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SUMMER 201510 by Dr. R. Pellizzari Peterborough City-County Health Unit In Ontario climate change experts warn that we can expect average temperatures to continue to rise during this century. Changes associated with climate change will alter our communities lives and wellbeing. Climate change is expected to cause and local naturalists already report the northern migration of plants and animals. Consider the spread of the Blacklegged tick and the increased risk of Lyme disease as one implication. The culprit is a bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi spread by the Blacklegged tick or deer tick. The tick contracts the infection from feeding on wildlife such as mice and deer that carry the disease and then transmits it to humans through a bite. Home for the Blacklegged tick has been the northeastern mid-Atlantic and north-central United States but warming temperatures and changes in land use have resulted in spread throughout parts of Ontario and Quebec beyond the endemic areas surrounding Lake Erie and the St. Lawrence Islands National Park area. The best defense is to be well-informed and proactive. UPDATE Lyme Disease Since ticks live in wooded and bushy areas with high grass and leaf litter it is important to avoid bites by wearing light- coloured clothing that is well-tucked in and well- sprayed with DEET- containing insect repe- llent when hiking in the woods. A tick can be hard to see as they can be as small as a freckle but they fill up as they feed growing in size and usually become more noticeable. Daily showers and inspections with or without the help of loved-ones or mirrors can help find them before they can transmit Lyme disease. Dont forget to check the warm and hairy spots where ticks can hide and happily feed. Removing ticks before they have been attached for about 24 hours and bringing them to your local Health Unit for testing can help prevent Lyme. Find your local Health Unit here httpwww.health.gov.on.caencommonsystemservices- phulocations.aspx. Some physicians are treating everyone who has had an engorged tick for 24-36 hours with one dose of an antibiotic to help prevent the disease. If not successfully prevented signs and symptoms of Lyme disease usually start to appear as early as three days