Lyme disease is a bacterial illness that affects people and animals. It spreads by the bite of an infected tick.
There are many different types of ticks. Currently, in Ontario, only the black-legged tick can spread Lyme disease. Not all black-legged ticks are infected. Lyme disease cannot spread from person to person.
Black-legged ticks
Black-legged ticks are usually found in or near wooded or forested areas, in leaf litter, or on bushes and tall grass.
Ticks need blood to survive and they can become infected when they feed on infected wild animals such as birds, rodents or deer. Only then can they spread the infection to humans or pets.
Black-legged ticks are small (size of a sesame seed) and they often attach to areas of the body where they are hard to see such as, the groin, armpit and scalp.
Ticks cannot fly or jump. Instead, they climb onto grasses or bushes and wait for a host (person or animal) to brush by. A tick will quickly attach and then find a suitable place to bite.
| Signs and symptoms |
Someone with Lyme disease may experience any of the following symptoms: Early signs
- Expanding rash at the site of a recent tick bite that may look like a "bulls eye".
- Fever.
- Feeling of discomfort.
- Headache.
- Joint and muscle pain.
- Neck weakness or stiffness.
- Fatigue.
- Eye irritation.
- Behavioural changes.
- Sleep trouble.
If left untreated, more severe symptoms may occur. Severe symptoms may include:
- Headaches.
- More skin rashes.
- Facial paralysis.
- Muscle, joint, tendon and bone aches that come and go.
- Heart issues (palpitations, abnormal heartbeat).
- Neurological symptoms (dizziness, mental confusion or trouble thinking clearly, and memory loss, inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, nerve pain, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet).
- Arthritis with severe joint pain and swelling, most commonly in the knees and sometimes in other joints such as the ankle, elbow and wrists.
|
| Diagnosis, testing and treatment |
Contact your health care provider as soon as possible if you notice signs of Lyme disease.
Diagnosis A diagnosis of Lyme disease is based on:
- signs and symptoms
- history of tick bite
- the results of lab testing
Testing A blood test is the most common way to test for Lyme disease. However, it should not be the only factor in diagnosing the disease. Treatment
- Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated with two to four weeks of antibiotics.
- There is currently no vaccine available in Canada to prevent Lyme disease.
|
| Protecting yourself from tick bites |
- Wear long pants and long sleeves.
- Wear light coloured clothing makes ticks easier to see.
- Apply insect repellent containing DEET and follow the product label.
- After spending time outdoors in wooded or bushy areas, shower to remove ticks before they attach to the skin.
- Check your full body and head for ticks.
- Check your children and pets for ticks.
- If you find a tick, remove it as soon as possible.
|
| How to remove a tick and test it |
If you find a tick on yourself or someone else:
- Remove it gently with fine-tipped tweezers.
- Do not squeeze, try to burn it off or spray it with insect repellent.
- Grab the tick as close to skin as possible.
- Pull the tick away from skin gently but firmly.
- Place the tick in a jar or bottle and deliver to one of the Durham Region Health Department offices for identification and testing.
Tick testing is for surveillance purposes only.
Health Department offices that accept ticks for testing 101 Consumers Drive
Whitby, ON L1N 1C4
Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Telephone: 905-723-3818 181 Perry Street, Suite 200
Port Perry, ON L9L 1B8
Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Telephone: 905-985-4889 |
| Who is at risk? |
Black-legged ticks have been found in Durham Region. This means that these ticks are starting to settle here.
The risk of getting Lyme disease in the Region is low. You have a higher risk if you are an outdoor enthusiast and you live in or visit any area that has black-legged ticks. |
| Risk locations |
| Durham Region Health Department's tick surveillance program helps to determine where black-legged ticks have become established in Durham Region. This information helps assess the risk of Lyme disease. Map of risk locations in Ontario |
| Role of the Health Department |
| Durham Region Health Department works to prevent and reduce the spread of Lyme disease in humans through tick surveillance and the investigation of human cases. |
| Vector-borne diseases reports |
Vector-Borne Diseases Annual Report 2017
Vector-borne diseases in Durham Region weekly summary reports
| 2017 |
- Week of October 8, 2017
- Week of October 1, 2017
- Week of September 24, 2017
- Week of September 17, 2017
- Week of September 10, 2017
- Week of September 3, 2017
- Week of August 27, 2017
- Week of August 20, 2017
- Week of August 13, 2017
- Week of August 6, 2017
- Week of July 30, 2017
- Week of July 23, 2017
- Week of July 16, 2017
- Week of July 9, 2017
- Week of July 2, 2017
- Week of June 25, 2017
- Week of June 18, 2017
- Week of June 11, 2017
|
|
| Additional information |
|
|
