California resident becomes just the fourth person in the world to become infected with tick-borne illness, officials say

California resident becomes just the fourth person in the world to become infected with tick-borne illness, officials say The patient was likely infected in Northern California and diagnosed in April, according to state health officials - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments An individual in California was diagnosed with the fourth known case of a rare tick-borne bacterial infection earlier this year. The individual was diagnosed with a Rickettsia lanei infection in April and was likely infected in Northern California, health officials told SFGate. Rickettsia lanei, part of the same family of bacteria that causes the sometimes fatal Rocky Mountain spotted fever, can cause gangrene, coma and death in patients. The Rickettsia lanei case this year marked the third such diagnosis in the state, and the fourth globally. “We encourage physicians to think about this disease, if a patient has been in an area and talks about tick bites, to get them on doxycycline before they even wait for any test results,” Anne Kjemtrup, a research scientist and veterinarian with the California Department of Public Health, told the outlet. The Independent has contacted the department for further information. The pathogen was identified in California in 2018 in rabbit ticks in Sonoma County. By 2023, researchers confirmed it could infect humans, though transmission appears to remain extremely rare. State officials added Rickettsia lanei to a list of transmittable pathogens in 2024, after analyzing two cases of likely infection from 2004 and 2023. In both cases, the men fell ill after spending time outdoors. One played golf across multiple courses in Alameda and Contra Costa counties around the time of his symptoms. The other had camped at a county park and state beach in San Mateo and Marin counties. Both men were hospitalized, where they faced symptoms ranging from diarrhea and abdominal pain to vomiting, neck pain and confusion. Researchers said more study is needed to understand the prevalence of the tick-borne bacteria. “I think it’s so new that I don’t know if anybody’s really gotten a grant to study it or put it under a microscope,” University of California Davis veterinarian and disease ecologist Janet Foley told the Los Angeles Times. State residents are encouraged to remain on trails in outdoor areas, avoid tall grasses, and check for ticks after spending time outside, immediately removing any ticks that attach to their skin and reporting any suspected illness to a healthcare provider. Last week, a prison in the state confirmed that a 38-year-old inmate contracted a possible case of hantavirus, another rare and deadly disease. Doctors are also warning that a seasonal flu virus that can lead to pneumonia and bronchitis is spreading in California wastewater. High levels of human metapneumovirus, also known as HMPV, have been detected across California cities, according to the public database WastewaterScan Dashboard. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments