CanLyme urges public to be “tick aware” this season
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CanLyme urges public to be “tick aware” this season
National Notice, April 7, 2010 – Tick season has begun in many parts of Canada. Ticks are on the move above -2 deg. C.
Lyme disease is the fastest growing infectious disease in North America. The United States reports over 30,000 cases annually, and estimates the disease can be under-reported several fold. Disease carrying ticks are becoming more and more prevalent in Canada and are on the move.
Ticks are found Canada wide. The species of ticks that transmit Lyme disease to humans are only about the size of a poppy seed when they are in the nymphal stage, and only about 3 mm in length in the adult phase. Different species of ticks are capable of transmitting several different diseases to humans including Lyme disease. These ticks are transported randomly throughout Canada by our friendly migratory birds that can also harbour Lyme disease and other diseases in their blood. Remember, no tick is a good tick.
Lyme disease can cause long-term health issues if not identified and treated early. It can affect the brain, eyesight, hearing, heart, nervous system, muscles, joints, digestive tract, and lymph nodes. Because Lyme disease is a multi-system disorder many systems of the body can be affected at once, therefore, it can often be misdiagnosed.
Lyme disease is being missed in Canada as doctors are not told of the limitations of blood tests used here, and are not educated as to the complex symptoms that result if not caught and treated early. Lyme disease has been misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), several forms of arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, bowel disorders, and many other diagnoses.
Ticks can be found in your lawn, on your pets, in tall grass or brush, on logs or woodpiles. If outside do not brush up against brush or tall grass, walk in the centre area
of trails, and wear a repellent containing DEET. Pets can carry ticks into your home. Talk to your veterinarian about protecting your pets.
Use fine tipped tweezers to remove an attached tick, being careful not to touch the body of the tick (get as close to the skin as possible then pull backwards). Apply antiseptic to the area immediately. Save the tick if possible and call us, or your local health department. Waiting for blood tests is the wrong way to deal with possible Lyme disease as detectable antibodies do not develop for several weeks, when the disease has disseminated into deep tissue making treatment much more difficult.
Prevention is the best medicine. Be tick aware, NO TICK IS A GOOD TICK!
For more information on prevention please visit: www.canlyme.com/-lyme-prevention
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Lyme disease is a serious threat Lyme disease is on the rise in Canada, yet treatment and public awareness are largely inadequate. Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation (CanLyme) is dedicated to raising awareness and promoting Lyme research, education and treatment.