Lyme-carrying ticks on the rise in Alberta
Lack of familiarity may mean disease goes undiagnosed.
Lyme disease in Alberta has the potential to spike in coming years, with new information pointing to an increased population of disease-carrying ticks.
“We have found that some of the ticks are present in Alberta and a small number have been found to have Lyme in them,” said Dr. Christopher Sikora, Medical Officer of Health for the Edmonton zone. He said it is a “definite possibility” that the number of human cases could increase.
Eleven cases of Lyme disease have been confirmed in the province since 2007 – three from this year alone, he said.