Ninety-six percent of all confirmed Lyme disease cases are reported from 14 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin. That’s why most people in California never even think about tick bites or Lyme disease.

But we do have cases of Lyme disease in California. Here are the latest available records from 2005 to 2014. The number next to the year are the number of reported cases in that year.

Lyme disease in California

2005 – 95

2006 – 85

2007 – 75

2008 – 74

2009 – 117

2010 – 126

2011 – 79

2012 – 61

2013 – 90

2014 – 54 (may have been higher – +19 probable)

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in North America. There are approximately 300,000 cases per year in North America.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by the bite of infected ticks of the Ixodes genus. These ticks live in wilderness and open space, and I’ve even found one in my home garden.

When a tick bites a human and embeds, it can transmit the bacteria to the host and cause a large range of health problems, of which Lyme disease is only one. Testing for antibodies in the blood can help confirm a diagnosis, but testing may be negative in the early stages of the disease. It is important to track any unusual symptoms and to seek medical assistance immediately when bitten.

Common symptoms of Lyme disease might include:

– Skin rash at the bite site that is itchy, painful, has a bull’s eye pattern, that spreads in an outward direction and is present within 3-30 days of exposure;

– Fever and chills or typical flu-like symptoms with a fever that can rise and fall, and in some cases climb up to 106 degrees;

– Muscle and joint pain that can be mild to severe are present in most patients. Pain can come and go, and be present all over the body;

– Severe headaches are a classic sign of Lyme disease. They can become more and more intense as the infection progresses, and if untreated can lead to cerebral edema;

– Facial palsy is another symptom that may occur during the course of an infection because the bacteria may cause nerve damage;

– Irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, chest pain, fainting and heart palpitations are caused by bacteria entering the tissues of the heart and interacting with immune cells. This will lead to compromised function of the heart.

– Abnormal sensations in the arms or legs is another possible symptom the patient may experience. These sensations can range from sharp or stabbing pains, burning, tingling or numbness;

– Inflammation of the liver, eyes, and joints all over the body may cause an arthritis type pain at multiple sites simultaneously;

– Cognitive problems may occur in untreated patients. Patients may have trouble concentrating, with short term memory or concentration.

Deer ticks that are infected with the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria are responsible for passing Lime disease to humans. Wood ticks and Dog ticks do not carry the bacteria.

There are two blood tests used to diagnose Lyme disease: The Elisa blood test and the Western blot blood test. If there is a positive result, it proves the patient has been infected at some point by the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria. It does not prove a current, active infection.

Treatment for Lyme disease is usually by antibiotics such as doxycycline or amoxicillin. If the disease is caught early, most patients will have a full recovery. However, some patients have persistent recurring symptoms of Lyme disease and do not respond well to antibiotic treatment.

On April 6, a study was published by Stanford School of Medicine that found that strains of Lyme bacteria present in California ticks are able to form persister bacteria which do not respond well to treatment. This might explain why some people continue to have recurring symptoms while others do not.

The compounds that were found to be more effective than doxycycline are azlocillin, gramicidin and cefotaxime. Further studies will be needed before these compounds are available for mainstream use in Lyme disease treatment.

There is currently no vaccine for Lyme disease. In 1998, a vaccine was approved for clinical use. It was called LYMErix. However, people were getting sick from the vaccine itself, and it was pulled from the market in 2002.

The CDC lays out the following method for effectively and safely removing an embedded tick:

1. Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.

2. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.

3. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.

4. Dispose of a live tick by submersing it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet. Never crush a tick with your fingers.

Follow-up:

If you develop a rash or fever within several weeks of removing a tick, see your doctor. Be sure to tell the doctor about your recent tick bite, when the bite occurred, and where you most likely acquired the tick.

I personally have found removing a tick with tweezers to be difficult at best, and it is most likely to damage the tick and leave parts, especially the mandible, inside the wound. I’ve found a product called a “tick spoon” (readily available online and in some pet stores) to be quick and effective in removing ticks. I carry one on every outing where I might be exposed to a tick. It removes the entire tick. When I remove one, I save it in a little plastic pouch so it can be tested for various bacteria if I start showing any symptoms.

If you purchase a tick spoon, it’s about $10. If you purchase more than one, the price is lower. But it works like a charm and can save you a lot of money in doctor visits down the road. I highly recommend it.

And no, I don’t own the company, nor do I get a commission. But I have removed about 10 ticks with my spoon over the years.

CDC Helpful Hint: Avoid folklore remedies such as “painting” the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly, or using heat to make the tick detach from the skin. Your goal is to remove the tick as quickly as possible. Do not wait for it to detach.

Dianne Erskine-Hellrigel is executive director of the Community Hiking Club and president of the Santa Clara River Watershed Conservancy. Contact Dianne through communityhikingclub.org or at zuliebear@aol.com.