BC Article Link & Event ~ Local woman tells nightmare of Lyme disease

Posted on by Angela D
*Any time you see good coverage, please take a moment to comment and thank the author for covering Lyme disease.

Local woman tells nightmare of Lyme disease

Awareness evening to be held in Squamish next week

Kerri Currier / Squamish Chief, June 4, 2015

Squamish is a gorgeous natural playground to raise a family. However, the security I had in nature came to a halt upon learning the reality of Lyme disease treatment in B.C. I presented to the walk-in clinic with half a tick in my arm and was told not to worry about Lyme in the area. I’m now dealing with late-stage Lyme disease, its long term treatment and costs.

Health Canada has confirmed that the southern mainland and coast of British Columbia are endemic for Lyme disease. Many people will never notice they were bit by a tick and erythema migrans rash will show up in less than 50 per cent of people, according to the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation (Canlyme). 

The foundation says current testing in Canada misses 62 per cent of Lyme. It should be a clinical diagnosis and it is commonly misdiagnosed. 

News Release (Link) ~ Public Health Agency of Canada launches public consultation on Lyme disease

Posted on by Angela D

News Release

June 1, 2015 – Ottawa, ON – Public Health Agency of Canada

Today, the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada Dr. Gregory Taylor launched a consultation process to support the development of a Federal Framework on Lyme Disease.

This consultation will solicit perspectives on Lyme disease from the medical community, governments, patients’ groups, as well as individual Canadians.

Specific feedback will be solicited on three key themes of the Federal Framework, as outlined in the Act:

  • National medical surveillance: to track incidence rates and the associated economic costs of Lyme disease in Canada.
  • Guidelines and best practices: the prevention, identification, treatment and management of Lyme disease and sharing of best practices throughout Canada.
  • Education and awareness: to develop standardized educational materials for use by Canadian public health providers to increase national awareness about the disease.

The Public Health Agency of Canada’s current Action Plan on Lyme Disease will serve as a platform for the development of the Federal Framework. It aims to mitigate the risks to Canadians posed by Lyme disease through three pillars: engagement, education and awareness; surveillance, prevention and control; and research and diagnosis.

Stakeholders and the public are invited to participate in the online consultation. Comments will be accepted until June 30, 2015.

A Conference will be held with invited stakeholders later this year where the input received through the consultation will inform the development of the Framework.

>>>Full Release Here<<<

Times Colonist Article Link ~ Speculation Regarding Lyme In Canadian Rockies

Posted on by Angela D

logoTimesColonist

Monique Keiran: Tiny ticks a good reason to be cautious

May 24, 2015

My former (and now future) anti-tick precautions predate confirmation that ticks in western Canada carried the dreaded Borrelia bacteria. Instead, I grew up on tales of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tick paralysis and other ailments shared by the seed-sized critters. It was only during my last few years in the mountains that Lyme disease loomed locally as a possibility.

I recently met a colleague from those mountain days. He mentioned that several people he had worked with in the 1980s now suffered from unaccounted-for neurological problems, including memory loss, chronic fatigue, muscle wasting and nerve issues.

He speculated about Lyme disease, but didn’t know. He said the acquaintances also didn’t know. Three decades have passed since they spent their summers roaming slopes, exploring valleys and camping in high-mountain passes.

Lyme disease might have existed in the Rockies back then, but remained undetected, undocumented and unknown. The bacteria can incubate for years in some people before causing illness. It’s also possible the illness occurred back then, but lack of awareness and difficulties with diagnosis — which continue today — left it undiagnosed.

– See more at: http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/columnists/monique-keiran-tiny-ticks-a-good-reason-to-be-cautious-1.1944790#sthash.fuhfwAYX.dpuf

Related link and additional future links posted HERE.

Alberta ~ Results of Tick Submissions by Veterinarians ~ From Jill McAllister

Posted on by Angela D

This graphic by Jill McAllister is extremely meaningful, as it provides information not currently available in terms of geographic distribution of Lyme and Lyme infected ticks.

Some of these locations, although across the border, are not really all the far from where I was bit in 2010 (various maps will be constructed over time).  As you will read elsewhere on this site, distribution estimates and maps can be dangerously misleading if they do not depict associated levels of detection effort.  As is seen time and time again (with North Dakota serving as a highly relevant example) the areas where we are not finding Lyme coincide with areas where we are not yet, or not adequately looking.

Ride For Lyme ~ You Have Been Lyme Disease Challenged!

Posted on by Angela D

Our very first collective Lyme Disease Challenge goes out to Dan and Tanner and the Ride for Lyme team (aka the Adalaine project), in a location of their choosing as they cross the continent for Lyme patients and their friend!

This challenge includes the patient they ride for that day, IF the patient is well enough.  If not, we’ve got that patient covered, as we’ll be doing extra ‘bites’ on behalf of that patient in their honor.

So, Dan and Tanner, here’s how the Lyme Disease Challenge works!

Continue reading Ride For Lyme ~ You Have Been Lyme Disease Challenged!