Lyme Disease - PEP

The Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS) [Ministry of Health and Social Services] has mandated INESSS to develop the medical protocol and a collective prescription template concerning the initiation of a single dose of doxycycline in asymptomatic persons following a tick bite that occurs in a geographical sector covered by the post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).

This protocol concerns individuals bitten by a tick in a geographical sector covered by the application of the PEP as indicated on the MSSS website and meeting all of the following criteria:

• Specimen is still attached to the skin and is identified as a tick. If specimen is removed: possibility of establishing whether a tick is involved; and
• Absence of impairments associated with Lyme disease; and
• A period of 72 hours or less between the removal of the tick and the time when the PEP was presumably taken; and
• Tick is attached to the skin for 24 hours or more.