- Treatment guidelines
- Clinical Advisory Committee on Lyme Disease
- Proof of Lyme disease and Borrelia in Australia
- Other resources
Treatment Guidelines
There are a range of treatment guidelines available including:
- Australian Chronic Infectious Disease Society guidelines www.acids.org.au
- International Treatment Guidelines: International Lyme and Associated Disease Society Guidelines.
- American Treatment Guidelines: Diagnostic Hints and Treatment Guidelines for Lyme and other tick borne illnesses by by Dr J Burrascano.
- German Treatment Guidelines: Deutsche Borreliose-Gesellschaft e. V. Diagnosis and Treatment of Lyme borreliosis guidelines.
Clinical Advisory Committee on Lyme Disease
The Australian Government, under the stewardship of Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Baggoley, established a Clinical Advisory Committee on Lyme Disease (CACLD).
Detailed information about the CACLD can be obtained from the Department of Health here. It is however important to draw Doctors and other Clinician’s attention to the following:
- Professor Chirs Baggoley issued a formal advice to Australian Clinicians on Lyme Disease and the CACLD in 2013. The purpose of which to advise of the establishment of the CACLD and to not discount Lyme disease as a possible diagnosis particularly for those who’ve travelled to endemic locations.
- The Lyme Disease Association of Australia was successful in securing a patient representative on the CACLD whom represents the interests of each Lyme sufferer. Our patient representatives meeting notes can be read in detail here.
- The CACLD officially disbanded on 15 July 2014 but their important work continues. A final response to the scoping study has since been released here.
Proof of Lyme disease and Borrelia in Australia
There are a number of journal articles proving the existence of Lyme disease in Australia, some of which are difficult to locate however they have been sourced via Australia’s National Library below:
- 1982 – Lyme Disease in the Hunter Valley; Med Journal of Australia – Lyme Disease in the Hunter Valley Med Jnl of Australia 1982
- 1986 – Lyme Disease on the South Coast of NSW; McCrossin Med Journal Aust – Lyme Disease on the South Coast of NSW McCrossin Med Jnl Aust 1986
- 1991 – Detecting the Cause of Lyme Disease in Australia; Med Journal of Australia – Detecting the cause of Lyme disease in Australia Med Jnl of Australia 1991
- 1998 – Lyme Disease in Australia; Aust/NZ Journal of Public Health – Lyme Disease in Australia Aust NZ Jnl of Pub Health 1998
- 1998 – Culture Positive Lyme Borreliosis; Hudson Medical Journal of Australia – Culture positive lyme borreliosis Hudson Med Jnl Aust 1998
There are also a number of other journal articles identifying the existence of Borrelia in Australia which are located here.
Other Resources
The following links provide further information on Lyme disease including research and treatment:
- An Interview with Dr Bernard Hudson, Infectious Disease Physician, “Is there Lyme disease in Australia?”
- Dr Nicola McFadzean-Ducharme book Lyme Disease in Australia is available for purchase from the Restore Medicine Website along with other resources.
- Dr McFadzean-Ducharme gave a talk in Sydney on Lyme Disease in Australia recently. Dr McFadzean-Ducharme’s presentation slides with information about diagnosis and treatment options can be accessed by following the link.