Lyme disease

Lyme disease gets its name from Lyme, Connecticut, where the first human outbreak in North America which took place in 1975. It has been recognized in Europe since the early 1900s. So far no cases have been found in Alberta, but its frequency is increasing in parts of Canada (BC and Ontario) and the United States. Lyme disease is not usually fatal, and health care professionals can readily treat it when diagnosed early.

Transmission occurs most often in the summer (May to August) in foothill and mountainous regions where arthropods are most common. Infection occurs from a bite from an infected arthropod—most commonly from a tick bite, but horse flies, deer flies and mosquitoes may also carry the bacterium. A small spiral shaped bacterium called Borrelia bugorferi causes Lyme disease.

Interestingly, small rodents, usually white-footed mice or deer-mice, are the best hosts for Lyme disease bacteria as larval ticks pick up the bacteria when they take blood from infected mice. From there the tiny seed ticks molt into bigger ticks (nymphs) which attach to vegetation and animals passing by pick them up. After feeding, the nymphs drop off, molt into adults and then to attach to bigger animals (e.g. deer). The greatest risk of infection occurs when walking bare-footed through brush and tall grass in spring and summer when tick nymphs are most active.

At risk

Active outdoors people are most likely to come into contact with ticks and other arthropods. Avoid walking bare-footed in brush and consider wearing long sleeves, pants, closed toe shoes and a hat when in the brush.
Anyone who spends time in tall grass, brush or forested areas. These people should inspect their body (head, neck and groin areas in particular) for ticks or the characteristic rash. Be aware ticks are quite small (the size of a pin head) so pay special attention when checking for them.

Symptoms

In many cases Lyme disease starts as a red rash at the tick bite site and spreads outwards in a circular pattern. The rash often occurs between three and 30 days after the bite and fever, chills, headache, fatigue and swollen lymph nodes may accompany it. In some cases, Lyme disease results in neurological and muscular problems weeks or months after the original infection resulting in delayed reactions such as recurrent meningitis, heart problems and arthritis. Health care professions do not understand why this delayed reaction occurs. In rare cases, infection in pregnant women may result in a miscarriage or abnormal fetus development.

Self care

If you find a tick embedded on your skin

do not squish it as this may cause the bacteria to burrow directly into the skin; remove it with tweezers as close to the mouth area as possible.
do not use matches, cigarettes or petroleum jelly to remove the tick.
monitor the site for at least two weeks, if a red rash appears, take the tick (if possible) and follow-up with your healthcare provider.

Treatment

Early treatment is best. Intermuscular injections (injections into the muscle) of penicillin or tetracycline can kill the bacterium.

Source:
Alberta Health and Wellness