The governments say parasites stop at the border, I would argue with that...

hi, Ive just spent some time researching the answer to that same question.

Apparently no cases of lyme in Australia have been proven.

From the Department of Medical Entomology" site who has spent some time trying to find lyme in Australia. They have spent some time and many studies, looking to prove lyme exists here but so far havent found the proof.

"Lyme disease (LD) is a tick-borne zoonosis caused by the spirochaete bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi. Since the disease was first recognised in 1975 it has become the most frequently reported human tick-borne infection worldwide. It has been reported from every continent (except Antarctica) although doubt remains as to whether it occurs in the southern hemisphere in general, and in Australia in particular.

Ecology

LD is transmitted to humans by ticks. Larval and nymphal stages feed on infected reservoir hosts, acquire the organism and then, after moulting to the next life stage (nymphs and adults respectively), pass on the infection to humans and other animals. In the northern hemisphere, small placental mammals are reservoir hosts. The only species of ticks shown to be competent vectors of B.burgdorferi to humans belong to the Ixodes persulcatus complex, including I. scapularis and I. pacificus in the United States, I. ricinus in western Europe, and I. persulcatus in eastern Europe and Asia. No species of this complex exist in Australia.

"From 1988 to 1994 at Westmead Hospital, 78 (1.8%) of 4,372 from local patients with suspected Lyme Disease were positive for IgG by ELISA and IFAT. All 78 were tested by WB, using North American and European strains of Borrelia; 46 sera showed one or more bands. NONE, including those with putative late stage disease, showed more than 4 specific bands and thus were ALL NEGATIVE by international criteria"

It goes on to explain that that is the amount of positive IgG tests of this type that is expected to turn up if there is no lymes. Apparently those tests always get a low percent of false positive ones, due to cross contamination of other bacterias which end up showing up as a positive IgG result hence it needs to be followed up with the Western immunoblot (WB).

But by that.. obviously they've really tried to find a true positive lyme case in those who could have lyme via the symtoms (4372 people..so no small study!).. but no positive lyme case has ever been found.

Maybe you have something like CFS.. have you been tested for other tick carried things.. eg the rickettsia species. I have Chronic-Fatigue-Syndrome with lot of neuro symptoms so my specialist had me tested for rickettsia species.

"Rickettsia species are carried as parasites by many ticks, fleas, and lice, and cause diseases such as typhus, rickettsialpox, Boutonneuse fever, African Tick Bite Fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Australian Tick Typhus, Flinders Island Spotted Fever and Queensland Tick Typhus [2] in human beings. "

Hi,
I got sick in 1979 when I married my first husband. He had a strange "bull's-eye" rash and had traveled up the east coast of Australia. (known Lyme area) I was misdiagnosed for 22 years as having CFS, fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety, etc. I believe I contracted Lyme sexually from my ex. I know this is controversial, but researchers in the USA have found Lyme bacteria (Bb) in semen and other body fluids. Many are convinced Lyme is sexcually transmittable as it is a spirochete similar to syphilis. The Health Dept says there is no Lyme in Oz, but several docotrs and researchers KNOW there is a Lyme-like illness here. I have always lived in Melbourne and had not travled overseas until recently. If Lyme can be sexually transmitted, it would be everywhere. The tests are not accurate and the Health Dept seem to be ignoring the hundreds of people who have become chronically ill after a tick bite in Oz.
I have been on a new treatment called salt & vitamin C for the last 3 years.
http://www.Lymephotos.com
This has taken me from nearly dying and being mostly housebound due to severe late-stage neaurological Lyme, to travleing overseas, hiking, and generally having a reasonable quality of life.
Please feel free to contact me for more information.
Rosemary.

Lyme exists everywhere people travel too, think about people can be carrying that horrific creature on there hair, shoes, or clothes. There are jacket you can buy that are treated and literally kills ticks on contact or it is good idea to use DEET and always wear white long pants, long sleeve shirt and socks.

There was big case in Australia that women filed and won, because the Lyme test in Australia kept showing her husband was negative for Lyme. Got smart and used the labs in Europe/ USA . The test came back positive for LYME.

What good is paying for the wrong tests.

I think the very best test and accuarate testing method is Igenex and that is according to the foremost authority on Lyme.

I've think the Western Blot is inaccurate standard test for LYME I told my MD i took that western Blot four times and he said, that test is utterly worthless now this is coming from my MD okay. Then again there must be some people that get tested using WB and it is accuarate maybe that is early in the game.

If you are sick do not wait around for your doctor to get a clue, Simply call Igenex and get THE kit then get the lab to do a blood draw the go directly to Fedex and send it off Make sure you do the test on Mon-Wed so the test isn't sitting around somewhere.

Please Move quickly do not wait, You want early ...I mean fast detection and you want to strike fast and kill IT fast If you wait and by the time you've seen another 40 cluelss doctorss you will have sufferened needlessly . Just pay for the test and take the test ASAP get set up with a doctor that knows and is specialized in this!