Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L01712:front:0:p2
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L01712
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 2958–6036

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 United Kingdom, Russia, Japan, and north-eastern China.
Note 4: Clinical manifestations of Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis include a skin rash expanding out from the site of the tick bite (erythema migrans), headache, fatigue, joint pain and swelling, heart palpitations, irregular heartbeat, nerve pain, and facial palsy.
Note 5: Lyme disease infection can be confirmed through laboratory testing of blood. The usual method is IgM and IgG serology (by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or immunofluorescence antibody test) followed by a Western blot if the serology was positive. Though Borrelia culture is considered the gold standard of diagnosis, it is difficult to achieve.
 1.           While Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis attracts ICD‑10‑AM code A69.2, in applying this Statement of Principles the meaning of Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis is that given in subsection (2).
 2.           For subsection (3), a reference to an ICD-10-AM code is a reference to the code assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM), Tenth Edition, effective date of 1 July 2017, copyrighted by the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, ISBN 978-1-76007-296-4.
Death from Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis
 1.           For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis, in relation to a person, includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person's Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis.
Note: terminal event is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.
 1.                Basis for determining the factors
On the sound medical‑scientific evidence available, the Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that it is more probable than not that Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis and death from Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis can be related to relevant service rendered by veterans or members of the Forces under the VEA, or members under the MRCA.
Note: MRCA, relevant service and VEA are defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.
 1.                Factors that must exist
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;
 1.           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;
 1.           being in a geographic location where human Lyme disease/Lyme borreliosis was