Warmer weather means early return of ticks that carry Lyme disease

A health unit serving southwestern Ontario residents in Oxford and Elgin counties as well as Woodstock and St. Thomas is warning them to watch out for blacklegged ticks, also known as deer ticks. 

Eight ticks have been submitted to Southwestern Public Health since March 1, the health unit said in a statement. In comparison, only one blacklegged tick was submitted during the entire month of March 2023. 

"We tend to think of ticks as a warm-weather pest, yet ticks start to become active once temperatures risk above 0 C," said public health inspector Serena Roberts. "The spring-like weather we have been experiencing is likely contributing to this early tick activity." 

Blacklegged ticks can carry bacteria that cause Lyme disease. The illness is spread to humans through bites from infected ticks. Only blacklegged ticks carry this bacteria, although not all do. 

Symptoms of Lyme disease begin three to 30 days after a bite and may include fever, headache and an expanding rash that may or may not resemble a bull's-eye. The rash can appear anywhere on the body. 

If untreated, the bacteria can spread through the bloodstream to affect other parts of the body. Late Lyme disease symptoms include arthritis, multiple rashes, and neurological and cardiac issues. Early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment can help prevent these symptoms. 

"Protect yourself from ticks by covering up when you are going to be walking through or working in tick habitats — such as tall grasses, shrubs or piles of leaves," says Roberts. "If you find a tick attached to you, carefully remove it using a tick removal device and bring it into the health unit for identification. Always inform your health-care provider when a tick is attached to you, regardless of what type of tick it is."