Lyme borreliosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria transmitted by tick bites. Unrecognized and difficult to diagnose, this disease can lead to disabling and painful disorders if it is not treated in time.
In this sense, a bill (UMP) aimed at “improving knowledge of the number, needs and methods of care” of people with this pathology was presented last Thursday, February 5 to the National Assembly. This bill also provided for the publication of a report on the subject, within two years.
The text, already rejected in committee, was ultimately not adopted by the Assembly. Because if the deputies of the majority declared that they shared the objectives of the bill, they judged that the current state of the devices and publications on the subject already made it possible to envisage a better approach to Lyme disease by public authorities. PS MP Chaynesse Khirouni said: “It is no longer the time to publish reports, but to act. The PS deputies, however, wish to question the government on this subject, to encourage it to implement concrete actions, through the Health Bill especially.
For his part, François Vannson, one of the two UMP deputies carrying the bill, recalls that if the disease is treated very easily with antibiotics administered in time, its symptoms “can be confused with many other pathologies. Often, patients wander from doctor to doctor without the disease being diagnosed, which complicates and enormously delays treatment. In addition, the screening tests and the treatments to be prescribed are controversial, as the disease is so little known. In France, one of the tests would thus detect only one strain of the bacterium responsible for Lyme borreliosis, while five different types of bacteria are circulating in Europe.
In addition, the UMP deputy François Vannson deplores “the impressive number of untreated patients in France”. According to the National Institute for Health Surveillance (InVS), 27,000 new cases are detected each year. But in Germany, where tests contain all five bacterial strains, the figure rises to 80,000 cases a year.
Government promises
Following the rejection of the bill, the government nevertheless undertook to “contact the actors of research” on this pathology before the summer. “We are initiating a reflection to strengthen the communication tools with the population and health professionals […] and to assess the performance of marketed screening tests”, assured Laurence Rossignol, Secretary of State for the family, the elderly and autonomy, who was delighted with this debate. She also specified that expertise will be launched to carry out clinical, epidemiological and sociological studies on the Lyme disease.
It should also be remembered that only around a hundred species of ticks transmit this affection, and that the ticks found in dogs are not to blame. If neurological, joint and muscular disorders occur, do not hesitate to mention a possible tick bite to the nursing staff. And after a walk in the forest, it is best to examine yourself with a magnifying glass, to remove any ticks caught. Because removing the tick within 24 to 36 hours after the bite (provided you remove the parasite’s head correctly) generally eliminates the risk of infection.
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Lyme disease: controversy surrounding the diagnosis
Lyme disease: how to protect yourself
Tick bites: when should you consult?
