Hikers, beware: Ticks infected with the bacterium at the root of Lyme disease have been found roaming California parks, as described in a study to be published in Emerging Infectious Disease. The same paper by Stanford researchers, including ones associated with the university's Woods Institute for the Environment, also identified a human pathogen, Borrelia miyamotoi, in black-legged ticks, which are carried by western gray squirrels in California and white-footed mice back east.
From a Stanford Report article:
The findings raise the question of whether B. miyamotoi has gone undetected in California residents. The research results are "an important step toward dispelling the perception that you cannot acquire Lyme disease in California," said Ana Thompson, the executive director of the Bay Area Lyme Foundation.
B. miyamotoi has been known for some time to infect ticks; the first known human case of B. miyamotoi infection in the U.S. was discovered in 2013. Beyond Lyme-like symptoms such as fever and headache, little is known about its potential health impacts. In the Bay Area, low awareness of tick-borne diseases such as Lyme could heighten the risk of infection with B. miyamotoi for users of the region's extensive natural areas and trails.
The piece notes that the School of Medicine's interdisciplinary Lyme Disease Working Group "is exploring ways to improve diagnostic tests and medical understanding, evaluate the effectiveness of innovative therapies, expand clinical services and build greater public awareness."
Previously: Add a tick check to your vacation checklist, Ask Stanford Med: Answers to your questions about wilderness medicine and Piecing together the clues: Diagnosing and treating autonomic disorders
Photo by Ray Bouknight
