A blacklegged tick (also called a deer tick) is a tiny bug, about the size of a sesame seed, which feeds on blood. Blacklegged ticks are commonly found in woodlands, tall grasses and bushes. They cannot fly. They move about the ground slowly and settle on tall grasses and bushes until they attach themselves to a person or animal passing by. Ticks are most active in spring and summer.

Blacklegged ticks are most often found in or along the edge of forested areas. Tick habitats also include: shrubs, forests, leaf litter, wood piles, grass or herbs.

We continue to track where blacklegged ticks are being found.

In Ontario, the blacklegged tick is found sporadically throughout the province but is more commonly found in areas along the northern shores of Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, Rainy River area of Northwest Ontario and Southwest Ontario. Blacklegged ticks spread to new areas of the province because of climate change and warmer winter temperatures, as well as, by traveling on deer and migratory birds.

Public Health Ontario’s Lyme disease page has a map (called “Ontario Lyme disease estimated risk areas map, 2023”) that shows areas in Ontario where they estimate you are more likely to find blacklegged ticks. While the probability is low, it is possible to find an infected tick almost anywhere in Ontario.

Learn more about the Tick Surveillance Program here in Algoma.

You might be at risk if you live, work in, or visit a wooded area, or an area with tall grasses and bushes (including city gardens and parks). You may also be at risk if you are involved in outdoor activities such as hiking, camping and gardening. You may be bitten by a tick and not even know it.

Here’s what you can do to avoid getting a tick bite.

Cover up

Wear:

• light-coloured clothing, so it’s easier to see ticks
• closed-toed shoes
• long-sleeved shirts
  long pants, tucked into your socks
• special clothing designed to repel ticks

Use insect repellent

Use an insect repellent, or bug spray, that says “DEET” or “icaridin” on it. Put it on your clothes and exposed skin. Always read the label for directions on how to use it.

Put clothes in the dryer

Kill any ticks that might be on your clothing by putting your clothes in a dryer on high heat for at least 10 minutes before washing them.

Shower

• Take a shower soon after an outdoor activity to wash off a tick that may not yet be attached

Body Checks

• Inspect your body for ticks after outdoor activities. Pay special attention to your scalp, ankles, armpits, groin, naval and behind your ears and knees.
• Use a mirror to check the back of your body or have someone do it for you.
• Blacklegged ticks are very small, particularly during certain life stages, so look carefully.

Follow these steps to remove ticks: 

1. If the tick is attached, use fine-tipped tweezers or tick removal tool to grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible. Do not use your fingers.
2. Pull the tick straight out, gently but firmly making sure to remove the entire tick (including the head). Don't squeeze it – avoid crushing the tick’s body.
3. Put the tick into a container for identification. Knowing the type of tick it is will be important to know your risk of disease. Monitor for symptoms. Follow up with a healthcare provider if you are developing symptoms
4. Thoroughly clean the bite site with rubbing alcohol and/or soap and water.

What NOT to do:

• Burn the tick or paint the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly (e.g. Vaseline) to detach it from your skin. This could cause the bacteria to be spread from the tick to you.

All ticks can be brought to Algoma Public Health (APH) for identification. We submit suspect blacklegged ticks found on humans to Public Health Ontario Laboratory (PHOL) for species identification. The PHOL will not accept ticks found on pets or in the environment such as floors or furniture; however, all ticks submitted to APH are used as part of our surveillance program.

1. Put the tick in a secure container.
2. Bring the tick to your local APH office for identification. If the tick cannot be brought to an office within one week of removal, the tick may be placed in a freezer until drop off.
3. Complete a Tick Submission Form at your local APH office, or complete form beforehand.

1. Complete a Tick Submission Form
2. Photograph the back of the tick

                - Image must be in focus (see below)

                - Take the photo against a white background

                - Do not tape your tick down

TIP: To immobilize the tick place it in a freezer for approximately 20 minutes

3. Email the form and pictures to ehclerical@algomapublichealth.com

Free online tick identification services are also available at etick.ca.

You can submit photographs of a tick that was removed from animals or humans and an expert will identify it usually within 24 hours. They will then contact you via email with the results and health-related tips and resources for humans and pets that may have been exposed to the bite of that tick species. Also, after identification, a dot is added to a public map where the tick was most likely picked up from.

Anaplasmosis

What is anaplasmosis?

Anaplasmosis is a tick-borne disease caused by the intraleukocytic bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Anaplasmosis is spread through the bite of an infected tick. In Ontario, the bacteria that causes anaplasmosis is only carried by the blacklegged tick Ixodes scapularis.

