What should have been a fun day out at the Turriff Show in Aberdeenshire last year turned out to be a life-changing one for farmer and forestry worker Stuart Munro.
Shortly after he arrived, Stuart suddenly took ill and was so debilitated he couldn’t get out of the car.
“My heart rate was up; I suddenly got extremely cold and had put the heater up in the car which made no difference whatsoever,” he told STV News.
“I just grew very weak, very quickly.”
The cause was later confirmed as Lyme disease, a serious tick-borne infection that can usually be treated with antibiotics if caught early but can also lead to long-term, chronic symptoms if left undiagnosed.
Adobe StockIt’s estimated that around one in 20 ticks carry Lyme disease, but rising tick populations in Scotland, driven by climate change and evolving land management practices, are increasing the risk of infection.
Stuart added: “Because of my job, most weeks I’d find ticks amongst my clothes, and probably once a month I’d have a tick bite.
“I don’t know why I didn’t pick up on it sooner. I read the symptoms, and it was obvious that I had Lyme disease.
“I have to take each day as it comes. Some days I wake up and feel fine and other days I really don’t, I get very tired.”
Since last August, he and his older sister Nicola Dalgarno, a registered nurse, have been working to raise awareness about the disease and encourage more people to check themselves for ticks.
Stuart’s story has prompted a new campaign by the agricultural charity the RSABI to encourage more farmers and outdoors workers to check themselves for ticks.
STV NewsNicola said the disease’s symptoms often make it difficult to spot and that more awareness is crucial.
She said: “I think it’s important that everyone including health professionals have Lyme disease in the back of their mind when they’re dealing with those who are working.”
“It’s typically a rash that looks like a bullseye that is usually associated with Lyme, but that’s not always present.
“It can be symptoms like brain fog, fever, sore joints, tiredness and I think sometimes farmers dismiss the symptoms too because they’re doing a lot already and put their tiredness down to that.”
Over the summer months the RSABI are continuing their campaign via their “Health Huts” at Scotland’s major agricultural shows which offer basic health checks and support for farmers.
Stuart has a clear message for other farmers: “If you’re working outdoors often, especially out in long grass and in wooded areas, you need to check for ticks.
“There’s only so much you can cover yourself up, so just check for anything abnormal.”
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