Latest news with #LymeDisease
CBC
2 hours ago
- Health
- CBC
It's time to ramp up efforts to prevent tick-borne illnesses, scientists say
"I know it's not stylish," admits Nicholas Ogden, "but it actually does prevent the ticks." He tucks his pants into his socks, then sprays insect repellant over both. The scientist is preparing to test a section of Mont-Saint Bruno, a hill in southern Quebec, for ticks — without catching the diseases they carry. Today, he's got a special eye out for black-legged tick nymphs. At this stage, they're about as big as a poppy seed, and they're the most likely suspects carrying bacteria and parasites that cause maladies like Lyme disease, anaplasmosis or babesiosis. With warmer temperatures, ticks have been taking root in places they never have before. And Ogden, a senior scientist at the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), thinks it's only going to get worse. "The studies that we've done suggest it still has a way to go. The ticks are still continuing to spread their geographic range," said Ogden, who has studied ticks for decades. "What it does show," he says, "is that climate change is having an impact on our health." Now, Canadian scientists are trying to get ahead of the trend — researching new, experimental ways to control tick populations, and calling for new prevention methods. National tick surveillance As tick populations have increased, so have the number of people falling ill with tick-borne diseases across Canada, says Dr. Gerald Evans, an infectious diseases expert at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont. "We continue to see more and more cases," he said. "We principally see people with anaplasmosis in the spring, but we do see Lyme disease all throughout the year, but principally in the spring and the summer." Negar Elmieh, a scientist with the National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health, says there's more that all levels of government can do to comprehensively track tick populations across Canada. That could include a comprehensive countrywide system that allows scientists to see what ticks are where. "There's some of that going on in pockets of Canada, but there's not a national system of comprehensive tick surveillance," she said. Ogden from PHAC said tick surveillance across Canada has already ramped up quite a bit in the past two decades, as tick populations have increased. According to the health agency's last report tracking ticks, authorities tracked the arachnids through images or samples collected from people or their pets, submitted voluntarily by members of the public, veterinarians or health-care workers. The report also looked at the ticks collected from their natural habitat by researchers, through methods like drag sampling (dragging fabric along the forest ground, and seeing what kind of ticks latch on) from 331 sites in 10 provinces. Through that data, it found that in provinces like Quebec and Ontario, about one in four blacklegged ticks carried the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. Targeting deer and white footed-mice Researchers are also looking to curb the tick population by targeting the animals on which they feed. One system that's been used in the U.S. focuses on deer. Called a "4-Poster treatment," it involves strategically placing deer feed near rollers soaked in tick-killing chemicals. "As the deer are eating, their legs are rubbing against these rollers, which are applying the pesticides to them," says Elmieh. WATCH | What to look out for as tick-borne illnesses rise: Tick borne illnesses are on the rise. Here's what to look out for 21 days ago Dr. Samir Gupta, a Toronto based respirologist, is warning of an increase in tick bites and tick-borne illnesses across Canada. Ticks are parasites that feed on the blood of wild animals, and are known to transmit bacteria through bites. However, Ogden says these systems haven't been effective in every location. "In some places, very few deer actually come to the feeders, so it depends from one place to another," Ogden said, citing research from colleagues on the system's effectiveness in the Maritimes. "That is why it's still a research project." Quebec is exploring a similar treatment, but targeting mice and other rodents, not deer. Called "reservoir-targeted methods," it tries to reduce the transmission of the pathogens that cause the diseases among animals like white-footed mice, rats and chipmunks. That could mean putting bait into a station that contains tick-killing pesticides called acaricides. "So when a mouse goes in and eats one of those baits, it acquires a dose of acaricide, which gets onto the surface of the mouse and kills the ticks." Smart landscaping Tucking your pants into your socks, using insect repellent like DEET or Icaridin, and thoroughly checking your body for ticks after spending time outdoors are established ways to prevent tick-borne diseases. Another way people can reduce risk, Elmieh says, is by being smart about how their backyards or recreational areas are set up. WATCH | Protecting pets from ticks: How to protect your pets from ticks this summer 13 hours ago Dr. Lauren Adelman, a veterinarian, internal medicine specialist and co-founder of The Senior Dog Veterinary Society, says she's been seeing more dogs come into her practice with ticks. She tells BC Today Michelle Eliot owners should give their pets a head-to-toe tick check after walks, and take the animal to a vet if a tick is found. "Ticks don't like hard surfaces, so using [hardscaping] material — concrete, rock, wood chips, gravel — is great for walkways and gathering areas, because ticks don't like to crawl on that." Another way to curb tick populations, Elmieh says: pruning trees and bushes and maintaining lawns. That, she says, reduces humidity and increases sunlight, which ticks don't like. People can also add garden plants that deer and rodents are less likely to be attracted to, like lavender, Russian sage, pennyroyal, irises and daffodils.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Korean PhD student detained in California despite green card, lawyer says
