North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[DocKW@aol.com]

Here in SW Connecticut we have ticks nearly year round....and with that the 
disease problem. If you have been bitten you have about a 50% chance of 
coming 
down with one of several tick borne diseases in my locale.  Lyme, Babesiosis, 
Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted  fever, and ( apparently) cat scratch 
fever.
These are all very serious, some having a 10% mortality rate if not 
aggressively treated.   I have had Ehrlichiosis and it is a BIG problem, but 
treated 
with Doxycycline can be controlled.
I would say that it was better to treat with Doxycycline rather than 
wait...because if it only prevents one onset out of four that person has 
saved huge 
bucks and time and grief.  Our local MD's are of differing opinion and one 
has 
to go with what they know.  Some will treat early and others not.  We have 
some 
tragic results of this policy and stories abound.  The problem I see is the 
huge number of critters of all types which are out of control.  Each year I 
expect a big die off from starvation or disease and that has yet to 
happen....though we now have open woods that look like it has been weed 
whacked up to 6feet 
high .  The ticks live part of their cycle on mice (which are in the millions 
judging by the runs) and part on bigger critters...and we have abundant 
vectors for all stages of tick development.
We can't even find a way to reduce one part of the cycle such as 
mice....can't be cruel to mice....so the saga continues.
So much for my 2cents worth

Karl W. Olson D.M.D
SW Connecticut  Zone 5