Community Guide 2017
LYME DISEASE by Diana Rocha WHAT IS LYME
SYMPTOMS OF LYME Symptoms during an acute Lyme infection include fever, chills, aches, pains and rashes. These symptoms can start anywhere from two to thirty days after a tick bite. The appearance of a distinctive expanding bull’s-eye rash is 100% diagnostic for Lyme, but only occurs in a small minority of patients. No rash, or an atypical rash, is more common. WHEN AND HOW TO SEEK HELP If you experience any symptoms following a tick bite, contact a Lyme literate medical doctor (LLMD) immediately. You can get a list of LLMDs in your area by going to ILADS.org and LymeCoaching.com, a San Geronimo Valley based service. Lyme symptoms can mimic other diseases. This often results in misdiagnoses if one doesn’t connect the symptoms to the tick bite. If caught early and treated adequately, Lyme disease can be completely cured. If not, the long-term conse- quences may include arthritic, neurological and cardiovascu- lar conditions that can be permanently debilitating. PREVENTION While not all ticks carry Lyme disease, they can carry other infections frequently referred to as co-infections. Prevention is key, especially when you consider that ticks have the potential of transmitting multiple pathogens in a single bite. When spending time in nature, it’s best to wear light colored clothing, long sleeves and long pants that are tucked into socks. Wearing light colored clothing will make the ticks easier to spot. Braid long hair or put it in a bun under a hat to protect your head. Use appropriate repellents on clothes and exposed skin. Make sure your kids do the same. Children ages five to fourteen are at the greatest risk and constitute approximately 25% of all reported cases. Perform tick checks even if you only stay in your yard. It’s currently thought that 75% of all Lyme disease cases are acquired from ticks picked up during activities around the home. Showering within two hours will help prevent ticks from attaching if missed during a tick check. A recent study showed that de-ticking clothing is best done by throwing clothes into a dryer on high for ten minutes before washing. Do a tick check on pets before they come in from the outside to (a) prevent ticks that may be on them from coming into your home, and (b) protect them from getting Lyme. Animals are especially at risk if they spend time in tick preferred areas such as wooded, brushy terrain with high grass and lots of leaf litter. Speak with your veterinar- ian about additional prevention options. More information can be found at ILADS.org and BayAreaLyme.org. San Geronimo Valley and Nicasio resi- dents can get free local consultations regarding prevention, treatment options, and Lyme doctors at LymeCoaching.com.
Lyme disease is a serious infection that can be transmit- ted by the bite of an infected tick, commonly known as the black-legged deer tick. First discovered in Lyme, Con- necticut, in 1982, Lyme disease is one of the fastest grow- ing infectious diseases in the United States. In September, 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised their estimates, indicating that more than 329,000 new cases were contracted each year, an increase of up to 10 times what was previously believed. Recent findings prove ticks that carry Lyme disease are widespread in the San Francisco Bay Area. The western gray squirrel is the principal host of the disease in north- ern California and easily spreads infected ticks wherever it roams. Marin County, in particular, is known as a hot spot for both ticks and Lyme disease. In addition, ticks in Cali- fornia stay active throughout the year. All this underscores the need for San Geronimo Valley residents and visitors alike to take precautions year-round. WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND A TICK If you find an attached tick, you must remove it promptly and correctly. Proper Tick Removal • Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible. Avoid handling the tick with your bare hands. • 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. Be patient. Eventually, it will come out. • After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with a disinfectant. • Apply an antibiotic ointment onto the bite. Place the tick in a sealed plastic bag with a moistened tissue or cotton ball. Label it with the date of the bite and where you think you picked up the tick. You may choose to have the tick tested, especially if you develop Lyme symptoms. Testing ticks is more accurate than testing humans. Free tick testing is available at BayAreaLyme.org. Lyme disease is commonly transmitted by tick nymphs. In this stage, ticks are no larger than a poppy seed and are very hard to see, so check carefully. Less than half of patients with known Lyme disease ever recall being bitten or having any kind of rash. Ticks can stay attached for many hours or several days. The longer a tick stays embedded, the higher the risk of disease transmission. However, there is evidence that trans- mission of infection can take place in a matter of minutes, particularly if it’s not removed properly.
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