Prevent Lyme Disease

At the dawn of the summer season, the Public Health Department of the Integrated Health and Social Services Center (CISSS) Lanaudière wants to remind the public of the measures to prevent Lyme disease and the actions to take when bitten by a tick.

Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium that is spread by the bite of an infected tick. Ticks do not jump and do not fly. However, they can cling to you or your pet during your walks in forests, woods and tall grbades.

It is possible to contract Lyme disease in all regions of Quebec, especially because migratory birds that can carry infected ticks over long distances. However, this risk is higher when the bite occurred in an area where the presence of confirmed ticks and was confirmed

In addition, it is recognized that the risk of contracting the disease is low if a tick infected remains attached less than 24 hours, but increases significantly after 48 hours.

In Lanaudière

At present, no municipality in the Lanaudière region is considered at significant risk for Lyme disease. However, some ticks Ixodes scapularis, the only tick species that can transmit the disease, were collected in the territory (Terrebonne, Joliette, Lanoraie, Rawdon and Assomption and Lac-des-Dix-Milles) . The Director of Public Health of CISSS Lanaudière, Dr. Muriel Lafarge, recalled that the risk of acquiring Lyme disease is possible everywhere in Quebec. The best way to prevent it is to avoid tick bites.

To prevent Lyme disease: avoid tick bites

When walking, walk the trails and avoid tall grbad.Use mosquito repellent on exposed parts of your body, avoiding

Wear light-colored clothes while walking (light colors make ticks more noticeable). Wear a hat, closed shoes and long clothes, put your sweater in your pants and the bottom of your pants in your socks or boots.

What to do if a tick is found on the body?

In case of sting, immediately remove the tick. The Québec Health Portal describes the steps to proceed safely.Take note of the date and place where you were when you were stung and the place where you noticed the sting. This information may be helpful if you need to see a doctor. Watch for symptoms of Lyme disease within 3 to 30 days after being stung.

If you have one or more of these symptoms, call Info-Santé, call 811 or see a doctor. If you see a doctor, bring the tick in a tightly closed container. The doctor could decide to have it badyzed

Did you know that

There are 12 species of ticks listed in Quebec. Only one species can transmit Lyme disease: tick I. scapularis.

Not all I. scapularis ticks are infected with the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease: Borrelia burgdorferi.

Since 2014, 12 sites in the region have been subject to tick collection as part of the province's integrated Lyme Disease Surveillance System. I. scapularis ticks were found in five of them. Tick ​​monitoring continues in Lanaudière in 2018.

(PC)