Lyme disease backgrounder

Learn more about ticks and Lyme disease below.

Ticks

Lyme disease is a devastating illness caused by a group of spirochaete-type bacterium transmitted by ticks that include Borrelia burgdorferi, B. bissettii and B. miyamotoi. Ticks can also carry and transmit other serious infections which can complicate diagnosis and treatment of Lyme.
Ticks become infected with the Lyme bacterium by feeding on the blood of infected mice, birds and deer.
In Canada, the tick life cycle can span up to two years in the natural environment, and they are infectious year-round once they become carriers of the Lyme bacterium.

The incidence of Lyme disease in Canada is accelerating and it is endemic in many parts of Canada.
According to Public Health Canada, reported cases of Lyme disease in Canada over the last five years (2018-2022) are almost double the number of cases from the previous nine years. (11,051 vs. 6,029).
These numbers only represent reported cases.

Lyme disease is a complex illness, and more research is needed to properly diagnose and treat the infection.
Currently, many doctors follow the treatment guidelines laid out by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). However, these standard procedures don’t cover the full spectrum of treatment that many patients need and many struggle with the long-term effects of the illness.

There are over 100 different symptoms of Lyme disease – many that mirror symptoms of serious, debilitating illnesses like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
Early symptoms of Lyme disease can include fatigue, fever, headaches, and a rash that sometimes has the appearance of a “bullseye”.
The average time to show symptoms of Lyme disease is 1-2 weeks but can be as short as a few days or as long as several months or years.

A diagnosis of Lyme is made by a doctor in a clinical setting.
It is important to note that some people with Lyme disease may have no or minimal symptoms. Others experience severe symptoms.
Only about half of Lyme patients report experiencing a rash, and there is evidence showing that only 9% develop the classic bullseye rash.
Blood tests done on a patient with an early infection may provide a false negative as it takes time for antibodies to appear in the blood. False negative tests can also occur with prolonged infection for various reasons.
Studies have confirmed that Canadian doctors require further training in making the diagnosis of Lyme disease.

Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics. There is no cure for chronic Lyme, but successful antibiotic treatment for early Lyme disease will greatly reduce the chances of progressing to the chronic stage.
It can take anywhere from 4 weeks to several years of treatment to fully eradicate symptoms of Lyme disease.

For anyone faced with a possible diagnosis of Lyme disease or other tick-borne illnesses, consider the following:

Some people with Lyme disease may have no or minimal symptoms. Others experience severe symptoms.
Blood tests done on a patient with an early infection may provide a false negative as it takes time for antibodies to appear in the blood. False negative tests can also occur with prolonged infection for various reasons.
There is evidence that a single dose of antibiotics may just mask the rash associated with Lyme but does not effectively treat the disease, which could lead to persistent infection.
There are other serious infections carried by ticks, which are a major concern because they complicate diagnosis and treatment and cause problems in their own right.
Patients need to be informed and persistent to ensure they get the help and treatment they need as misdiagnosis and insufficient treatment are causing harm to patients in Canada.