UKC

Brain picking please...

I'm having a look through the sample SPA paper as I've got my assessment coming up and can't find an answer to the question

"Name a microbe that could be a hazard to rock climbers."

I'm probably being thick but help would be appreciated.

Cheers

In reply to maresia: Would Chiggers count? They're pretty bloomin small and they definately harmed me...

In reply to maresia: E.coli or Salmonella from faecal contamination.

In reply to maresia:

Surely ANY microbe hazardous to "normal" folk would be hazardous to rock climbers too? Take your pick...

In reply to blueshound:

Good point - but I'm guessing there is probably one more specifically associated with climbing.

In reply to mike kann:

I take it you had plenty of fun in Scotland then!

In reply to maresia: Seems a bit of an odd question. Is there a bug that climbers are more likely to be exposed to that the rest of the population?

I suppose Lymes disease is a possibility, caused by Borrelia burghdor feri and transmitted by tick bites.

In reply to maresia: No, that was in Swanage. They are evil. I would gladly give a large portion of my non-existant fortune to the permanent and complete destruction. Look em up. They are hyper uber mega nasty.

In reply to mike kann:

Eugh! Is there anywhere without horrible biting, itchy, stinging things!!!

In reply to maresia: Antarctica?

In reply to maresia:
would agree with Lyme disease. It is on the increase and have been some confirmed cases in the peak district (is mentioned in new BMC guidebooks)

heres a webpage from HPA
http://www.hpa.org.uk/hpa/news/articles/press_releases/2007/070321_lyme.htm

In reply to maresia: giardia (sp?) from stream water?

In reply to maresia: What's the one that you get from dog sh*te that can cause blindness in kids? Some walls will not let you climb with outdoor shoes on because of it.

In reply to maresia:

god almighty. someone got paid to think that up.

In reply to dmhigg: Toxocara

In reply to maresia:
Leptospira interrogans


a spirochete bacteria.
live's in drinking water, which it gets into through animal urine.

causes leptospirosis.
disease has 2 stages.
First a high fever, headache and muscle ache.
Later meningitis, rash and jaundice.
If the second part gets very bad, it is called Weil's disease.

V easy to pick up any place rats dwell, quarries etc. Know a guy who contracted weils from biting his rope whilst trying to release a stubborn knot on a damp day. Rope had picked it up from rats urine on the rock.... dont know why they'd have that question on an SPA paper though...

In reply to maresia:

Look on here and see if you can find the one you can get while climbing;
http://www.immunisation.nhs.uk/Immunisation_Schedule

In reply to maresia:
An incorrectly used 'Bug'?

In reply to maresia:
is it Clostridium tetani (Tetanus)?

In reply to maresia:

climbus crapulus?

In reply to Morgan Woods:

is there any microbe that might effect the ropes...eating them and that...or maybe...no cant think, thats a very odd question

In reply to G Graham:

I gave a link to that earlier, dirt in cuts and grit rash is ideal for infection.

In reply to sutty:
Yup. Mtbers should get their jab too.

Cheers guys,

It does seem a bit of a strange question I know. It's in the back of the SPA syllabus book in the "Model Crag Environment Paper" and asks for an hazardous reptile and insect as well. The other two are fairly obvious but I couldn't think of any microbe that would be hazardous to climbers in particular.

Some good suggestions though - Thanks

In reply to maresia:

a missed hold and a fall off this microbe at the VD/ Severe SPA leader is dangerous...
http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=9898


may be a cryptic question.....