porcupine health unit building

The Porcupine Health Unit has confirmed a blacklegged tick has tested positive for Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that can cause Lyme disease, within the area.

According to Dr. Lianne Catton, the Medical Officer of Health at the Porcupine Health Unit, our area remains a low risk area for Lyme disease. This is the first summer the blacklegged ticks have been confirmed in our region, and the first tick to test positive for Borrelia burgdorferi.

The blacklegged tick was removed from a resident in July, and currently there are no clinical concerns for Lyme disease. The tick was sent to Public Health Ontario laboratories for testing and reported to carry the bacteria which causes Lyme disease.

According to Dr. Catton, “Not all blacklegged ticks carry Lyme disease.” She adds, “Although the risk to area residents of Lyme disease remains very low, we encourage everyone to take precautions to protect you and your loved ones when outside.” She says to:

  • Wear light-coloured clothing to make ticks easy to spot.
  • Because ticks tend to be found in wooded and long-grassed areas, wear closed-toe footwear and socks, long-sleeved tops and remember to tuck your pants into your socks.
  • Use an insect repellent that has DEET or Icaridin on clothes and exposed skin (making sure to follow manufacturer’s directions according to age).
  • Search your clothes and body for ticks. Don’t forget to check your children and pets.

Suzanne Lajoie, a Public Health Inspector at the health unit, says that the proper way to remove a tick is to use tweezers to gently grab the tick as close to the head as possible and pull it out slowly.

Thoroughly cleanse the bite site with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. She adds that ticks are more likely to transmit infection after being attached 12 to 24 hours.

“If you think you’ve found a blacklegged tick on a human, remove it immediately, put it in a container and bring it to the Porcupine Health Unit during business hours, so it can be tested,” says Ms. Lajoie.
The health unit has notified health care providers about the presence of blacklegged ticks in the area.

Symptoms of Lyme disease can include a general rash, flu-like symptoms, fever, headache, and muscle and joint pain. One of the characteristic signs is a bull’s eye rash, where a round, red rash surrounds the bite area. Some people, however, never see or get a rash. Signs and symptoms vary from person to person and can typically occur within three days or as long as one month after a bite. Antibiotics are used to treat the disease progression.

If you have a concern about a potential tick bite and Lyme disease, please see your health care provider.

In Ontario, blacklegged ticks are more commonly found in rural areas along the north shores of Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River. In 2014, Ontario reported 220 confirmed and probable human cases of Lyme disease. They have previously never been identified in the Porcupine Health Unit region; however, experts believe they can travel on migratory birds.

For more information on Lyme disease and blacklegged ticks, call (705) 267-1181 or 1(800) 461-1818 or visit the Porcupine Health Unit website. The Province of Ontario’s website also has useful information (https://www.ontario.ca/page/lyme-disease)

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