Dr. Bartley Cryan:

I will deal with the easiest question first. Redwater disease in cattle is caused by an organism called babesia, which is common in this country and is spread by the same tick that causes Lyme disease. A different version of the disease found in New England is much more serious. Humans can contract babesiosis and the literature records in the order of five or six cases in the past 20 years or thereabouts. People whose spleen is absent or malfunctioning can get babesiosis. In the past ten years, there have been three cases in Galway and one case in Cork. The infection is relatively common in New England.

I recently discussed Lyme disease serology with a general practitioner. The GP's patient, who is a lady from County Kerry, got the infection in Nantucket and was admitted to hospital with babesiosis, which to all intents and purposes is similar to malaria. She was also treated for Lyme disease.

A number of members asked about testing. The ELISA test that we do is exactly the same as the test performed by the UK reference laboratory. The two-tier, two-pronged method of doing an ELISA and a western blot test is the most validated and studied approach to Lyme disease and the one recommended in the United Kingdom by the authoritative bodies, as well as in the United States and elsewhere in Europe.