Perth County ̶ The warmer weather is here and people are heading outdoors to hike, bike, and go camping. “If you are enjoying the outdoors this spring and summer, the best way to protect yourself against Lyme disease is to prevent tick bites,” says Stephanie Carlisle, Public Health Inspector.
TickWhat is Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease (LD) is a serious disease that is spread by the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Human cases have been on the rise in Ontario since 2009. Blacklegged ticks are most often found in forests and the overgrown areas between the woods and open spaces, although it is possible to be bitten outside of these areas as well.
The risk of Lyme disease is higher in areas where there are established populations of infected blacklegged ticks. In Ontario, these areas are: Pinery Provincial Park, Long Point Provincial Park, Turkey Point Provincial Park, Rondeau Provincial Park, Point Pelee National Park, Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area, Wainfleet Bog Conservation Area, and the St. Lawrence Islands National Park. An Ontario Lyme Disease Risk Areas map can be found online: www.pdhu.on.ca/health-topics/environment/lyme-disease/. If people are travelling to these areas this summer they should check for ticks regularly.
Ticks in Perth County
“Local surveillance shows that we do not have a large population of blacklegged ticks in Perth County,” explains Carlisle. In 2015, 17 ticks were submitted to the Health Unit for identification and testing – only 2 were blacklegged ticks, and 1 came back positive for carrying the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. All of the blacklegged ticks were found on people while visiting areas outside of Perth County. “We still have not had a blacklegged tick submitted to us that has been found locally,” says Carlisle. However, infected ticks could be brought into Perth County through migrating birds and other wild animals.
Lyme Disease Prevention
Residents who spend time outdoors are reminded to protect themselves against tick bites:
Wear long-sleeved shirts, pants, and closed-toe shoes
Pull your socks over your pant legs to prevent ticks crawling up your legs
Wear light-coloured clothing to spot ticks more easily
Use insect repellent with DEET on clothing as well as on exposed skin. Always read and follow label directions
Shower or bathe within two hours of being outdoors to remove ticks that can be on your skin but not yet attached
Do a daily full-body check for ticks. Young blacklegged ticks can be as small as a poppy seed, so look carefully. Check your children and pets for ticks as well.
If you find a tick on your body:
Using clean tweezers, carefully grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. Pull slowly upward, but try not to twist or crush the tick
Once the tick is removed, wash the area where you were bitten with soap and water or disinfect with alcohol or hand sanitizer
If parts of the tick’s mouth break off and remain in your skin, remove them with tweezers. If this is difficult to do, leave them alone and let the skin heal
If possible, save the tick in a zip-lock bag or pill bottle. Record the location and date of the bite
You can bring the tick into the Health Unit where it will be identified to determine what type of tick it is. If it is determined to be a blacklegged tick, it will be tested for Lyme disease.
If you develop symptoms of Lyme disease in the weeks after being bitten, contact your health care provider right away.
It is important to remember: if you find a tick attached to your body, removing the tick within 24-36 hours usually prevents infection.
Symptoms of early Lyme disease usually begin between three days and one month after being bitten by an infected tick. Prompt antibiotic treatment is effective.
Early symptoms of Lyme disease may include: fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue and an expanding red rash (especially one that looks like a red bull’s eye).
If left untreated, late Lyme disease symptoms may include cardiac symptoms such as heart palpitations, arthritic symptoms, extreme fatigue and general weakness, and central and peripheral nervous system disorders.
– See more at: http://www.pdhu.on.ca/prevent-tick-bites-protect-against-lyme-disease-2/#sthash.KQ4TuMnf.dpuf