The recent suicide of Amélie Champagne, a 22-year-old young woman with Lyme disease, caused a stir in the news and at the same time put the disease back in the spotlight. While thousands of hunters roam the forests of Quebec, what should we know to protect ourselves from this debilitating condition for which there is currently no miracle cure?
In Charlevoix and on the North Shore, the incidence of Lyme disease is as microscopic as the little beast that transmits it. Between January 3 and September 17, 2022, no cases of Lyme disease were declared on the North Shore and less than 5 in the Capitale-Nationale. On the North Shore, a case was diagnosed in Port Cartier in 2016, a second in 2018 in Les Escoumins and the most recent, in 2020, in Sept-Iles.
“Currently, there is no evidence to confirm that the populations of ticks causing Lyme disease are officially established on the North Shore. The cases reported over the past 5 years could possibly be secondary to the bite of a tick carried by migratory birds,” indicates a report from the Public Health Department of the North Shore.
In more southern regions such as Estrie and Montérégie, however, there are hundreds of cases and climate change will invariably favor the expansion of the territory of ticks carrying the bacteria responsible for the infections.
Basically, Lyme disease is an infectious disease caused by spirochete bacteria of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex that are transmitted by the bite of an infected tick. While several species of ticks are present in Quebec, the only species that can transmit Lyme disease there is the Ixodes scapularis tick, also called the “deer tick” or the “black-legged tick” (source: Ministère de la Santé et des Quebec Social Services.)
These tiny little critters are found in the forest, in tall grass and dead leaves. Since they feed on the blood of animals, they will attach themselves to potential hosts in their environment. The white-tailed deer is their darling, as their kindness indicates, but they do not disdain human beings.
The health consequences vary from person to person. Initially, the person affected may suffer from fever, chills, fatigue, headaches and muscle and joint pain in addition to lymph node edema. Late symptoms of Lyme disease can include arthritis, memory loss, facial paralysis, nerve pain, heart palpitations and abnormal heartbeats, inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, and eye problems, like conjunctivitis. (source: canada.ca)
The risk of contracting the disease remains low if an infected tick remains attached to the skin for less than 24 hours.
According to the National Institute for Excellence in Health and Social Services (INESSS), the overall risk of contracting Lyme disease after a blacklegged tick bite is estimated at 1-3% in high-risk areas where 12 50% of ticks are infected, which is neither the case of the Côte-Nord nor that of the Capitale-Nationale.
It’s hard to believe that such a small critter could cause such great harm…
Prevention is better than cure!
Although the incidence of Lyme disease is very rare in our area, here are a few things to consider when going outdoors.
-Dress in long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Leave as little visible skin as possible (tuck the sweater into the pants and the bottom of your pants into your socks).
-Wear closed shoes.
-Use mosquito repellent that includes DEET or icaridin.
-Prefer open paths.
– Pets can receive treatments that will protect them from ticks (ask your veterinarian). Either way, it’s not a bad idea to make a habit of checking your pets’ coat, just like your own exposed skin after an outdoor outing.
-If you should unearth a tick, use tweezers to remove immediately, avoiding rotating it or crushing the tick. Keep it! If you develop redness at the bite site within 30 days, call Info-Santé at 811 or see a doctor and bring the tick with you for analysis.
(source : canada.ca )