Lyme Disease
Bud Ivey CPHI(C)
March 20 2014
Lyme Disease
• First identified in 1975 in
a group of arthritis
patients in Lyme,
Connecticut
• 1978 it was found to be
tick related
• 1981 Borrelia burgdorferi
was identified as the main
cause of Lyme disease
Where is it Found?
Where is it Found?
• Lyme disease is the most common tick
related illness in the Northern Hemisphere
• Ticks able to carry Lyme disease are
spreading into Canada at a rate of 46 km/year,
caused by global warming
• Within HKPR we have a known hot spot
located at Presqu’ile Provincial Park in
Brighton
Presqu’ile & Sandbanks
Provincial Parks
Who is at risk of infection?
• Anyone can get bitten
by a tick
• Often people frequenting
wooded and rural areas
• Common for hikers,
hunters, birders, dog
walkers etc.
How can I get Lyme disease?
• Caused by the bite of an infected
blacklegged tick
• Most commonly found in fields
and forested areas
• Ticks like to attach to the body in
warm protected areas ie: groin,
armpits, scalp
What do ticks look like?
What does HKPR do with ticks?
When a tick is brought into HKPR:
• PHIs take the tick and victim info to send for
testing
• Ticks sent to Peterborough Public Health lab
to determine type (1-2 weeks avg.)
• If specimen is a deer tick the lab sends the
tick to Winnipeg for Lyme testing (additional
2-6 weeks)
Managing
• Deer ticks acquire Lyme
disease pathogens from
rodents, not from deer
However
• Controlling the deer
population also controls
the deer tick population
as they need the deer for
reproductive success
Preventing Exposure
• Light colored clothing (easier to spot ticks)
• Wear long pants and sleeves
• Wear closed toed footwear
• Tuck your pants into socks
• Use insect repellant with DEET
• Put a tick and flea collar on your pet
• Thorough check of your body after being in
tick habitat
What do I do if I get bit?
• Prompt removal, usually requires >24 hours
to transmit
• Using tweezers gently grab tick close to skin
and pull straight out
• Do not squeeze the tick as it can cause
release of Lyme disease agent
What do I do if I get bit?
• Place the tick in a container and see your
doctor
• Bring the tick to either your doctor or health
unit
• Cleanse bite area with rubbing alcohol or
soap and water
How do I know if there
is a problem?
1st Stage
Fever, chills, joint pain,
headache, fatigue
Bull’s eye rash called
Erythema Chronicum
Migrans may appear
3 to 30 days after bite
Public Health Agency of Canada
How do I know if there
is a problem?
2nd Stage
Nervous system damage
Central – meningitis
Peripheral – facial nerve
paralysis
Can last up to several
months
How do I know if there
is a problem?
3rd Stage
Lasts months to
years if untreated
causing arthritis and
neurological
symptoms
Lyme Disease and Pets
• Pets are also a great mode
of transmission for ticks
• Ticks can grab on fur while
in long grass, dense bush
• Ticks can fall from trees on
to animals
Lyme Disease and Pets
• Animals bring the ticks
home
• Always check animals for
ticks when returning from
tick infested areas
Questions?