Emerging Tick Threats on Canada's Horizon

Canada's landscapes are changing, and not just due to warmer weather. Ticks, those tiny arachnids that thrive in tall grass and wooded areas, are expanding their reach northward. Among the newcomers on the radar is the lone star tick, a species notorious in the United States for transmitting alpha-gal syndrome, a potentially life-altering red meat allergy. Researchers at Acadia University in Nova Scotia are at the forefront of this issue, issuing timely warnings and pioneering solutions to safeguard public health.

The lone star tick, scientifically known as Amblyomma americanum, has been marching northward at an estimated rate of about 50 kilometres per year. Already well-established in neighbouring Maine, sightings have appeared in Nova Scotia, though populations have not yet become entrenched. This slow but steady migration, driven by climate shifts, host animal movements like deer, and migratory birds, poses new risks to Canadians, particularly in the Maritimes and southern Ontario.

Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), the condition linked to lone star tick bites, develops when the tick introduces the sugar molecule galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal) into the human bloodstream. Humans, lacking this sugar in their systems unlike most mammals, can produce IgE antibodies against it. Subsequent consumption of red meats such as beef, pork, or lamb triggers a delayed allergic reaction, typically 2 to 6 hours after eating. Symptoms range from hives and gastrointestinal distress to severe anaphylaxis, which can close airways and prove fatal without prompt intervention.

While no confirmed AGS cases exist in Canada due to limited surveillance, the absence of the lone star tick has kept it at bay so far. Public Health Ontario notes low detections of the tick—around 50 to 85 submissions annually—often tied to travel or introduced hosts. However, as suitability increases with milder winters and changing land use, experts predict establishment risks, especially in southern regions.

Acadia University's Pioneering Tick Research

Acadia University has emerged as Canada's hub for tick science. Faculty in chemistry and biology departments have led surveillance, repellent testing, and behavioural studies for years. Dr. Nicoletta Faraone, an associate professor of chemistry, heads efforts that blend natural product chemistry with entomology. Her team monitors tick populations across Nova Scotia using tools like the eTick platform, where citizens submit samples for identification and pathogen analysis.

Dr. Kirk Hillier, a biology professor, contributes expertise in insect sensory biology, helping decode how ticks detect hosts without eyes—relying solely on smell. Together with Dr. Laura Ferguson, they form a multidisciplinary core driving innovation. Student involvement is key; master's candidates like Kayla Gaudet have co-authored breakthrough papers, gaining hands-on experience in lab rearing and field collections.

This academic leadership positions Acadia as a vital player in national preparedness. Collaborations with companies like AtlanTick Repellents translate research into marketable products, while grants from NSERC and Mitacs fuel expansion.

The Canadian Tick Research and Innovation Centre

Set to fully operationalize in 2026 at Acadia's Huestis Innovation Pavilion, the Canadian Tick Research and Innovation Centre (CTRIC) marks a milestone. Funded by a $755,000 gift from Peter and Susan Gordon, this secure facility includes a 'tickery'—a controlled nursery for breeding local tick strains. No longer reliant on costly, genetically mismatched U.S. imports ($5 per tick), researchers can rear blacklegged ticks, American dog ticks, and soon lone star ticks.

The centre's mandate: understand tick biology, test repellents, screen pathogens like Lyme bacteria, Anaplasma, Babesia, Rickettsia, and Powassan virus. Recent success breeding dog ticks to maturity demonstrates feasibility. Plans include importing and studying lone star ticks to assess alpha-gal transmission risks in Canadian contexts. Learn more about CTRIC's goals.

For higher education, CTRIC offers training in biosecure lab techniques, data analysis, and interdisciplinary research—ideal for biology, chemistry, and public health students eyeing careers in vector-borne disease control.

Breakthrough Natural Repellent from Lemongrass Oil

Acadia's crown jewel: a discovery showing lemongrass essential oil cripples blacklegged ticks' host-seeking ability. Published in Current Research in Insect Science, the study reveals the oil masks human scents like CO2 and butyric acid, repels ticks from questing upward, and induces disorientation. Ticks 'blind' to hosts drop off fabrics, slashing bite risks.

Unlike DEET, which harms aquatic life and irritates skin, this natural option is safer, mosquito-repellent too. Diluted forms need patch-testing; pet owners should consult vets due to potential toxicity. Commercialized via AtlanTick since 2017, it's Health Canada-approved. Ongoing trials explore temperature/humidity effects amid climate change. Read the full repellent study details.

This innovation exemplifies how university research delivers practical solutions, fostering industry ties and job pipelines in biotech.

Canada's Evolving Tick Landscape

Over 40 tick species inhabit Canada, led by the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis), vector for Lyme disease—affecting thousands annually. Dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis) carry Rocky Mountain spotted fever. New invaders include the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis), spotted in Nova Scotia, devastating cattle via anemia.

• Blacklegged tick: Endemic in southern Ontario, Maritimes; Lyme cases rising.
• Lone star tick: Incursions via birds/deer; alpha-gal vector.
• Asian longhorned: Parthenogenetic (females reproduce alone); ag threat.

Farmers like Tim Marsh in Poplar Grove, N.S., patrol fence lines, mowing grass to thwart ambushes. Losses could hit thousands per animal.

Climate Change Fuels Expansion

Warmer temperatures, shorter winters, and increased host density propel ticks north. Models predict lone star suitability in southern Quebec/Ontario by decade's end. Deer migration bridges borders; birds ferry nymphs. Acadia's surveillance tracks this via citizen science.

Broader implications: tick-borne diseases strain healthcare, agriculture. Universities like Acadia train experts for surveillance networks, echoing global efforts.

Health and Economic Impacts

In the U.S., AGS exploded: over 100,000 suspected cases 2010-2022, up 41% 2017-2021 per CDC. VCU analysis links surges to lone star booms. No Canadian stats due to no surveillance, but preparedness lags. Anaphylaxis risks demand epinephrine auto-injectors; dietary shifts burden food systems.

Agriculture faces Asian longhorned threats; cattle losses amplify costs. Public health costs rise with Lyme (no vaccine yet) and Powassan (fatal, no treatment). CTRIC's pathogen screening aids early detection. Ontario's AGS overview.

Prevention Strategies and Surveillance

Key defenses:

• Tick checks post-outdoors; shower within 2 hours.
• Tuck pants into socks; permethrin-treated clothes.
• Repellents: DEET, picaridin, or Acadia's lemongrass.
• Yard maintenance: mow, remove leaf litter.
• Citizen science: submit to eTick.ca.

Faraone urges education: "People are alarmed; preparation is key." CTRIC advances multi-pathogen vaccines, better diagnostics.

Stakeholder Perspectives

Farmers like Marsh adapt proactively. Patients like Maine's Patty O’Brien-Carrier describe terror: hives to airway closure. Governments fund surveillance; universities bridge research-to-policy.

Acadia's model inspires: student-led projects build future vector biologists, epidemiologists.

Future Outlook for Canadian Higher Education

As threats grow, universities pivot: expanded public health programs, interdisciplinary centres. Acadia exemplifies, training grads for roles at Health Canada, CFIA, global orgs. Careers in tick research boom—postdocs, faculty in vector biology.

Optimism prevails: innovations like CTRIC position Canada ahead. Proactive research averts crises, turning invasion threats into managed realities.

Stakeholders call for national surveillance, funding. With Acadia's lead, Canada readies for ticks' advance, protecting health via knowledge.

Photo by Jivan Garcha on Unsplash