Colorado Tick Hazards: There are almost 30 tick borne and transmitted diseases, enough that you should visit the Colorado Tick-Borne Disease Awareness Association’s website for full details. Monica White’s entire family is still suffering the after effects of Lyme disease that went undiagnosed for seven years. There are four dominant tick borne diseases, and one condition in Colorado: Rocky Mountain Tick Fever Colorado Tick Fever Tularema Relapsing Fever A condition known as Tick Paralysis, which can lead to temporary paralysis and even death. The White Star tick is being introduced into Colorado by animals. It can carry and transmit other diseases. One is an apocalypse for meat eating hunters. The White Star tick can transfer an enzyme that initiates an allergy to meats. The Potassan Virus is was identified in Cache La Poudre River area ticks in 1957, but apparently is not easily transmitted to humans. It causes 10% fatality if contracted. Ticks that are remove within three hours generally did not have time to transmit diseases. Always check for ticks a t bead time. Summer and early big game archery hunters are most likely to encounter ticks. Ticks are largely dormant in later seasons. Ticks can transmit over twenty pathogens to pets, livestock and humans. Symptoms are often vague and dismissed as just a bout with “what’s going around”. Tick exposure is generally greater in the warm summer months. Ticks can detect body odor, transpired carbon dioxide, body heat, and vibration to detect prey. Insect repellents have varying success in fending off ticks. Wearing Permithrin treated clothing is the most effective deterrent to tick exposure. Permethrin is a choice for hunters. It is odorless and flame resistant after it dries, and lingers long in clothing even after several washings. Please visit www.coloradoticks.org for more information on limiting exposure, and symptoms of tick diseases. Testing and the Progression of Lyme disease: We have a friend whose son contracted Lyme Disease. It was unfortunate that doctors did not (were not able) to diagnose the disease earlier. Wile the disease goes into submission, it has not been able to cure the victim. This review is intended to disclose that the disease is not easy to identify. A critical point is that there is a time window for testing. Test done too soon will not disclose bacterium, and testing too late may occur after the bacteria have spread to all body organs where is is impossible to eradicate. Certain ticks carry the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. The disease is largely unnoticed for the first three weeks, except for the characteristic “bull’s eye” rash around the tick wound. These are the sequences of infection events: 1. The tick must inbed its head and remain in the skin flesh for 36 to 48 hours to transfer the bacteria to the host. 2. In three to thirty days the bacteria multiply and spread in the skin and form the “bull’s eye“ rash. Symptoms of chills, fever, muscle pain, headaches appear and worsen. 3. In days to weeks the bacteria enter blood vessels and are circulated through the body. The body reacts by forming antibodies. 4. Three weeks and longer of infection permit testing; earlier testing may be inconclusive, or negative results which create overconfidence of not having Lyme Disease, or that it is being cured. 5. Weeks to months after initial infection, the bacteria enter other tissues, including the heart, and facial muscles which develop palsy. 6. Many months on into many years the bacteria continue infecting other body parts and organs, the nervous system, joints, and the skin. Chronic fatigue, constant flu-like pain and contagion of other maladies because of a compromised immune system compound the suffering without treatment. The degree and development speed of Lyme infection vary considerably from person to person. Unfortunately, many Lyme disease victims are never recognized for years. The bacterium cannot be seen in blood samples. Half of the two-part tests eveloped in the 1990’s for Lyme disease do not detect the bacterium or the antibody response. Many doctors are unfamiliar with Lyme disease, and insurance companies wage legal battles to not pay for testing and treatment of undiagnosed illnesses, no matter how severely the patient suffers.Researchers at Brown University and the Global Lyme Alliance in Stamford, Connecticut estimate two million Americans will contract Lyme disease in 2020. Unfortunately, many of these people will not be correctly diagnosed and they will seek alternative therapy, which may prove disastrous to their health. Treatment with antibiotics is most effective during the earliest phase of infection – right when testing is not reliable. Bottom line warning: make sure you are tested after three weeks of suspected infection and symptoms onset. In addition, do not rely on a single test if symptoms persist or worsen. Laura Bell, Science News June 22, 2019, p22-26 White Star Tick’s Meat Allergy: The bite of the white star tick can lead to a meat-eating allergy called alpha-gal. The allergy does not occur relatively soon after contact with allergens like peanut butter, wheat, soy, etc., but three to four hours after meat ingestion. Thus, the reaction can be confused with other