Tick Found in Topanga Tests Positive for Lyme Bacteria

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

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

Previously, the malady has been found mostly on the East Coast and in the Pacific Northwest.

A female hiker discovered the tick on her body about two weeks ago after a walk through Topanga State Park. The hiker, who sent the creature to a lab for testing, has shown no signs of the debilitating disease, which can cause severe neurological symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s if left untreated.

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 the disease among ticks in Los Angeles.

At today’s news conference, officials will caution hikers and ask for help in finding other ticks for testing, Saviskas said.

Lyme disease can be transmitted by the Western black-legged tick, found throughout California in low-lying grasses and shrubs and in the Pacific Northwest.

Los Angeles County health officials reported 28 cases of the disease from 1989 to 1996, with at least 16 of them contracted elsewhere. Officials could not determine the origin of the other cases.