A green card holder from South Korea who has lived in the United States since the age of five was taken into government custody by immigration authorities, a spokesperson for the National Korean American Education and Service Consortium (NAKASEC) told ABC News. Last Monday, NAKASEC said it received a call to their immigration hotline from a family member of Tae Heung "Will" Kim, stating that he had been taken into Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody at San Francisco International Airport. Kim has been a green card holder since 2011 and has lived in the U.S. for 35 years, since the age of 5 when his family emigrated from South Korea, according to his lawyers. His mother is a U.S. citizen, and he is currently pursuing his PhD at Texas A&M, with an emphasis on creating a vaccine for Lyme Disease. Kim, according to his lawyers, had departed the country for two weeks to attend the wedding of his brother in South Korea. MORE: 'Am I dreaming?': Soccer coach who says he was deported over his tattoo celebrates his release from CECOT His case was taken on pro bono by immigration attorney Eric Lee, who said he faced difficulties in reaching his client to speak to him, as well as getting answers from the federal government. Lee told ABC News he was finally able to talk to a supervisor at the SFO CBP facility on Saturday, in what he described as a "hostile conversation." Lee said the official told him it was "not true" that Kim had the right to speak to a lawyer and that was "his policy." Lee said he asked the official if the constitution applied to his client, and he replied, "No." A lawyer for Kim said they were not told the reason for Lee's detention. In a statement, CBP pointed to a past drug charge. His lawyer told ABC News that the statement was the first time they learned the pretext for his detention. According to Lee, Kim was charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana in 2011, but he had fulfilled community service. His lawyer was unclear on Kim's immigration status at the time of the crime. MORE: Father of 3 Marines who was forcibly detained by immigration agents at landscaping job speaks out "If a green card holder is convicted of a drug offense, violating their status, that person is issued a Notice to Appear and CBP coordinates detention space with ICE ERO. This alien is in ICE custody pending removal proceedings," a CBP spokesperson told ABC News. Describing the conditions of his client's detention, Lee said that his client was held without any access to sunlight, had to sleep in a chair, and was held in a room where the lights were constantly on. The NAKASEC spokesperson said that Kim was given water and "airport concessions" to eat. His lawyer alleges that messages sent to Kim's phone by family members were responded to by CBP staff. His lawyer also expressed concern about Kim's asthma and said he was unsure if he had access to his medication. Kim's lawyer Lee pointed out that CBP guidelines are that detainees should not be held in airport facilities for more than 72 hours, and said, "Will spent double that." Kim's lawyer was told Tuesday morning by a congressional staff member that he had been relocated to an ICE detention facility in South Texas, which they told ABC News they have not been able to confirm with DHS.
9 hours ago
- Politics
Korean PhD student detained in California despite green card, lawyer says
A green card holder from South Korea who has lived in the United States since the age of five was taken into government custody by immigration authorities, a spokesperson for the National Korean American Education and Service Consortium (NAKASEC) told ABC News. Last Monday, NAKASEC said it received a call to their immigration hotline from a family member of Tae Heung "Will" Kim, stating that he had been taken into Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody at San Francisco International Airport. Kim has been a green card holder since 2011 and has lived in the U.S. for 35 years, since the age of 5 when his family emigrated from South Korea, according to his lawyers. His mother is a U.S. citizen, and he is currently pursuing his PhD at Texas A&M, with an emphasis on creating a vaccine for Lyme Disease. Kim, according to his lawyers, had departed the country for two weeks to attend the wedding of his brother in South Korea. His case was taken on pro bono by immigration attorney Eric Lee, who said he faced difficulties in reaching his client to speak to him, as well as getting answers from the federal government. Lee told ABC News he was finally able to talk to a supervisor at the SFO CBP facility on Saturday, in what he described as a "hostile conversation." Lee said the official told him it was "not true" that Kim had the right to speak to a lawyer and that was "his policy." Lee said he asked the official if the constitution applied to his client, and he replied, "No." A lawyer for Kim said they were not told the reason for Lee's detention. In a statement, CBP pointed to a past drug charge. His lawyer told ABC News that the statement was the first time they learned the pretext for his detention. According to Lee, Kim was charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana in 2011, but he had fulfilled community service. His lawyer was unclear on Kim's immigration status at the time of the crime. "If a green card holder is convicted of a drug offense, violating their status, that person is issued a Notice to Appear and CBP coordinates detention space with ICE ERO. This alien is in ICE custody pending removal proceedings," a CBP spokesperson told ABC News. Describing the conditions of his client's detention, Lee said that his client was held without any access to sunlight, had to sleep in a chair, and was held in a room where the lights were constantly on. The NAKASEC spokesperson said that Kim was given water and "airport concessions" to eat. His lawyer alleges that messages sent to Kim's phone by family members were responded to by CBP staff. His lawyer also expressed concern about Kim's asthma and said he was unsure if he had access to his medication. Kim's lawyer Lee pointed out that CBP guidelines are that detainees should not be held in airport facilities for more than 72 hours, and said, "Will spent double that." Kim's lawyer was told Tuesday morning by a congressional staff member that he had been relocated to an ICE detention facility in South Texas, which they told ABC News they have not been able to confirm with DHS.
