Lyme in Australia

I have heard about this over and over again, is that there is no Lyme in Australia... but that's funny I have spoken to quite people down under that have it. Again it is another reason why you need to be your own advocate and not completely rely on your doctors option that there is no Lyme in your area. "Where there are ticks there is the possibility of Lyme".

I received this post from the California Lyme Association: Aussie 6-year-old tests positive for Lyme with blood samples sent to the US. Australian government says no Lyme in their country, so they won't pay for treatment....This is a typical response



A 6-year-old Fern Bay girl is at the centre of a major medical storm over whether a debilitating tick-borne disease exists in Australia.

A 6-YEAR–OLD Fern Bay girl is at the centre of a major medical storm over whether a debilitating tick-borne disease exists in Australia.
Laura France was diagnosed with Lyme disease late last year following tests done on her blood in the US.

Her family and several doctors are convinced she has the illness, caused by a tick bite, but NSW Health disagrees.

The department says the disease does not exist in Australia and will not fund any treatment for it.

The family is paying $3000 a month for medication typically used to treat Lyme.

Laura has trouble walking, struggles to catch her breath, suffers from severe headaches and is lucky to make it through a full day of school.

Michelle France said that at night her daughter had trouble sleeping, cried and complained of constant aches and pains.

‘‘On a daily basis it’s hard, we have had to buy a stroller to get her around, she is exhausted after walking short distances,’’ Mrs France said.

‘‘It’s bad enough that Laura is sick, but the battle to find help has been a nightmare.’’

Since the December diagnosis the Frances have found themselves thrust into an academic battle over Lyme disease, a bacterial infection spread by ticks that has reached epidemic proportions in the United States with up to 20,000 new cases diagnosed each year.

Left untreated it can become crippling. Read the full article