Lyme Disease in Canada

Powassan virus is transmitted by the blacklegged tick Ixodes scapularis.1 Ticks harbouring POWV have been detected in Nova Scotia, Ontario and Manitoba, with expansion of the tick across eastern and central Canada (Field Studies section, Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada: unpublished data, 2017). This suggests a risk for increased transmission of POWV, especially in individuals who engage in outdoor work or recreational activities.2 Current rates of disease are not well documented, which may reflect underinvestigation.