Fox News
a day ago
- Health
- Fox News
Doctors reveal key signs of Lyme disease as tick season intensifies across US
Lyme disease is prevalent this time of year, especially in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic and upper-Midwest regions of the U.S. — though there have been reports of cases in expanding areas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterial infection that causes Lyme disease, is transmitted to humans through the bite of a black-legged (deer) tick, per the above source. Deer ticks the size of a poppy seed can inject a numbing chemical when they bite, allowing the infection to go undetected until symptoms begin to show weeks later. The infection can lead to severe muscle and joint pain, Lyme arthritis, cardiac complications and neurological conditions, experts told Fox News Digital. A telltale sign of Lyme disease is a red circular bull's-eye rash or multiple rashes on the skin, especially in tick-endemic regions. Between 60% and 80% of patients will develop a rash, according to experts. "We're looking for specific findings, like the classic bull's-eye rash, a swollen joint or a facial droop called Bell's palsy, which can be seen with Lyme disease," Dr. Andrew Handel, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Stony Brook Children's Hospital on Long Island, New York, said in an interview with Fox News Digital. Symptoms typically emerge two weeks after the bite, becoming more severe if they go untreated. If the infection isn't treated at the time of the rash, patients will typically seek medical attention for later manifestations of the infection, Handel noted. Those can include Bell's palsy (facial nerve paralysis), Lyme meningitis (often marked by severe headache, neck stiffness and fever) and carditis (inflammation of heart tissues). One of the earliest signs of Lyme disease is overwhelming fatigue and joint aches, according to Dr. Daniel Cameron, an epidemiologist in Mount Kisco, New York, who specializes in tick-borne illnesses. Other symptoms may include fever, brain fog, dizziness, palpitations and nerve pain, among others. A blood test can help diagnose Lyme disease, but timing matters. "The way we diagnose Lyme disease in the blood is by looking for antibodies, for the immune system's response to the infection, as opposed to other infectious testing, where you find the bacteria itself," Handel told Fox News Digital. Testing too early can result in a false negative, as antibody tests often don't turn positive until three or four weeks after the tick bite occurred. After sustaining a tick bite, experts recommend immediately removing the tick and seeing a healthcare provider. Doctors will typically prescribe a post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) with a 200-milligram dose of the antibiotic doxycycline to be taken within 72 hours of a high-risk tick bite, epidemiologists told Fox News Digital. "It's the immune system's lingering response to the infection that you had in the past." Although studies have found this dose to be effective in the majority of cases, some physicians prefer a longer course of treatment for tick bites. "I'm not a big fan of a single dose of doxycycline [200 mg] for a tick bite, even though it's pretty popular," Cameron told Fox News Digital. "I don't feel comfortable with a single dose if I really want to avoid Lyme." Instead, Cameron prefers a four-week course of antibiotics for suspected Lyme disease cases. For patients who don't want to take antibiotics right away, he said he will "watch and wait" to see if symptoms emerge and then treat accordingly. The doctor recommends that patients follow up in a month to be assessed and undergo screenings for other infections if necessary. In the event that a patient develops Lyme, the disease typically responds well to a course of antibiotics, which may include doxycycline, amoxicillin or cefuroxime, according to experts. Treatment duration can vary from 10 days up to four to six weeks. Chronic Lyme disease — also known as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS) — is a condition that affects a subgroup of patients who were already treated for Lyme disease, but continue to have symptoms. "The bacteria is dead and gone. It's the immune system's lingering response to the infection that you had in the past," Handel told Fox News Digital. For these cases, doctors typically prescribe symptom-based therapies rather than additional antibiotics. More research is needed in the field of PTLDS, experts agree. "It remains an area that requires further understanding and investigation as to how to optimally treat the symptoms that patients have," Dr. Aaron Glatt, a hospital epidemiologist at Mount Sinai South Nassau on Long Island, New York, and spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America, said in an interview with Fox News Digital. "However, the current data do not support providing additional antibiotic therapy for this condition." If someone suspects they have PTLDS, they should discuss with their physician the possibility of other diseases, such as babesiosis, which is widely regarded as the second-most common tick-borne illness in the Northeastern U.S. While babesiosis is spread by the same tick as Lyme disease, it is caused by a parasite called Babesia microti rather than a bacterium, per the CDC. "It's the same tick, but doxycycline doesn't do a thing for it, whether you take two pills or the full course," Cameron said. "You'll never get control of Babesia until you take some anti-parasite medicine." If someone does not respond to Lyme treatment, Cameron recommends that they get tested for babesiosis and receive antiparasitic medications if necessary. The best way to prevent Lyme disease is to avoid tick bites in the first place, experts agree. They recommend taking the following preventive measures. For more Health articles, visit If you do find a tick on your body, Cameron and Handel suggest following the protocol below.
