February | 2013 | Ticktalkireland"s Blog

The organisation IOSH (health & safety) have asked Tick Talk Ireland to speak at their conference on 6th March 2013.

Event name: Cultivating A Safer Future
Location: Dundrum House Hotel, Dundrum, Cashel, Co. Tipperary.
Date/Time: 06/03/2013 09:15:00
End Date/Time: 06/03/2013 15:30:00

Overview

The purpose of the event is to promote the Rural Industries Section, to increase awareness of specific hazards and their control within rural industries with a particular focus on agriculture.

The speakers Pat Griffin HSA Inspector, Michael Doyle (ESB Training Centre) presenting on ATV’s and Off Road Vehicles, Peter Gohery presenting on his personal experience of a farm accident, Jenny O’Dea (Tick Talk Ireland) presenting on her personal experience of Lyme Disease, Dr. Eoin Healy (UCC) presenting on Lyme Disease: Identifying the Hazard for Prevention and Ciaran Roche (FBD) Insurance and you: practical considerations for land owners.

For bookings go to: http://www.iosh.co.uk/branches/ireland/branch_events/cultivating_a_safer_future.aspx

Check out the MEM0992 Cultivating a safer future in rural Ireland.pdf for more details (pdf)

On 22nd January 2013 Tick Talk directors met up with Dr Paul McKeown from the HPSC.

As indicated in our news update Winter 2012 we are very concerned about the over reliance of restrictive testing & restrictive guidelines with respect to Lyme disease patients. In Autumn last year the Infectious Disease Society of Ireland (IDSI) & the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) et al prepared a consensus statement citing unison with the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) in the diagnosis & treatment of Lyme Disease. Whilst there has been criticism of the alternative set of guidelines produced by the International Lyme & Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) we feel that patients often fall outside the remit of the IDSA guide in that they stipulate short term treatment only.

Additionally the two tier system of testing used as ‘gold standard’ (Elisa followed by Western Blot) can miss some patients due to problems with antigenic strain variation, lack of immune response & effects of antibiotics on testing. This is stipulated by the test kit manufacturer themselves. During Spring 2012 Tick Talk distributed their concerns (see links below) to various health organisations including Department of Health, Ireland, Health Protection & Surveillance Centre, Ireland, European Centre for Disease Control & the Prime Minister of the UK. Some of these concerns were discussed with Dr Paul McKeown & Dr Patricia Garvey of the HPSC.

Please note that the attachements below are in PDF format, hit the back button to return back to our page when done!

Click here for a review of our minutes with the HPSC
Click here for a copy of our letter concern submitted last Spring
Click here for the accompanying attachment on Coinfections UK & Ireland
Click here for a shorter version of our concerns sent to the IDSI et al
Check out our blog post called Mythbusting!

We are also concerned about the lack of knowledge here in Ireland. Some patients are reporting that lyme rashes are being mistaken as spider bites or told it could not be Lyme as it doesn’t exist in this country. This is alarming as ticks have been known to carry the lyme causing bacteria (borrelia) in Ireland for decades & has been present in Europe since the ice age. We have been reassured by the HPSC that more awareness will be made with regards to the public (& medical system) by way of press releases & a specific focus on tick awareness during April each year. If the public are made aware of the dangers of ticks they can seek ways to enhance protection & prevention.

Tick Talk needs your help.

During April/May tick awareness is very important as ticks are most active in the Spring. Can you help us spread the word? We need folks willing to hand out leaflets, maybe in your local library, health club, school or workplace. Perhaps you can sell some lyme awareness ribbons to aid awareness & help raise funds for Tick Talk? Remind folks that removal of ticks quickly & correctly are vital to help minimise the risk of Lyme Disease.

Check out our merchandise page for stocks of tick twisters, repellants, awareness ribbons & bugs, bracelets & key rings. Seek out a copy of Under Our Skin (US lyme documentary) or purchase our newly released DVD of Ireland’s first Lyme Conference covering testing, research & treatment.

Lots to keep us busy for the Spring!

Also in the pipeline is a new book called The Adventures of Luna & Dips,a children’s book to help enquiring minds learn about the tick’s life cycle, how they feed & where they live. More updates will be added to the page as soon as available.

Meanwhile I hope you have a safe February. Keep a look-out for some new updates to our links section soon!

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February | 2010 | Ticktalkireland"s Blog

If Ticks could Talk Part Four (my name is Luna)
Written by Jenny O’Dea, Ireland © February 2010

I feel dizzy, my head is spinning, like a whirlpool it never ends.

This is part four of my story. The mouse she runs and runs and the streaming blood is going to my head! Still, the poor mouse needs to run, that large growling creature behind her was catching us up fast. I had to hold on so tight; thank goodness that my mouth parts were well cemented in – there was no way I was going to fall off!

Eventually everything went dark and quiet and I could feel the mouse’s heart beat start to slow. It got me thinking – do ticks have hearts? I mean, we seem so different to other animals. Dips told me that when other animals breathe they use their mouth parts but I was scared and asked, how would we breathe if we need our mouth parts to feed? We could be there for days! Dips said we have special breathing holes* just below our legs – ingenious I thought. We really are clever. But do we have hearts?

I’m sure I’m feeling full now. I think I’ve been feeding for days. The mouse dashed through the grass and leaves and I found myself loosen my grip. I fell and pinged off the mouse’s nose and landed with a thud. I looked down and shuddered. Eugh, I look gross, I’ve expanded so much I can hardly walk! Dips told me that when I feed I must go and hide. That way I can moult and grow up to be a nymph – a nymph, I like the sound of that. I get to have eight legs and I can go and find more food.

I looked around and saw a beautiful stealth like figure walking towards me. Wow, she is beautiful – I want to look like her. So slim and slender and looking so sleek. “Who are you?” I asked. “I am Fantaz what’s your name?” “My name is Luna, I live by the second tree. I’m a bit lost now and I need to find my friend Dips.” “Ah yes, Dips asked me to look for you. You haven’t gone far – the mouse lived near here and she was lucky to escape the fox. It seems you were feeding a few days but now you should rest. That way you can move on to your next stage.”

“Will I look like you?” I asked, looking up at her and feeling very aware of my rather blood engorged self. “Oh yes Luna – I have moulted and am ready to continue on with my journey. Rest now little one and you will be ready to see more of the world. When you awaken – try to aim higher in your questing. You will need to find a larger animal for your next feed.”

Luna didn’t need persuading – she felt so tired and really happy that the mouse managed to stay safe from that nasty creature who chased her. A fox Fantaz said – I wonder if foxes eat ticks too. I’ll need to stay well hidden just in case.

I found a nice dark corner, in the root of the second tree, pulled a leaf over me and began my lovely sleep. I wonder what Dips is doing now I thought to myself. I couldn’t help smiling to myself – I’m going to look fantastic, just like Fantaz – I can’t wait!!

*The breathing holes called spiracles can be found on each side of the body below the base of the legs

Jenny O’Dea, Ireland © Feb 2010 – if any of this text is used please give credit to the author & blog site!

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