Tick ​​season underway in Lambton: public health

With warmer weather, ticks have started showing up in Lambton County.

“We’re seeing people come in and submit ticks already,” said Lori Lucas with the local health unit.

Public health recently sent out a reminder to be wary, when in wooded areas and fields, of the sesame-sized arachnid that, through its bite, can transmit Lyme disease-causing bacteria.

Use insect repellent, wear long sleeves and pants, and do checks for ticks after being outdoors, including on pets and children, Lucas said.

“Definitely when it comes to ticks, now is the time of year,” she said.

There were six cases of Lyme disease reported in Lambton County in 2022, and 130 ticks submitted by members of the public for identification, Lucas said.

Thirteen of those turned out to be blacklegged ticks, which can carry and transmit the Lyme-causing bacteria.

Wooded areas for about 20 kilometers in and around Pinery Provincial Park, including Port Franks, in Lambton Shores are considered high risk, Lucas said.

“But these habitats can be expanding,” she said, adding that’s why tick drags happen every spring and fall to gauge the prevalence of ticks in different areas of the county, especially areas from where submissions from the public are spiking, she said.

“There’s a chance, even though it’s low, to find a blacklegged tick anywhere,” Lucas said. “They attach to migratory birds. They can drop off.”

There are tools at lambtonpublichealth.ca and etick.ca to help people identify ticks, she said.

Ten years ago, it was rare to have any Lyme cases in Lambton that weren’t connected to travel, she said.

The increase to six in 2022 is “partially an effect of climate change,” she said.

“We are definitely seeing an increase of Lyme in our area.”

Cases also have been increasing in other parts of the province, she said.

If you find a tick attached, carefully remove it, and, if it’s been attached for more than 24 hours, see a health-care provider right away, she said.

“Basically a prophylactic dose of antibiotics is what’s recommended, so consulting with a health-care provider if it is attached is definitely important.”

Public health also was warning about the risk of West Nile virus through bites from infected mosquitoes, though that’s more of a risk when the weather warms more, Lucas said.

The health unit traps and tests mosquitoes at 12 sites throughout the county for 12 weeks between July and September, she said.

One tested positive last year for West Nile virus, she said.

Larviciding in the county’s nearly 17,000 catch basins also starts in June, she said.

The virus is established throughout Ontario, she said.

Similar tips exist to help prevent mosquito bites, and people also are encouraged to reduce standing water around their properties, where the insects breed, public health officials said in a news release.

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