20 Summer 2011 Applegater
Ticks and Lyme in the Applegate Watershed
By JuLie WheeLeR
By now most people have heard
of Lyme disease—you might even know
someone in your neighborhood who has
it. It’s not a new illness, but it is still nearly
impossible to get an early diagnosis, and to
get effective treatment in southern Oregon.
Lyme is difficult to diagnose and is often
referred to as “The Great Imitator” or
“The Great Imposter” because its signs and
symptoms mimic so many other illnesses.
It has the potential to impact every organ
of the human body including the brain,
heart, nervous system, muscles and joints
—it can be debilitating, or even fatal.
Lyme disease is an infection caused
by a microscopic bacterial organism called
a spirochete (spy-ro-keet) that people can
get from the bite of an infected tick. In our
area, the tick carrying the Lyme-causing
spirochete is the Ixodes Pacificus, otherwise
known as the Western Black Legged Tick
or deer tick.
Many southern Oregonians have
been afflicted with chronic Lyme—the
result of not being diagnosed and treated
early in the disease. Most Lyme patients
have been diagnosed with a minimum
of five illnesses before they are correctly
diagnosed with Lyme, and some have had
ten to fifteen doctors. As the spirochete
moves into different areas of the body, the
symptoms change and different specialists
are seen. Lyme is commonly misdiagnosed
as: multiple sclerosis, lupus, Parkinson’s,
Alzheimer’s, arthritis, mental illness,
chronic fatigue syndrome, attention deficit
disorder, fibromyalgia, depression, and
Lou Gehrig’s. Lyme is often the cause of
autoimmune disorders.
Antibody testing
remains the most commonly
used test, but accuracy is
difficult. Experienced doctors
diagnose Lyme based on clinical
symptoms as recommended
by the Center for Disease
Control. Living in an area with
known Lyme-carrying ticks is
a major risk factor. Another
consideration is a bull’s-eye
rash, or erythema migrans.
Once thought to be present in 80% of
Lyme cases, the erythema migrans is now
known to be present in only about 40%
of Lyme cases. The most common tests
measure the patient’s antibody response
to infection. When your body is invaded
Adult deer tick.
by the Lyme spirochetes, your immune
system makes antibodies to fight the
infection. Tests that measure antibody
levels are indirect tests because they
measure the body’s response to infection
see tiCKs, page 22
TRAil
here (see authors’ note at end of article).
This is just one spot on the ridge.
A part of this trail system extends from
the Enchanted Forest Trail along Slagle
Creek up to a network of old trails long
used by animals, trappers, immigrants
and Indians. These trails and the newer
logging roads traverse this ridge all the
way to Bunny Meadows staging area on
Forest Creek, a distance of about 12 miles.
The Applegate Trails Association
(ATA) is our new group forming to
preserve, restore, and maintain these
wonderful historic pathways. We would
like to open these trails to non-motorized
use: hiking, equestrian and mountain
biking. The Applegate Ridge Trail (ART)
will primarily follow the ridge tops that
separate drainages like Forest Creek from
China Gulch and Humbug Creek, or Slagle
and Caris Creeks from Foots and Birdseye
Creeks (on the Rogue side of the ridge).
Nearly all the trails or roads
along the entire route from Jacksonville
to Grants Pass already exist on mostly
public lands. Since BLM manages most
of the land, we are working with the
Medford District Office. We are also
including other recreational users, private
landowners and community groups to
assist in planning. Part of our trail lies
on the southwestern boundary of BLM’s
proposed Johns Peak/Timber Mountain
Recreation Area. ATA members are an
FROM PAGE 1
optimistic group. We look forward to to connect the Applegate Ridge Trail with
working with the motorized users to create SUTA’s Jack-Ash Trail, a non-motorized
an improved trail system for all to enjoy. upland trail between Jacksonville and
grant-writing, scouting and trail building/
maintenance. And you need not live on
these creeks to join us and participate in
this effort.
Help ATA create something
enduring, healthy and quiet in our
community for all of us to enjoy. Please
spread the word about our “muscle driven
trail” in the Applegate. And thanks to
all volunteers everywhere. We’re excited!
Come hike with us. Give us a holler if
you’re at all interested in helping out.
Contact Tom Carstens (541-846-1025)
or David Calahan dpcalahan@live.com
(541- 899-1226) or visit our website at
applegatetrails.org.
Tom Carstens • 541-846-1025
David Calahan • 541-899-1226
Hikers on trail above Humbug Creek. Photo by Barbara Kostal-Calahan.
We have been inspired by the
Siskiyou Uplands Trail Association
(SUTA), which has been wildly successful
in their first project, the reopening of the
Sterling Mine Ditch Trail. The old ditch
makes a fairly level 26-mile-long trail that
runs above the hills of Sterling Creek and
the Little Applegate. Ultimately, the plan is
Ashland. There are a variety of citizen-led
groups that are participating in this grand
scheme.
What do you think? We’re
looking for interested folks who can help
us keep our fantastic project going. We can
use many types of skills such as secretarial,
organizational, promotional, webmaster,
Authors’ Note: This wonderful spot can
be easily reached by driving up Forest Creek
Road five miles, turning left at Oregon Belle
Road (BLM road 38-3-5) and continuing
up the blacktop two more miles to the saddle
south of Mt. Isabelle. This flat area at the
intersection of BLM road 30-3-8 is easy
to find. Hike south around the gate and
continue up the slope for four-tenths of a
mile. No ticket or boarding pass required,
no search or pat down, no lines or fees and
you may leave your shoes on. Upon arrival,
you’ll be treated to one of the most gorgeous
spectacles in southern Oregon.
Medford
meDiCaL CLiniC LLP
David Gilmour, MD
Family Practice
Joining us this summer!
We. Just. Got. Better.
Medford Medical Clinic
555 Black Oak Drive
Medford, OR 97504
(541) 734-3430
www.medfordmd.com
Visit us on Facebook.
Open Seven Days a Week