Eastern Ontario medical officer of health warns of rising tick-borne illness

Cases of a tick-borne disease other than Lyme disease are increasing rapidly in Eastern Ontario. We're paging Dr. Paul to learn what you need to know.

After Canadian health officials noted a recent rise in tick-borne illnesses, the Eastern Ontario Health Unit’s CEO and Medical Officer of Health is warning the public that prevention remains key.

Earlier this week, health researchers published new findings in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, warning of a rapid increase in cases of anaplasmosis, a tick-borne illness.

While Lyme disease remains the most common tick-borne illness, Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, A.K.A. Dr. Paul, says anaplasmosis is of growing concern.

“We’re now sounding the alarm once again that ticks and tick-borne illnesses are an emerging concern in eastern Ontario,” Dr. Paul said. “Now it’s not only Lyme disease; it’s also anaplasmosis.”

Dr. Paul joined CTV’s Your Morning Ottawa to offer advice on preventing anaplasmosis and other tick-borne illnesses.

What is anaplasmosis?

Anaplasmosis is a bacterial disease mainly transmitted by black-legged ticks. According to Health Canada, symptoms of anaplasmosis typically first appear within 5 to 21 days of transmission.

Like Lyme disease, many of the symptoms are flu-like, however unlike Lyme disease, ticks transmitting anaplasmosis will not leave a red bull’s-eye rash.

Early symptoms of anaplasmosis include:

• fever
• chills
• cough
• nausea
• diarrhea
• vomiting
• joint pain
• headache
• loss of appetite
• abdominal pain
• muscle aches and pain
• generally feeling unwell (malaise)

Seniors, those with weakened immune systems or pre-existing health conditions are most at risk for sever illness. Serious signs of anaplasmosis include:

• bleeding
• seizures
• pneumonia
• organ failure
• joint stiffness
• heart complications
• lung inflammation
• difficulty breathing
• neurological problems and confusion
• septic or toxic shock-like syndrome
• coma

Health Canada says death is rare and typically related to organ failure.

How common is anaplasmosis?

According to the study, anaplasmosis is the second most common tick-borne disease in Canada.

While the illness is not as common as Lyme disease, Dr. Paul says it is more common than it was in years past.

“Out of our 86 ticks that we collected, 37 had Lyme disease and only two had anaplasmosis,” Dr. Paul. “That’s not to say that anaplasmosis isn’t there, but we still have to be careful.”

Preventing anaplasmosis

To avoid the illness, Dr. Paul recommends wearing long-sleeved clothing and applying insect repellent before going outdoors.

For those who are hiking, Dr. Paul suggests sticking to groomed trails.

To better spot ticks on your person, Health Canada recommends wearing light clothing and tucking your shirt into your pants, and your pants into your socks.

The organization also recommends completing a full check of yourself and your clothing before returning indoors.

Homeowners can take steps to tick-proof their properties, including by keeping grass short and removing piles of leaves, brush, grass or weeds from the lawn.

“You can actually create a little zone around it,” Dr. Paul said. “Put some mulch or put some gravel around it if you’re abetting a forest or area — that will prevent the ticks from coming in.”

Treatment

Like Lyme disease, anaplasmosis is often confirmed through bloodwork and treated with antibiotics.

For both anaplasmosis and lyme disease, the bacteria typically only spread if the tick has been attached for more than a full day. As Dr. Paul explains, if you find a tick on yourself immediately after being outdoors, you are generally “good to go.”

If it’s been over 24 hours since the tick could have latched on, Dr. Paul recommends visiting to a pharmacist or a healthcare provider for guidance.

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