By The Canadian Press // Sam Borsato - @BorsatoSam on Twitter

Lyme Disease Cases Growing In Canada; Climate Change Cited As Probable Factor

May 16, 2016 | 11:29 AM

CANADA – An Ottawa conference on Lyme disease has been told the tick-borne illness is on the rise across the country, and global warming is likely partly responsible.

Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott says climate change is believed to be one of the major factors driving the increase in recent years.

Lyme is caused by a bacteria that can be passed to humans through the bite of an infected black-legged tick. Symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue and often a characteristic bull’s-eye rash at the site of the bite.

High humidity and temperatures around 7-degrees celcius are the perfect conditions for the disease-carrying ticks, that from the National Association of Geoscience Teachers. Increasing temperatures have spread their range into parts of Canada, and warmer winters have also increased their survival rates.

Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Gregory Taylor, says there were 700 case of Lyme disease reported in 2015, up from 140 in 2009.

Nighttime construction on Hwy 3 in Lethbridge starts April 17

Apr 17, 2025

SASHA launches #BuyABed fundraiser to support vulnerable Lethbridge residents

Apr 04, 2025

$20K grants available: TELUS STORYHIVE Pan-Asian Edition opens applications April 1

Mar 18, 2025

Taylor says Lyme has been diagnosed in patients in southern B.C., Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Alberta Health Services says the risk of being bitten by a tick infected with B. burgdorferi, the bacteria that can cause Lyme disease in humans, remains low since the climate makes it hard for them to survive and reproduce.

He acknowledges that patients sometimes have difficulty getting early diagnosis and timely treatment with antibiotics because many doctors are unfamiliar with the disease.

Left untreated, Lyme can develop into a chronic condition, marked by lingering muscle and joint pain that can last for months.

The federally organized three-day conference has brought together patient groups, researchers and policy experts with the aim of creating a national framework for tackling Lyme disease. That includes developing better tracking of human cases and the spread of ticks, treatment guidelines and educating health providers and the public about the disease.

The Canadian Press

©2016 The Canadian Press