Climate change bringing more ticks, infections
An apparent rise in ticks crossing Canada’s southern border has the local health unit urging residents to use caution in wooded areas.
Some ticks carry Lyme disease, an illness that can cause serious heart and neurological problems in humans if not treated quickly.
Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area is one of seven areas in Ontario where ticks are commonly found.
Last year, six ticks — five from Prince Edward County, one from Belleville — were found to carry the bacterium that causes Lyme disease.
Four new human cases of Lyme were reported locally in 2011.
Seventy-one ticks were submitted for testing in 2011. This year, 46 were submitted by May 28 — and ticks are most active in summer, meaning there could be many more to come.
“We’re fairly confident the number of ticks is increasing because of climate change and the number of tick submissions is increasing because of public awareness,” Dave Dodgson, the environmental health manager for the Hastings and Prince Edward Counties Health Unit.
To date, this year, there have been no human Lyme diagnoses locally, but Dodgson again said it’s early in the season.
Human Lyme infections have been climbing almost steadily since at least 2001.
“From 2001 to 2008 there was a steady increase and in 2005 it took off, and it seems to have maintained,” said Dodgson.
There were 24 human cases of Lyme disease diagnosed in Ontario in 2001. That peaked at 110 in 2008, but by 2010 had slid to 95.
“It’s relatively easily-treated if it’s caught quickly,” Dodgson said.
But Dodgson said local residents may not be aware of the risks and therefore not taking precautions.
“We heard some of that last year and that’s one reason we’re beefing up our public education.”
A warming climate has officials predicting more ticks and more Lyme disease in the future. The arachnids often hitchhike on birds, riding from the United States into Canada.
“There’ll be more ticks and they’ll be found in more parts of Canada,” said Aptie Sookoo, a public health inspector with the health unit.
That’s why Elizabeth May, leader of Canada’s Green Party, is about to table her private member’s bill calling for a national Lyme disease strategy.
She said this week she’d hoped to table it in May, which is Lyme Disease Awareness Month, but it was delayed by debate over the Conservatives’ budget implementation bill.
May now expects her bill to be tabled before the House of Commons rises for the summer.
She said the strategy would ensure the disease is recognized, diagnosed and treated swiftly. Though private bills can’t require the government to spend money, it would press for funding for provinces and territories to implement the strategy.
“It’s a concern for me because I’ve known people dealing with Lyme disease,” said May, adding she knows Lyme patients on both coasts who have suffered from the “devastating, catastrophic” illness.
“I don’t think we have nearly enough awareness in this country,” May said. “Due to the climate crisis … Lyme disease is spreading.”
She also said many of her constituents in her riding of Saanich-Gulf Islands have asked her to act on the issue. Some, said May, have travelled to the United States for treatment without any government compensation.
Court Steggles, a Kitchener resident and the president of the Lyme Disease Association of Ontario, is in favour of the bill, in part because it could increase awareness.
“It would be a very important step,” Steggles said. “The nice thing is it’s national … because Lyme disease is right across the country.”
“We’re getting millions of infected ticks crossing our borders every year on birds.”
The association has about 60 members, all of whom are Lyme sufferers or people with direct connections to them.
“We certainly need all the help we can get,” he said.
His wife, Mary, was diagnosed in 1989.
Steggles said Mary was “in very rough shape” when diagnosed. She’s since improved considerably, but is still “suffering a great deal.”
He said the association receives three to four inquiries a week from people who’ve been bitten by ticks.