Posted by Lyme Disease Prevention
by Laura Combden
Last summer I was so worried about Covid-19, I failed to notice the disturbing carrier of bacteria lurking in the grass at the farm I was visiting in Saskatchewan. I suppose I thought of Lyme Disease as a bit of an urban myth, not a real possibility. Since 2010, the prevalence of Lyme Disease in Canada has increased ten-fold, and there aren’t exactly any hard numbers to go by due to the lack of active tick testing. Ticks are tested in a passive surveillance program which has been put on hold due to the pandemic, so the real number of ticks carrying dangerous pathogens in Canada isn’t actually known.
Fast forward 6 months, and only then do I receive a positive diagnosis of Lyme Disease, which means I lost the short window available to treat with a short course of antibiotics. The bacteria I tested positive for is called Borrelia Miyomotoi, a cousin of Borrelia Burgdorferi, the Lyme Disease bacteria. Perhaps this is the reason I received 3 negative Lyme tests from Alberta Health. Whatever the case, my road to recovery is longer now, as I come to terms with the amount of damage this bacteria has done to my body.
After my tick bite, I did nothing. I had never been bit by a tick, so I didn’t know what to do. I washed the bite and read some news articles that downplayed the prevalence of Lyme in the area and failed to mention the need for immediate antibiotics. I didn’t want to exaggerate and risk seeing a doctor during the pandemic, so I did nothing. For this reason, today I am writing a list of “What to do if you or someone you love is bitten by a tick”. Bookmark this page for easy reference, just in case.
TICK PREVENTION:
For pets, a monthly or annual shot/medication exists to prevent Lyme disease, which is a really good idea if you ever take your dog to rural areas. For humans, wearing repellent, tucking your pants into your socks, wearing light colours to easily spot them, and then doing a tick check when you get home are the best preventative measures. Ticks can hide in armpits, behind knees, behind ears, and in the hair. Nymphs/baby ticks can be as small as a poppyseed.
FINDING A TICK:
1. If you find a tick on your body, proper removal is key. Use tweezers and follow the instructions below, being careful not to twist or squeeze the body of the tick. Wash the area where you were bitten and apply a mixture of charcoal and benonite clay, like a paste. If a piece of the tick stays in, apply polysporin and go to a doctor for removal.
2. Keep the tick in a plastic bag and mail it to Geneticks if you’re concerned you’ve been exposed to pathogens and want to confirm this before treating with antibiotics. You should also take a photo of the tick and send it to Alberta’s Tick Surveillance Program if you’re in Alberta. This helps the AB government to passively monitor the distribution and types of ticks in the province. This is the only monitoring of ticks that is done, so it’s important to share the information.
3. Follow-up: Wait for your results from Geneticks, or wait for any symptoms to show up, or simply get a short course of antibiotics from your doctor as a preventative measure.
4. Symptoms of Lyme disease: They vary but some common ones are: swollen lymph nodes, joint pain, rashes, headache, fatigue, and brain fog.
5. Treatment: Visit Canada.ca for the recommended treatment. Print this page and bring it to your doctor.
6. If a tick bite is left untreated for 0-3 months, and the tick was carrying Lyme disease or another pathogen, you may lose the ability to treat the illness.
Stay aware and stay safe during tick season!
Follow Laura on Twitter & Instagram at @lauracombden