Lyme disease

Lyme disease is getting a lot of coverage these days. Although we hear of people becoming infected in the United States, it’s happening in Canada too, although in not as nearly has high numbers. According to an article published in the Globe and Mail on August 10, “Of the 310 reported cases of Lyme disease contracted by Canadians between 1995 and 2004, more than half occurred outside of Canada, either in the United States or Europe.”

Why do we have to worry about Lyme disease? The number of infected people is growing. In 1993, there were 8257 reported cases in the United States of human Lyme disease, in 2005, there were 23,305 reported cases. The Centers of Disease Control provides this map to show which areas in the United States have a higher risk of Lyme disease.

In Canada, the presence of Lyme disease carrying ticks has spread from one area in the province of Ontario to other parts of Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and British Columbia.

Another reason to worry is many people who are infected don’t know it, and aren’t getting the proper treatment at the earliest possible time. This can lead to complications as the disease progresses.

The only way to get Lyme disease is to be bitten by an infected tick – so the best treatment is prevention. If you’re going into a heavily wooded area or into long grass in an area known for high risk of Lyme disease, you can reduce your risk of being bitten by following a few simple rules:

- Light-coloured clothing makes it easier to spot ticks that may be hitching a ride with you.
- High rubber boots can help protect your feet and legs.
- Long sleeves and long pants will keep skin from being exposed.
- Tucking your pant legs into your socks can prevent ticks from going up your leg, but be careful that your sock fabric doesn’t stretch too much and provide openings between the stitches that can allow ticks in.
- Use insect repellent with DEET or permethrin.

If you find a tick on you when you come inside, don’t grab it and pull it off. Ticks must be removed carefully. These instructions were taken from the American College of Physicians’ website:

Early removal of an attached tick is extremely important because it takes more than 24 hours for a tick to transmit the bacteria. To remove a tick, use fine-tipped tweezers.

Grasp the tick as close as possible to the skin and slowly pull it straight out. The mouth parts may stay attached, but do not be alarmed as these will not cause Lyme disease. After removal, apply antiseptic or alcohol to the bite area. Do not apply mineral oil, Vaseline, heat, or other agents to remove the tick. These practices do not remove ticks and may actually increase your chance of infection by causing the tick to excrete bacteria.

If you remove a tick as soon as you find it, it is very likely that the tick did not transmit the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi to you because it was not attached long enough for transmission to occur. Your doctor may suggest watching the bite and waiting to see if any symptoms occur instead of beginning treatment immediately. If you begin to develop symptoms or a rash at the site of a tick bite, contact your doctor right away.

It’s entirely possible to be bitten, and infected, without knowing it until symptoms become obvious. Rather than write them all out, the American College of Physicians do a great job of describing the symptoms and the three stages that appear. If you do have Lyme disease, it’s important that you be started on antibiotics as soon as possible. If Lyme disease isn’t treated, it could lead to joint swelling, neurological problems, loss of memory, difficulty concentrating, difficulty sleeping, even abnormal heart beats.

So, as they used to say on Hill Street Blues (anyone out there remember that show?): Be careful out there.

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Don't let Lyme Disease keep you inside

Lyme disease isn’t something we seem to pay much attention to here in Canada. But, according to an article in the Edmonton Sun, we should be. According to the article http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/06/14/4261225.html, there have been 19 cases of Lyme disease confirmed in Alberta since 1992.

The Public Health Agency of Canada http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/id-mi/lyme-fs_e.html has information about Lyme disease. It’s hard to tell how many cases of Lyme disease there actually have been in Canada because it’s not a reportable disease. The information on this site says that the highest risk of exposure to the ticks that cause Lyme disease is in southern and eastern Ontario, south-eastern Manitoba and Nova Scotia, and southern British Columbia, although there is still risk elsewhere.

Another thing to think about is if you are travelling in places in the United States that have Lyme disease. Find out before you travel if there is a higher incidence of Lyme disease where you are going to travel.

Symptoms of Lyme disease can include:
· rash at the site of the bit and elsewhere on the body
· rash that appears circular
· headache
· seizures
· fatigue
· chills and fevers
· muscle and joint pain
· swollen lymph glands

If Lyme disease isn’t diagnosed and progresses, more symptoms can occur, such as:
· migraines
· weakness and extreme fatigue
· stiff joints
· multiple rashes
· irregular heart beat

You can protect yourself from Lyme disease. Since it is caused by ticks transmitting it, preventing tick bites will prevent the transmission of the disease.

If you are going to be in a wooded area or in an area where there is a lot of tall grass, wear light coloured clothing, tuck your shirt into your pants and your pant legs into your socks. Don’t wear sandals, but rather closed shoes. You can spray your clothes with insect repellent but be sure that it contains DEET, the chemical that will keep ticks away.

When you have returned home, be sure to inspect yourself closely. The light-coloured clothing makes it easier for you to see the ticks. Be sure to check all parts of your body that weren’t covered, such as the back of your neck that was covered with hair.

Finding a tick doesn’t mean that you have caught Lyme disease, but it is important to remove the tick properly to prevent any exchange from the tick.

Do not crush or twist the tick. Using a pair of tweezers, pull the tick straight up off your skin. Clean the area well with soap and water.


There will always be something that can cause illness, but as long as we’re careful and know how to reduce the risk, there’s no reason why we can’t go outside and still have fun. Especially in most of Canada where our summers are so short. We need to be able to take advantage of the absolutely gorgeous weather we can be blessed with. So, be careful but don’t give up on being outside.

Added note: check the news story about the mumps. The numbers of infected people is adding up.

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