Re: 8 Different Tick Species Infected with Lyme Disease in Ontario

Canadian Public Health states in the draft Lyme Framework issued on February 7, 2017, that only the backlegged tick (in Central and Eastern Ontario) and the western blacklegged tick (in Western Canada) carry Lyme Disease. However, in a brand new research paper studying ticks in the Kenora Ontario area, researcher John Scott found 8 different tick species carrying Lyme disease! Scott et al., J Bacteriol Parasitol 2017, 8:1 DOI: 10.4172/2155-9597.1000304. The abstract is listed below. [1] A previous study published by Mr. Scott showed that ticks in the Lake of the Woods / Kenora area in Ontario had Canada's highest rate of infection with Lyme disease (71%). [2] John Scott was recently awarded a Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers for his 27 years of research and advocacy in the field of Lyme Disease in Canada. [3] Clearly our Government has a lot of work to do to catch up on this serious threat! Please continue to share this Petition and ask other Canadians to sign and share. Thank you.  [1] Abstract: We detected the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), in 8 species of ixodid ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) collected from mammalian hosts, including humans, at Kenora, Ontario, Canada. These 8 tick species include Ixodes angustus, Ixodes banksi, Ixodes cookei (groundhog tick), Ixodes gregsoni, Ixodes muris (mouse tick), Ixodes scapularis (blacklegged tick), Haemaphysalis leporispalustris (rabbit tick), and Dermacentor albipictus (winter tick). Based on PCR amplification, 39 (41%) of 94 ticks tested were positive for B. burgdorferi s.l. DNA sequencing of the flagellin B (flaB) gene of B. burgdorferi s.l. complex revealed the presence of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), which is pathogenic to humans, and causes diverse neurological manifestations in patients. Notably, we provide the first record of B. burgdorferi s.l. in I. gregsoni, and reveal a new distribution record for this tick in eastern and central Canada by extending the known range westward by 200 km. Our findings indicate that there may be a wide-ranging enzootic transmission cycle of B. burgdorferi s.l. within the ecosystem throughout the Kenora area. The health-care profession must be fully cognisant that Lyme disease is present in the Kenora area, and is a public health risk. [2] http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/lyme-disease-corkscrew-island-1.3878034 [3] https://canlyme.com/2017/03/16/ontario-lyme-researcher-john-scott-receives-governor-general-award/