Ticks Carrying Ebola type disease in Spain!?

[terryenroute]

A very concerning story from Spain. Has anyone else had problems regarding tics?

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/30/health/crimean-congo-haemorrhagic-fever-spain-scli-intl/index.html

 

[henrythedog]

A very concerning story from Spain. Has anyone else had problems regarding tics?

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/30/health/crimean-congo-haemorrhagic-fever-spain-scli-intl/index.html

From the article: average two cases per annum in Spain over the last eight years with a 40% fatality rate. That’s (obviously) less than one fatality each year.

Do you go looking for things to be worried about or do they find you?

 

[dougfitz]

A very concerning story from Spain. Has anyone else had problems regarding tics?

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/30/health/crimean-congo-haemorrhagic-fever-spain-scli-intl/index.html

I've never heard of a tic carrying any disease. A tick on the other hand is a nasty little critter and one that needs to be removed as quickly as possible.

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

A very concerning story from Spain. Has anyone else had problems regarding tics?

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/30/health/crimean-congo-haemorrhagic-fever-spain-scli-intl/index.html

i'd be more concerned about bed bugs

 

[henrythedog]

I've never heard of a tic carrying any disease. A tick on the other hand is a nasty little critter and one that needs to be removed as quickly as possible.

Lymes disease is not uncommon, and it’s not trivial. Sufficiently so that I’m aware of the distinctive ‘bullseye’ rash, carry a tick-remover in my little first aid pack and the first three-days worth of a course of doxycycline.

There are lots of deer and sheep where I live and they are common hosts of ticks; I generally get a couple off Henry the actual Dog every week and I get a couple each year. When they’re burrowed in they’re no fun to get out.

The wife of a good friend of mine picked up a tick in an intimate area whilst having a pee on a mountain walk. Having no close friends nearby she took a ‘selfie’ of the affected part and sent it to her husband who was out on a climbing trip with myself and four other blokes. Failing to recognise his wife from an unfamiliar angle (married a long time) he passed his ‘phone around the group to try to identify the part of anatomy in the photo and then to whom it might belong.

Sorry. I don’t know where I’m going with this story. As you were.

 

[SabsP]

A very concerning story from Spain. Has anyone else had problems regarding tics?

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/30/health/crimean-congo-haemorrhagic-fever-spain-scli-intl/index.html

I would be more concerned about Lyme disease. Check yourself regularly. Take a tick tweezer with you.
When in doubt go to a doctor if not sure if you have the tick removed. You might be a given a dosis of antibiotics.

 

[Former member 102840]

I'm reminded of a sign I saw on the wall of a toilet, in a cafe, near the Cape of Good Hope:

'More people die falling off the toilet, than are killed by Great White sharks in an average year'.

Hope this helps.

 

[Bradypus]

The wife of a good friend of mine picked up a tick in an intimate area whilst having a pee on a mountain walk.

The last time I found a tick on myself was when walking the Shikoku 88 temple circuit. If you try words which rhyme with "tick" you will probably find at least two colloquialisms which describe where I found it....

 

[C clearly]

i'd be more concerned about bed bugs

They are a major nuisance but don't carry diseases.

 

[trecile]

Lymes disease is not uncommon, and it’s not trivial. Sufficiently so that I’m aware of the distinctive ‘bullseye’ rash, carry a tick-remover in my little first aid pack and the first three-days worth of a course of doxycycline.

Apparently @dougfitz was referring to spelling - tics vs ticks. But we all know what @terryenroute meant.

 

[Tincatinker]

They are a major nuisance but don't carry diseases.

Hmm, crafty beggars aren’t they. No point in killing off your food source

 

[witsendwv]

I've never heard of a tic carrying any disease. A tick on the other hand is a nasty little critter and one that needs to be removed as quickly as possible.

Ticks do carry Lyme spirochetes as well as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever here in the US.

 

[dougfitz]

Ticks do carry Lyme spirochetes as well as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever here in the US.

Ticks might, tics won't. As @trecile noted, my post was about the homophone.

 

[Kiwi-family]

The last time I found a tick on myself was when walking the Shikoku 88 temple circuit. If you try words which rhyme with "tick" you will probably find at least two colloquialisms which describe where I found it....

That's almost a cryptic crossword - lick.....so it must have been on your tongue. And the other one? Quick, get it off? No, not that. Kick...so your foot. You should wear shoes!

