Local Health: 1)Georgian nursing grads enter workforce amid healthcare staffing pressures and growing complexities; 2) Runny nose? Itchy? Experts say seasonal allergies worsening due to increase in pollen; 3)Tick bites are making people allergic to red meat and it could happen in Ontario; 4)Types of ticks in Ontario and why it matters which one bit you
1)Georgian nursing grads enter workforce amid healthcare staffing pressures and growing complexities
Courtesy Barrie360.com
By Julius Hern, May 17th, 2026
Georgian College’s first graduating nursing students are entering a healthcare system that local hospitals say depends heavily on training partnerships, though some graduates say finding work has been more uncertain than expected.
The college’s four-year Bachelor of Science – Nursing (BScN) program began in 2022 at its Barrie and Owen Sound campuses, preparing students to become registered nurses (RNs). It also opened the possibility of registered practical nurses (RPNs) to bridge into a career as an RN.
The milestone ceremony marked the culmination of four years of training for the program’s first cohort, who say they played a direct role in shaping its development.
“We often refer to ourselves as guinea pigs,” class valedictorian Natasha MacDuffie told Barrie360. “We actually helped build the program, so that kind of makes it more meaningful for us.”
“We designed this program specifically to meet the needs of our region,” Dr. Sara Lankshear, the program’s associate dean, told Barrie360. “The students come from this community, then they learn about this community, and now they will stay here and practice in this community.”
Lankshear says many of the students have already been offered jobs by local healthcare institutions, pending the result of their licensure exam.
“I feel very prepared,” MacDuffie said. “Our clinical experiences, particularly one at the end, gave me 420 hours. So, we got a lot of time in the hospitals and we’re ready.”
Previously, Georgian provided a four-year degree option, but in partnership with York University for the final two years. However, Lankshear says they found that 60 per cent of those students that went to York never came back home to practice.
Due to its proximity and size, RVH has become one of the primary destinations for Georgian students completing placements and later entering the workforce.
Fresh hires will come in as externs before moving into the new graduate guarantee (NGG) program. The NGG helps orient new nurses for full-time roles where they can practice independently before transitioning into either RN or RPN positions within the hospital.
Dara Marcoccia, RVH’s vice president of people experience and chief human resources officer (CHRO) says in the past three years, hospital officials say their approach to retaining nurses has stabilized its staff in a period when other areas of the province are seeing shortages.
However, pressures within the healthcare system remain. In particular, ensuring the right nursing teams are in place to meet patient needs can still be a challenge.
“Demands are high and, for our community, excessive,” Leanne Weeks, RVH’s vice president of clinical and chief nursing executive (CNE) told Barrie360. “The demand for care is high (because of) the complexity of patients… we see patients arriving who are sicker than we’ve seen in the past.”
There are also other pressures facing healthcare workers today that they may not have experienced a decade ago, adding further complexity to the work.
“Violence does unfortunately occur sometimes,” Dara Marcoccia, RVH’s vice president of people experience and chief human resources officer (CHRO) told Barrie360. “Because of the complexity of the patient presenting , they may have responsive behaviours and those types of things . But, we provide strong support to our staff around learning how to de-escalate and giving them the skills to be able to provide the best care to that patient at the time.”
Even as local hospitals emphasize strong nursing pipelines and stabilized staffing, new grads like MacDuffie say entering the workforce still comes with uncertainty and a competitive job search.
Despite that sense of preparedness, MacDuffie said the transition into the workforce has come with unexpected uncertainty.
“We’ve been promised for four years that they’re crying for nurses, but looking at the job postings out there, it doesn’t always feel like that.”
MacDuffie said she has been selective in her search, but despite a high volume of applications, she’s had very little luck.
“I’ve applied to probably everything—maybe 20 to 30 resumes—and I’ve had three interviews,” she said. “It’s a little scary that there’s not too much happening, but I’m sure something will come along.”
Broader concerns about nursing workload and staffing extend beyond RVH and across the province.
The valedictorian completed her placement in Huntsville, in a much smaller hospital than RVH, which made her aspire to work in rural communities. She says she has applied to hospitals in and north of Orillia.
