Surveillance
Blacklegged Tick Risk Areas in Manitoba
In Manitoba, the range of blacklegged ticks continues to expand. Despite this expansion not all areas in southern Manitoba provide suitable habitats for blacklegged ticks. Consequently blacklegged ticks are most commonly found:
- within and along the edges of wooded or forested habitat and in areas,
- with thick, woody shrubs and other vegetation that provide sufficient cover and typically high humidity.
Blacklegged ticks are more likely to be found within identified blacklegged tick risk areas than in other parts of the province. These blacklegged ticks are also more likely to carry the agents that cause tick-borne diseases like Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis and Lyme Disease than blacklegged ticks found in other parts of the province.
It should be noted that the distribution of blacklegged ticks within these risk areas is not uniform. For example, forested habitats, even small plots within farmland, dominated by trees that shed their leaves on an annual basis, can provide ideal habitat for both blacklegged ticks and the animals (e.g. small rodents, birds and deer) that they normally feed on. Blacklegged ticks are much less likely to be found in open grasslands, agricultural land, bogs or wetlands and in areas that are very dry as these conditions are much less suitable for tick survival.
It is possible to find blacklegged ticks in areas outside the known blacklegged tick risk areas of Manitoba because ticks can attach to migrating birds and be carried over large distances. However, the disease risk is relatively low because the chance of encountering infected blacklegged ticks is less likely outside of these risk areas.
What is Manitoba Health doing to find blacklegged ticks?
Passive, or citizen supported, tick surveillance has been ongoing in Manitoba since 1995.
Starting in April 2021, MHSC has adopted the eTick image-based identification platform developed by researchers at Bishop's University, and funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada. Manitoba residents can now submit images of ticks found on animals, humans or in various habitats to have it identified by trained experts. In addition to providing submitters with rapid tick identification results and information relevant to the public, the e-Tick platform maps will provide a better understanding of tick distribution in Manitoba.
- Click here to access the eTick platform, including links to download the free mobile eTick app in both the Google Play or App stores.
Communicable Disease
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