 

[AchimBerlin]

Lymes disease is not uncommon, and it’s not trivial. Sufficiently so that I’m aware of the distinctive ‘bullseye’ rash, carry a tick-remover in my little first aid pack and the first three-days worth of a course of doxycycline.

There are lots of deer and sheep where I live and they are common hosts of ticks; I generally get a couple off Henry the actual Dog every week and I get a couple each year. When they’re burrowed in they’re no fun to get out.

The wife of a good friend of mine picked up a tick in an intimate area whilst having a pee on a mountain walk. Having no close friends nearby she took a ‘selfie’ of the affected part and sent it to her husband who was out on a climbing trip with myself and four other blokes. Failing to recognise his wife from an unfamiliar angle (married a long time) he passed his ‘phone around the group to try to identify the part of anatomy in the photo and then to whom it might belong.

Sorry. I don’t know where I’m going with this story. As you were.

I have a faint idea, where this goes...
As for tics you might weven wanna avoid safe and regulated Germany, when someone is worried about tics.
Tics carrying lyme disease are quite widespread from North to South and in parts of Europe Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is on the rise. A
Safest is to stay inside, but who wants this. Anyway, wear long trousers and/or check your body when you have been through high grass. Never had any problems out here and there.
And if in doubt check the doctor. If you're heading to a TBE-region, get the vaccine early ahead.

 

[RangerRick]

The comparison of CCHF to Ebola has some limitations. While the symptoms of the two are similar, CCHF is much less communicable and (except for health care settings) is almost never transmitted person to person. The best course of action is tick bite prevention. Treat your clothing with permethrin (clothing insect repellent-which also works for mosquitoes) and DEET containing skin insect repellents.

 

[Kathor1]

Ticks carrying lyme disease are quite widespread from North to South and in parts of Europe Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is on the rise.

Ah, you are a prophet before your time .

TBE carrying ticks have not yet reached Spain and there is surprisingly little reporting about this form of encephalitis on cnn.com. Which is a little surprising, frankly, given that even I have already considered getting a vaccination; they are not yet endemic in the region where I live but in a region where I frequently travel to.

Your advice - dress appropriately - is a good one plus there is actually little high grass to wade through along the Camino Francés in Spain.

 

[WayWalker]

From the article: average two cases per annum in Spain over the last eight years with a 40% fatality rate. That’s (obviously) less than one fatality each year.

Do you go looking for things to be worried about or do they find you?

What a rude response!!! Uncalled for.

 

[WayWalker]

A very concerning story from Spain. Has anyone else had problems regarding tics?

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/30/health/crimean-congo-haemorrhagic-fever-spain-scli-intl/index.html

Haven't heard anything about this on the Camino grapevine.

 

[dougfitz]

I have a faint idea, where this goes...
As for tics you might weven wanna avoid safe and regulated Germany, when someone is worried about tics.
Tics carrying lyme disease are quite widespread from North to South and in parts of Europe Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is on the rise. A
Safest is to stay inside, but who wants this. Anyway, wear long trousers and/or check your body when you have been through high grass. Never had any problems out here and there.
And if in doubt check the doctor. If you're heading to a TBE-region, get the vaccine early ahead.

@AchimBerlin, is it possible that English is not your first language? Like the OP, you have used the word 'tic', a neurological condition usually of children, instead of it's homophone, 'tick', a small insect that is capable of carrying quite serious diseases, as you have noted.

Your advice on clothing and checking is okay, but I don't think it goes far enough. In my early adult life, I regularly worked in tick infested bush here in Australia. The standard practice in the organisation I worked for was:

• Treat clothing with an insecticide. We used permethrin.
• Additionally, when in use, treat the openings with a repellent. That includes collars, cuffs, any button up trouser fly, shirt front openings, and trouser waistbands.
• Have a buddy do a check before you are get dressed in the morning, and again when you change clothes at the end of the work day. You cannot do a complete check by yourself - having a buddy to help is essential for checking those parts one cannot see easily or at all.
• Remove any ticks found, safely. A specialist tick removal kit might help but is not essential. Anything that gets the mouth parts out works.
• Check that the tick has its mouth parts attached. If not, they are still in your body, and its now time to get medical care to remove them. I don't recommend doing this yourself, but I know people that have, only sometimes successfully.
• Treat the entry site with an antiseptic ointment.

Is this a risk on the Camino on the Iberian peninsula? I really don't know, but I have never felt the need to follow this protocol when I have walked there on a Camino route.

