View Full Version : Ticks and Lyme Disease
Nearly all of the time I have spent on the AT has been south of central Virginia, mainly because I'm concerned about ticks and lyme disease. Looking for some feedback on whether that's a rational concern or not.
My father nearly died as a child due to an unidentified tick borne illness, which based on his description was probably rocky mountain spotted fever. My mom was hit hard by lyme disease about 10 years ago. She struggled with it for about 2 years, and was eventually with permanent arthritis in her knee and ankle. And there are two more people who sit near me at work who have been decimated by lyme.
But when I watch videos about people hiking throughout the northeast, I rarely hear any mention of concern over lyme disease, so I don't really know what to think. Are most of the people on the AT north of Harpers Ferry taking the standard precautions, i.e., permethrin and checking for ticks? Or am I being unnecessarily cautious?
I don't especially like hiking in hot weather anyway, but this just gives me one more reason to prefer hiking in cool whether when I can wear long pants.
The Kisco Kid
11-14-2017, 16:58
Yes, ticks are a legitimate concern, much much more so than bears, snakes, and other creatures that inspire more fear than injuries.
I'm not especially concerned about the big animals. Every bear I've ever seen just ran away, and I was left feeling lucky to have seen it. Snakes you can just walk around, and again you're lucky to see it. But ticks not so much. I never took a picture of a tick and sent it to my friends so they could share in the beauty.
You should always practice prevention when it comes to ticks, both because it rather difficult to know when your at risk of picking some up and there no way to know if any given tick will give you a disease. Lyme apparently is not such a big deal with early treatment but a Powassan is another matter. I've had more trouble picking up ticks from my lawn and dogs than a week on the AT, go figure.
Yeah, I see you are in Maryland. I'm in Illinois, which hasn't been hit as hard, but our neighbors to the north, Wisconsin and Minnesota, are having major problems. Like you said, people are picking up ticks in their yards and at the park.
Not quite sure why there isn't a vaccination for this yet, though I know just enough to understand that it's a complicated kind of bacteria.
Offshore
11-14-2017, 17:27
Just because it's cooler weather, don't let down your guard. This time of year in the NE, nearly all of the ticks you will find are adult stage blacked legged (deer) ticks. They will persist even after the first couple of hard freezes. I take tick precautions (permethrin treated gear and clothing) until I need microspikes...
As to the question of whether you are being overly cautious the answer is "no". Many of the thu hikers I meet in NJ aren't even thinking about ticks. Granted, it's a small sample of a given year's thruhiker population, but nonetheless, it astonishes me. Someone will worry about dropping that last ounce of gear weight but ignore what is probably the biggest health threat on the AT in the mid-Atlantic and New England states. (Noro is a couple of days, but the effects of Lyme can last forever.)
A great resource for tick information is the University of Rhode Island www.tickencounter.org
We have plenty of ticks in Florida and we just treat our clothing with permethrin and check ourselves at the end of the day.
My wife is a Nurse Practitioner and she carries Doxycycline with us.
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Good point about the relative risks. My son picked up noro and it sucked for about two days, and that was it. My mom, on the other hand, is going to have trouble walking for the rest of her life.
I treat my clothes, but not my gear, because the tent and backpack are water resistant. I could probably do the belt and back panel on my pack.
I'm in CT - the home of Lyme.
If you stay on established trails of dirt and rock then chances are extremely low of picking up ticks. Bushwacking through low brush is where you pick them up - they climb up and hang on low vegetation with built in grappling hooks waiting for passing mammals to hitchhike on. For me, the risk is typically confined to: overgrown trail sections (use hiking poles to hold the brush back) and getting off trail for: water, firewood, setting up camp, and the morning cathole/#2.
I'm quite comfortable walking across/camping on fallen/decaying leaves, but anytime live vegetation touches me above ankle height, I immediately check for ticks once back on safe ground.
Obviously, they're easiest to spot against light colored pants, but skin is ok if you're not too hairy. I always use a white tyvek ground sheet to sit on (outside of my tent).
GoldenBear
11-14-2017, 20:47
It's the official map from the CDC of reported cases of Lyme Disease, an infection that I got over ten years ago and NEVER want to get again. This despite the fact that my doctor caught it within a week of symptoms, and used a short regimen of antibiotics to completely take care of it.
https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/resources/reportedcasesoflymedisease_2016.pdf
> when I watch videos about people hiking throughout the northeast, I rarely hear any mention of concern over lyme disease
Note the prevalence of Lyme NORTH of Harpers Ferry, including SE Pennsylvania -- where I live and where I got infected. Ticks are a problem on all parts of The Trail, so use every part of your prevention arsenal at all times.
Kaptainkriz
11-14-2017, 20:49
Your rationale is flawed - ticks are everywhere, not just north of central Virginia. You need to look out for powassan (rare) and AlphaGal (predominantly in the south but has expanded north), Ehrlichiosis..and others. I have AlphaGal thanks to a LoneStar tick I picked up in SNP. Do treat your clothes, do check for ticks. Don't let ticks dictate where you hike - manage the risk. Lyme is very treatable if you notice it - early treatment almost always results in no long term damage.
