Dr. Kieran Moore
Dr. Kieran Moore

Kingston, an epicentre of Lyme disease, is now home to a new multidisciplinary research network that will bring together scientists, physicians, and patients to further investigate the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of this tick-borne illness.

The $4M Pan-Canadian Research Network on Lyme Disease is led by Dr. Kieran Moore, a clinician scientist with the KGH Research Institute (KGHRI).

The network includes a number of Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) physicians and KGHRI clinician-scientists with expertise in areas including cardiology, infectious disease, emergency medicine, pediatrics and internal medicine.  The investigators are looking make a national impact on health outcomes, practice, programs and policy related to Lyme disease.

The initiative was announced recently by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Government of Canada.

“We would like to thank the Government of Canada and CIHR for the opportunity to advance the science of Lyme disease,” says Dr. Moore, Queen’s University Professor of Emergency and Family Medicine and Medical Officer of Health with Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health. “Our network will collaborate with patients and our many academic and government partners to protect the health of Canadians from coast to coast.”

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by bites from infected blacklegged ticks. Symptoms can include a bull’s-eye rash and flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills and muscle aches, but in a subset of patients the disease can cause more serious problems such as heart, joint and neurological disorders.

Lyme disease is becoming more prevalent, due in part to climate change. This year saw more than 180 confirmed cases of Lyme disease in Kingston alone, a threefold increase over the previous year.

The network builds on Canada’s ongoing efforts to tackle the illness through surveillance, research, sharing of best practices, laboratory diagnostics and testing, prevention education, and public education and awareness.

“The Government of Canada is proud to support a research network that focuses on collaboration between Lyme disease stakeholders from across the country to improve patient outcomes and access to care,” says Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Health for the Government of Canada. “We understand that Lyme disease is emerging in many parts of the country, due in part to climate change, and we are committed to minimizing the public health risk associated with this disease.”

KHSC-affiliated physicians and clinician scientists who will be participating in the network include:

  • Adrian Baranchuk
  • Rob Brison
  • Gerald Evans
  • Michael Green
  • Kirk Leifso
  • Bob McGraw
  • David Messenger
  • Lois Shepherd
  • Prameet Sheth
  • Marco Sivilotti
  • Evan Wilson

To learn more about Canada’s federal framework for Lyme Disease, click here.