LYMEPOLICYWONK: Oh, Canada! Important New Lyme Study
Drs. Janet and Felix Sperling of the University of Alberta published an entomology study on Lyme disease in Canada that is worth a read, especially if you believe that Lyme stops at the US border. Did you know that Lyme has now been recognized in every province in Canada? And that infection rates of ticks are 12.5%? More fast facts after the jump.
Did you know that in Canada:
- In Canada, accurate LB statistics have been difficult to obtain because the disease is not yet nationally notifiable?
- B. burgdorferi has now been recognized in every province.
- Recent passive surveillance from Manitoba eastward has shown that 12.5% of sampled specimens of the tick vector Ixodes scapularis
- The risk of infection is unevenly distributed (which means it is unpredictable across a range)
Meanwhile, across the pond, consider this:
- In Scotland the cost of treating a case of early LB is estimated to be one-third that of treating late LB and early and effective treatment is viewed as a cost-saving measure. Isn’t that refreshing?
You can follow additional comments on Lyme policy at www.lymepolicywonk.org. You can contact Lorraine Johnson, JD, MBA at lbjohnson@lymedisease.org.
TESTED POSTIVE 5 TIMES AND STILL NEGATIVE IN ALBERTA?
1ST 2 POSITIVE = Alberta Elisa for Burgdorferi, Afzellii, Garinii
3RD POSITIVE – Alberta WB for Afzellii only. No IgM shown.
NEXT NEGATIVE = WB – Never saw this test. Also no testing for German variaton although I had lived in Germany. They knew that.
Had a lot of serious and deadly Lyme problems plus 100% liklihood of getting it.
Because of 3 positive & only 1 WB blot positive, test was ruled out non-scientifically as being negative.
Was later given 2 weeks of Doxycyline100 x 2 times daily only to help with falling blood plates and constantly swollen underarms. It worked great for a couple of weeks. Platelets rose to 137.
4TH POSITIVE – Through IGENEX after Doxy.
5th POSITIVE – BY Calgary local naturalist who found also many Lyme coinfectious through Meridian testing. Babesia, Bartonalla, Erhlichia, and more.
Alberta has among highest number of MS cases in world, yet among lowest Lyme infections. Now you know why. Am no longer permitted to discuss topic with medical officials.
Subject may no longer be discussed as I am still considered negative – Dying from serious Lyme symptoms but negative.