MILPITAS, Calif., April 29, 2019 — Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever (TBRF) is a very common tick-borne disease in California. It is often confused with Lyme disease because the two diseases present similar symptoms. But what many people don’t know is that in California, TBRF affects nearly as many people as Lyme disease, and is growing at a faster rate.
Some of the Borrelia that cause TBRF are transmitted by the same ticks that transmit B. burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. Until recently, TBRF was thought to be very limited in the United States, but a 2018 study published in the prestigious International Journal of General Medicine confirms that exposure is widespread on the West Coast. In blood samples drawn from patients in 24 California counties, tests resulting in positive results for TBRF were found in 16 counties, with the highest rates of positive results in Santa Clara, Alameda, Marin, and San Francisco counties.
In addition, the study found that Ixodes pacificus, or the Western Blacklegged Tick, has been found in 56 of 58 California counties. While more common in the California North Coast and on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, they are also found in Southern California mountains, foothills, and near wetlands and bodies of water.
“Detection techniques for Relapsing Fever Borrelia are limited due to the diversity of this species group and the difficulty in culturing these bacteria,” says Dr. Jyotsna Shah, co-author of the study and President of IGeneX, a leading tick-borne disease testing laboratory. “Using novel laboratory techniques, we were able to detect exposure to Relapsing Fever Borrelia.”
Patients with “Lyme-like” musculoskeletal, neuropsychiatric, or cardiovascular symptoms in California should be screened for TBRF. A negative Lyme test does not rule out the presence of TBRF, and clinicians should be familiar with disease symptoms and available diagnostic tests. IGeneX tests for all the major strains of the TBRF Borrelia, including B. hermsii, B. miyamotoi, B. turicatae, B. texasensis, B. coriaceae, and B. parkerii.
Tick-borne diseases are on the rise and prevention should be on everyone’s mind, particularly during the spring, summer, and early fall when ticks are most active. Prevention and early detection are part of the safety protocol extended by the California Department of Public Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as vector control and county health departments.
For an infographic that highlights the threat of TBRF in California, please go here. For more information on tick-borne diseases and on how you can get tested for TBRF, please visit www.igenex.com or www.cdc.gov.
Contact:
Joe Sullivan
Head of Marketing
IGeneX, Inc.
jsullivan@igenex.com
408-504-7691