 

[hikentravel1234]

I've never heard of a tic carrying any disease. A tick on the other hand is a nasty little critter and one that needs to be removed as quickly as possible.

Ticks can carry disease. In the US, the most common illnesses are Lyme's disease, and Rocky mountain spotted fever.
However, the death in Spain from Ebola looks like it was the first one since July 2022. So very, very rare in Spain.
If anyone is worried, just check your body daily for ticks.

 

[Kathor1]

Your advice on clothing and checking is okay, but I don't think it goes far enough. In my early adult life, I regularly worked in tick infested bush here in Australia. The standard practice in the organisation I worked for was:

@AchimBerlin introduced the topic of ticks that carry the TBE virus, perhaps to point out that this ought to be more of a concern to pilgrim walkers than the isolated case of an Ebola type transmission in Spain that is currently in the news.

I mentioned that TBEV carrying ticks are not endemic in Spain. They are, however, endemic in a number of regions with Saint-James paths in Europe, in particular in Germany (and there in the southern regions more than in the northern regions) as well as in Switzerland and in Austria. I checked the website of the Bavarian government and this is the standard advice for the general public (but not for people who work in forestry and agriculture) that is also given by other official institutions in order to avoid in particular a TBE infection which can be a serious disease including long-term injury and rarely even death:

Edited translation DE to EN:

• After spending time in nature search the whole body thoroughly for ticks
• Use tick repellents
• Do not touch wild animals
• Wear long pants and tuck trouser legs into socks
• Wear tops with long sleeves
• Wear light-colored clothing
• Wear sturdy shoes
• Stay on firm paths
• Avoid tall grass, bushes and undergrowth

I think that tick repellents wear off after a few hours - I am not certain though. Some regions advise vaccination for anyone who goes for walks in nature/spends time outside such as in forests, meadows but also in city parks, other regions advise vaccination only for those with a job that involves high exposure to tick bites.

 

[trecile]

@AchimBerlin, is it possible that English is not your first language? Like the OP, you have used the word 'tic', a neurological condition usually of children, instead of it's homophone, 'tick',

It was quite obvious from the context of the post what @terryenroute meant. No need to get pedantic.

 

[LHagan]

Ticks do carry Lyme spirochetes as well as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever here in the US.

Lone Star ticks can also carry Alpha Gal, which causes a serious meat allergy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha-gal_syndrome

 

[jfgough]

I've never heard of a tic carrying any disease. A tick on the other hand is a nasty little critter and one that needs to be removed as quickly as possible.

Ticks in the USA carry a host of nasty diseases, viruses, etc. Nothing like ebola, but Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and a virus called alpha gal which makes you allergic to mammal protein. I live in Virginia and it has been a particularly bad year for ticks.

 

[trecile]

Lone Star ticks can also carry Alpha Gal, which causes a serious meat allergy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha-gal_syndrome

I met a young peregrina in Melide who had Alpha-gal. She had to be very careful what she ate, but she was really enjoying the Pulpo at Ezekiel!

 

[dbeatriceb]

I've never heard of a tic carrying any disease. A tick on the other hand is a nasty little critter and one that needs to be removed as quickly as possible.

You might want to do a little reading on this subject:

State of Rhode Island: Department of Health

State of Rhode Island: Department of Health

health.ri.gov

 

[CAshworth]

A very concerning story from Spain. Has anyone else had problems regarding tics?

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/30/health/crimean-congo-haemorrhagic-fever-spain-scli-intl/index.html

Nope. Never. Haven't heard of any pilgrims that have had this problem either. I think the trails are safe.

 

[dougfitz]

You might want to do a little reading on this subject:

State of Rhode Island: Department of Health

State of Rhode Island: Department of Health

health.ri.gov

So might you, and anyone else who has objected to my earlier comnent. Here would be a good place to start: https://www.verywellhealth.com/tic-6892064.

@trecile suggests I am being pedantic. Perhaps. My point was one of semantics, and I had expected that it wouldn't be difficult to comprehend. It seems I was wrong.

 

[Tincatinker]

You might want to do a little reading on this subject:

State of Rhode Island: Department of Health

State of Rhode Island: Department of Health

health.ri.gov

And how exactly might that help?

 

[jfgough]

So might you, and anyone else who has objected to my earlier comnent. Here would be a good place to start: https://www.verywellhealth.com/tic-6892064.