Nearly all of the time I have spent on the AT has been south of central Virginia, mainly because I'm concerned about ticks and lyme disease. Looking for some feedback on whether that's a rational concern or not.
My father nearly died as a child due to an unidentified tick borne illness, which based on his description was probably rocky mountain spotted fever. My mom was hit hard by lyme disease about 10 years ago. She struggled with it for about 2 years, and was eventually with permanent arthritis in her knee and ankle. And there are two more people who sit near me at work who have been decimated by lyme.
But when I watch videos about people hiking throughout the northeast, I rarely hear any mention of concern over lyme disease, so I don't really know what to think. Are most of the people on the AT north of Harpers Ferry taking the standard precautions, i.e., permethrin and checking for ticks? Or am I being unnecessarily cautious?
I don't especially like hiking in hot weather anyway, but this just gives me one more reason to prefer hiking in cool whether when I can wear long pants.
Emerson Bigills
11-14-2017, 22:42
They are out there. Met a couple hikers this year that got Lyme disease or had gotten it in the past. Treated my clothes with Permethrin, but honestly hiked with short pants and short sleeves north of Shenandoah. Looked at myself each night and pulled a few off. Got lucky I guess, but got blood work done as soon as I got home, just to make sure I was doing what I could. Until I got it, I don't think I would let it keep me off the trail.
My personal experience has reflected what the data indicates, which is that ticks are far more prevalent at lower elevations, and in more densely populated areas. I've never had any kind of tick latch on to me above about 3,500 feet. But if I walk through tall grass in Wisconsin, forget about it.
There are a number of different tick borne illnesses, so really no region is immune. But lyme is by far the most prevalent, in part because deer ticks are the most difficult to see. About five percent of thru hikers end up contracting lyme. Again, how in the world is there not a vaccine for this yet if 1% of the population is getting it every year.
I know there are people out there who don't favor vaccines, but if and when that vaccine ever is released, I'll be first in line. I'll get my booster, and then I'll go straight to Harpers Ferry and start heading north.
TexasBob
11-15-2017, 09:56
............Not quite sure why there isn't a vaccination for this yet...............
There was a vaccine .... https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/prev/vaccine.html
If I'm wearing long pants, I tuck my pant legs in my socks. Everything but underwear is treated with permethrin. Do quick checks when you stop for breaks and a good going over once you stop for the night.
Snowleopard
11-15-2017, 20:22
Its range is spreading. This page lets you compare the maps from 2012 to 2016: https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/stats/maps.html Something is a bit off on the 2016 map-- the middle of Mass shows low prevalence of Lyme and that is wrong. Also, note that in a part of SW Virginia, Lyme has increased significantly from 2012 to 2016. It's hard to tell from this map, but that looks to be on or near the AT.
Take tick borne disease seriously. Treat shoes, socks, pants, shirt with permethrin and keep your treatment up to date. Do not treat underwear. There is some evidence that the most benefit is gained from treating shoes and socks, so definitely treat those. If at all possible, do a nightly full body scan for ticks or have a very close friend do it for you.
Sandy of PA
11-15-2017, 21:36
I always hike in long pants with Insect Shield treatment. I treat everything else but my underwear with Sawyer before each trip and mid-trip if out for more than 6 weeks. I have already gotten Lyme doing yardwork in my own yard in PA, I don't wish to be treated for it again. Prevention is key.
I am glad to know that I am not the only one obsessing about this. I have contemplated, on many occasions, quitting hiking because of these bloodsuckers. You can take all the precautions you want, but they can still get you...
I was thinking about all of this last night as I was driving home from work on a crowded, fast moving highway. It occurred to me that in any given year, my odds of getting killed or seriously injured in a car accident are probably pretty high given where I live and how much time I spend driving. A very quick check online told me that my odds are maybe 1/5000 per year, and maybe 1/50 lifetime. If you count the blown disk I have in my back from a traffic accident when I was young, I'm already there.
Now shift over to a person at work who was asking me about bears in Wyoming. People know I hike a lot, so they ask me about stuff like this. She said she was going to get there by motorcycle. I told her that her odds of dropping her bike getting there were probably thousands of times higher than being mauled by a grisly.
My point is that a lot of what we fear has to do with the risks we are accustomed to dealing with. My brother lives in Connecticut, and lyme is just a part of life there. They don't check themselves every night. Similarly, I get in my car and commute to and from work on crowded, fast moving highways every night, which is inherently risky. But it's just part of life where I live.
I don't know if this necessarily changes the inherent risks of hiking, specifically with regard to ticks and lyme disease, but it at least lends some perspective.
I was thinking about all of this last night as I was driving home from work on a crowded, fast moving highway. It occurred to me that in any given year, my odds of getting killed or seriously injured in a car accident are probably pretty high given where I live and how much time I spend driving. A very quick check online told me that my odds are maybe 1/5000 per year, and maybe 1/50 lifetime. If you count the blown disk I have in my back from a traffic accident when I was young, I'm already there.
