for eMaxHealthThe arrival of warmer weather means ticks have arrived in Lambton County and residents need to take precautions from being bitten.
Ticks are tiny, slow-moving bugs, about the size of a sesame seed, which feed on blood. They cannot fly. They move about the ground slowly or settle on tall grass and bushes until they attach themselves to a person or animal passing by. While most tick bites do not result in disease, some do.
Lyme disease is an infection caused by a bacteria transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected blacklegged tick (deer tick). The disease cannot spread from person to person. The blacklegged tick (deer tick) is found sporadically throughout Ontario. Not all tick bites will result in disease. Even a bite from an infected tick results in only a small chance of getting the disease. Further, the American dog tick is the most commonly identified tick in Lambton County and it is not an efficient transmitter of Lyme disease.
The most common symptom is a red bull's-eye rash that appears at the site of the tick bite within 3 to 30 days (average 10 days). Flu-like symptoms may also occur during the early stages of the disease. Later stages of Lyme disease can involve arthritic, cardiac, and neurological complications. If detected early, Lyme disease can be easily treated with antibiotics.
Protect yourself from tick bites by following these precautions:
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