At Destinations Travel and Immunization Clinic, we specialize in protecting you before, during, and after your travel—and that increasingly includes protecting you from risks right here at home. One such risk is Lyme disease, a growing public health concern across Canada due to the expanding presence of blacklegged ticks.
Category: Bug-Borne Illness
Lyme Disease in Canada: A Rising Threat—and Hope on the Horizon With a New Vaccine
A Preventable Travel Disease Changed One Canadian Woman’s Life Forever: Why Japanese Encephalitis Vaccination Matters
A British Columbia woman’s devastating experience with Japanese encephalitis (JE) is serving as a sobering reminder that some travel-related infections, while uncommon, can have catastrophic lifelong consequences. What began as a once-in-a-lifetime backpacking trip through Southeast Asia became a years-long neurological recovery journey after a mosquito-borne virus attacked her brain.
(more…)How Turkey Vultures Help Control Rabies in Ontario and Around the World
Nature has its own disease management system, and one of its most underappreciated players is a bird most people would rather not think about: the turkey vulture.
These large, red-headed scavengers are a common sight soaring over Ontario fields and forests, and their role in keeping our ecosystems, and our communities, healthy is remarkable. Including when it comes to rabies.
(more…)Of all the creatures on Earth, one insect is responsible for the most human deaths.
The animal kingdom is full of deadly weapons. A lion’s teeth can rip apart flesh with ferocious intensity, rattlesnakes can inject toxins into the bloodstream and hippos can kill you with their powerful jaws.
These are just a few examples of deadly creatures. But which animal kills the most humans?
(more…)Mosquitoes on the Move: How Climate Change Is Transforming Global Travel Health Risks
By Sherilyn Houle (expanded with additional research and commentary by Destinations Travel Clinic)
Climate change is no longer a distant environmental issue — it’s an urgent global health concern that’s reshaping the landscape of infectious diseases and travel medicine. Rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and expanding habitats for insects are accelerating the spread of vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, Zika virus, West Nile virus, and Lyme disease.
Buzz Off, Mosquitoes! Protecting Your Health at Home and Abroad
Warm weather and sunny skies mean more time outdoors — whether you’re relaxing in your backyard or jetting off on a tropical escape. But with the return of mosquito season comes a rise in the risk of mosquito-borne diseases, both in Ottawa and around the world.
First West Nile Virus-Positive Mosquitoes Detected in Ottawa This Year – Here’s How to Stay Safe
Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has confirmed the first positive mosquito pool for West Nile virus (WNV) this year. While no human cases have been reported in Ottawa so far, the detection serves as a reminder: mosquito season is not over until the first hard frost.
Hepatitis: What Travellers Need to Know Before You Fly
As World Hepatitis Day (July 28) approaches, it’s a good time to clear up common misconceptions about hepatitis—and to highlight how travellers can protect themselves before heading abroad. At Destinations Travel & Immunization Clinic, we often see individuals unaware of the risks hepatitis poses during international travel, particularly in regions where sanitation and water quality may be compromised.
Protect Yourself from Mosquito-Borne Diseases: Essential Tips from Ottawa Public Health
Ottawa residents are being urged by Ottawa Public Health (OPH) to take precautions against mosquito bites as the risk of mosquito-borne diseases like Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV) and West Nile Virus (WNV) increases. A horse in Ottawa has recently tested positive for EEEV, and OPH’s West Nile Virus prevention program has already confirmed two human cases of WNV this season. Both of these serious diseases are spread to humans through mosquito bites, making prevention key to safeguarding your health.
