Tick-borne disease: Symptoms and prevention tips for the rapidly spreading tick-borne disease in Canada |

The cases of tick-borne diseases have been on the rise for many years in Canada and, outside Lyme disease a number of tick-borne pathogens such as anaplasmosisbabesiosis and Powassan virus are rapidly becoming major health threats. These diseases are becoming increasingly widespread ticks is spreading and new cases are being identified.
Tick-borne diseases have a range of symptoms, from mild to severe. While some tick infections can cause mild illness, others may require antibiotic treatment. However, some tick bites can be fatal. In one recent case, a Canadian man was diagnosed with a rare type of tick-borne infection that proved fatal.

Government health data shows that global warming has led to a 1,000% increase in Lyme disease cases in Canada over the past decade.

While the reason for the increase in these relatively unknown tick-borne infections is unclear, warmer temperatures and shorter, less severe winters may have allowed ticks to expand their range. This increase in tick-friendly habitat means that more Canadians are at risk of contracting tick-borne diseases.
Researchers believe that ticks that carry bacteria that cause infections such as Lyme disease and anaplasmosis may also have developed a resilience that allows them to survive in all seasons, as long as the day is mild, and can seek out a host to feed on at just four degrees Celsius.

With the growing threat of tick-borne diseases, here are the symptoms of some common tick-borne diseases you need to be aware of.

Here are five common tick-borne diseases, their symptoms, and prevention tips:

1. Lyme disease

It is transmitted by the blacklegged tick and is caused by the bacteria Borrelia. It is one of the most common tick-borne diseases. Symptoms of Lyme disease include a bull’s-eye rash (erythema migrans), fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, and swollen lymph nodes. The patient may eventually develop headaches, stiff neck, arthritis with severe joint pain and swelling, inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, nerve pain, shooting pains, numbness, or tingling in the hands or feet.

2. Anaplasmosis

The blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) is also responsible for this disease. It is caused by a bacterium called Anaplasma phagocytophilum that is transmitted to humans primarily through the bite of an infected tick. Symptoms include fever, chills, severe headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite.

3. Babesiosis

This disease is also transmitted by the blacklegged tick. It is an infectious disease caused by intraerythrocytic protozoa of the species Babesia, transmitted by ticks. Its symptoms are fever, chills, sweating, headache, body aches, loss of appetite, nausea and fatigue. It can also cause jaundice and hemolytic anemia in severe cases.

4. Powassan Virus

These diseases are transmitted by the bite of an infected tick, which can belong to three species of ticks of the genus Ixodes. Ticks become infected when they feed on marmots, squirrels, mice or other rodents carrying the virus in their blood. Symptoms of this disease include fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, seizures, memory loss and encephalitis in severe cases.

It is transmitted by the American dog tick and the Rocky Mountain wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni) and is caused by the organism Rickettsia rickettsia. Its symptoms include fever, rash (spreading from the wrists and ankles to the inside of the trunk), headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, muscle aches, and loss of appetite.

Prevention tips

To prevent tick infections, wear long-sleeved shirts and light-colored pants, use insect repellent containing DEET or icaridin, and walk on cleared paths. Do a thorough tick check after going outdoors and remove any ticks found using clean, fine-tipped tweezers. It is important to keep your clothes in a dryer on high heat for at least 10 minutes to kill ticks.
Dr Tushar Tayal, Consultant Internal Medicine at CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, shares tips to avoid tick-borne disease:
1. Avoid wooded and brushy areas with tall grass and dead leaves. Stay on trails when hiking.
2. Apply insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus to the skin. Use clothing and equipment treated with permethrin.
3. Wear long sleeves, long pants and tuck pants into socks.
4. Shower soon after going outside: Showering within two hours of coming back inside can help remove any unattached ticks.
5. Remove attached ticks properly: Use fine tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin surface as possible. Clean the bite area and your hands by rubbing with alcohol or soap and water.