Weils disease....potential health hazard

[Mike.T.]

I would have thought the average site hut posed the biggest environmental threat to Archaeologists.

[Unitof1]

http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/types/skin/

http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/asbfaq.htm

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=1091

might provide some perspective

[moreno]

@ Kevin: Spending years building up a professional manner, one comment on where one may be bitten and what sucking (poison that is) takes place could undue all that.....*laughing*

Alas, we evolved in our treatment of snake bite, unfortunately sucking is

[moreno]

@Mike: Too right, for some it's the repetative strain injury from hiding in the cabins and stirring their tea....

[mpoole]

Ticks were a very common problem in Indiana, Kentucky and Wisconsin (all of which suffered my presence at one time or another) so we learned to watch out for them, the worst places were in wooded areas with arbor vitae. We were more at risk from snakes, really. I knew it was time to move out of the nice cabin in the woods when I found a copperhead in the kitchen. It's one thing I like about the UK, almost no snakes at all, and where we are in Yorkshire, I can't say I've ever seen or heard of people having problems with ticks. Around here, it's mostly the local yoof that are more of a worry.

[Dinosaur]

Friend of a friend got Limes desease walking in the Lake District, was really ill, one reason I don't mess with archaeology up big hills any more if I can avoid it (plus it's always been really, really boring....)

[monty]

Apparently there is a bigger risk of contracting Weil's from cattle urine rather than rat......I once got a deertick in Thetford Forest and felt flu(ey?).....Convinced myself it was a hangover but the quack was obliged to treat me for Lyme's disease ....................

[Jack]

Yeah cows can be a source of lots of disease. I heard badgers catch TB off em.