Easy-on-the-DEET ways to prevent Lyme disease

With Lyme disease on the rise in Quebec, you may be wondering what you can do to protect yourself, your family and your furry friends this summer. Health officials suggest applying bug spray before going into grassy or wooded areas, but you would rather avoid products containing DEET, and wonder if there are any alternatives. Read on to learn more about your options.

But first, what is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria that is transmitted by the bite of an infected deer tick (also known as a “blacklegged tick”).

Traditionally associated with the northeastern United States, the disease is named for the Connecticut towns, Lyme and Old Lyme, where it was first identified, in the late 1970s.

Cases of Lyme disease in Quebec

In recent years, infected ticks have started turning up in Canada, including in Quebec, where the presence of infected ticks has been confirmed in the following three zones:

• all of Montérégie
• southwestern Mauricie-et-du-Centre-du-Québec
• northern Eastern Townships

Last year, 70 people contracted the disease in the province.

Lyme disease is gaining ground in Quebec in part because of climate change. And the problem is only going to get worse. According to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, "It is estimated that by 2020, 80% of the Canadian population will be living in areas populated by tick species which transmit Lyme disease, an increase of ~400% over ten years."

Diagnosis

Apparently, diagnosing Lyme disease can be tricky. There are many reasons for this.

For one thing, tick bites are usually painless, so you may not know that you have been bitten. Some people develop a rash soon after having been bitten, but not everyone does. If a rash does develop, it may take the recognizable bull’s-eye shape, or it may not. It can appear on the site of the bite, or elsewhere on the skin. Since there are so many variations, it is advisable to pay careful attention to any rashes that develop between April and November in areas where ticks are known to be a problem.

It can also sometimes take weeks for symptoms of any kind to appear, and when they do, they, too, can vary from one person to the next.

Further complicating diagnosis is the fact that symptoms can vary depending on how long it has been since the bite. Initial symptoms can sometimes mimic the flu:

• fever and chills
• swollen glands
• stiff neck
• extreme fatigue
• muscle and joint pain

No wonder Lyme disease is known as “The Great Imitator”! Depending on the stage of the disease, it can also be mistaken for fibromyalgia, lupus, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, and many other chronic diseases.

If left untreated, the disease can progress to include symptoms such as brain fog, heart palpitations, and facial twitching, all of which, again, can be confused with other illnesses.

Lyme disease is usually treated by antibiotics. Treatment is very effective if carried out early. If left untreated, joint, heart and neurological problems can result.

Prevention

Rather than relying solely on conventional insect sprays, taking other precautions to avoid tick bites can be wise.

• Check this list of known and suspected Lyme endemic areas in Canada to see if your area is of concern, as well as this site, which provides more detailed information for Quebec. 
• Cover yourself! Wear a hat, shirts with long sleeves, pants, and closed-toe shoes. Be sure to tuck in your shirt, and to pull your socks up over your pants. Make sure that your shirt is tight around your neck.
• Wear white or light-coloured clothes. It makes it harder for ticks to hide.
• If hiking, stick to cleared trails.
• Before coming in, take a moment to check your backpack and other items for rogue ticks.
• Take a bath or shower within two hours of coming inside. It may help rid you of loose ticks.
• Perform daily tick checks on everyone in your family, including your pets.

Special precautions for pet owners

After taking your dog out in areas where there may be ticks, conduct a careful check. Be sure to check:

• Between the toes
• Inside the ears
• Between the legs

If you live in an area known to be infested, you may want to limit the time your dog spends in wooded or grassy areas. You may also want to take extra care with your yard. There are precautions home owners can take.

Make your yard less hospitable to ticks

If you have a yard, and live in an affected area, you may want to eliminate tall grass and brush to make your own yard less hospitable to ticks.

You can also create buffers between lawns and wooded areas by laying out woodchips or gravel paths. Apparently, ticks don’t like to cross them! But for this to be effective, paths should be at least three metres wide.

If you have a woodpile, take care to keep it neatly piled, and well positioned, within reach of the sun so that it can easily dry out. Dark, moist places make attractive hangouts for ticks.

But why avoid DEET?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, it is safe to use spray with DEET, when products are used properly.

But what does “used properly” really mean? According to Health Canada, it means:

• Always reading the entire label before using a product.
• Only using enough spray to cover your exposed skin.
• Never spraying directly onto your face.
• Only applying spray in well-ventilated areas and never in a tent.
• Washing spray off with soap and water immediately after returning inside.
• Always supervising children’s use of bug spray.
• Not using bug spray near food.
• Respecting the maximum number of applications allowed per day as specified on the label.

How many of us respect these guidelines when using these products? Not many!

Furthermore, according to the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), “Recent research shows that DEET is a neurotoxin and could have long-term effects. Moreover, DEET may increase the toxicity of other chemicals to which people are exposed. For instance, people wearing DEET more easily absorb 2,4-D, a toxic weed killer that was used in Agent Orange and is now commonly used on lawns [outside of Quebec].”

Are there other options for bug spray?

Oil of lemon eucalyptus – In some concentrations, oil of lemon eucalyptus may perform as well as 15 to 20 per cent DEET against ticks, although it needs to be reapplied more frequently.

An unfortunate new Reality for Quebec

Lyme disease is a new reality for Quebec. It is another unfortunate consequence of climate change. Fortunately, a little information can go a long way, helping to protect us from acquiring the disease in the first place, and, in the case of infection, helping us seek medical treatment in a timely manner.

For more information

• Lyme Disease, Portail santé mieux-être, Québec
• Lyme Disease, Causes, Risks, Prevention, Public Health Agency of Canada