It’s also not MacDuffie’s first career, citing her previous time as medical lab technology as an inspiration to get into nursing. She then endured the four year RN program as a mature student, all while raising two kids, and recognizes that the family commitment could be both a negative and a positive.
“Coming in a little bit older maybe put me at a bit of an advantage because the maturity can be assumed there,” she said. “But it also could be a detriment because I’m also coming in with baggage. I have a family, I have kids, and I’m also not going to be in the workforce as long as everybody else.”
She added that nursing remains an appealing career because of its flexibility, allowing graduates to move between bedside care, community work and other specialties.
2) Runny nose? Itchy? Experts say seasonal allergies worsening due to increase in pollen
Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press
By Fakiha Baig, May 18, 2026.
A group of Canadian researchers says the amount of powdery pollen released by plants during their reproduction process has gone up across Canada in recent years and is exacerbating allergies from hay fever to hives.
Daniel Coates, director of Aerobiology Research Laboratories, which monitors pollen, said monitoring by his lab suggests pollen levels across Canada have doubled.
Climate change is partly to blame, he said.
“It’s getting worse because pollen loves warm weather,” he said. “When you have longer periods of warm weather, science and data have proven that you’re going to see more pollen in the air as well.”
Unpredictable weather could also be why allergies are more intense in 2026.
This year, spring across the country has been cooler, Coates said. That means pollen from trees that usually burst earlier in the season — cedars and maples, for example — are releasing pollen around the same time as those that release later, including birch, oak and poplar trees.
“Poplar this year was really high in Edmonton, for example, and now they’re overlapping with what we more typically see around this time of year, which is like birch,” he said.
“We’re seeing a sort of a later start — but more intense start — to the season.”
Kevin Sproule, an Edmonton-based arborist, said seasonal allergies have been particularly intense in Alberta, which has in recent weeks experienced dramatic weather shifts from blowing snow and ice to blooming trees and sunshine.
“My wife and my kids have been experiencing more allergy symptoms this year than they have in the past and I believe that’s because of that intense explosion of pollen,” said Sproule, who works for tree pruning company Davey Tree.
Dawn Jurgens, also with Aerobiology Research Laboratories, said pollen allergies in cities across the world have gone up over the years, and botanical sexism is partly to blame.
She said municipalities have historically preferred to plant male trees rather than female trees to reduce the amount of fruiting debris the females might produce after the release of pollen.
“It does make allergies a little bit worse because you get more pollen release when there’s more male trees,” she said.
Pollen allergies, she said, are also intense in cities because of the “heat-island effect,” in which tightly packed buildings and paved surfaces in urban areas trap heat more than rural areas.
“So the temperature in the cities is much higher than it is in less urban areas,” she said.
Jurgens said allergy sufferers can’t do much to prevent intense allergic reactions to pollen other than changing their outdoor activities.
Amy Kish, senior laboratory technician with Aerobiology, said she’s been itchy and has had a runny nose.
The Ontario resident said when the weather is nice, she usually keeps the windows closed.
“I can’t have the windows open, and I get annoyed if my husband hangs the laundry out on certain days,” she said.
“It’s not fun feeling sick when your allergies are bad all the time.”
3)Tick bites are making people allergic to red meat and it could happen in Ontario
Courtesy Barrie360.com
By Marie Gagne, May 21, 2026
Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is an allergic condition triggered by tick bites that causes people to develop a serious reaction to red meat and other mammal-based products. It’s emerging as a significant public health concern in the United States, and with tick populations shifting northward due to climate change, Canadian health officials are paying attention.
What is alpha-gal syndrome?
Alpha-gal is a sugar molecule found in the meat and tissues of most mammals, including beef, pork, lamb, venison and others. It’s also present in some mammal-derived products like gelatin and dairy.
When a lone star tick bites a person, it introduces alpha-gal into the bloodstream through its saliva. For some people, this triggers an immune response. From that point on, eating red meat or other mammal products can cause a serious allergic reaction.
What makes alpha-gal syndrome particularly difficult to identify is the timing.
Unlike most food allergies, which cause a reaction within minutes of eating, AGS typically develops two to six hours following consumption of red meat or meat products. That delay makes it easy to miss the connection between the food and the reaction.
