Lake County is known for its vast array of insects. There are various species of flys, moths, bees, mosquitoes and a wide array of other bugs.
One of the most dangerous insects is the wood tick. It is also called the western blacklegged tick and it is a carrier of Lyme disease. The potentially serious disease can affect multiple parts of the body. 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 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 have the most reported cases of Lyme disease in the state but there have been cases reported in every county in Northern California.
There are several areas in Lake County that are popular hiking areas where ticks are common. Highland Springs just south of Lakeport 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 then becomes a carrier of the disease.
Symptoms of Lyme disease vary. Within one to two weeks of being infected, a person may develop a bull’s-eye rash accompanied by fever, headache, and muscle or joint pain. However, some people infected with Lyme disease show no early symptoms.
Other people have experienced flu-like symptoms without a rash. In its early stages Lyme disease can be effectively treated with antibiotics. If left untreated it can cause arthritic or neurological problems that require extensive treatment. The disease can re-infect people who have been successfully treated. There have been cases where individuals have caught Lyme disease several times during their lifetime.
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 that is about 80-percent reliable, according to the CDC. 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 chances of getting Lyme disease are very low.
If a person is bitten by a tick the CDC advises that 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 straight out.
People showing symptoms of Lyme disease should see their doctor as soon as possible.
Most physicians who are familiar with Lyme disease will aggressively treat any suspected case with antibiotics. It’s better to error on the safe side.
Ticks can be repelled by applying a repellent to clothing. The most common repellents contain the ingredient DEET. You should also check your body carefully for several days after returning from the woods. Ticks like to attach themselves in your groin area, in underarms and other places where the skin is soft.
