Hi Craig,
A couple of things on subject from www I hope you find helpfull.
Anecdotal reference to Lume(sic) Disease = Lyme Disease in the kyak article
may be worth following up/confirming, I've included a couple of references
on that for you to consider.
Anecdotally - I have had the interesting life experience that for some
reason both leaches and ticks seem to not be interested in 'hooking' into
me. I have met them on plenty of occasions and other human companions have
been 'got '
but not me. One theory I have is it's 'cos I'm a long term vego (>20yrs) -
but I'm very NOT anaemic.
On one occasion while visiting WA I spent a whole day in some bush to the
North of Perth macro-photographing wildflowers, which for me involves lots
of lying on the ground. I was utterly unaware there were ticks about. For
the next few days I extracted over 40 ticks of various sizes from my
person - NOT ONE had latched on!!!!!
Wendy Moore
Friends of Craigieburn Grassland, Victoria
et al
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/public-health/pdf/tick.pdf
A Tick Alert pamphlet can be downloaded from the NSW HealthWeb/Net site:
www.health.nsw.gov.au look under the Common Health Topics.
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~norbertf/identification.htm
http://www.nswseakayaker.asn.au/mag/26/flow.htm
The Ranger and the bristlebirder hoiked their packs out of the truck and
started to smear Aerogard on their bodies. Ticks said the Ranger. There was
a case of Lume disease at Pambula. This was bad news indeed. I didn't know
that the debilitating disease had made it across the Pacific from it's home
in the US. We had already plucked several of the little monsters from our
skin.
They headed off on foot to the bristlebirding grounds near Nadgee Lake and
we returned to camp I discovered three ticks dug into my dermis. I removed
two myself, but needed Nick's help to dislodge the third which was under my
beard on the corner of my jaw. The tick infestations itched for weeks, but I
suffered no further effects.
http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/1park_display.cfm?park=99
this only mentions ticks but the park (Wingan Inlet Camp Ground) had
excellent informative signs about ticks when I visited it (admittedly many
years ago) You may get more info from the management plan document which I
have not looked at.
http://www.shoal.net.au/~rwylie/tick.html
While this is a veterinary doc. it does have usefull info e.g. below. ALso,
I'm not sure about the nature of your bushland volunteers BUT with some
enviro activities I have been engaged in it has been hard to persuade some
people not to bring their dogs (and sometimes other pets) so some vet info
may be appropriate.
".........We advise clients not to use irritant substances such as
turpentine, kerosene, or petrol. These will kill the tick but may not make
it any easier to remove. It is possible that stimulation by these substances
may cause the tick to inject more toxin before dying. They will also cause a
very nasty sore at the site of the tick bite and cause the pet unnecessary
pain. If their pet is showing symptoms when they first call the Vet
Hospital, we usually advise them NOT to remove the tick, but to kill it as
described and to leave it in situ for the veterinary staff to remove during
the treatment period.
Removal of a live tick by any means may result in a worsening of the
animal's symptoms. This may be due to further injection of toxin by the tick
at the time of removal, or it may be due to an increase in the speed of
spread of toxin from the area around the tick bite into the animal's
system........"
http://www.coepark.org/tick-info.html
this is USA but an intersting and entertaining read.
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/public-health/pdf/tick.pdf
http://medent.usyd.edu.au/fact/lyme%20disease.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol1no1/russell.htm
about Lyme Disease in Aus
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