Lyme Disease Tick Discovered in Topanga Park

A tick found in the Topanga area has tested positive for the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, marking the first such finding in Southern California, according to a county disease transmission specialist.

At a press conference this morning, officials from the West Vector Control District--which monitors insect-borne diseases--will discuss the finding and the possible increased local threat of Lyme disease.

Previously the disease has been found mostly on the East Coast of the United States and in the Pacific Northwest.

The tick was found about two weeks ago by a female hiker, who sent it in for testing after a walk through Topanga State Park.

Although the test was a “strong positive,” according to Robert Saviskas, head of the control district, officials need more evidence before confirming the arrival of disease-carrying ticks in Los Angeles.

At the press conference, to be held at the state park, officials will caution hikers and ask for help in finding other ticks for testing, Saviskas said.

“The test isn’t absolutely foolproof, but considering what we know,” said Saviskas, “there is a much greater likelihood that it’s positive than negative. We want the public to know to take additional care when they’re around ticks.”

Saviskas said the woman who found the tick has shown no signs of the debilitating disease, which can cause severe neurological symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s if left untreated.

Lyme disease is transmitted by the Western black-legged tick, found throughout California in low-lying grasses and shrubs. Ticks carrying the disease have been found as far south as Santa Barbara County, but never in Los Angeles County, Saviskas said.

Nonetheless, county health officials reported 28 cases of the disease in Los Angeles between 1989 and 1996, with at least 16 of the cases contracted elsewhere. Officials could not determine the origin of the other cases.

Statewide, about 1,500 cases of Lyme disease were reported between 1989 and 1997.

Dozens of Malibu residents complained to county health officials last spring that they had contracted Lyme disease, although the health officials could not confirm an outbreak or find any evidence of the disease-carrying ticks. The Lyme bacterium causes a range of symptoms common to other illnesses, making it extremely difficult to diagnose.

The disease is not transmitted to humans quickly. Usually, a tick must feed on a human for 12 to 24 hours before transmission takes place. Lyme disease is treatable with antibiotics if caught in the early stages.

Initial symptoms are flu-like, and can include a red ring around the original bite that looks similar to a bull’s eye. As the disease progresses, painful aches develop in the joints. In its final stage, severe neurological damage can result. In rare cases, the disease is fatal.

Health officials are especially concerned about the latest finding, because February marks the beginning of tick season in Southern California. At this time of year, when the freckle-sized ticks that cause the disease are beginning to hatch, they are especially small and difficult to see.

Saviskas recommended that hikers wear long sleeves and light-colored clothes, with pants tucked into their socks. He also suggested full body checks after a hike. If a tick is found, it should be removed with pointed tweezers.

County officials are asking anyone who finds a tick to call a special tick hotline to summon a county worker to pick up the insect for testing. The number is (310) 915-7370, Ext. 505.

“This is a particularly important time for everybody to look themselves over,” Saviskas said.

There was at least some confusion in county government circles Wednesday evening over release of the news about the tick. Sharon Wanglin, spokeswoman for the county’s Department of Health Services, said top county health officials were not notified about the positive test result by the Vector Control District before the news became public.

Wanglin said county health officials would investigate further today to learn more about the department’s findings.

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Miller is a Times staff writer and Vitucci is a correspondent.