Ticks and Lyme disease 101: everything you need to know to protect yourself

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Beautiful weather has arrived, bringing with it sunshine, days spent outdoors... and ticks! Although there are nearly 900 species of tick worldwide, 12 have been identified in Quebec to date, ready to latch on to both humans and animals. Although they are often harmless, some tick species can transmit serious diseases, such as Lyme disease.

Itching to find out more? We've got all the info for you!

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What is a tick?

A tick is not an "insect". Rather, it belongs to the arachnid family, just like spiders and scorpions. That's actually what helps to identify them. Unlike insects, which have 6 legs, ticks have 8 legs (4 pairs), no wings, no antennae and a body divided into two parts - a small head and a larger abdomen. 

Ticks are called "obligate" parasites because they depend on the blood of humans or animals to complete their developmental stages: egg, larva, nymph and adult. When the tick gorges itself on blood (and by gorge we mean that it can take 100 times its weight in blood!), it remains attached to its host and its abdomen swells and grows. That's why we sometimes mistake a tick for a wart in an animal's fur. But if you look closely, you'll see its little legs.

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^{Source: INSPC - Levels of blood engorgement in adult female Ixodes scapularis (black-legged ticks).}
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5 interesting facts about ticks: 

• They love humidity: Ticks especially love wooded areas, dead leaves and long grass. They are sensitive to sunlight and avoid exposed areas where they risk drying out.
  
  
• They are sneaky: Ticks do not jump, fly or fall from trees, as some might think. They climb on vegetation, such as long grass, and wait until an animal or human is close enough to crawl onto them and feed on their blood.
  
  
• They “sleep” during winter: In the winter, when a blanket of snow covers the ground, ticks go into a dormant state, but become active again as soon as the mercury reaches 4°C.
  
  
• They are gluttonous: Unlike many other parasites, ticks feed for long periods. They can remain firmly attached to their host for days. Ticks usually need at least 24 hours to feed before they can transmit infections such as Lyme disease.
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• They live relatively long: Blacklegged ticks live for around two to three years. They spend most of their lives in the environment rather than on a host. Over their lifetime, they take a maximum of three blood meals.

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What is Lyme disease

Although there are a dozen tick species in Quebec, the one that is of most concern is the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis), also known as the deer tick. It is this species that can transmit Lyme disease to its hosts if it carries the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria.
Lyme disease is a vector-borne disease and a zoonosis, meaning that it can affect both humans and animals. Tick bites (often in hard-to-see areas such as the groin, navel, armpits, bottom of the buttocks, behind the ears and scalp) are often painless and go unnoticed. Symptoms of Lyme disease vary considerably from one person to another and may appear within 3 to 30 days of the bite.
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Symptoms of Lyme disease

The current symptoms of Lyme disease include:

• Skin rash (redness at the puncture site persists and can reach more than 5 cm)
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Fever or chills
• Muscle or joint pain
• Swollen lymph nodes

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If Lyme disease is not diagnosed and treated in time, the bacteria can spread through the bloodstream and other symptoms can appear weeks or even months after the bite, including:

• Multiple red spots spread across the skin with little or no pain or itching
• Chronic arthritis (muscle and joint pain)
• Chest pain, heart palpitations and dizziness
• Neurological and nervous system disorders: facial paralysis, limb numbness, neck pain 
• Swelling of one or more joints (such as the knees)

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When to consult a health professional

There is currently no vaccine available to protect humans against Lyme disease. However, it can be treated with antibiotics, but you must hurry! The sooner you receive treatment, the greater your chances of recovery. Having said that, some people who have received treatment for Lyme disease may continue to have symptoms afterwards, and those who have been diagnosed with Lyme disease in the past may be re-infected in the future.

If a rash occurs after you have been exposed to a tick, measure the diameter of the redness. You can also trace the outline of the rash with a pencil and take a photo to see if it gets any bigger.

See a health professional if: 

• Redness measures 5 cm or more in diameter
• Redness has been present for more than 48 hours
• Symptoms appear days, weeks or even months after you have been exposed to a tick

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Lyme disease and pets

Your pets are not immune to Lyme disease. Although 95% of infected dogs will never develop Lyme disease, some may suffer symptoms, such as muscle pain, arthritis, fatigue and fever. It is extremely rare for cats to develop this disease. 

Pets cannot transmit the disease directly to humans. However, if they bring ticks home, they can easily pass them on to you. So it's important to inspect your pets and quickly remove any ticks that have settled in their fur.

Unlike humans, there is a vaccine against Lyme disease, available only for dogs. To find out more, or if you think your pet has Lyme disease, contact your vet.

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How to prevent tick bites 

While out on a stroll in a wooded area:

• Walk on open paths and avoid tall grass.
• Tuck your shirt into your pants and your pants into your socks or boots.
• Wear light-coloured clothing so you can spot ticks easily.
• Wear closed shoes, long clothes and a hat.
• Use a DEET or Icaridine-based insect repellent.
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Once you are back at home: 

• Take a bath or shower when you arrive.
• Inspect your entire body (on the same day and in the days that follow), your children's bodies and any equipment and materials you had with you.
• Wash your clothes and/or put them in the dryer on the hottest cycle for at least 10 minutes.
• If your pet was with you: comb through the coat with your fingers from head to tail, looking for lumps or other irregularities. Look carefully under the collar, groin, legs, tail and inside and outside the ears. 

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How to remove a tick

To reduce the risk of transmitting Lyme disease, you must remove a tick as soon as you find one on you or your pet.

• The easiest and safest way to do this is to grab the tick as close to the skin as possible with tweezers or tongs designed specifically for removing ticks; unless you have no other choice, never remove a tick with your hands.
• Remove the tick slowly, avoiding twisting or crushing its body.
• If parts of the tick's mouth break off and remain in the skin, remove them with pliers. 
• Wash the puncture site with warm water, soap or alcohol-based disinfectant.
• Never try to burn a tick or rub it with petroleum jelly, nail polish, alcohol or any other flammable product as this could be very dangerous.

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It is recommended that you keep the tick in a well-sealed container for a few weeks. If you or your pet develop symptoms in the days or weeks that follow, it could be useful for the doctor or vet to have access to what bit you.

Do you have questions or worries about Lyme disease? Remember that with a Bonjour-santé membership, you have unlimited access to e-consults with our teams of nurses, who can give you advice and answer your questions.

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