Lake County is known for its outdoor opportunities and they range from hiking and hunting to simply spending times outside.
There is another creature that also spends its entire life in the outdoors and is common throughout our county. It’s the western black-legged tick and it is the carrier for Lyme disease. According to scientists, the disease is a potentially serious and can be localized or affect multiple body systems. In the United States, the disease is caused almost exclusively by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, a corkscrew-shaped bacterium.
If you’re infected with Lyme disease and are not treated, it can have devastating consequences the rest of your life. While the chances of catching Lyme disease are not high, people who frequent the woods in a number of counties in California and Oregon are urged to be on the lookout for ticks that carry the bacteria.
The disease was named in 1977 when arthritis was observed in a cluster of children in and around Lyme, Connecticut. Actually, the disease is thought to have been around for centuries.
While most of the reported Lyme disease cases are still back East, California leads the western states in the number of confirmed cases of Lyme disease, with about 500 per year. The disease is more common in Northern California than in the southern part of the state. Mendocino, Lake and Sonoma counties are the top three counties in the state in terms of reported cases of Lyme disease, but there have been cases of the disease reported in every county in Northern California. There are several popular hiking areas in Lake County where ticks are common. Highland Springs County Park is loaded with ticks. Clear Lake State Park and Anderson Marsh also have a high population of ticks
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the disease is only spread by the bite of a tick. In California it’s the western black-legged tick that transmits the disease. The tick bites an infected animal such as a mouse, bird, deer or lizard and becomes a carrier of the disease.
The symptoms of Lyme disease vary widely. Within one to two weeks of being infected, a person may develop a “bull’s-eye” rash with fever, headache, and muscle or joint pain. Some people who contract Lyme disease have no early symptoms. Other people experience a fever and others “flu-like” symptoms without a rash. In its early stages Lyme disease can be effectively treated with antibiotics. However, if left untreated it can cause arthritic or neurological problems that will require extensive treatment. It can re-infect people who have been successfully treated for the disease. There are examples of individuals who have caught Lyme disease several times during their lifetime.
After several days or weeks, the bacteria may spread throughout the body of an infected person. People infected with the disease experience a wide array of symptoms from arthritis to heart and neurological problems. There have been very few deaths caused by Lyme disease, however the crippling effects of the disease can last a lifetime.
There is a blood test for Lyme disease and, according to the CDC, the test is about 80-percent reliable. The disease can also lay dormant in your body for years before becoming active.
People most at risk for catching Lyme disease are hunters, hikers, campers or workers who spend a good deal of time in the woods. Only nymphs (Immature ticks) and adult female ticks can transmit the Lyme disease bacteria to humans. It’s the nymphs, which are about the size of a poppy seed, that are most dangerous because they’re hard to see and difficult to remove.
Only a small percentage of ticks carry the Lyme disease bacteria. Studies have shown that in most areas in the West less than 3 percent of the ticks are actual carriers.
The good news is that it takes at least 24 hours after a tick attaches itself to a human before the person is infected. If the tick is remove promptly the chance of getting Lyme disease is very low.
If a person is bitten by a tick the CDC advises you remove the tick carefully to prevent breaking off the head. The best method is to use a small set of tweezers. Grab the tick as close as possible to the head and pull it straight out.
People with symptoms of Lyme disease should see their doctor as early as possible. When caught early, the disease is easily treated with antibiotics. Most physicians that are familiar with Lyme disease will aggressively treat any suspected case with antibiotics. the theory being that it’s better to error on the safe side.
Ticks can be repelled by applying a tick repellent to clothing. The most common repellents have the ingredient DEET. You should also check your body carefully for several days after returning from the woods. Ticks like to attach themselves to your groin, underarms and other places where the skin is soft.
