha mountain grammy Jun 29 #36

Ya gotta include RFK Jr Traildogbob Jun 29 #30

I have the Alpha Gal mammal meat allergy. mackdaddy Jun 29 #22

As bad as your problem is I don't blame you for using permetherin. defacto7 Jun 29 #25

Ohio Traildogbob Jun 29 #31

I'm sure RFK will get right on it. louis-t Jun 29 #24

Gargling with bleach Wicked Blue Jun 29 #27

Note that "red meat" in this case means ALL mammals -- cows, pigs, deer, bison, etc. RockRaven Jun 29 #28

Good grief that's terrifying wendyb-NC Jun 29 #29

I've given up on my long woodland hiking treks. Midnight Writer Jun 29 #32

If I have it, I wouldn't know. I last ate red meat in the 1970s. NNadir Jul 1 #40