The black legged tick is a carrier of Lyme’s disease.(Photo/submitted).
Ticks that can cause Lyme disease are muscling in on greater Kingston and Lennox & Addington areas. The last few years have seen a big increase in tick populations here. A local vet cites 169 reported cases of Lyme disease in pets in Lennox & Addington County over the last 5 years. And, there are all the unreported cases…
On April 25 in Napanee, the Lennox & Addington Stewardship Council will host an evening presentation on Lyme disease with Dr. Andrew Peregrine, a welcome authority on the topic.
Dr. Peregrine will explain his research on the emergence of ticks in this area, including how climate change and wildlife movement fit into the picture, and an overview of Lyme disease. Lyme disease is an infection transmitted by the bite of an infected tick: in Ontario, the offender is the blacklegged (or deer) tick. Ticks that carry the bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, may convey the infection to people and certain animals.
He will review the relevant kinds of ticks in Ontario, and how to identify the tick responsible for Lyme disease. Come and see the research data on how the risk of exposure to this organism is changing. Learn how the disease typically presents in dogs and people, plus strategies to reduce the risk of infection in both.
Dr. Andrew Peregrine (PhD, DVM) has been a professor in clinical parasitology at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph for 20 years, where he teaches Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students. His research interests include emerging parasitic infections in animals and people.
The Kingston, Frontenac, L&A Public Health unit will be there with information and recommendations for Lyme disease prevention. Also, easy-to-use tick removal “keys” will be available. The Lennox & Addington Stewardship Council (lastewardship.ca) promotes the care of our natural environments, as do event partners, the Ontario Woodlot Association and Friends of the Salmon River.
The event takes place on Tuesday, April 25 at 7pm at the Strathcona Paper Centre, 16 McPherson Drive in Napanee. All are welcome, free of charge/ donations gratefully accepted. For more information, contact Susan Moore at 613-379-5958 or lastewardship@gmail.com. Also visit: Public Health at www.kflaph.ca or the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation at canlyme.com.
