Thank you for publishing the front page article about ticks and Lyme disease on May 5.
I believe that some statements made in the article are misleading. To say that only 3 percent of ticks in this area carry Lyme disease is likely an understatement.
A study done in New Jersey showed that 42 percent of ticks there carry Lyme disease and the same may be true here.
Also there is evidence that virtually every kind of tick at every life stage can transmit Lyme disease, not just the western black-legged tick.
As for symptoms of early Lyme disease, only 30 percent of patients who are proven to have Lyme disease develop a classical “bulls-eye” rash. Testing for Lyme disease is notoriously inaccurate, so symptoms should be the main criteria for diagnosis.
I caught Lyme disease and Bartonella from tick bites in spring of 2010 and am still taking antibiotics now.
I acquired tick bites from clearing trails on our ranch. When I started to experience major pain and stiffness in my hips, knees, shoulders, and after I”d had the fever, chills, muscle aches and stiff neck that are often early symptoms, I saw my family doctor to get a blood test.
It came back negative, and since I never saw a bulls-eye rash, he proclaimed that I did not have Lyme disease.
My symptoms persisted, however, and research led me to Gordon Medical Associates in Santa Rosa with doctors who specialize in tick-borne diseases.
A new blood test, sent to IGeneX, a lab that specializes in testing for Lyme disease, came back positive.
By the time I had a reliable diagnosis, a few months had passed and along with it the brief window of time during which I could have been easily cured.
So, here I am, a year after those fateful tick bites, still under treatment with antibiotics. My doctor says that my Lyme disease is cured now and that my remaining symptoms (stiff, painful joints and fatigue) are because of Bartonella. I am halfway back to normal now, and optimistic that I will ultimately be 100 percent back to normal, thanks to Dr. Neil Nathan.
If you suspect you have Lyme disease, see a Lyme-literate doctor as soon as possible. You can get a doctor referral from California Lyme Disease Association by e-mailing to contact@lymedisease.org or call Gordon Medical Associates in Santa Rosa at 575-5180.
Juliana Vidich
Kelseyville
