Manitobans are being asked to take measures to prevent tick-born illnesses.

Blacklegged ticks are notorious for carrying Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis. These insects can often be found along the edge of forests, in thick woody shrubs and in other vegetation. They can also be found in residential and other properties in urban areas.

Tick season runs from when the snow has melted until it snows again in the fall. The province says that ticks are most active in the spring and fall.

To help avoid getting a tick-borne illness you can do a number of things to minimize your risk including:

• applying an appropriate tick repellent on exposed skin and clothing, following label directions;
• wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts;
• staying to the centre of walking trails;
• inspecting themselves, children and pets after spending time outdoors;
• removing ticks as soon as possible from people and pets; and
• keeping grass and shrubs around homes cut short to create drier environments that are less suitable for blacklegged tick survival.

For more information on the symptoms of tick-borne illnesses visit www.gov.mb.ca/health/publichealth/cdc/tickborne/index.html

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