Tick Infection Rates in Marin County 2005

Laboratory Report 2005, Marin / Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control District

% infection of I. pacificus with B. burgdorferi
China Camp State Park, Marin County, 2005
Female ticks   4.9%
All ticks      3.5%

Tick Collection and Tick-borne Disease Surveillance (by Kristen Holt).
The western deer tick, Ixodes pacificus, is the most important carrier of Lyme disease and other tick-borne disease agents in northern California. During 2005, we collected a total of 577 deer ticks from China Camp State Park near San Rafael, to test for the Lyme disease agent. Twenty ticks (3.5%) were carrying the Borrelia bacterium. The rate was higher in female (4.9%) than male ticks.