“I never connected it with any food because it was hours after eating,” said Bernadine Heller-Greenman, a patient diagnosed with the condition.
How common is it?
Alpha-gal syndrome is far more common in the United States than most people realize, and experts believe the true number of cases is significantly undercounted.
Since 2010, more than 100,000 people in the U.S. have developed alpha-gal syndrome from a lone star tick bite. A second report estimated that it could actually be 450,000 people who have AGS, making it the 10th most common allergy in the U.S.
Part of the reason cases are undercounted is that many doctors aren’t familiar with the condition. A survey of 1,500 U.S. primary care doctors found that nearly half had never heard of alpha-gal syndrome, and only 5% said they felt confident they could diagnose it.
What about Canada and Ontario?
Right now, the risk for Ontarians is considered low, but it’s not zero, and it’s worth understanding why that could change.
The risk of locally acquired AGS among Ontarians is low, since the primary tick responsible, the lone star tick, is not established in the province, but has occasionally been detected. However, climate change will make previously unfavourable habitat in Ontario more suitable for lone star ticks to survive the province’s winters, aiding in their incursion and establishment.
Lone star ticks are already showing up in Ontario in small numbers. Between 50 and 85 lone star ticks are submitted annually through passive surveillance in the province, compared to the thousands of blacklegged ticks and American dog ticks submitted every year. Most are removed from people who recently travelled to the U.S., but some are found on people with no travel history, likely carried in on migratory birds.
Public Health Ontario released a report on alpha-gal syndrome in January 2024, flagging it as an emerging issue that healthcare providers in the province need to be aware of.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of alpha-gal syndrome can range from mild to life-threatening and typically appear two to six hours after eating red meat or mammal-derived products. The most commonly reported symptoms are:
• dermatological (hives, swelling and itching)
• anaphylaxis
• gastrointestinal symptoms (abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting)
• respiratory symptoms
Some people only experience stomach symptoms, which makes the condition even harder to identify.
The American Gastroenterological Association recommends that people with unexplained diarrhea, nausea and abdominal pain be tested for the syndrome.
In severe cases, the reaction can cause anaphylaxis, a life-threatening response that requires emergency treatment.
What triggers a reaction?
Red meat is the most common trigger, but it’s not the only one. Beef, pork, lamb and venison are all known to cause reactions.
In case reports of 232 patients with AGS, the most common food items that caused an allergic reaction were beef, pork, lamb and gelatin-containing products. Dairy can also be a trigger for some people.
Certain organ meats like kidneys, heart and liver may cause faster or more severe reactions, according to Public Health Ontario’s 2024 report.
Is there a cure?
There is currently no cure for alpha-gal syndrome. Management involves avoiding red meat and mammal-derived products, carrying epinephrine in case of accidental exposure and avoiding further tick bites.
The allergy can fade in some people over time. Dr. Scott Commins, a University of North Carolina researcher who has studied the condition extensively, has seen that happen in about 15% to 20% of his patients. But the key is staying tick-bite free.
“The tick bites are central to this. They perpetuate the allergy,” he said.
One patient’s experience
Bernadine Heller-Greenman, a 78-year-old art historian from New York, spent years being bitten by ticks on Martha’s Vineyard without connecting it to the strange symptoms she eventually developed. About five years before her diagnosis, she began waking up in the middle of the night with severe, itchy hives on her back, torso and thighs. Her doctors identified an allergic reaction but couldn’t pin down the cause.
Then in January 2020, she had a hamburger one day and a large, fatty steak the following evening. Six hours after dinner she woke up nauseated, then spent hours dealing with vomiting, diarrhea and dizziness, passing out three times.
She was diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome shortly after and told to avoid ticks and stop eating red meat and dairy. Since making those changes, she hasn’t had a reaction.
“I feel very lucky, really, that this has worked out for me,” she said. “Not all doctors are knowledgeable about this.”
Her granddaughter now monitors her diet closely, watching food labels for hidden triggers.
