2008 Woodie Awards
Lyme disease on the increase in state
A small bite goes a long way
Nicole Marelich
Issue date: 9/28/04 Section: News
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Deer, rats, mice and other rodents all may carry ticks infected with Lyme disease or other tick-borne diseases. Ticks are not discriminating; they will bite children, adults, or animals for a blood meal. And "those of us with compromised immune systems are more susceptible to the bacteria ticks can carry and are not able to fight off tick-borne diseases as well as people who do have strong immune systems," says Carol Martin, a Lyme disease victim and former leader of the Danville Lyme Disease Support Group.
Lyme disease is a potentially debilitating and sometimes chronic infection transmitted to humans and other animals by ticks. Lyme disease was first identified in the United States 1975, after a mysterious outbreak of arthritis among residents of Lyme, Connecticut. These tick bites caused more than 23,000 infections in the United States in 2002, as reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Between the years 1997 and 2000, 524 cases of Lyme disease in California were reported to the CDC. This, of course, does not include the unreported cases. "Lyme disease is easy to catch and hard to cure," warns Martin. "This is a serious disease."
A 2002 study revealed that the ticks that carry Lyme disease and its co-infections were found in 53 of the 58 counties in California, and in 41 of those counties Lyme disease-infected ticks were found. The Northern California counties of Mendocino, Humboldt, Trinity and Sonoma particularly have a high abundance of these Lyme disease-infected ticks. Regardless, "Lyme disease is still considered an 'East Coast' disease," says Martin.
On the Pacific Coast the Lyme disease bacteria are transmitted to humans by the western black-legged tick in the nymph stage. These ticks are much smaller than common dog and cattle ticks. In their larval and nymphal stages, they are about the size of a pinhead.
Campers, hikers, outdoor workers and others who frequent wooded, brushy and grassy places are commonly exposed to ticks. Ticks may also be carried by animals into lawns, gardens, and homes. Infected ticks can even be found in fallen tree trunks and moist habitats such as oak leaf litter. "One tick will lay as many as 1,000 eggs in moist oak leaf litter," said Martin. "These ticks can be carried into the home by cats and dogs and be left on your couch for you to sit down and be bitten."
Lyme disease is a potentially debilitating and sometimes chronic infection transmitted to humans and other animals by ticks. Lyme disease was first identified in the United States 1975, after a mysterious outbreak of arthritis among residents of Lyme, Connecticut. These tick bites caused more than 23,000 infections in the United States in 2002, as reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Between the years 1997 and 2000, 524 cases of Lyme disease in California were reported to the CDC. This, of course, does not include the unreported cases. "Lyme disease is easy to catch and hard to cure," warns Martin. "This is a serious disease."
A 2002 study revealed that the ticks that carry Lyme disease and its co-infections were found in 53 of the 58 counties in California, and in 41 of those counties Lyme disease-infected ticks were found. The Northern California counties of Mendocino, Humboldt, Trinity and Sonoma particularly have a high abundance of these Lyme disease-infected ticks. Regardless, "Lyme disease is still considered an 'East Coast' disease," says Martin.
On the Pacific Coast the Lyme disease bacteria are transmitted to humans by the western black-legged tick in the nymph stage. These ticks are much smaller than common dog and cattle ticks. In their larval and nymphal stages, they are about the size of a pinhead.
Campers, hikers, outdoor workers and others who frequent wooded, brushy and grassy places are commonly exposed to ticks. Ticks may also be carried by animals into lawns, gardens, and homes. Infected ticks can even be found in fallen tree trunks and moist habitats such as oak leaf litter. "One tick will lay as many as 1,000 eggs in moist oak leaf litter," said Martin. "These ticks can be carried into the home by cats and dogs and be left on your couch for you to sit down and be bitten."