Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is caused by the bite of a black legged tick
infected with the bacteria.
The bacterium that causes Lyme disease ( Borrelia burgdorferi) has been in
North America for over a century and has more recently been identified in
Eastern Ontario in areas close to Perth. These bacteria are maintained in the
bodies of wild animals and are transmitted through the bite of an infected
tick. Ticks should be removed
from your skin within 18-24 hours to reduce the risk of infection. The human body does not maintain a
natural immunity to the disease and thus, a person can be re-infected.
A red rash may appear within 3 days to several weeks
following the bite; a bull's eye rash may be present in the area of the
bite. You may also have a fever with the rash.
Symptoms of Lyme disease may include fever, headache,
fatigue, muscle and joint pain. These may disappear within 10 days, but
if left untreated, Lyme disease can progress and affect the nervous system,
joints and the heart.
How do I avoid ticks?
- Wear light-coloured
clothing. It makes ticks easier
to see and remove before they can attach to feed.
- Wear long pants and a long
sleeved shirt.
- Wear closed footwear and
socks.
- Tuck your pants into your
socks.
- Use a tick-repellent that has
“DEET” (following the manufacturer’s directions for use). Apply it to your skin and outer
clothing. Avoid your eyes and
mouth, as well as cuts and scrapes.
- Put a tick and flea collar on
your pet and check them for ticks periodically.
- If you frequent the areas where
blacklegged ticks are established, examine yourself thoroughly for
ticks. It is important to do
this each day. Pay special
attention to areas such as groin, scalp and armpits. Use a mirror to check the back of
your body or have someone else check it.
What do I
do if I find an attached tick?
- Prompt removal of ticks from
your skin will help prevent infection, since transmission of the Lyme
disease agent usually requires the tick to be attached for more than 24
hours.
- Using fine-tipped tweezers,
carefully grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible. Pull it straight out, gently but
firmly.
- Don’t squeeze it. Squeezing the tick can cause the
Lyme disease agent to be accidentally introduced into your body.
- Don’t put anything on the
tick, or try to burn the tick off.
- After the tick has been
removed, place it in a screw-top bottle(like a pill vial or a film
canister), and take it to your doctor or local health unit. They can send it
to the Ontario Public Health Laboratory for identification. Establishing the type of tick may
help to assess your risk of acquiring Lyme disease.
- It is important to remember
where you most likely acquired the tick. It will help public health workers
to identify areas of higher risk.
- Thoroughly cleanse the bite site
with rubbing alcohol and/or soap and water.
For further information