Climate change is no longer a distant threat; it’s reshaping our immediate health risks. Public health officials are reporting a troubling surge in tick-borne illnesses across Canada, with Lyme disease leading the charge and lesser-known diseases rapidly gaining ground.
Heather Coatsworth, chief of field studies at the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg, explains the core problem. “Climate change in Canada is happening at a much more accelerated rate than we see in parts of the rest of the world. Ticks… require a certain amount of heat and humidity to complete their life cycle.” The consequences are stark: expanded tick habitats and longer active seasons, creating a perfect storm for disease transmission.
Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia have been the established hot spots for blacklegged ticks, carriers of bacteria, parasites, and viruses. However, Coatsworth notes, “The changing climate is allowing the tick population to grow in other parts of the country, including Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.”
Janet Sperling, president of the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation, highlights a critical gap: “A lot of doctors have been told—this was their training—’you can’t get Lyme disease in Alberta; if you don’t have a travel history, don’t worry about it.’” Sperling insists, “There’s no doubt that it has changed, and the education hasn’t caught up with some of the doctors.” This lag in awareness could delay diagnoses and treatment, potentially leading to more severe health outcomes.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s happening:
- Lyme Disease: Cases are soaring. Initial monitoring in 2009 recorded 144 cases nationally. Preliminary data for 2024 counts 5,239. Some models project half a million cases annually within 25 years if current trends continue.
- Anaplasmosis: This “new kid on the block” is growing rapidly. From 10-50 cases annually around 2012, reports exceeded 700 last year.
- Babesiosis & Powassan Virus: Provinces are increasingly monitoring these, adding further complexity to tick-borne disease management.
Common Misconception: Tick-borne diseases are limited to specific regions.
Factual Correction: Climate change is expanding tick habitats nationwide.
New Understanding: All Canadians, regardless of location, must be vigilant about tick prevention and aware of symptoms.
Lyme disease often manifests with flu-like symptoms: fever, chills, fatigue, headache, swollen lymph nodes, and muscle/joint aches. The characteristic bull’s-eye rash is a key indicator, but Coatsworth warns that roughly 30% of infected individuals never develop it, complicating diagnosis.
Other tick-borne illnesses present overlapping yet distinct symptoms. Anaplasmosis mirrors Lyme disease but lacks the rash. Babesiosis also shares symptoms but can cause anemia. Powassan virus, while less common, can lead to severe neurological complications like encephalitis and meningitis.
Treatment options vary. Lyme disease and anaplasmosis respond to antibiotics, typically doxycycline. Babesiosis, a parasitic infection, requires anti-parasitic medications. Powassan virus, unfortunately, has no specific treatment; care focuses on managing symptoms and providing support.
Dr. Curtis Russell, a vector-borne disease specialist at Public Health Ontario, points out a crucial detail: “A lot of people are very surprised when I show them a blacklegged tick. They can’t believe how small they are.” Adults are about the size of a sesame seed; younger ticks resemble poppyseeds, making detection difficult.
Ticks thrive in wooded and grassy areas, including forests, parks, hiking trails, and increasingly, peri-urban spaces. “So a lot of those are peri-urban spaces… kind of those in-between spaces that now have become just maybe your local neighbourhood park where there’s a lot more squirrels. Small rodents and white-tailed deer, especially, have really contributed to sustaining the populations of ticks,” explains Coatsworth.
Dr. Mayank Singal, a public health physician with the BC Centre for Disease Control, stresses prevention. Wear long sleeves and pants, use bug spray, and choose light-colored clothing to spot ticks more easily. Stay in the middle of trails and avoid contact with foliage.
After spending time outdoors, conduct thorough tick checks, even in areas covered by clothing. Showering can wash away unattached ticks. Wash and dry clothes at high heat to kill any lingering ticks.
If you find a tick, remove it promptly with tweezers, grasping it close to the skin and pulling straight up. Avoid twisting or jerking. Submit a photo of the tick to etick.ca for identification and risk assessment.
I blinked twice, trying to process the sheer scale of the problem , and then immediately thought about my kids playing in the backyard.
Prompt medical attention is crucial if you develop symptoms after a tick bite. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential to preventing long-term health issues.
“We need to shift from thinking about tick-borne diseases as a regional issue to recognizing them as a national public health concern,” says Sperling. “The changing climate demands a proactive and informed response.”
Awareness is spreading through social media. One user on X.com recently posted, “Found a tick on my dog after a walk in the park! #LymeAwareness #TickSafety” while a Facebook group dedicated to Lyme disease support has seen a surge in membership. However, misinformation remains a challenge, with several Instagram comments falsely claiming that essential oils alone are sufficient protection.
Staying informed, taking precautions, and advocating for increased awareness are our best defenses against the rising threat of tick-borne illnesses in a changing climate.