The Herald Scotland
22-07-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Scots lab says tick testing enquiries have doubled this year
Biobest scientists detect the presence of the bacteria by carrying out molecular analyses of ticks removed from people and animals. DNA is extracted from the tick, which is then tested for the presence of Borrelia. A positive or negative result is generated. Ticks can carry diseases and bacterial infections. (Image: Getty) Chief Operations Officer Stuart Marshall said the risk of being bitten by a tick increases during the summer months. 'People enjoying the outdoors over the summer holidays are more at risk of being bitten if taking part in activities such as hiking, cycling or camping,' Marshall said. 'However, people can also be exposed to ticks while on a walk in some urban parks and gardens." Symptoms of untreated tick bites can include facial palsy, joint pain, heart palpitations, and short-term memory loss. Marshall added: 'Most people will not realise they have been bitten at the time and will only realise when they see a tick embedded in their skin, or when a 'bullseye' rash develops weeks later. 'A positive result from our test does not mean the individual will definitely go on to develop Lyme disease, but it does show the causative agent is present. This allows discussion with the individual's GP to enable early preventative treatment.' If you find a tick on their body, remove it using fine tip tweezers. Clean the area with soap or antiseptic, and monitor for signs of illness. Do not use alcohol, petroleum jelly, match end, or cigarette end to extract the insect. Stuart Marshall is COO of Biobest. (Image: Biobest) People are encouraged to speak to their GP practice if they may have been bitten by a tick and have a pink or red rash, a temperature of 38C or higher, flu-like symptoms, and swollen lymph nodes. According to Mountaineering Scotland, hill climbers should avoid walking though areas with high grass and cover all exposed skin on legs and arms. People should check themselves for ticks upon returning home, especially in concealed spaces such as the groin, navel, arm pits, between toes, and behind the ears. Mountaineering Scotland's website states: 'Although ticks were once regarded as nothing more than a bloodthirsty nuisance, the increasing prevalence of Lyme Disease and its potentially long-lasting effects means we all need to be much more aware of how to avoid them, safely remove them and the signs and symptoms of tick-borne disease.' Biobest's Marshall went on to say: 'With the warmer weather and the approach of the school holidays, many of us will be spending more time outside and this increases risk of exposure to a booming tick population. 'In the UK, bites are most commonly acquired when walking in woodland and heathland areas, with ticks most prevalent in southern England and the Scottish Highlands. 'There is much more awareness of Lyme disease and we are seeing an increase in sample numbers and we're receiving more and more enquiries. We can test to see if the tick carries the causative agent for Lyme disease in humans so they can have a discussion with their GP as early as possible.' Read more: Why does everyone seem to hate Maggie Chapman? 'Long overdue': Scottish young people weigh in on lowering of voting age Smoked salmon, Irn-Bru bhajis and micro herbs: What's on the menu at Bute House? Charities have previously warned that ticks could thrive year round due to climate change. The insects are typically active between early spring and late autumn, but milder winters could see the timeframe increased. "We are seeing cases of Lyme disease in Scotland in the winter months, as the winter season is milder than a decade ago," Prof John Lambert, of Fife-based Lyme Resource Centre, told the BBC in 2022. "We are getting more reports of increased numbers of ticks and people presenting with signs and symptoms of Lyme disease outside the classic time ticks are active." In 2023, after reports of a possible human case of tick-borne encephalitis in Loch Earn, Dr Nick Phin, Director of Public Health Science and Medical Director at Public Health Scotland, said: 'We would encourage everyone to familiarise themselves with the steps we can all take to avoid bugs and germs outdoors. 'Being tick aware, trying to avoid being bitten by ticks and removing any ticks that do bite as quickly as possible, are all important precautions.'