What you can do
The most effective way to reduce your risk of alpha-gal syndrome is the same as reducing your risk of any tick-borne illness: avoid tick bites. If you spend time outdoors in wooded or grassy areas, check yourself thoroughly after coming inside, wear protective clothing and use a repellent registered in Canada.
If you’ve been bitten by a tick and later develop unexplained allergic reactions after eating meat, especially hours after a meal, talk to your doctor and ask about being tested for alpha-gal syndrome.
For more on ticks in Ontario, including how to identify species, remove a tick and protect yourself and your family, read our full guide: Types of ticks in Ontario and why it matters which one bit you.
4)Types of ticks in Ontario and why it matters which one bit you
Lyme Disease Isn’t The Only Thing You Need To Worry About
Courtesy Barrie360.com
By Marie Gagne
The thought of ticks makes most people cringe. Not only do they feed on our blood, they can also carry Lyme disease.
But this isn’t the only disease you should be worried about. Different species of ticks can carry different bacteria and viruses.
To find out everything you need to know about ticks in Ontario, including the diseases you need to be aware of and how to prevent them, keep reading.
• Types of ticks in Ontario
• Lyme disease
• Other tick diseases
• How to remove ticks
• How to prevent tick bites
• How to prevent ticks on your property
• How to take care of pets
What Is A Tick?
Ticks are arachnids that go through 4 stages of life:
1. Egg
2. Larva
3. Nymph
4. Adult
Between each stage, a tick must have a blood meal or else it won’t survive. Once it has fed, the tick will fall off its host to molt. Each type of tick has preferred hosts but can feed on any animal they encounter. This is especially true for immature ticks in the nymph stage.
What Ticks Aren’t
Ticks are often confused with insects, especially when they’re in the larval stage and only have 6 legs. But adult ticks have 8 legs and are in the same family as spiders, mites and scorpions.
Unlike spiders, who have defined waists, there’s no clear separation between a tick’s abdomen and the rest of its body. Instead, their bodies are flat and teardrop shaped. After feeding, ticks will grow in size, become bloated and look rounder. They can even get as big as a small grape.
Many people believe that ticks can fly or jump, but this is not true. Ticks are very slow moving. They climb up tall grasses and plants to await their next victim. Some can be more aggressive, seeking out animals and humans, but only certain Ontario ticks will do this.
🎧 Oscar Peco of the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit talked with us about Ticks on this episode of What Barrie’s Talking About
Types Of Ticks Found In Ontario
Ticks in Ontario are most active in the spring and summer. That being said, you can find ticks any time the temperature is above freezing. That’s why you should be on the lookout whenever the daytime temperature is over 0°C.
There are two main ticks in Ontario called the black legged tick and American dog tick. There is also a third tick, called the lone star tick that is new to Ontario. These ticks are limited to specific areas but may spread.
While other ticks do call Ontario home, like the squirrel and groundhog tick, these are of lesser concern as they rarely bite.
It’s also possible, though less common, to get bit by other ticks that are less prominent and even unknown in the province. While ticks don’t move far on their own, they do travel on migratory birds and other animals so they can fall off outside their normal area. Climate change is also causing ticks to spread outside their original territories.
Knowing how to identify ticks is important as it narrows down which diseases you should be watching out for. Even more so now that ticks can no longer be submitted for pathogen testing.
Once you know how to identify the different species of ticks, we’ll talk about the diseases they can potentially carry.
Black Legged Ticks (Ixodes scapularis)
Also known as deer ticks, the black legged tick is the most common in Ontario. As their alternate name suggests, they’re often found on deer.
Black legged ticks are hard-bodied ticks that are 1 to 5 mm long. This makes them very hard to see before they feed. Immature ticks can be as small as a poppyseed, while adults are closer to the size of a sesame seed. This also means their bites are usually painless.
Male black legged ticks are dark brown or black. Females are red or orange with a black or dark brown shield on their upper body.
These ticks are most often found in forested areas around:
• Lake Erie
• Lake Ontario
• St Lawrence River
• Rainy River area of Northwest Ontario
• Southwest Ontario
But blacklegged tick territory is expanding. Warmer winters mean the species is moving northward across the province, including into areas of northern Ontario that were historically considered too cool. They’ve been found active as early as March and as late as December in some regions.
