Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L01712:front:0:p1
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L01712
Segment Type: other
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Character Range: 0–3234

Statement of Principles
concerning
LYME DISEASE/LYME BORRELIOSIS
 (Balance of Probabilities)
(No. 18 of 2025)
The Repatriation Medical Authority determines the following Statement of Principles under subsection 196B(3) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.

Dated 17 December 2024.

Professor Terence Campbell AM
Chairperson
by and on behalf of
The Repatriation Medical Authority

Contents
1 Name
2 Commencement
3 Authority
4 Repeal
5 Application
6 Definitions
7 Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates
8 Basis for determining the factors
9 Factors that must exist
10 Relationship to service
11 Factors referring to an injury or disease covered by another Statement of Principles
Schedule 1 - Dictionary
1 Definitions

 1.                Name
This is the Statement of Principles concerning Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis (Balance of Probabilities) (No. 18 of 2025).
 1.                Commencement
              This instrument commences on 28 January 2025.
 1.                Authority
This instrument is made under subsection 196B(3) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.
 1.                Repeal
The Statement of Principles concerning Lyme disease (Balance of Probabilities) (No. 26 of 2016) (Federal Register of Legislation No. F2016L00255) made under subsection 196B(3) of the VEA is repealed.
 1.                Application
This instrument applies to a claim to which section 120B of the VEA or section 339 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 applies.
 1.                Definitions
The terms defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary have the meaning given when used in this instrument.
 1.                Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates
        1.           This Statement of Principles is about Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis and death from Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis.
Meaning of Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis
 1.           For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis:
         1.           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.
         2.           includes chronic untreated Lyme disease;
         3.           excludes Lyme-like illness;
Note 1: Borrelia species which are members of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex include Borrelia burgdorferi, B. afzelii, B. americana, B. andersonii, B. bavariensis, B. bissettii, B. californiensis, B. carolinensis, B. finlandensis, B. garinii, B. japonica, B. kurtenbachii, B. lanei, B. lusitaniae, B.  mayonii, B. maritima, B sinica, B. spielmanii, B. tanukii, B. turdi, B. valaisiana, and B yangtzensis.

Note 2: Ixodes species of tick known to transmit Borrelia spp. to humans include Ixodes dentatus, I. granulatus, I. jellisonii, I. minor, I. ovatus, I. pacificus, I. persulcatus, I. nipponensis, I. ricinus, I. scapularis, I. spinipalpis, I. tanukii, and I. turdus.
Note 3: Geographic locations where Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis is endemic include the United States of America, southern Canada, Europe, the