Now shift over to a person at work who was asking me about bears in Wyoming. People know I hike a lot, so they ask me about stuff like this. She said she was going to get there by motorcycle. I told her that her odds of dropping her bike getting there were probably thousands of times higher than being mauled by a grisly.
This is what I always tell a friend of mine (nice that he is concerned) if he worries about me doing anything I do from hiking (bears and mad men) to kayaking in the Everglades (alligators), to snorkeling (sharks) to whatever.... The most dangerous thing I do is getting there.
It's a definite concern - I contracted Lyme on the AT in 2005.
It's not a bad idea to ask your family physician for a prescription for the requisite antibiotic. You wouldn't necessarily have to purchase the drug itself, just carry the paper with you, just in case.
Which Way
11-16-2017, 18:14
I'm in CT - the home of Lyme.
If you stay on established trails of dirt and rock then chances are extremely low of picking up ticks. Bushwacking through low brush is where you pick them up - they climb up and hang on low vegetation with built in grappling hooks waiting for passing mammals to hitchhike on. For me, the risk is typically confined to: overgrown trail sections (use hiking poles to hold the brush back) and getting off trail for: water, firewood, setting up camp, and the morning cathole/#2.
I'm quite comfortable walking across/camping on fallen/decaying leaves, but anytime live vegetation touches me above ankle height, I immediately check for ticks once back on safe ground.
Obviously, they're easiest to spot against light colored pants, but skin is ok if you're not too hairy. I always use a white tyvek ground sheet to sit on (outside of my tent).
Excellent advice and well said, thank you.
squeezebox
11-16-2017, 18:29
I would say get checked for Lyme after each long hike or maybe once a year otherwise. How much does a test cost?
Sandy of PA
11-16-2017, 20:36
The problem with testing is false negatives if it has not been at least 2 weeks since you were bitten. By then it is harder to kill with antibiotics. Far easier to just take the drugs if you end up with a known tick bite or a very itchy unknown bite. I got a bullseye in 3 days with mine, but the most note able feature was the itch that took 3 years to stop completely. It would heal and then just out of the blue turn red and start itching again.
Uncle Joe
11-16-2017, 21:06
I've developed a habit of swatting with my trekking poles at foliage that hangs out over the trail in front of me as I approach it. Especially low foliage. I'm painfully OCD but it's one habit I kinda let go unchecked.
44terryberry
11-17-2017, 05:27
I live in Pennsylvania,and nearly every hiker I know has had lyme disease. Me,I douse my clothes with Premetherin,and spray any exposed skin with other repellent.I also change all my clothing when I come home from a day hike. I dont know how multi day hikers passing through this bullseye state will survive without getting lyme
nsherry61
11-17-2017, 11:27
I live in Pennsylvania,and nearly every hiker I know has had lyme disease. . .
And, of all those "nearly every hiker" how many have decided to quit hiking because of the risk of lyme disease? Not most of them I'm sure.
So, for all of you out there running scared from Lyme disease, remember, from those that have actually experienced it and know what it's like, the risk or danger of getting Lyme disease is not bad enough to stop most of them from continuing to hike and backpack in these tick infested NE woodlands.
Take reasonable precautions, then, go out and enjoy yourself.
Yeah, you might get sick from Lyme disease or you might not. For certain, you will get sick again some time in your life from something, but it doesn't mean life should be avoided.
Berserker
11-17-2017, 13:18
There was a recent thread very similar to this one, you might want to check that one out too.
If you stay on established trails of dirt and rock then chances are extremely low of picking up ticks. Bushwacking through low brush is where you pick them up - they climb up and hang on low vegetation with built in grappling hooks waiting for passing mammals to hitchhike on. For me, the risk is typically confined to: overgrown trail sections (use hiking poles to hold the brush back) and getting off trail for: water, firewood, setting up camp, and the morning cathole/#2.
I'm quite comfortable walking across/camping on fallen/decaying leaves, but anytime live vegetation touches me above ankle height, I immediately check for ticks once back on safe ground.
Obviously, they're easiest to spot against light colored pants, but skin is ok if you're not too hairy. I always use a white tyvek ground sheet to sit on (outside of my tent).
I'm gonna piggy back off of this guy's post and say what I said in the other thread. All of this ^, and make sure not to sit or lay directly on the ground during breaks or in camp (I use a big piece of plastic to sit on). Also, when removing your pack always try to set it on something like a log or rock rather than directly on the ground in leaves or brush.
The best thing is prevention by trying to make a reasonable attempt not to get into a lot of undergrowth or leaves as that's where the ticks hang out. Also make sure to take periodic glances at your legs to try to catch any of them crawling around. The other thing of note is that ticks are particularly bad in the spring (April through May).
This isn't fool proof advice of course, and there are other things such as permithrin that can further assist in dealing with this issue. Also, it probably sounds like a lot of stuff to do, but once you get into the habit of it you'll not even notice it anymore.