University News for June 18, 2012

An entomologist with the University of Manitoba is advising the public to be aware of the possible presence of the blacklegged tick throughout southern Manitoba throughout the spring, summer and fall.

The blacklegged tick is responsible for the transmission of the pathogens that cause Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and other infections.

Research conducted by Manitoba Health in partnership with the National Microbiology Lab and the University of Manitoba has found the tick is now established in southern Manitoba possibly as far west as Killarney.

Dr. Kateryn Rochon, an assistant professor of entomology with the University of Manitoba, says you have to be aware these ticks are out there and you have to check yourself, your children and your pets.

Clip-Dr. Kateryn Rochon-University of Manitoba:
If you have a tick that is attached to you, you have to remove it as soon as possible because having the tick attached to you does not mean immediate disease transmission.

The tick has to feed for over 24 hours, before any bacteria is transmitted.

If you go on a hike, when you come back from the hike you should have a family checking party where everybody is making sure that nobody has ticks attached to them and if you find a tick you quickly remove it.

The best way to remove a tick is to take tweezers and to go as close to the skin as possible and take the tick and pull straight up, no jerking, just steadily pulling up, no twisting because if you twist you might break the mouth parts in the skin and you don't really want to do that.

You just pull steadily vertically to remove the tick.

If, for some reason, the mouth parts break off then you just go back with your tweezers and you just remove that.

It's not a big deal, it's just the best way to do it, you pull straight and you don't turn.

Dr. Rochon stresses because this tick is active from the time the snow melts until the first snowfall, people have to vigilant all through spring, summer and fall.

For UniversityNews.Org, I'm Bruce Cochrane.

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