Due to our changing climate, the parasites are on the rise in Canada—and you no longer need to be in the wilderness to risk getting bitten. Here’s what you should know about taking on the disease-carrying critters.
HOW TO SPOT A TICK
Unlike insects, which have six legs, ticks are eight-legged arthropods: they have jointed legs and an exoskeleton, similar to crabs and scorpions. Kateryn Rochon, assistant professor in veterinary entomology at the University of Manitoba, suggests looking for the one-piece tear drop-shaped body—this sets ticks apart from spiders, which have a differentiated abdomen and head. There are about 40 species of ticks in Canada, but luckily only a few typically bite humans.
THE NEW TICK IN TOWN
Recently, there have been reports of ticks that cause meat allergies showing up in Canada. Known as Lone Star ticks, they are native to the United States. In humans, a bite can lead to a twenty fold increase in alpha-gal antibodies— alpha-gal being a sugar molecule found in red meat. So the next time you order a steak, you could have a nasty allergic reaction, from hives to anaphylaxis. Luckily, the species is rare on this side of the border— the few ticks that have arrived in Eastern Canada and Ontario probably hitched a ride on migratory birds.
RISING TEMPERATURES, RISING POPULATIONS
Esta historia es de la edición June 2018 de Reader's Digest Canada.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición June 2018 de Reader's Digest Canada.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar