Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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444. To ask the Minister for Health if, in the context of Lyme disease and the importance of promoting awareness of same at primary care level, the appointment of a general practitioner champion for Lyme disease will be examined in order that clinical diagnosis can be made early and effectively and ensure general practitioners and consultants recognise the results from tests that have been carried out by accredited laboratories abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39995/18]

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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452. To ask the Minister for Health the reason the health authorities here refuse to accept the diagnosis of Lyme disease following blood tests from accredited laboratories in Germany; the progress the health authorities have made in facilitating the diagnosis of the disease here; and the necessary follow up supports for those living with the disease. [40043/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 444 and 452 together.

Lyme disease (also known as Lyme borelliosis) is an infection caused by a spiral-shaped bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi. It is the commonest cause of tick-borne infection in Europe. Lyme neuroborreliosis was made statutorily notifiable in Ireland by the Infectious Diseases (Amendment) Regulations 2011 (S.I. no 452 of 2011).

Infection with Lyme disease is generally mild and patients are generally treated by their family doctor. If there are more severe complications, the patient can be referred for specialist assessment and treatment. It is important that those suffering from the symptoms associated with Lyme disease seek the most appropriate medical attention available.

Testing and treatment for Lyme borreliosis is widely available in Ireland in all major hospitals. Lyme borelliosis is diagnosed by medical history and a physical examination. The infection is confirmed by blood tests which look for antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi produced by an infected person's body in response to the infection. These normally take several weeks to develop and may not be present in the early stages of the disease.

Laboratories in Ireland generally follow the laboratory testing recommendations of the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the Infectious Disease Society of America, the European Federation of Neurological Societies, and the British Infection Association. Whereas Irish laboratories have their own quality assurance methods to make sure the tests are working correctly and are also accredited by the Irish National Accreditation Body to perform the relevant tests correctly, testing which is performed abroad may be performed in laboratories which have not met National or International Accreditation (Quality Standards) to a similar degree, giving rise to a greater degree of risk of diagnosis of a “false positive” result or interpreting equivocal results in a manner that is more likely to give rise to verification bias.

Best practice dictates that if a patient presents for medical treatment with a report / test from another EU member state, the GP or consultant would examine the patient using both clinical and laboratory diagnostics before they would be in a position to prescribe a course of treatment for them. The same protocol would apply across most other EU member states as the GP or consultant would need to be totally satisfied that the patient is correctly diagnosed while getting the right course of treatment for their illness.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) of the HSE is responsible for the surveillance of notifiable infectious diseases such as Lyme disease. The HPSC provides advice and information concerning developments regarding the testing and treatment of Lyme disease to my Department. The Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) of the HPSC has established a Lyme Borreliosis Subcommittee, the aim of which is to develop strategies to undertake primary prevention with a view to minimising the harm caused by Lyme Borreliosis in Ireland. There is a GP representative on this committee.

The suggestion of an appointment of a general practitioner champion for Lyme disease may be considered by this committee. I have referred your question to the HSE for further clarification.