Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
2/2/12
Winter Lyme disease warning issued in Placer County
Ticks with disease found at several popular hiking locations near Auburn
By Gus Thomson, Journal Staff Writer
AUBURN CA - Now being tested for Lyme disease, ticks from the Auburn area are showing that bites from the infectious bug aren?t just a spring and summer hazard on the trails.
Five areas with tick populations have turned up specimens infected with Lyme disease, according to the Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District.
The five areas are:
- Driver?s Flat, located off Foresthill Road about eight miles from Auburn.
- Placer Nature Center, in Christian Valley. The center is a popular destination for school groups to learn about the flora and fauna of the area.
- Stevens Trail, in the North Fork American River canyon, near Colfax. The trail is also a dangerous place for poison oak.
- Hidden Falls Regional Park. Opened six years ago, the park, located between Lincoln and Auburn, is becoming one of the most popular outdoor destinations in the county.
- Auburn Overlook Trail. Accessible off Pacific Avenue in Auburn, the trail provides an accessible entry into the American River Canyon along a trail shared by runners, walkers and equestrians.
Read more:
http://auburnjournal.com/detail/199...order_sort=&content_class=1&sub_type=&town_id=
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Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District
TICKS FOUND POSITIVE FOR LYME DISEASE
ROSEVILLE, Calif., January 25, 2012 ? Eight tick samples in Placer County have tested positive for the Lyme disease organism in the past two weeks. This announcement comes on the heels of a tick advisory issued by the California Department of Public Health last week.
"These results certainly support the warning from the state health officer,? said Joel Buettner, General Manager of the Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District. Buettner states that there is a Lyme disease risk during this time of year, even though most people associate ticks and Lyme disease with the summer months. District surveillance activities have picked up an increase in the tick population since the late fall, and ticks are capable of infecting humans with the Lyme disease pathogen even when temperatures are colder.
?We are concerned that with the milder winter we have been experiencing, a lot of folks will be taking the opportunity to engage in outdoor activities, such as hiking in tick habitat, and potentially putting themselves at risk for tick-borne disease,? Buettner continues. Although it is not a clear representation of the distribution of ticks or prevalence of Lyme disease, five surveillance sites have come up with infected ticks:
? Driver?s Flat
? Placer Nature Center
? Stephen?s Trail
? Hidden Falls
? Auburn Overlook Trail
The District advises residents who may be working or recreating in tick habitat to exercise caution and implement the following tick-borne prevention strategies:
? Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts. Tuck pant legs into boots or socks and tuck shirts into pants.
? Wear light-colored clothing so ticks can be easily seen.
http://www.placermosquito.org/downloads/press_releases/2012/PR-12-01.pdf
Winter Lyme disease warning issued in Placer County
Ticks with disease found at several popular hiking locations near Auburn
By Gus Thomson, Journal Staff Writer
AUBURN CA - Now being tested for Lyme disease, ticks from the Auburn area are showing that bites from the infectious bug aren?t just a spring and summer hazard on the trails.
Five areas with tick populations have turned up specimens infected with Lyme disease, according to the Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District.
The five areas are:
- Driver?s Flat, located off Foresthill Road about eight miles from Auburn.
- Placer Nature Center, in Christian Valley. The center is a popular destination for school groups to learn about the flora and fauna of the area.
- Stevens Trail, in the North Fork American River canyon, near Colfax. The trail is also a dangerous place for poison oak.
- Hidden Falls Regional Park. Opened six years ago, the park, located between Lincoln and Auburn, is becoming one of the most popular outdoor destinations in the county.
- Auburn Overlook Trail. Accessible off Pacific Avenue in Auburn, the trail provides an accessible entry into the American River Canyon along a trail shared by runners, walkers and equestrians.
Read more:
http://auburnjournal.com/detail/199...order_sort=&content_class=1&sub_type=&town_id=
-------------------------------------------------------
Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District
TICKS FOUND POSITIVE FOR LYME DISEASE
ROSEVILLE, Calif., January 25, 2012 ? Eight tick samples in Placer County have tested positive for the Lyme disease organism in the past two weeks. This announcement comes on the heels of a tick advisory issued by the California Department of Public Health last week.
"These results certainly support the warning from the state health officer,? said Joel Buettner, General Manager of the Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District. Buettner states that there is a Lyme disease risk during this time of year, even though most people associate ticks and Lyme disease with the summer months. District surveillance activities have picked up an increase in the tick population since the late fall, and ticks are capable of infecting humans with the Lyme disease pathogen even when temperatures are colder.
?We are concerned that with the milder winter we have been experiencing, a lot of folks will be taking the opportunity to engage in outdoor activities, such as hiking in tick habitat, and potentially putting themselves at risk for tick-borne disease,? Buettner continues. Although it is not a clear representation of the distribution of ticks or prevalence of Lyme disease, five surveillance sites have come up with infected ticks:
? Driver?s Flat
? Placer Nature Center
? Stephen?s Trail
? Hidden Falls
? Auburn Overlook Trail
The District advises residents who may be working or recreating in tick habitat to exercise caution and implement the following tick-borne prevention strategies:
? Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts. Tuck pant legs into boots or socks and tuck shirts into pants.
? Wear light-colored clothing so ticks can be easily seen.
http://www.placermosquito.org/downloads/press_releases/2012/PR-12-01.pdf