Ticks: Tiny Pests and How Saskatchewan Researchers Are Fighting Back

By Sarah Kasleder for SHRF

You know the feeling if you’ve ever found a tick on yourself, your child, or your animal.

Ticks crawl where they shouldn’t, bite without warning, and leave people worried about serious health risks.

The sight of one can quickly lead to panic.

But thanks to work by researchers at the University of Saskatchewan, supported by the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF), there’s a smarter way to respond.

It starts with a photo. And it ends with peace of mind.

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The First Step: eTick Brings Tick Identification to Your Fingertips

In 2020, a team led by Dr. Maarten Voordouw and Dr. Emily Jenkins introduced the eTick platform (www.etick.ca) in Saskatchewan with support from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health and the Public Health Agency of Canada. The app allows users to upload a photo of a tick they have found along with a few details, including the location and date. Within a day, researchers from the University of Saskatchewan review the image and provide information about the tick species, which determines the risk of tick-borne disease.

The app quickly gained traction. In its first season, it received nearly 2000 submissions. For many users, the results were reassuring. Most of the ticks found were American dog ticks, which are common in the province and do not transmit Lyme disease. The information helped people move forward without unnecessary fear or confusion. In contrast, black legged ticks, which can transmit Lyme disease, are much less common in Saskatchewan, but they do occur in our province.

Simultaneously, a SHRF funded Research Connections Grant allowed the data gathered from the app to be shared with Saskatchewan Ministry of Health officials for a clearer understanding of when, where, and what types of ticks were appearing in Saskatchewan. This facilitated the tracking of patterns and improved comprehension of how tick activity is evolving over time.

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Beyond the App: Exploring Better Diagnostics

Following the success of eTick, SHRF once again supported the team in 2024 with a SHRF Align Grant to further advance their work. Their next project posed an innovative question: Could infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium responsible for Lyme disease, be diagnosed through changes in the bacterial microbiome of the host skin? Despite causing serious disease in people, Borrelia burgdorferi is notoriously difficult to detect in human tissue samples.

The pilot project focused on the bacterial microbiome in lab mice , which are frequently used to study Lyme disease in the lab. If specific changes in the bacterial microbiome occur when mice are infected with Borrelia burgdorferi it would be worthwhile to investigate whether similar changes occur in the skin of human Lyme disease patients. Possible applications of this research include novel diagnostic tests in the future.

This project aided the research team in successfully applying for NSERC Discovery Grant funding and build on the momentum of SHRF’s earlier support for eTick and a 2018-19 SHRF Establishment Grant for Voordouw’s work characterizing Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria strains that cause Lyme disease in western versus eastern Canada. While the work is ongoing, it reflects the kind of forward-thinking research SHRF is proud to support.

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What Comes Next: Looking at the Bigger Picture

This year, SHRF is once again supporting Dr. Voordouw and his team. Beginning in May 2025, their latest Align Grant project will focus on 15 years of records that detail where and when different ticks have been found in Saskatchewan. By analyzing data collected through both traditional methods and eTick, the researchers aim to answer key questions:

• Have encounters with blacklegged ticks increased over time?

• Are these ticks more likely to be found in some areas of the province?

• Has the risk of tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme, changed?

These findings will be crucial for the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health in planning education campaigns, allocating resources, and assessing future risks. The project also establishes Saskatchewan as a leader in understanding how climate and environment influence the spread of tick-borne diseases.

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A Small Bite with Big Implications

Ticks might be tiny, but the questions they raise are big.

Researchers such as Dr. Voordouw and Dr. Jenkins are aiding Saskatchewan in addressing rising concerns about ticks and the diseases they may carry. Their efforts continue to influence our responses, education, and preparedness.

If you find a tick, please use www.etick.ca to submit a photo. You will receive expert information quickly, and your submission will enhance the province’s understanding of tick activity.

No one likes ticks, but thanks to Saskatchewan-led research, we are now better equipped to handle them.

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