PRO/AH/EDR> Tick-borne encephalitis virus - Canada (ON) Powassan susp.
TICK-BORNE ENCEPHALITIS VIRUS - CANADA (ONTARIO), POWASSAN SUSPECTED
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A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Mon 13 Jul 2015
Source: Inside Belleville [edited]
<http://www.insidebelleville.
A person with suspected tick-borne encephalitis has been reported to
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) and is under
investigation, the health unit said in a press release issued Fri 10
Jul [2015].
Tick-borne encephalitis is a rare infection that can cause fever,
headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, seizures and memory loss.
Long-term neurologic problems may occur. There is no specific
treatment, and people with severe infection often need to be
hospitalized to receive respiratory support, intravenous fluids, or
medications to reduce swelling in the brain.
HPEPH conducts surveillance on ticks to determine whether a tick is a
carrier of infectious diseases by means of tick dragging and tick
collection. The information collected is then used to determine
high-risk tick areas.
The best protection against tick-borne illness is to avoid tick bites.
Tick-borne encephalitis can be transmitted in about 15 minutes.
Public health is asking those who find a tick attached to them to
bring it in to one of the public health offices in Belleville, Picton,
Trenton or Bancroft. It says that the ticks are tested only for
surveillance purposes. This test will not be useful to determine
whether or not a person has been exposed to [tick-borne] diseases.
Public Health also advises people to do the following to protect
themselves from tick bites:
- Avoid areas with a known high concentration of ticks. Ticks live in
humid environments, including wooded and bushy areas with high grass
and a bed of leaf litter. To avoid ticks, walk in the centre of the
trails, and avoid tall shrubs.
- Wear protective clothing: light-coloured clothing, long-sleeved
shirts and pants, closed-toe shoes and socks pulled over pant legs.
- Use insect repellent containing DEET (active ingredient to keep bugs
away) or Icaridin. Spray this on your skin as well as on your
clothing. Always read and follow label directions.
- Perform daily tick checks
- Check your body for ticks after being outdoors, even in your own
yard.
- Use a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your
body.
- Parents should check their children for ticks under the arms, in and
around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between
the legs, around the waist, and especially in their hair.
- Examine your gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing
and pets then attach to a person later. Placing clothes in a dryer on
high heat effectively kills ticks.
- Remove ticks from your body
- Remove an attached tick as soon as you notice it.
- Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick by the head as close to
your skin as possible. Pull it straight out, gently but firmly.
- Clean the bite area using soap and water or a disinfectant.
- If the tick has been attached for more than 36 hours or you begin to
experience symptoms as noted above, you should seek medical advice.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail from HealthMap Alerts
<promed@promedmail.org>
******************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Mon 13 Jul 2015
Source: Inside Belleville [edited]
<http://www.insidebelleville.
A person with suspected tick-borne encephalitis has been reported to
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) and is under
investigation, the health unit said in a press release issued Fri 10
Jul [2015].
Tick-borne encephalitis is a rare infection that can cause fever,
headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, seizures and memory loss.
Long-term neurologic problems may occur. There is no specific
treatment, and people with severe infection often need to be
hospitalized to receive respiratory support, intravenous fluids, or
medications to reduce swelling in the brain.
HPEPH conducts surveillance on ticks to determine whether a tick is a
carrier of infectious diseases by means of tick dragging and tick
collection. The information collected is then used to determine
high-risk tick areas.
The best protection against tick-borne illness is to avoid tick bites.
Tick-borne encephalitis can be transmitted in about 15 minutes.
Public health is asking those who find a tick attached to them to
bring it in to one of the public health offices in Belleville, Picton,
Trenton or Bancroft. It says that the ticks are tested only for
surveillance purposes. This test will not be useful to determine
whether or not a person has been exposed to [tick-borne] diseases.
Public Health also advises people to do the following to protect
themselves from tick bites:
- Avoid areas with a known high concentration of ticks. Ticks live in
humid environments, including wooded and bushy areas with high grass
and a bed of leaf litter. To avoid ticks, walk in the centre of the
trails, and avoid tall shrubs.
- Wear protective clothing: light-coloured clothing, long-sleeved
shirts and pants, closed-toe shoes and socks pulled over pant legs.
- Use insect repellent containing DEET (active ingredient to keep bugs
away) or Icaridin. Spray this on your skin as well as on your
clothing. Always read and follow label directions.
- Perform daily tick checks
- Check your body for ticks after being outdoors, even in your own
yard.
- Use a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your
body.
- Parents should check their children for ticks under the arms, in and
around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between
the legs, around the waist, and especially in their hair.
- Examine your gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing
and pets then attach to a person later. Placing clothes in a dryer on
high heat effectively kills ticks.
- Remove ticks from your body
- Remove an attached tick as soon as you notice it.
- Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick by the head as close to
your skin as possible. Pull it straight out, gently but firmly.
- Clean the bite area using soap and water or a disinfectant.
- If the tick has been attached for more than 36 hours or you begin to
experience symptoms as noted above, you should seek medical advice.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail from HealthMap Alerts
<promed@promedmail.org>
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