Bay Area Parks Issue Tick Safety Warnings as Spring Brings Increased Lyme Disease Risk

Bay Area parks are issuing safety warnings amid an increase in tick sightings this spring, heightening Lyme disease concerns. While the risk in California is lower than the East Coast, with less than 5% of local ticks carrying the disease, the CDC reports a decade-high number of emergency room visits for tick bites in the Western U.S. Officials urge hikers to stay on trails, use repellent, and perform thorough tick checks.

Bay Area tick activity

• ▪Bay Area parks districts are advising hikers to be vigilant this spring due to reports of ticks on local trails
• ▪The San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District is reporting "normal-ish levels" of ticks locally
• ▪The Western blacklegged tick, which can transmit Lyme disease, is currently the size of a poppy seed in its nymph stage
• ▪The Bay Area Lyme Foundation has seen a recent increase in public inquiries about an "explosion in ticks."
• ▪According to the Bay Area Lyme Foundation, ticks are present year-round in the region and there is no distinct "tick season."

Lyme disease risk levels

• ▪California's lower Lyme disease risk is partly due to the Western fence lizard, whose blood contains a protein that kills the Lyme-causing bacteria
• ▪Lyme disease is present in nearly every county in California, and ticks carrying the disease have been found in all 50 states
• ▪Less than 5% of ticks tested in San Mateo County carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, compared to 50-60% on the East Coast
• ▪The Western blacklegged tick is most likely to transmit Lyme disease when it is in its small, hard-to-see nymph stage
• ▪The CDC estimates that Lyme disease affects 500,000 people across the U.S. each year
• ▪The CDC is reporting the highest number of emergency department visits for tick bites in the Western U.S. this year in almost a decade

Tick bite prevention methods

• ▪A thorough tick check involves inspecting the entire body, especially warm areas like armpits, the groin, and behind the ears
• ▪To prevent tick bites, officials advise staying in the middle of trails, avoiding tall grasses, and wearing long pants and sleeves
• ▪EPA-registered repellents, such as DEET or Permethrin, can be used on skin or clothing to deter ticks
• ▪After returning indoors, clothing should be placed in a dryer to kill any ticks

Proper tick removal technique

• ▪After removing a tick, the bite area and hands should be washed with soap and water
• ▪Methods like smothering a tick with Vaseline, using nail polish, or burning it off should not be used for removal
• ▪A tick should be removed using tweezers to grasp it as close to the skin as possible and pulling slowly and steadily without twisting

Post-bite monitoring symptoms

• ▪If treated early with proper antibiotics, 80% to 90% of people with Lyme disease will clear the infection
• ▪For 30 days after a bite, individuals should monitor for symptoms including fever, headache, fatigue, and a rash that may resemble a bullseye