Knowing when each life stage is active can also help you stay alert at the right times. Nymphs are most active from May through July and are responsible for the majority of Lyme disease transmissions — largely because they’re so difficult to spot. Adults are easier to see but are still a risk, emerging in fall and again in early spring. Larvae hatch in late summer but carry less disease risk at that stage.
American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis)
The American dog tick, or wood tick is another hard-bodied tick. They’re the second most common tick in Ontario and prefer using dogs as a host.
Adult American dog ticks are the size of an apple seed and are usually a reddish-brown colour. Females have white or silver markings on their dorsal shield, while males usually have markings all over their backs.
This species of tick is usually found in wooded areas with long grass and are usually found in Southern Ontario.
American dog ticks are most active from April through late June. Unlike blacklegged ticks, they tend to go dormant during the hottest part of summer.
Lone Star Tick (Amblyomma americanum)
First discovered in Ontario in 2017, lone star ticks (turkey ticks) are new to Canada and not yet established. This means it’s much less likely you’ll come across one.
Adult lone star tick bodies are usually rounder in shape and 4 to 6 mm in size. Because they are larger in size, they’re usually easier to find. They also have more painful bites.
They can range in colour from reddish-brown to tan. Females are more distinguishable thanks to the single white spot found in the centre of their backs. Males have white spots and streaks around the margins of their back.
These ticks are usually found in forests with thick undergrowth and were first discovered in Southwestern Ontario. Unlike other ticks that will wait for animals to come to them, lone star ticks actively hunt. They will crawl towards their host to feed and usually do so in groups. So, if you find one lone star tick, there’s a good chance there are more … so, keep looking.
Squirrel Tick (Ixodes marxi)
Squirrel ticks are common in Ontario but they rarely bite humans. Instead, they feed on squirrels, chipmunks, hares, foxes and racoons.
Female squirrel ticks have a tan coloured body with a darker dorsal shield. Males are predominantly reddish tan, with a lighter colour around the margins of their back.
These ticks are usually found in the nests of their hosts or in buildings where squirrels have made their homes.
Groundhog Tick (Ixodes cookei)
The groundhog tick, also called the woodchuck tick, is another species that rarely bites humans.
Adult groundhog ticks are about the size of a sesame seed. Females are generally tan or reddish tan with a darker shield. Males are mostly tan with a light tan margin. Groundhog ticks are sometimes mistaken for blacklegged ticks without a microscope.
Unlike other ticks, groundhog ticks can live for a year or more without a host to feed on.
Like squirrel ticks, they usually live in dens and nests of hosts.
RELATED: SMDHU promotes free app to help identify ticks …
Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria and can be a serious illness if not properly managed.
Nymphs pose the highest risk for Lyme disease transmission. Because they’re roughly the size of a poppyseed, they’re easy to miss during a body check and can feed undetected for long enough to transmit disease.
In Ontario, the Lyme disease bacteria is carried by the black legged tick. However not all black legged ticks carry the bacteria. It’s also believed that there’s less risk of infection if the tick is removed within 24 hours.
Groundhog ticks can sometimes carry Lyme disease but do not usually transmit it.
Symptoms Of Lyme Disease
Symptoms of Lyme disease can show up between 3 to 30 days after you get a bite. However, most people show symptoms within 1 to 2 weeks.
The first symptom of Lyme disease is usually a rash. The most common is a bullseye rash, which is usually more than 5 cm in diameter and spreads outwards like a bullseye. That being said, bruise-like rashes or other unusual rashes should also cause alarm. Especially if you have found a tick or were in an area where ticks commonly live.
Other symptoms of Lyme disease include:
• Fever
• Chills
• Headache
• Stiff neck
• Muscle aches and joint pains
• Fatigue
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Spasms, numbness, tingling
• Facial paralysis
• Problems with heartbeat
• Breathing issues
• Balance issues
• Short-term memory problems
If you have any of these symptoms and have been somewhere that ticks could live, call your doctor.
If you’re bitten by a tick with the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria there’s also a chance that you will be asymptomatic. That means you may not show symptoms. While this usually means your prognosis will be good, some people have been afflicted by problems later in life. If you find a black-legged tick on your body, you should contact your doctor.
