Tick-borne Diseases and Climate Change

Climate change and tick-borne diseases in Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

​​​TCC3W White logo.png 

The TCC-3W (Tick-borne Diseases and Climate Change - Three Western Provinces) project was a One Health initiative funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

The project helped improve knowledge, surveillance and response efforts related to the effects of climate change on tick-borne diseases in Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

As climate change affects ecosystems, some tick species may become more common or expand into new areas. As ticks spread, they can carry pathogens that affect people, pets, livestock and wildlife.

Project goals

The project aimed to:

  1. Improve surveillance of ticks and tick borne diseases
  2. Develop models to better understand how climate change may affect tick populations and disease risk
  3. Strengthen communication and collaboration among researchers, public health agencies, and other partners across Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan
The BC Centre for Disease Control led this three-year project in partnership with 10 organizations across Canada.

One Health

One Health recognizes that the health of people, animals, plants and the environment are connected.

The One Health approach encourages collaboration across sectors and disciplines to achieve better health ourcomes for all.

"One Health is a collaborative, multisectoral, and trans-disciplinary approach... to achieve optimal health and well-being outcomes by recognizing the interconnections between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment."​
- US One Health Commission

Climate change and tick-borne diseases

Temperature, precipitation, and the availability of animal hosts all influence where ticks live and how common they become.

Climate change can affect:

  • ​​​Tick distribution and geographic range
  • Tick population size
  • The spread of tick-borne pathogens
  • Human and animal exposure to ticks
Changes in weather patterns may also affect how people and animals use outdoor spaces, which can increase exposure to ticks and tick-borne diseases.​

Overview


 
 

Research shows that tick-borne diseases in British Columbia differ from those in many other parts of Canada because of BC's climate, landscape, tick species and pathogens.

Human cases of Lyme disease acquired in BC have remained low for more than a decade.

Less information is available about other tick-borne diseases in people and animals because many of these diseases are not reportable in BC.

BC has operated a passive tick surveillance program for more than 20 years. Data collected through passive surveillance, along with previous active surveillance efforts, have supported ecological models that help researchers understand where ticks may occur.

Through the TCC-3W project, researchers:

  • Examined additional sources of tick and tick-borne disease data
  • Reviewed animal health data
  • Evaluated citizen science tick surveillance programs
  • Studied ticks found in wildlife
  • Investigated the genetics of tick-borne pathogens
  • Identified surveillance gaps and opportunities
  • Tested modelling approaches to better understand how climate change may affect tick populations and disease risk

The project brought together experts from multiple disciplines across Western Canada, creating valuable opportunities to share knowledge and address common challenges.

The findings improved understanding of tick-borne disease risks in BC under different climate change scenarios and helped inform policies, programs and public education efforts.



 
 

Historically, parts of Alberta have provided suitable habitats for Dermacentor ticks.

Winter tick (Dermacentor albipictus)

Winter ticks are commonly found on wild ungulates and horses. Large infestations have been linked to moose die-offs.

Rocky Mountain wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni)

Rocky Mountain wood ticks can transmit:

  • Rocky Mountain spotted fever
  • Tularemia
  • Anaplasmosis in cattle and wild ruminants

Despite the presence of these ticks, tick-borne diseases have been uncommon in people and animals in Alberta.

Blacklegged ticks (Ixodes species)

Blacklegged ticks can transmit Lyme disease.

Researchers occasionally find blacklegged ticks in Alberta, but they believe migrating birds, pets and other animals bring most of these ticks into the province from areas where Lyme disease is more common, including:

  • Central and Eastern Canada
  • Southern British Columbia
  • The northeastern United States

Researchers have not found evidence of established blacklegged tick populations in Alberta.

For more than 15 years, Alberta has collected ticks through passive surveillance programs that rely on voluntary submissions from the public.

The TCC-3W project reviewed surveillance programs and data to help guide future surveillance efforts.

Researchers also developed ecological models that help predict changes in tick distribution and tick-borne disease risk under different climate change scenarios.​

 

Saskatchewan has conducted passive tick surveillance since 2008. 

More than 96% of ticks submitted through surveillance programs have been American dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis).

Blacklegged ticks and Lyme Disease

Since 2017, blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) have made up less than 0.3% of submitted ticks.

Between 2008 and 2019:

  • 78 blacklegged ticks were submitted
  • 10 tested positive for Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease
  • Only one locally acquired human case of Lyme disease was reported in Saskatchewan

The TCC-3W project improved understanding of:

  • The distribution of established and introduced tick species in Western Canada
  • Tick-borne pathogens affecting people and animals
  • How climate change may affect tick populations ad disease risk

Researchers have already observed:

  • Northward shifts in tick ranges
  • Westward expansion of the American dog tick into areas previously dominated by the Rocky Mountain wood tick

The project also strengthened collaboration between public health and animal health organizations in Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.​

 
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Partners
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‎Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)

TCC-3W was funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

IDEXX Laboratories 

IDEXX Laboratories provided the TCC-3W project with animal tick data for all three provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan.

Canadian Lyme Disease Resource Network (CLyDRN)

p-leighton-grezosp.jpg Patrick Leighton is professor of epidemiology and public health at the University of Montreal's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. He researches diseases that can spread from wildlife to people, with a focus on how environmental changes affect disease risks. He helped create and now co-directs the university's master's programs in One Health and veterinary public health.

University of Guelph

180721-100_8x10.jpg Katie Clow is an assistant professor of One Health in the Department of Population Medicine at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph. Her research focuses on the vectors and vector-borne diseases, especially blacklegged ticks and Lyme disease.

