Written answers
Tuesday, 20 April 2010
Department of Health and Children
Disease Control
9:00 pm
Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 372: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the concerns about the increase of Lyme disease here; her plans to ensure that this disease is recorded and more information is made available to medical professionals and the public regarding same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15220/10]
Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Lyme disease (also known as Lyme borelliosis) is an infection caused by a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi which is transmitted to humans by bites from ticks infected with the bacteria. The infection is generally mild affecting only the skin, but can sometimes be more severe involving other organs. Ramblers, campers and those who work in such areas especially if they come into contact with large animals are at greatest risk of being bitten by ticks and of going on to develop the disease. A number of cases are diagnosed each year, but the true figure is unknown. However, research has determined that there are about 30 human cases per year in Ireland. In 2007, 71 specimens were confirmed positive for Lyme borreliosis, suggesting a crude incidence rate of 1.67 per 100,000 that year. A recent study in the west of Ireland at Galway University Hospital suggests that the disease incidence may be higher in the Galway area.
Lyme disease is not a notifiable infectious disease in Ireland. This means that there is no legal requirement on doctors to report cases to their local Director of Public Health, so this makes estimates of incidence difficult. However, the schedule of infectious diseases is reviewed on a periodic basis and inclusion of Lyme disease will be considered in the future.
A fact sheet on Lyme disease, developed by the Vectorborne Subcommittee of the Scientific Subcommittee of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), is available on their website (www.hpsc.ie) to provide members of the general public and media with advice on minimising the risk of Lyme disease. This has recently been updated and provides information on prevention and treatment of Lyme disease.
janet fitzgerald
Posted on 22 Apr 2010 7:48 am (Report this comment)
Lyme Disease must be made notifiable now. We don't know how many cases there are, because doctors are not looking for it. Doctors find what they look for.
I know of people who have had symptoms, gone to the GPs, asked for tests and been refused! Lyme mimics MS, ME, and Lupus like disease.
Research has shown that,
"Post exposure rashes are found in only 40-60 percent of cases, and as few as 10 percent of these rashes are classic erythema migrans (�bull's-eye�)"
Reliance on the existence of a "bull's-eye" rash, or even on positive blood tests used here (which are notoriously insensitive) is the reason so many people are not diagnosed when the infection is acute. Leading to life-long pain and suffering.
The failure of the HSE to act on this issue is causing unnecessary illness among the population of Country, and puts it many visitors at equal risk.
Hiking paths should be sign posted with Tick Warnings. We can spend thousands to post new signs to the change the names of Government Departments. When this money would be put to better use to sign post walking paths and parks.