Albertans Should Be On the Alert For Lyme Disease
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The Chief Medical Officer of Health for Alberta is warning Albertans to take necessary precautions against Lyme disease this year. Ticks in three different parts of the province have tested positive for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, called Borrelia. The ticks were identified in the Ardrossan, High River and Calgary areas. Tick bites from disease-carrying ticks can cause Lyme disease in both people and animals.
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In a statement, the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Andre Corriveau, said: “Lyme disease can be a serious condition if it’s not detected early and left untreated. We advise anyone who is spending time outdoors to take precautions against tick bites. Your best defence against Lyme disease is prevention. To avoid being bitten by ticks, use insect repellents and cover up when walking in tall grass, woods or brush.”
Between 1989 and 2009, at least 20 cases of Lyme disease in humans has been reported in the province of Alberta. In most cases, the disease could be traced back to travel in Europe or the United States, and Alberta’s public health officials could not confirm whether or not the disease had been acquired in Alberta. However, since 2007, ticks carrying the disease have been identified in the province. It is unsure how they arrived, but they are believed to have been carried by migratory birds.
According to Alberta’s Chief Provincial Veterinarian, the province has been running a surveillance project to determine whether or not disease-carrying ticks have become established in Alberta, and to “get a better understanding of their presence.”
Lyme disease infection is most likely to occur in the summer between May and August. Early symptoms include a red rash at the site of the tick bite, that normally manifests in the first 30 days since being bitten. Other symptoms may include fever, chills, headache and fatigue. Occasionally Lyme disease can result in serious neurological and/or muscular problems months after the infection has taken place, and it can lead to meningitis, arthritis and heart problems.
Health officials recommend seeking a veterinarian’s help should you find a tick on your pet. The veterinarian can treat the infection and also submit the tick for testing.