@trecile suggests I am being pedantic. Perhaps. My point was one of semantics, and I had expected that it wouldn't be difficult to comprehend. It seems I was wrong.

I guess some of us were attempting to be helpful and not assuming that everyone is a native English speaker or a spell checker. I guess this was an unfortunate waste of time.
Tick borne diseases are a serious problem.

 

[henrythedog]

You might want to do a little reading on this subject:

State of Rhode Island: Department of Health

State of Rhode Island: Department of Health

health.ri.gov

As contributions to this thread go, to be fair, that’s not bad.

Bearing in mind that this all started with a reference to a virtually non-existent problem, veered off into the great Tic/Tick schism (I think pretty much everyone grasped the difference but many don’t read the thread before replying), and is now slowly grinding to a halt.

Then along comes the Rhode Island Department of Health, God bless ‘em.

I started reading their advice and thought in quick succession - 1. that sounds dangerous, I’m glad I don’t live there. Followed by 2. Why don’t they just tell everyone to tuck their trousers into their socks?

I scroll down to the next paragraph and the official advice is ‘tuck your pants into your socks’; which is pretty much the same thing. There’s even a diagram.

 

[Tincatinker]

Please, all, just remember not to read this excellent thread while crossing a road….

 

[Janade]

They are a major nuisance but don't carry diseases.

Not true, unfortunately. This is from the CDC website (USA), but Lyme, Spotted Fever and others are also in Europe. In the US, the bite from a Lone Star tick can cause alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), which results in a sometimes life-long allergy to pork, beef and other red meat. I’m not a fan of ticks - which is why I don’t wear shorts while hiking and do a tick-check when I get home.

 

[trecile]

Not true, unfortunately. This is from the CDC website (USA), but Lyme, Spotted Fever and others are also in Europe. In the US, the bite from a Lone Star tick can cause alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), which results in a sometimes life-long allergy to pork, beef and other red meat. I’m not a fan of ticks - which is why I don’t wear shorts while hiking and do a tick-check when I get home.

@C clearly was responding to this post about bed bugs, which don't carry disease.

i'd be more concerned about bed bugs

 

[DeansFamily]

We have kangaroos on our front lawn and a bandicoot in our backyard, therefore we have lots of paralysis ticks waiting to jump on us at any opportunity. Our region (coastal Northern NSW) has the highest tick load in Australia and a prevalence of people contacting meat allergy from these ticks. As dedicated carnivores we hope to avoid a "bad" tick, as missing out on my steak and lamb roast would be earth shattering! To remove ticks, it is best to freeze off big ones with a wart remover and use pyrethrum cream for scabies on lavae. Don't squeeze a tick when removing as it will release it's bacterial laden saliva into the bite site. Better to spray it with insect repellent and let it back out/die. On Camino, the bitey thing I fear the most is the "chigger", a red mite who's bite is most uncomfortable and slow healing. I'd rather a bed bug or a tick to a chigger any day, so when I walk I avoid long damp grass where they lay in wait.

 

[Dani7]

A very concerning story from Spain. Has anyone else had problems regarding tics?

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/30/health/crimean-congo-haemorrhagic-fever-spain-scli-intl/index.html

You asked an honest question. Ticks are present in Spain and I’ll take a wild guess, pretty much all over the world. When I walk here in Canada to train I always wear long pants and trail shoes and avoid walking in tall grasses or thick wooded areas as a precaution (same for Spain). We have our own ticks here with reported cases of Lyme disease. I carry a tick remover when backpacking. I can also be as careful and prepared as I can be…and still bad things can happen.

“Security is mostly a superstition. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.”—Helen Keller

 

[domigee]

When I prepared to walk to Jerusalem, I checked at my doctor’s surgery what was needed… And yes, we found ticks to be a problem in the Eastern countries (Bulgaria etc). Getting a vaccine was (I think , about £200 a shot and you needed 3). Anyway, there was no time so I followed the (wise) nurse’s advice: ‘tuck your trousers in your socks’ !

 

[kmrice]

If you are going where borne encephalitis (TBE) is an issue, and, at least if you are American, be aware:
-You will probably need to find a “travel doctor” as the vaccine is not widely available,
-You will need to plan well in advance as it is a three shot regimen with shots a month apart
-It’s expensive; we paid $400 per shot

We’re walking the Via Francigena through Switzerland and then spending some time in Germany. Both countries have TBE and it can be fatal, so we got the shots. We were glad we looked into this well in advance.

