This is the return of warmth and greenery, which also means an increase in the number of ticks outdoors. Here are simple but effective steps to avoid contracting this skin disease.
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Wearing long clothing is the first way to protect yourself, explained Karen Leblanc, director general of the Quebec Lyme Disease Association, in an interview with LCN. Although it is not customary to wear a long-sleeved sweater in the summer season, the director clarified that you can also wear light clothes.
Ms. LeBlanc then recommended wearing repellent to protect yourself from mosquitoes, a solution that would be just as effective against ticks.
She strongly recommended “inspecting your body as soon as you return from an activity, as they can be found in any fold of the skin.” Don’t forget to check your ears, which is a common hiding place for ticks.
In addition to examining her body, Ms. LeBlanc explained that it would be necessary to examine her pets, who are increasingly becoming victims of the disease. It’s important to keep an eye on your hair, but also to “be vigilant and know the symptoms of Lyme disease because sometimes it can go undetected,” she said.
Climate change linked to Lyme disease
The environmental crisis is considered one of the most important factors in the rise in Lyme disease cases in the province. “It is migrating north due to climate change, we can see it even in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. They are everywhere in Quebec.
Regions most affected by infected ticks:
- Outaouais
- Montérégies
- Mauricie
- Central Quebec
- Estri
Listen to the full interview with Karen LeBlanc in the video above.
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