Ticks on the Rise: A Hidden Danger

As anyone who enjoys hiking or walking their dogs knows, checking for ticks has become essential during outdoor activities. With tick populations soaring across Ontario, researchers from Brock University are on a mission to raise awareness about the potential dangers posed by these tiny bloodsuckers.

Tracking the Threat of Ticks

Nick Benton, a PhD student in Biological Sciences, emphasizes the challenge of studying ticks due to their elusive nature. "Understanding their abundance and whether they're transmitting diseases is crucial for assessing public health risks and tracking the spread of ticks across regions," he explains.

The Focus on Blacklegged Ticks

Benton and his team are diligently collecting and testing ticks from six locations throughout Niagara, specifically targeting the notorious Ixodes scapularis, or blacklegged ticks. These ticks can carry Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease. With a two-year life cycle divided into four stages, these pests are most perilous in their nymph and adult forms, currently active and stealthy as ever.

A Sizeable Challenge: Finding Ticks

Benton highlights the difficulty of detecting these tiny creatures: "An adult tick is about the size of a sesame seed, while nymphs are as small as poppy seeds. Imagine spotting that on your skin!"

A Growing Public Health Concern

Professor Fiona Hunter, a leading expert in medical entomology, stresses that tick populations have dramatically expanded since 2009. Back then, only four of 30 evaluated Ontario sites showed blacklegged ticks. Now, they can be found almost anywhere in Niagara, signaling a major health concern as these ticks shift northward.

Climate Change and its Impact on Ticks

Research indicates that climate change and rising temperatures are significant factors in the increasing tick populations. Hunter notes, "As deer populations grow, so do blacklegged ticks, which also rely on mice during their initial life stages. In favorable conditions, more acorns lead to higher mouse and deer numbers, resulting in more ticks."

Prevention is Key: What You Need to Know

Fortunately, ticks do not begin feeding immediately. Benton advises vigilance: "Removing a tick as soon as possible is crucial because prolonged feeding heightens the risk of disease transmission. Use forceps or tweezers to extract the tick gently, ensuring you don’t damage it." He emphasizes removing as much of the mouthparts as possible.

More Than Just Lyme: Other Tick-Borne Diseases to Watch

Beyond Lyme disease, the team also investigates other tick-borne pathogens like Anaplasma, Babesia, and the Powassan virus. While less common, the risk of these diseases is rising in North America.

Community Awareness and Ongoing Research

The ongoing research is expected to wrap up by mid-summer, with findings aimed at informing the community about local tick risks. Benton expresses his commitment: "I’m passionate about studying insects and helping people, combining my enthusiasm for arthropods with the important work of medical entomology."