Diagnosis
Doctors can often diagnose Lyme disease based on symptoms but sometimes lab tests are required.
The National Microbiology Laboratory no longer tests individual ticks for pathogens. While you’re still able to submit ticks for identification, it’s generally faster to identify using etick.ca.
Treatment
Most cases of Lyme disease don’t require antibiotic treatment. Antibiotics may be recommended if the tick was attached for a long time. They may also be used if you were in an area where the disease is common.
If antibiotics are required, it’s best to start them within 72 hours of the bite. So be sure to reach out to your doctor right away.
If left untreated, Lyme disease can make you feel weak or tired. It can also become a multisystem disease, affecting your heart, nerves, liver and joints. In severe cases, untreated Lyme disease can cause arthritis, neurological issues, numbness and paralysis. In rare cases, it can even lead to death.
Other Tick Diseases in Ontario
The most well known and common tick disease in Ontario is Lyme disease. However, it is not the only disease that ticks can carry. Though these diseases are rare, knowing what they are will help you catch them early if you’re infected.
Alpha-Gal Syndrome
While rare in Canada, Alpha-gal Syndrome (AGS) is an emerging tick-related illness worth knowing about. It’s not a disease caused by a virus or bacteria, but rather an allergic reaction triggered by a sugar molecule called alpha-gal, which is found in most mammal meat (like beef, pork, and lamb).
The reaction starts after a person is bitten by a tick that carries alpha-gal in its saliva. It is most commonly found in the Lone Star tick, a species traditionally found in the southeastern U.S.
However, Lone Star ticks have been reported in southern Ontario, particularly near the U.S. border, suggesting that this condition may become more relevant in the region as tick populations shift due to climate change.
Symptoms of AGS can include:
• Hives, swelling, or itching
• Nausea or vomiting
• Trouble breathing
• Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)
What makes alpha-gal syndrome unusual is that the allergic reaction is delayed, often occurring 3–6 hours after eating red meat. That delay makes it easy to miss the connection.
There is no cure for alpha-gal syndrome, but it can be managed by avoiding red meat and products made from mammals (like gelatin or certain dairy). If you experience strange allergic reactions after eating meat, especially following a tick bite, talk to your doctor and ask about getting tested for alpha-gal.
Meat allergy caused by ticks is getting more common >>>
Ehrlichiosis
Ehrlichiosis is a bacterial infection caused by Ehrlichia chaffeensis and is primarily associated with the lone star tick. While it isn’t currently established in Ontario, it’s worth knowing about as lone star tick populations continue to expand northward.
Symptoms usually appear within one to two weeks of a bite and can include:
• Fever
• Headache
• Chills
• Muscle aches
• Nausea
• Confusion
Ehrlichiosis is similar to anaplasmosis in its symptoms, but the two are caused by different bacteria and carried by different ticks. Like anaplasmosis, it can be treated with antibiotics, but it can become serious if left untreated.
Anaplasmosis
Anaplasmosis is another disease carried by the black legged tick. This disease is caused by the Anaplasma phagocytophilum bacteria. In 2021, there were 16 confirmed cases in the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington area. While the risk remains low in Ontario, you should be aware of the symptoms if you are bit by a black legged tick in the Kingston area.
It’s possible to have an asymptomatic infection, but most people get nonspecific symptoms within 1 to 2 weeks including:
• Fever
• Headache
• Chills
• Muscle pain
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Difficulty breathing
• Hemorrhage
• Renal failure
• Neurological issues
Babesiosis
Babesiosis is also carried by black legged ticks. It’s a life-threatening infection of the red blood cells caused by the Babesia microti bacteria.
So far, human babesiosis cases have only appeared in Manitoba, though the pathogen has been found in Ontario ticks.
