The tick season is here, but experts say there’s no reason for Canadians to be overly worried-nationwide

Canada Tick Canadian researchers have shown monitoring and monitoring of mites due to their potential transmission of Lyme disease this year.

Manisha Kurkarni, an associate professor of epidemiology and public health at the University of Ottawa, described the population of mites, especially the potentially contagious black-footed mites. Lyme diseaseHas been increasing in recent years.

“This year, there are already large numbers of mites, and the population of mites seems to be stable or increasing in many areas,” Kulkarni said.

Between 2009 and 2021, the state’s public health department reported a total of 14,616 cases of Lyme disease across Canada. Health Canada Tick Monitoring Web Page..

In 2021, an estimated 2,851 cases of Lyme disease were seen, an increase of 76.5% from the 1,615 cases reported in 2020.

Climate change is one of the driving forces behind the spread of mites, Kurkarni said.

“As the temperature rises over time, mites can survive at higher latitudes and move further north to new areas,” says Kulkarni.

“The rise in temperature that accompanies climate change can be expected to spread and continue to settle in new locations, especially where there are suitable mite habitats.”

Where in Canada are mites most prevalent?

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the five major risk areas for Lyme disease are southern Manitova and western Ontario, southern Ontario, southeastern Ontario and southern Quebec, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, and southern British Columbia.

Report from 2021 PHAC web page He also states that the majority of local infectious diseases were reported primarily in the summer in Ontario, Nova Scotia and Quebec.

According to Kurkarni, mites are susceptible to humidity and temperature. They prefer higher levels of humidity because they tend to dry quickly.

“Their behavior in finding a host tends to peak around 25 ° C,” Kulkarni said, adding that tick activity diminishes when the weather becomes very hot or cold.

“Tickes don’t live everywhere in our environment,” Kulkarni said. Mites are limited to deciduous forests — maple trees, oak-rich areas, and cedar-mixed forest areas.

To prevent encounters with mites, Kulkarni recommended taking precautions, such as staying on the trail when in the woodlands.

However, if you encounter a tick and cannot get rid of it immediately, you may be exposed to tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease, the most common infection that ticks can carry.

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Lyme disease awareness month

What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?

According to Health Canada, the most common early sign of Lyme disease is the spread of a skin rash caused by a tick bite.

Known as an erythematous rash, this rash slowly grows over a few days to a diameter of 5 cm or more.

Patients may also experience symptoms such as fever, chills, malaise, headaches, swollen lymph nodes, and pain in muscles and joints.

Robin Lindsay, a research scientist at the National Institute of Microbial Sciences, said the key to preventing tick-borne diseases is the rapid detection and elimination of mites.

“For many disease-causing drugs, mites must remain attached for at least 24 hours,” Lindsay said. “If you remove them immediately, you may actually be bitten by an infected person and not infect yourself.”

“The most important thing people have to do when going out is to check themselves. Check clothes and get rid of ticks that are attached. This exposes them to exposure to tick-borne diseases. The best approach to limiting. “

It is most likely to be infected by being bitten by an immature black-footed tick called a nymph. Nymphs are about the size of poppy seeds.

Adult mites, on the other hand, are sesame-sized and can also transmit Lyme disease.

As a tick seed changeSusan Cork, a professor of veterinary medicine at the University of Calgary, said that not all mites have a disease that can infect humans.

Cork said most of the mites that people are likely to encounter in western Canada do not necessarily have human infections.

Other tick-borne diseases include anaplasmosis, babesiosis, powassan virus, and Borrelia lyme disease known as hard tick re-fever. 2019 PHAC Report Said.

according to PHAC PamphletPets cannot spread Lyme disease directly to humans, but they can carry infected mites to your home or yard.

“Regular tick checks and rapid tick removal are just as important to pets and humans,” it reads.

“But it’s still a good idea to check out to prevent infectious diseases like Lyme disease,” Cork added. “There aren’t many in Alberta right now, but those who walk their dogs will be interested in checking their dogs to protect them.”

Cork said various states will warn through the Veterinary Assistance Association on what to look for in both livestock and wildlife when encountering mites.

She added that it is best to get expert recommendations from a veterinarian before buying a pet tick remover. It can be annoying to animals.

Why is it important to monitor ticks?

According to Lindsay, Canada continues to face the potential threat of other types of mites from the southern United States finding homes in Canada.

“We are most concerned about ticks,” Lindsay said. “Every year we see a small number of people coming to this country, but as far as we know, we have no population.”

Ticks can cause allergies to lean meat because the sugar in their saliva provokes a human immune response. 2017 Global New Articles.

Lindsay said Asian Haemaphysalis longicornis has also become established in some parts of certain northern states of the United States and can affect both veterinary and human health.

“To date, I haven’t even seen that particular mite specimen in Canada,” Lindsay said. “But we need this monitoring network to monitor new tick-borne threats.”

Lindsay said there are healthy populations of American dog ticks throughout Manitoba and Saskatchewan, helping residents learn how to handle ticks. However, he said he may have less experience with ticks in other parts of the country.

“I think using something like eTick will help educate ourselves about what the ticks are or where they are,” he said.

eTick is an online publishing platform for image-based identification and population monitoring of Canadian mites.

Lindsay said the PHAC website also publishes various fact sheets and information.

“I think it’s most important for people to be educated and armed. Why ticks exist, where they are, how they make a living, and how they feel better when they’re out. I know how to prevent it, “he said.

“When many people find ticks in their children, they are very worried. There is no reason to worry too much. There are ways to prevent devices to mitigate potential illnesses, but what to do. You need to know. “