Disease-carrying ticks are showing up earlier in B.C., and in greater numbers

Ticks are showing up earlier and in greater numbers in B.C., spreading pathogens such as the one that causes Lyme disease. Cases of that have gone up nationwide by more than 5,000 since 2009. CBC medical columnist Melissa Lem explains what you need to know.

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Yahoo

2 days ago

• Yahoo

Leona Maguire, four back at KPMG, still dealing with aftermath of tick bites at Erin Hills

FRISCO, Texas – Leona Maguire doesn't typically wear sun sleeves on the golf course. But, after suffering from several tick bites at the U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills, the Irishwoman went on a round of doxycycline, and it has wreaked havoc on her skin. The medication is meant to reduce the chance of contracting Lyme disease, and she's just finished up the two-week treatment. She wore pants last week at the Meijer but couldn't bring herself to do it this week in steamy Texas. Advertisement 'It's made my skin like tissue paper,' said Maguire, who has a particularly nasty blood blister on her right hand that she said looks like a pepperoni. Her twin sister Lisa, who recently graduated from dental school, dressed the wound twice during Round 1 of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. Maguire opened with an even-par 72 at Fields Ranch East course to sit four strokes back of leader Jeeno Thitikul. After four consecutive missed cuts, Maguire has found something with her driver after switching back to last year's model. She also went back to her old putter — almost. Maguire's Ping rep has always had a backup putter at his house that was identical to her longtime putter, and she asked him to bring it out to Texas this week. Advertisement For the last few weeks, she'd been trying a center-shafted putter. 'Sometimes, what do they say, a rest is as good as a change,' said Maguire. 'It's nice to have this familiar putter.' This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Leona Maguire still dealing with aftermath of tick bites at Erin Hills

USA Today

2 days ago

• USA Today

Leona Maguire, four back at KPMG, still dealing with aftermath of tick bites at Erin Hills

FRISCO, Texas – Leona Maguire doesn't typically wear sun sleeves on the golf course. But, after suffering from several tick bites at the U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills, the Irishwoman went on a round of doxycycline, and it has wreaked havoc on her skin. The medication is meant to reduce the chance of contracting Lyme disease, and she's just finished up the two-week treatment. She wore pants last week at the Meijer but couldn't bring herself to do it this week in steamy Texas. 'It's made my skin like tissue paper,' said Maguire, who has a particularly nasty blood blister on her right hand that she said looks like a pepperoni. Her twin sister Lisa, who recently graduated from dental school, dressed the wound twice during Round 1 of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. Maguire opened with an even-par 72 at Fields Ranch East course to sit four strokes back of leader Jeeno Thitikul. After four consecutive missed cuts, Maguire has found something with her driver after switching back to last year's model. She also went back to her old putter — almost. Maguire's Ping rep has always had a backup putter at his house that was identical to her longtime putter, and she asked him to bring it out to Texas this week. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle For the last few weeks, she'd been trying a center-shafted putter. 'Sometimes, what do they say, a rest is as good as a change,' said Maguire. 'It's nice to have this familiar putter.'

Axios

2 days ago

• Axios

Tick season is here — and it's worse than last year

Summer is here, and that means tick frenzy is, too. Why it matters: Ticks, which are most active in warmer seasons, transmit Lyme disease through bacteria in their bite. The disease causes rash, flu-like symptoms and joint pain — and can be fatal if untreated. Driving the news: Tick densities on average are higher this year compared with last year, San Francisco State University biology professor Andrea Swei told Axios. At Swei's field sites in Marin and San Mateo counties, average nymph densities are up around 20% to 30% this year. Nymphs transmit diseases at higher rates than adult ticks. The Bay Area Lyme Foundation has recorded a similar increase in regional tick activity, particularly in chaparral areas, local parks and redwood forests. Zoom in: On the West Coast, Lyme is spread by the Western black-legged tick, which has a three-year life cycle and is abundant along California's north coastal areas, according to Swei. Caveat: While ticks are traditionally associated with grassy areas and bushes, a 2021 study found Lyme-carrying ticks in beach areas at equal rates to woodland habitats in some parts of northwestern California. What they're saying: When outdoors, "we recommend wearing white so the ticks are more visible, tick-checking yourself and your gear when you arrive home and two days later, and being vigilant to see a doctor if you have any symptoms," Bay Area Lyme Foundation executive director Linda Giampa told Axios via email. They often first attach to pets. You can also treat clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin as a preventative measure, per the CDC. What to expect: If you find a tick attached to your body, the best way to remove it is to position tweezers between your skin and the tick's mouth and tug gently to remove the whole thing. Don't squish it; flush it down the toilet. Ticks can spread disease within hours of attaching to a person.