The Truth About Lyme In Canada Presented to the Manitoba Ministry of Health October 19, 2009 by Dr. E. Murakami, MD, BA Immunology & Bacteriology, Clinical Associate Professor Emeritus, UBC Special Interest in Lyme Disease

Dr. Robert Kerr & Sons Clinical Associate Professor Emeritus, UBC Medical School Head of Internal Medicine, UBC

Epidemiology Euro surveillance Map of global Lyme incidence (in red) between 20-70 latitudes

Lyme Disease Incidence Acquired in Canada vs. Outside Canada CMA Graph Incidence of Lyme from I. Scapularis ticks, I. Pacificus ticks courtesy of CMA website

Comparison in Lyme reporting Between Canada & Minnesota

Minnesota Department of Health “Large Numbers of Minnesota Ticks Carry Disease Organisms” May 8, 2009 “Overall, about one out of every three adult blacklegged ticks was positive for the bacteria that cause Lyme disease.” (this would indirectly reflect what is happening north of the border in Manitoba, where minimum 33% of ticks are infected, since the PCR is not an absolute test.) “Lyme disease co-infections with Ehrlichiosis and Babesiosis can occur from the same tick bite.” (Medical profession has not been trained to recognize the symptoms and test for these co-infections in Canada)

Ixodes Pacificus established (green)

Peromyscus maniculatus incidence (Deer Mouse) courtesy of: http://pick4.pick.uga.edu/mp/20q?search=Peromyscus maniculatus

courtesy of Minnesota Health Department website

National Priorities National Surveillance of ticks and vector borne diseases must improve Lyme & Co-Infection Education (Elementary, High Schools, Universities, Medical Schools, Post Graduate Education) Must work to eliminate the divide between Medical profession regarding Lyme Development of better testing methods Development of Canadian Guidelines separate from US IDSA Guidelines