Babesiosis is a Lyme-like disease, making the two diseases harder to distinguish. Signs and symptoms of a possible babesiosis infection include:
• Body aches
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Headache
• Loss of appetite
• Sweating
Babesiosis can also cause hemolytic anemia, which means your red blood cells die faster than new ones are made. Symptoms of hemolytic anemia are:
• Confusion
• Dark-coloured urine
• Dizziness
• Rapid heart rate
• Swollen spleen or liver
• Pale skin
• Weakness
• Jaundice
Powassan Virus
The Powassan virus was first discovered in Ontario. Several different species of ticks can carry this disease including black legged ticks, groundhog ticks, and squirrel ticks.
Symptoms of Powassan infection include:
• Headache
• Fever
• Stiff neck
• Drowsiness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
In rare cases, the virus can cause Powassan encephalitis. This causes the brain to swell, which can lead to brain damage.
Ticks can transmit Powassan virus in as little as 15 to 30 minutes, which is much more quickly than other diseases. That being said, most infections don’t cause disease. From 1958 to 2017, there have only been 21 cases of Powassan virus disease.
Borrelia miyamotoi Disease
Borrelia miyamotoi produces a Lyme-like disease, but without the rash. In rare cases, it can also cause meningoencephalitis.
There’s been no human detection in Canadians to date, but it’s carried by black legged ticks in Ontario. Symptoms of the disease include:
• Fever
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Severe headache
• Arthralgia/myalgia
Less common symptoms include: dizziness, confusion, vertigo, rash, dyspnea, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea and anorexia.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is caused by the Rickettsia rickettsii bacteria. Symptoms of this disease usually appear within 5 to 10 days of a bite and include:
• Fever
• Severe headache
• Myalgia
• Nausea
• Rash – usually starts as small bleeding spots on the ankle or wrist
As the name suggests, this virus is more common in the Western provinces. While the American dog tick common to Ontario does carry the bacteria, there is only one locally acquired case to date.
Tularemia
Tularemia, also known as Rabbit Fever, is caused by Francisella tularensis. The disease is very rare, with only 4 cases in Ontario from 2011 to 2020. Symptoms of rabbit fever include:
• Fever
• Skin ulcers
• Enlarged lymph nodes
It can also cause pneumonia or throat infections.
This virus has been seen Canada wide with detection in humans. In Ontario, it’s carried by the American dog tick.
Other diseases also exist but they’re either not present in Ontario, are even less common or have not been detected in humans yet.
How To Remove A Tick
In most cases, quick tick removal is key to preventing the spread of disease. That being said, you don’t want to rush. Tick removal requires a delicate hand. Without it, you could increase the risk of transmission.
If you find a tick on you, a family member or a pet, follow these instructions:
1. Get Hold Of The Tick
Use fine-tipped tweezers to grab the tick as close to the skin as possible. You can also use a tick remover tool.
DON’T remove the tick with your fingers. Try to locate or find a store with tweezers or a tick key. If you absolutely must use your fingers, use a tissue or paper towel then clean and disinfect your hands and the bite area immediately.
DON’T use nail polish, vaseline, repellents, lit match or cigarette, nail polish, nail polish remover, kerosene, or liquid soap. These are myths and aren’t effective/ can be dangerous. They can also cause bacteria to spread, increasing risk of infection.
2. Gently Pull The Tick Out
Pull the tick straight out, gently but firmly.
DON’T squeeze, jerk, twist or crush the tick. This can release the bacteria and increase your risk of infection.
3. Clean Up
Wash your hands and the skin around the bite and hands with soap and water. Once finished, disinfect your hands and the bite with rubbing alcohol.
4. Dispose Of The Tick
If you want to identify the tick, place it in a sealed container, such as a bottle or a jar with a lid. You can then use eTick.ca to identify the tick. This is a free public platform where you can upload a photo of your tick and receive an identification from experts. It covers all tick species found in Canada and will tell you whether the tick you found is a species of concern.
Ramien Sereshk, Program Health Inspector Coordinator for Simcoe Muskoka Health Unit, says “You should contact your healthcare provider if the website identifies it as a black-legged tick. Especially if symptoms associated with Lyme disease appear.”
To kill the tick put it in alcohol. Try to identify the tick. If you are unable to, your health unit or doctor may be able to submit it for identification.
DON’T simply throw the tick out or wash it down the drain. It can crawl back out.
