Lyme Disease Steadily Increasing

North American Tick Populations Spreading

Deer ticks and Lyme disease

Lyme disease is a condition transmitted through the bite of an infected tick. The species most often involved in North America is Ixodes scapularis, the black legged or deer tick. It can be found mostly in the northern Midwest and the eastern American states, and in Canada from southeastern Manitoba through Nova Scotia. In British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest the western black legged tick, Ixodes pacificus is known to spread Lyme disease.

Lyme disease has been a concern in the United States for years, but in Canada both governmental surveillance and public awareness of the problem have been lacking until very recently. Much of the population was unaware the disease spreading ticks were present in our country, including medical practitioners. Lyme disease was not reportable in Canada until this year, and health ministries are only now beginning to put out public service announcements about the condition.

In the United States Lyme disease is subject to voluntary reporting, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have noted a steady increase of the number of cases. Over a 15-year period the number of cases rose by 101 percent. The CDC states these figures, "underscore the continued emergence of Lyme disease and the need for tick avoidance and early treatment interventions."

Research in Canada over roughly the same period has similarly shown expansion of known tick populations. Migrating birds have also been linked to transporting infected ticks from established populations to regions where ticks and Lyme disease had previously been unknown. This suggests a need for increased public awareness and training of medical personnel, even in areas previously considered at low risk.

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