Publication Source: Times Colonist
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Author: Cindy E. Harnett
Green party leader Elizabeth May is calling on the government to develop a national strategy for improved treatment of Lyme disease, saying Canada’s standards for diagnosis are outdated and lag far behind those in the United States.
The Saanich-Gulf Islands MP tabled a private member’s bill on Thursday calling for a national conference of public health officials, researchers and patient advocates as a first step toward developing a national strategy for diagnosing and treating the disease.
Lyme disease is caused by three species of bacteria transmitted to humans via ticks. Early symptoms may include fever, headache, fatigue and a characteristic circular rash, shaped like a bull’s eye, around the bite.