5 must-know things about Lyme disease
Posted November 27, 2014 2:45 pm.
Last Updated May 19, 2015 4:32 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Lyme disease is in the news again. Public health officials in Toronto, York and Durham have found evidence that blacklegged ticks are in the Rouge Valley and that some of them have tested positive for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.
There’s a motion by MPP Michael Mantha being debated Thursday at Queen’s Park, urging the Ontario health ministry to develop a comprehensive Lyme disease strategy for province, which is consistent with the one being developed by the federal Public Health Agency of Canada.
Below is a FAQ on the five must-know things about the disease.
What is Lyme disease?
Lyme disease is an infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, a bacteria or spirochete that is transmitted by a species of deer or blacklegged ticks called Ixodes scapularis.
Ontario’s Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care says blacklegged ticks are the “only type of tick in Ontario that can consistently transmit Lyme disease.”
What are ticks and where are they found?
Ticks are blacklegged arachnids, closely related to spiders, and are usually one to five millimetres in length when unfed.
The ministry says blacklegged ticks are typically found in rural areas near Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Ticks infected with Lyme disease are found in several provincial parks; however, blacklegged ticks are known to feed on migratory birds, so can be transported across the province.
How do ticks transmit the disease?
Ticks become infected by feeding on infected rodents and birds and then transmit the bacteria to humans and animals.
They slowly feed on blood by inserting their mouth parts into the skin of a person or animal. According to health officials, ticks typically need to be attached for 36-48 hours to transmit the bacteria.
Ticks are often found in less visible areas such as the armpits and scalp.
Click here for more information on how Lyme disease is transmitted.
What are the symptoms?
Some of the symptoms, which can show up from three days to a month after a tick bite, include:
- Fever and chills
- Headache
- Muscle and joint aches
- Fatigue and weakness
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Skin rash (If it looks like a red bull’s eye, immediately seek medical advice.)
Health officials say not all Lyme disease infections can result in the bull’s-eye rash. It is also important to tell your doctor in which geographic location you were bitten.
How is Lyme disease treated?
If you discover a tick on yourself or your pet, it should be removed immediately since that will help prevent infection. Click here for more information on how to remove it.
Antibiotics can be used to treat Lyme disease; however, patients with certain neurological or cardiac symptoms or forms of the illness may require intravenous treatment.
Information compiled by Ontario’s Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Protection