How do blacklegged ticks transmit anaplasmosis?

Anaplasmosis is transmitted through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick. The tick must be attached for at least 12 hours to transmit infection. It is important to note that not all blacklegged ticks are infected with the bacteria.

Although not common, the bacteria that causes anaplasmosis can also be transmitted through blood transfusions, solid organ transplantation, direct contact with infected blood (human or animal), or inhalation of aerosolized infected carcass while butchering infected hosts (e.g., deer carcass).

What are the symptoms of anaplasmosis?

Symptoms of anaplasmosis typically appear within 1-2 weeks (up to 21 days) after being bit by an infected blacklegged tick. Symptoms can include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Severe headache
• Generalized weakness
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite

What is the treatment for anaplasmosis?

If you think you may have any of the symptoms above in relation to a tick bite please seek your health care provider promptly.

Date of Creation:  February 27, 2023

Babesiosis

What is babesiosis?

Babesiosis is a tick-borne disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Babesia. Babesiosis is spread through the bite of an infected tick. In Ontario, the parasite that causes babesiosis is primarily transmitted by the blacklegged tick Ixodes scapularis.

How do blacklegged ticks transmit Babesia?

Babesia parasites are mostly spread to humans by the bite of an infected tick. It usually requires 24 hours for Babesia to be acquired from a blood-feeding tick. Less commonly, Babesia parasites can also be spread through blood transfusions, solid organ transplantation, and through congenital transmission (during pregnancy/delivery).

What are the symptoms of babesiosis?

Symptoms of babesiosis virus typically appear from 1 to 4 weeks after a bite from an infected tick, or 1 to 9 weeks (up to 6 months) after a contaminated blood transfusion.

Symptoms can include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Intense sweats
• Headache
• Dark urine
• Jaundice
• Myalgia (muscle aches and pains)
• Arthralgia (painful joints)
• Hepatosplenomegaly (swelling of the liver)
• Anemia
• Thrombocytopenia (platelet deficiency in the blood)

If you think you may have any of the symptoms above in relation to a tick bite please seek your health care provider promptly.

Date of Creation:  February 27, 2023

What is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease is an infection caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. These bacteria are spread through the bite of an infected tick.  In Ontario, Lyme disease is only spread through the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis.  

How do blacklegged ticks transmit Lyme disease?

Three conditions are required in order for someone to develop Lyme disease:

1. A blacklegged tick must feed on you (not all ticks carry Lyme disease).
2. The blacklegged tick must be infected with the bacteria causing Lyme disease (not all blacklegged ticks carry Lyme disease).
3. The blacklegged tick must feed on you for at least 24 hours. 

Prompt removal of ticks will help prevent infection.

What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?

Symptoms of Lyme disease usually appear within 1-2 weeks but can appear anywhere between 3 – 30 days after a bite from an infected blacklegged tick. Common symptoms include: fever, chills, headache, swollen glands, muscle and joint pains, fatigue, and an expanding skin rash often resembling a red bull's eye (called erythema migrans).

Treatment

Most instances of tick bites in Ontario do not require preventative antibiotic treatment. In rare instances, an antibiotic may be recommended if the tick was attached for a long time or if the person had been to an area where Lyme disease is relatively common. If prescribed, the antibiotic should be started within 72 hours of the tick bite. See your doctor promptly if you have symptoms of Lyme disease. If your doctor suspects or diagnoses Lyme disease, there are effective antibiotics to treat it. If not treated quickly, complications can occur. 

Date of Creation:  June 1, 2015

Last Modified:       February 27, 2023

Powassan Virus

What is Powassan Virus?

Powassan virus (POWV) infection is a tick-borne disease caused by an RNA virus. Powassan virus is spread through the bite of an infected tick. In Ontario, the virus is primarily transmitted by the blacklegged tick Ixodes scapularis, however other ixodes species can also transmit the virus.

How do blacklegged ticks transmit POWV?

Powassan virus is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected tick. It may take as little as 15 minutes for POWV to be acquired from a blood-feeding tick.

What are the symptoms of POWV infection?

Symptoms of Powassan virus typically appear within 1 week to 1 month after being bit by an infected blacklegged tick. Symptoms can include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Headache
• Muscle aches and pains
• Nausea and vomiting
• Confusion
• Weakness
• Ataxia (loss of muscle coordination)
• Paresis (muscle weakness)
• Nuchal rigidity (stiff neck)

What is the treatment for POWV infection?

If you think you may have any of the symptoms above in relation to a tick bite please seek your health care provider promptly.

Date of Creation:  February 27, 2023