Lyme disease/lyme borreliosis
Meaning of lyme disease/lyme borreliosis: For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis : (a) means an infection with spirochete bacteria of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, which has been transmitted by the bite of a tick of the genus Ixodes, in a geographic location where Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis is endemic. (b) includes chronic untreated Lyme disease; (c) excludes Lyme-like illness;
Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) — Statement of Principles No. 17 of 2025
At least one of the following factors must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis or death from Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:
- (1)being exposed to spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex within the 33 days before clinical onset;
- (2)being bitten by a tick of the genus Ixodes infected with spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex within the 33 days before clinical onset;
- (3)being in a geographic location where human Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis was endemic within the 33 days before clinical onset;
- (4)inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis before clinical worsening;
Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsection 9(4) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.
Balance of Probabilities (BoP) — Statement of Principles No. 18 of 2025
4 factors
At least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis or death from Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:
- (1)being exposed to spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex within the 33 days before clinical onset;
- (2)being bitten by a tick of the genus Ixodes infected with spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex within the 33 days before clinical onset;
- (3)being in a geographic location where human Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis was endemic within the 33 days before clinical onset;
- (4)inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis before clinical worsening;
Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsection 9(4) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.
