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Virology Research Journal
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Volume 2
Page 36
allied
academies
IMMUNOLOGY AND CELL BIOLOGY
BACTERIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES
&
Global Summit on
Global Congress on
J u n e 2 5 - 2 6 , 2 0 1 8 | A m s t e r d a m , N e t h e r l a n d s
Joint Event on
HEALTH EQUITY IN ICD11
BORRELIOSIS CODES
Huib Kraaijeveld
On Lyme Foundation, Netherlands
B
orreliosis infections are pandemic-these include relapsing fever and Lyme
borreliosis LB. The WHO has recognized Lyme borreliosis as a multi-
region ‘disease of consequence’ for decades. In August 2017, the European
Centre for Disease Prevention and Control noted that LB is among the 30
most threatening diseases for public health (Decision 1082/2013/European
Union). According to experts across key veterinary and medical institutions
in West Africa, many in Africa depend on livestock for their livelihood and this
exposes them to zoonotic borreliosis. Research has shown that many cases
of what was assumed to be drug resistant malaria was borreliosis infection. In
Australia, the lack of diagnostic tools for forms of relapsing fever borreliosis
leaves thousands of patients without confirmation or access to medical care.
Clinicians and researchers across the US, Canada, Eastern, Western and
Northern Europe, the Asia Pacific and Africa have stated that WHO diagnostic
codes for these infections need to be updated and surveillance needs to be
improved. Until this happens, estimated millions of people will just suffer.
Studies indicates costs to be in the millions for employers and billions for
certain national economies. Based on the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention’s conservative estimate of annual LB infection in the USA, their
2017 article on persistent infection and their 2006 study on the cost of Lyme
disease, roughly 380,000 LB infections cost more the US more than 4.09
billion dollars annually. WHO diagnostic codes do not recognize many of the
disabling conditions caused by these infections. Across the globe, medical
systems use these codes to diagnose illness and determine treatments.
The outdated codes result in very sick people being denied treatment -even
when treatment options come from clinical practice guidelines that meet
internationally accepted standards for guidelines. In addition to denial of
care, there are attacks on medical professionals who are following these
guidelines to treat chronic Lyme disease patients. The Lyme and relapsing
fever borreliosis bacteria-spirochetes similar to syphilis-are known to evade
immune response and form biofilms that are difficult to eradicate. Hundreds
of peer reviewed publications describe serious physical conditions caused
by the Lyme borreliosis infection. They include Lyme nephritis, hepatitis,
aortic aneurysms, persistent infection, strokes, dementia, heart failure and
congenital Lyme disease. The complications from syphilis are clearly listed
and detailed in the WHO codes whereas most Lyme complications are not.
From an ethical perspective, there is unjustifiable medical risk involved in
continuing to obstruct access to medical care for patients that meet clinical
diagnosis and those suffering from chronic LB and relapsing fever borreliosis.
Medicine has many cases of scientific debate, for example, how best to treat
Huib Kraaijeveld (MA) is trained as a social psy-
chologist and educator. Since 2010 he has been
researching and documenting the mistreatment
of LB patients and its devastating social conse-
quences to countless people and their children.
He shares the stories and knowledge of both
sufferers, solvers, investigators and influenc-
ers on the website of the On Lyme Foundation,
as public education and input for both political
actions and legal cases. He has authored the
book ‘Shifting the Lyme Paradigm’ and is also
a founding member of the ‘Ad Hoc Committee
for Health Equity in ICD11 Borreliosis Codes’,
an all-voluntary global multidisciplinary consor-
tium of highly skilled professionals representing
nations from five continents. Their efforts are
already bringing more-informed political atten-
tion and pressure to correct the response to the
Lyme pandemic.
hkraaijeveld@on-lyme.orgBIOGRAPHY
Huib Kraaijeveld, Virol Res J 2018, Volume 2
certain cancers or autism. In all these cases,
policy makers have a duty to proactively protect
the right to health. In June 2017, an international
team of scientists, medical professionals,
human rights experts and patient advocates
testified before the United Nations Special
Rapporteur responsible for health and human
rights regarding the human right violations
experienced by Lyme and relapsing fever
borreliosis patients.