 

[OBJ. i]

Ticks are available on the forest section of the Batzan? Camino trail.
Passenger dealt with by a pharmacist and a GP. No side affects.
Also kown as (phonetically) skirt tawnes in Ireland.
OBJ i

 

[terryenroute]

From the article: average two cases per annum in Spain over the last eight years with a 40% fatality rate. That’s (obviously) less than one fatality each year.

Do you go looking for things to be worried about or do they find you?

I do not go looking for things to be worried about, just looking to be informed and therefore less ignorant.

 

[witsendwv]

I guess some of us were attempting to be helpful and not assuming that everyone is a native English speaker or a spell checker. I guess this was an unfortunate waste of time.
Tick borne diseases are a serious problem.

Thanks for the post- we are very aware of ticks here in WV. We do tick checks in the evening when we have been outdoors in the fields during the day. A friend of ours contracted a very serious case of Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

 

[steppingpono]

I've never heard of a tic carrying any disease. A tick on the other hand is a nasty little critter and one that needs to be removed as quickly as possible.

I’ve definitely heard of Lymes disease and Tick bite fever - and I’ve met a few people battling lymes disease - it’s no joke

I've never heard of a tic carrying any disease. A tick on the other hand is a nasty little critter and one that needs to be removed as quickly as possible.

 

[Tincatinker]

I’ve definitely heard of Lymes disease and Tick bite fever - and I’ve met a few people battling lymes disease - it’s no joke

It was never a joke. It was, perhaps, a last desperate howl of outrage at the slaughter of language and the apparent inability of most to read a simple sentence and comprehend it.

But, if bandwagon jumping is your favourite sport go with it

 

[henrythedog]

I do not go looking for things to be worried about, just looking to be informed and therefore less ignorant.

OK, I should know better at my age, but:

Having informed yourself, how did you conclude the data in the article to be ‘very concerning’?

The article describes the annual incidence of two per annum in the eight years cited and mortality at less than one.

Spain has a population of circa 47 million.

I am ignorant. The more I know, the better I appreciate how little I know. The time I hope is left to me I intend to spent on things of consequence.

To be ‘very concerned’ about a one in 47 million chance of anything displays a capacity for concern beyond my comprehension.

It would be really boring if we all thought the same way, I respect your concern and I wish you well in your research.

 

[VNwalking]

I do not go looking for things to be worried about, just looking to be informed and therefore less ignorant.

Sidestepping the off-topic yadayada...

Tick-borne diseases are mostly different in Europe than in North America - different diseases, different ticks, and different intermediate hosts. But Lyme is present in both places.

You might check out this site:

Tick-borne diseases

Ticks themselves do not cause disease but if a tick is infected with a virus or bacterium, then that pathogen can be transmitted through the tick’s bite and cause disease in humans.

www.ecdc.europa.eu

In 8 caminos, I've only had one tick, when I was walking the Vasco.

 

[steppingpono]

It was never a joke. It was, perhaps, a last desperate howl of outrage at the slaughter of language and the apparent inability of most to read a simple sentence and comprehend it.

But, if bandwagon jumping is your favourite sport go with it

Gosh you’re a grumpy old grammar/ spelling jokester policeman.
Calm down and cheer up - be nice - especially if you expect people to get your vanilla joke.
Have a marvellously happy day

 

[steppingpono]

OK, I should know better at my age, but:

Having informed yourself, how did you conclude the data in the article to be ‘very concerning’?

The article describes the annual incidence of two per annum in the eight years cited and mortality at less than one.

Spain has a population of circa 47 million.

I am ignorant. The more I know, the better I appreciate how little I know. The time I hope is left to me I intend to spent on things of consequence.

To be ‘very concerned’ about a one in 47 million chance of anything displays a capacity for concern beyond my comprehension.

It would be really boring if we all thought the same way, I respect your concern and I wish you well in your research.

To Terryenroute

I appreciate your query
You are absolutely not ignorant.
Your question was completely valid.
Surely that’s the reason for the forum.
Discussion and some brain storming is good.

Apologies for the sarcasm and negativity and miserable comments … smh
And …
Whats the point of bullying and being rude.
Surely a true pilgrim is one who has overcome all of the false ego and the superiority complex.
We’re all working on finding our way on our journey through life - our very own Camino.
Buen Camino