Take precautions to avoid tick-borne diseases when spending time outdoors

Brockville – The warm weather is here, and Southeast Public Health (SEPH) is reminding residents that the region is an established high-risk area for the blacklegged ticks.

Blacklegged ticks carry the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis and Babesiosis, as well as other disease-causing agents, that can be transmitted to humans through their bite.

Preventing tick bites, doing a full-body check for ticks after being outdoors or at least once a day, and prompt removal of attached ticks are essential steps in preventing tick-borne diseases.

“The risk of encountering blacklegged ticks when enjoying outdoor activities is very high in our region,” says Kim McCann, Manager of Environmental Health, “so taking simple precautions to repel ticks, and making sure you check yourself, your children and your pets for ticks after spending time outdoors will help keep you and your loved ones healthy.”

These additional precautions will also help to reduce your risk of tick-borne infection:

• Using Health Canada approved insect repellent containing DEET or Icariden. Be sure to check the repellent is safe for younger children before applying.​​​​​​​
• Wearing permethrin-treated clothing, as well as light colours, long sleeves and pants, socks, closed footwear, and tuck your pants into your socks.
• Showering within two hours of returning indoors to remove loosely attached ticks.
• Being mindful that pets may also bring ticks into the home. Talk to your vet about protecting your pets from ticks.
• Creating a tick free zone around your property.
• Putting clothes worn outdoors in a dryer on high heat for at least 10 minutes to kill any ticks.

If you are bitten by an infected tick, the risk of Lyme disease and most other tick-borne illnesses begins 24 hours after attachment and feeding and increases significantly after 48 hours.

Common early signs and symptoms of Lyme disease include rash (may not be circular or “bull’s eye”), fatigue, muscle pain, headache, fever/chills, stiff neck, and decreased appetite. More serious symptoms can include facial palsy, heart block, meningitis, and arthritis.

If you experience symptoms of Lyme disease after spending time outdoors, visit a health-care provider or a pharmacist for assessment and possibly treatment.

It is important to know that you do not gain natural immunity to Lyme disease and may have it more than once.

For more information on ticks, identifying symptoms of vector-borne diseases, and how to protect yourself and your family, visit our Lyme and Tick-borne Diseases page.

Please note that ticks are no longer accepted by Public Health but can be identified at etick.ca.