'A black hole': Gananoque, Ont. resident warns against new tick infection to the region
An eastern Ontario man is telling his story, after recently being diagnosed with a bacterial infection that comes from the same tick that carries Lyme disease.
Called anaplasmosis, it can be a serious bacterial infection that can be picked up after being bitten by a black-legged tick.
Douglas Mackintosh is a resident in Ivy Lea, Ont., near Gananoque, who owns a large property and is used to checking for ticks and bites daily.
Still, one day in late August, the 90-year-old suddenly found himself feeling confused and weak.
“I suddenly didn’t feel well and I didn’t feel well on my mind,” Mackintosh explained. "(I) wasn’t making me make much sense and I knew something was very wrong...it was sort of a black hole."
Within hours, his wife Blu Mackintosh says he continued to deteriorate.
“During the day he got weaker, his legs couldn’t hold him up,” explained Blu. “By the evening he was falling on the ground and he couldn’t get up again. A little bit of delirium was setting in."
Thinking he had contracted COVID-19, Macintosh was rushed to the hospital. He spent days undergoing rounds of tests, from MRIs to CT Scans.
"It was quite scary. I couldn’t make out why they were doing all these blood tests," he says. “I think I had 30 blood tests in four days.”
Doctors eventually diagnosed him with anaplasmosis.
Dr. Gerald Evans is an infectious disease expert with Queen’s University. He says mainly found in the Europe and the U.S., it was first discovered in humans in the eastern Ontario region in 2018.
"We’ve seen more cases now here in southern Canada, particularly here in southern Quebec and south-eastern Ontario," he explains.
Unlike Lyme disease, the symptoms can come on quickly and appear more severe, says Evans. They can include fever, tiredness, aches and pains in bones and joints, and even possible anemia.
He says 30-50 per cent of those who have been bitten by an infected tick could need hospitalization.
In 2020, one case was reported in the region, this year that’s jumped to seven.
“We talk a lot with our colleagues in primary care and emergency departments saying, 'Watch out if you see this kind of presentation.' Again it’s fairly of non-specific, but think about anaplasmosis, if there’s a history of exposure to tick bites."
Luckily, it’s actually easier to treat than Lyme Disease, explains Evans, it can be treated quickly with antibiotics and people feel better within a few days.
A month later, home and on the mend, Mackintosh says he wants people to know about anaplasmosis, and be diligent about protecting against ticks.
"People need to keep their eyes open, because it affects your whole body. My whole body was aching from one end to the other."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.