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Do I have Lymes dosease?

By May 21, 2010 - 2:21pm
 
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Six years ago I was btten by a tick in Australia,I had a dreadful reaction.Elephanitis of tongue,rash over site at left elbow and all over my body.Extremely hot and itchy.Hospital said i was allergic to ticks gave me sleepimg tablets so I could sleep and anthistamines.For 12 months whenever the climate was warm the site would be raised and itchy,the doctore made an incision and removed bite site and stitched wound.
I was diagnosed with burning mouth syndrome two years ago after numerous tests both conservative and natural spending a small fortune.

I met a friend at a party last week who said he was diagnosed with Lymes disease woth similar symptoms and put on tablets and acarbohydrate diet.Could this be my answer/TYhe mouth issue that started put loke a neuralgia and now yingling to burning sensation consumes my waking moment,Desperate for an answer.
Please Help.Take care Karen

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Expert HERWriter Guide Blogger

Hi Karen - Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. The ticks whch cause this are found in temperate forested regions throughout Europe and northern Asia as well as the Northeastern, north central, and Pacific coastal regions of North America.

Whether or not there is Lyme disease in Australia is controversial. Here is what Wikipedia says: In Australia there is no definitive evidence for the existence of B. burgdorferi or for any other tick-borne spirochete that may be responsible for a local syndrome being reported as Lyme disease. Cases of neuroborreliosis have been documented in Australia but are often ascribed to travel to other continents.

There are a number of tick-borne illnesses. As a starting point to better understand them you may find the information provided by the Centers for Disease control helpful: http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/diseases/

There is a tick-borne illness in Australia called Q Fever. Here's information about it: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/786900-overview

Austrailia also has Queensland Tick Typhus and Flinders Island Spotted Fever; two similar rickettsia that cause comparable symptoms, including rash, an eschar at the bite site, headache, fever, flu-like symptoms and lymph node tenderness. Both diseases are not commonly reported and are confined to the east coast of Australia down into Tasmania.

To follow up on your condition you may want to see a physician who's an infectious disease specialist with international experience.

Good luck to you, Pat

May 21, 2010 - 4:26pm
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