 
‎BC Centre for Disease Control

Erin F 1.jpgErin Fraser is a public health veterinarian at the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC). She has more than 20 years of experience in epidemiology, public health, research and leadership. Her work has focused on zoonotic diseases, wildlife health, food security, and climate-related health issues in Canada and internationally. At BCCDC, she works on zoonotic disease surveillance, antimicrobial resistance in companion animals, and climate change and tick-borne diseases.

Stefan Iwasawa.jpgStefan Iwasawa is the project coordinator for TCC-3W at BCCDC and also works with the Centre for Coastal Health. He has extensive experience managing projects and conducting field studies involving tick collection and disease surveillance. He has worked in veterinary epidemiology since 2008.

morshed - Copy.jpg Muhammad Morshed is a clinical microbiologist and the program head of the Zoonotic Diseases, Emerging Pathogens and Parasitology Program at the BCCDC Public Health Laboratory. He is also a clinical professor in the University of British Columbia's Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. His work focuses on infectious diseases, zoonotic diseases and emerging pathogens.

Sunny Mak is a medical geographer at BCCDC. He uses geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial analysis to support disease surveillance, outbreak investigations and research. His work includes developing risk models for vector-borne diseases such as Lyme disease and West Nile virus.

otterstatter.jpg Michael Otterstatter was a senior scientist and epidemiologist at BCCDC. He is an assistant clinical professor in the UBC School of Population and Public Health. His work focuses on epidemiology, disease surveillance and publich health research.

David Patrick-2.jpg David Patrick is director of research and medical epidemiology lead for antimicrobial resistance at BCCDC. He is also a professor in the UBC School of Population and Public Health. He is recognized for his contributions to infectious disease research, public health and education.

Eleni Galanis-2_1000.jpgEleni Galanis (past participant) is a physician epidemiologist at BCCDC and a clinical associate professor at UBC. Her work focuses on public health, epidemiology and disease surveillance.

Mayank Singal is a physician epidemiologist at BCCDC, where he leads work related to vector-borne and zoonotic diseases.

Stephanie Dion (past participant) is the public health manager for communicable diseases and immunization at BCCDC.

Centre for Coastal Health

Carl Ribble isCarl-2018-250x300.png a veterinary epidemiologist and former director of the Centre for Coastal Health. Throughout his career, he has held research and teaching positions at the University of Saskatchewan,  the University of Guelph and the University of Calgary. His work focuses on animal health, public health and epidemiology.

Theresa Headshots 2019Smaller.jpgTheresa Burns is a veterinary epidemiologist whose work examines complex health issues that affect people, animals and the environment. She applies a One Health approach to understand systems, stakeholder perspectives, and practical solutions to health challenges.

Ministry of Land and Resources
Helen Schwantje (past participant) served as British Columbia's wildlife veterinarian. Her career focused on wildlife health, veterinary pathology, and animal disease management. 

Cait Bio.jpg Cait Nelson is a wildlife health biologist with the BC Wildlife Health Program. She leads surveillance programs for diseases such as chronic wasting disease and bovine tuberculosis. She works closely with researchers, Indigenous communities, government agencies, stakeholders and the public to share information about wildlife health.
Other ministries

The BC Ministry of Agriculture and ​Ministry of Health are also partners.

 
University of Calgary

Bio photos Susan C.jpg Susan Cork joined the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in 2008 as the founding head of the Department of Ecosystem and Public Health. Hre research interestes include infectious diseases, veterinary public health and global health.

Isabelle C.jpg Isabelle Couloigner is a research associate in spatial analytics and modelling at the University of Calgary. She specializes in geospatial analytics, remote sensing, and environmental modelling, using different tools to study environmental and public health issues.

IMG_0315 (1) - Copy.JPG Sylvia Checkley is a professor at the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Her research focuses on One Health approaches to surveillance and disease investigation, especially for issues that affect people, animals and the environment, including tick-borne diseases.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Centre

Shaun Dergousoff isShaun Dergousoff.jpg a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. He studies ticks, mosquitoes and other parasites that affect livestock. His research focuses on how environmental conditions influence parasite survival, behaviour, distribution and disease transmittion. 

 
‎Roy Romanow Labs

Amanda L.jpg Amanda Lang ​is a clinical microbiologist with the Saskatchewan Health Authority at the Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory. She specializes in virology and zoonotic diseases and has worked on disease surveillance, diagnostics, and emerging infectious diseases in Canada and internationally.

University of Regina

Andrew Cameron is an Cameron Neck point 2021.jpgassociate professor of biology at the University of Regina and co-director of the Institute for Microbial Systems and Society. He develops DNA sequencing and genomic analysis tools to detect pathogens in people, animals and the environment. His research also explores how climate change may affect the distribution of infectious diseases.

University of Saskatchewan

Nathaniel Osgood is a professor in the Department of Computer Science and associate faculty in the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology at the University of Saskatchewan. His research uses computer modelling, simulation and mobile health technologies to better understand population health trends and support health policy decisions.

Western College of Veterinary Medicine

Emily J.jpg Emily Jenkins leads research on zoonotic and vector-borne disease at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and helps coordinate tick surveillance programs in Saskatchewan. Her research focuses on diseases carried by wildlife and ticks, as well as the use of dogs as indicators of disease risk.

Maarten V.jpg Maarten Voordouw is an assistant professor in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology at the University of Saskatchewan. His research focuses on Lyme disease ecology and the factors that influence the genetic diversity of Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease.


Resources

Downloadable PDFs

Additional resources

Journal articles

BC CDC Clinics Programs,Services, and Health Info list