As the weather warms, people across Interior Health will be spending more time outdoors in tall grass or wooded areas and this means an increased chance of getting tick bites. Ticks are small bugs that bite and feed on the blood of humans and animals and sometimes these bites can transmit disease. Fortunately, there are precautions people can take to prevent illnesses that may be transmitted from tick bites.
“There are easy things you can do to protect yourself like covering up before you head outdoors and checking for ticks when returning from a walk, hike or bike ride,” says Dr. Rob Parker, Medical Health Officer with Interior Health. “Most tick bites do not result in illness; however, any bite from a tick or other insect should be cleaned, as infection can occur whenever there is a break in the skin.”
While ticks are common in the Interior Health region, most are the Wood Tick (Dermacentor andersoni), species which does not carry the Lyme disease bacteria. Lyme disease-carrying ticks (I. pacificus) are more common in the coastal areas of B.C. The Wood Tick can carry other diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, although it is rare. In addition, ticks also have toxins that can cause temporary muscle weakness and paralysis if they are attached for several days, especially in children or seniors - but the symptoms fade once the tick is found and removed from the skin. The signs of many tick-borne infections can be quite similar and include fever, headache, muscle pain and rash.
For people newly infected with Lyme disease, about 70-80 per cent will develop small red bumps at the site of the tick bite within several days. The redness then spreads out into a circular rash eventually resembling a target or “bull’s-eye”. Individuals who experience this rash should see their doctor as soon as possible.
- Interior Health Press Release