Lyme Disease

This information was summarized from the following URL of the BC Ministry of Health: http://www.healthplanning.gov.bc.ca/hlthfile/hfile01.html

 
General Information
  • The bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, that causes Lyme disease, has been found in ticks collected in many areas of BC, and health authorities now believe that ticks carrying this bacteria may be present throughout the province.
  • While not all ticks carry these bacteria, because Lyme disease is a serious condition, taking steps to avoid being bitten is warranted.
  • To date, there have been over 60 confirmed cases of Lyme Disease in British Columbia. Of these, 20 cases had no record of travel outside of the province and are thus considered to have contracted the disease within BC.
  • Ticks prefer habitat that includes wooded regions and areas with tall grass; this habitat preference also coincides with the preferred habitat of their primary host, black-tailed deer.
  • Ticks are easiest to spot when they are feeding on a host. While feeding on the blood of the host, only the mouth parts of ticks are inserted beneath the skin of the host, the posterior body remains exterior to the body. Once fully engorged with blood, ticks detach and move onto vegetation.
Symptoms and Treatment
If you have the following symptoms within days or weeks after being bitten by a tick , please report them to your family doctor immediately. Tell your doctor when and where you were bitten by a tick .
  • General symptoms include: fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and fatigue or weakness of the muscles of the face.
  • A skin rash, 5 cm (2 inches) in diameter may develop, especially one that looks like a "Bull's Eye". The rash may or may not develop at the location of the bite.
  • In some cases paralysis may occur. The paralysis usually starts in the feet and legs and gradually works its way up to the upper body, arms and head. This paralysis can develop from within a few hours to several days.
  • If you have Lyme Disease or another tick-related disease, you will need antibiotics to prevent complications of the disease.
  • A vaccine to prevent Lyme disease has just been licensed in Canada. This vaccine is most useful for people who spend a lot of time outdoors in high-risk areas. The vaccine is not 100% effective and will not prevent other tick-borne diseases. Therefore, other protective measures to prevent illness should be used.

Avoiding Ticks
To protect yourself against tick and insect bites:
  • If possible, use cleared trails when walking in tall grass or woods.
  • Wear light coloured clothing, tuck your top into your pants and tuck your pants into your boots or socks.
  • Put insect repellent containing 5% Permethrin onto clothing and insect repellent containing DEET on all uncovered skin. Reapply as frequently as directed on the containers.
  • Check clothing and scalp (covered or not) when leaving an area where ticks may live. Check in folds of skin. Have someone help you check hard-to-see areas. When a tick is located, remove it immediately. Check the whole body! Don't stop when you find one tick. There may be more. Make sure the lighting is good so that you will not miss seeing the ticks
  • Regularly check household pets that go into tall grass and wooded areas.

What to Do if You Find a Tick on the Skin or Scalp
  1. Use tweezers or forceps to gently get a hold of the tick as close to the skin as possible. Don't touch the tick with your hands.
  2. Without squeezing the tick, steadily lift it straight off the skin. Avoid jerking it out. Try to make sure that all of the tick is removed.
  3. Once the tick has been removed, clean the bite area with soap and water then disinfect the wound with antiseptic cream. Wash hands with soap and water.
  4. If possible, save the tick in a container with a tight fitting top. If the tick is alive, dampen a small cotton ball and put it into the container to keep the tick alive. (A live tick is necessary for culturing the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease.) Label the container with date shipped, name and address of person bitten or what type of animal the tick was from, what part of the body was bitten, and what part of the province the tick probably came from. Also include the name and address of your family physician.
  5. Ask your doctor for further advice.

For laboratory testing, this container should be mailed as soon as possible to:

BC Centre for Disease Control
Vector-Borne Diseases Laboratory
655 West 12th Ave
Vancouver BC V5Z 4R4
 

Links

Michigan Department of Natural Resources - Lyme disease information
Towards understanding Lyme borreliosis in British Columbia
BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries - Lyme disease information
BC Ministry of Health - tick bites and disease

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