Who is affected by Lyme disease?
Anyone can develop Lyme disease, and the incidence of Lyme disease is on the rise in the United States. In 2002, over 23,000 cases were reported in the U.S. alone.1 Lyme disease may be underreported in Canada because it is still relatively rare and is difficult to diagnose.
You are at greatest risk of developing Lyme disease from a tick bite if you:
- Live in an area in Canada where infected ticks are known to occur, such as southern Ontario—particularly along the north shore of Lake Erie—Quebec, and limited areas of southern British Columbia. However, small numbers of ticks of the types known to carry Lyme disease have been found across Canada. Individual Lyme-infected ticks have been identified in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba. These findings indicate that you could get Lyme disease in these areas even if they are not currently known to have a local breeding population of infected ticks, although the risk is considered low.
- Are between the ages of 5 to 9 years or 50 to 59 years, perhaps due to greater exposure to infected ticks and less use of protective measures.
The risk of Lyme disease is highest during the spring and summer (May through August), when ticks are most active and people spend more time outdoors.
Lyme disease is most common among young children and those who work or reside in wooded areas, because they are more likely to spend time outdoors in tick-infested areas. However, even in areas where Lyme disease occurs most often, very few tick bites lead to Lyme disease. In Canada, the highest number of confirmed cases of Lyme disease have been reported in Ontario and British Columbia.
| Author: | Douglas Dana Amy Fackler, MA Debby Golonka, MPH Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC | Last Updated: November 8, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Christine Hahn, MD - Epidemiology Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine | |
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