What To Do After A Tick Bite
Once the tick is removed, your job isn’t quite done. Here’s what to watch for:
• Monitor the bite site for a rash. A bullseye rash is the most recognizable sign of Lyme disease, but any unusual rash near a bite site is worth calling your doctor about.
• Watch for flu-like symptoms including fever, chills, headache, fatigue and muscle aches in the days and weeks following a bite.
• Note how long the tick was attached if you can. The longer it was feeding, the higher the risk of disease transmission.
• If you haven’t already, use eTick.ca to identify the species. If it comes back as a black-legged tick, contact your healthcare provider even if you feel fine.
• Symptoms can appear anywhere from a few days to several weeks after a bite, so don’t dismiss something unusual just because time has passed.
If in doubt, call your doctor. Early treatment is much more effective than treating Lyme disease or other tick-borne illnesses after they’ve progressed.
How To Prevent Tick Bites
Although these small insects are unappealing and sometimes frightening, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit wants everyone to enjoy the outdoors using simple but useful tips.
Choose The Right Clothing
Ramien Sereshk, Program Health Inspector Coordinator for Simcoe Muskoka Health Unit, says some key prevention measures include dressing smart if you are out in nature.
“Wear light-coloured long-sleeve shirts and pants, closed-toe footwear and tuck in your clothing,” Sereshk says. “An example of this would be tucking your pants into your socks so ticks can’t crawl onto your skin.”
Use Insect Repellent
It’s recommended to use an insect repellent registered in Canada that contains DEET and Picaridin, also known as Icaridin. You can also spray your clothing with repellents that contain permethrin. Unlike DEET or Picaridin, permethrin is applied to fabric, not skin, and it works by making ticks avoid contact with treated clothing altogether.
Do Regular Checks
If you’re spending a full day outdoors, don’t wait until you get home. “If you’re out all day long, try to do a quick check for ticks every few hours,” says Dr. Bobbi Pritt of the Mayo Clinic. Doing a quick scan of your clothing and exposed skin every few hours can help you catch a tick before it attaches.
Put Clothes In The Dryer
When you get home, put your clothes in the dryer on high heat for at least 10 minutes. This will kill any ticks and prevent them from getting loose in your home.
Do A Final Check
Sereshk says that ticks like to hide in hard-to-find spots like in between the toes, scalp and behind the knees, so a full body check when you get home as soon as possible is your best defence.
The video below is a great example of checking yourself and your family.
As an extra precaution, you can have a shower to wash off any loose ticks.
Learn more about how to protect yourself from ticks year-round >>>
How To Prevent Ticks On Your Property
Here are some ways to help keep ticks away from your property:
• Keep your grass under 4”. Short grass creates a dry environment that ticks don’t like.
• Trim bushes and trees to let in sunlight. Ticks avoid hot, dry locations.
• If you’re near a wooded area or an area with tall grasses, create a border of gravel or wood chips. You will want it to be at least a meter wide to deter ticks.
• Remove leaf litter, brush and weeds.
• Install playsets and sandboxes away from bushy areas. To further protect your kids, place playsets and sandboxes on a bed of wood chips.
• Deter birds and rodents from coming into the yard.
• Install fences to keep deer out.
• Install bird feeders away from your home.
If you want an extra layer of protection, professional acaricide treatments are also available. These are pesticide applications targeting ticks specifically and can significantly reduce tick populations in your yard. Talk to a licensed pest control professional about whether this is a good fit for your property.
Take Care Of Pets
When checking your pet for ticks, pay extra attention to the spots they can’t easily groom themselves.
“Wherever pets can’t easily groom themselves, that’s where the ticks will be — on the ears, around the muzzle area, under the collar, between the toes,” says Dr. Saravanan Thangamani, who studies tick-borne diseases at SUNY Upstate Medical University.
It’s also worth knowing that pets can bring ticks indoors. If a tick comes in on a pet, it can survive in the house for months while it waits to find its next host, which could be another person in your household.
Talk to your vet about tick prevention options for your pet. There are medications that can stop ticks from attaching altogether.
By taking these steps to prevent tick bites and knowing what to do if you find a tick, you can help keep you and your family safe.