Archive for the ‘Activism’ Category

Meet the Researcher: Kim Lewis, Ph.D.

https://globallymealliance.org/meet-researcher-kim-lewis-ph-d/

July 27, 2018

Meet the Researcher: Kim Lewis, Ph.D.

MEET THE RESEARCHER IS A BLOG SERIES TO INTRODUCE GLA-FUNDED LYME DISEASE RESEARCHERS MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST LYME DISEASE.

#MEETTHERESEARCHER
NAME: Kim Lewis, Ph.D.
TITLE: University Distinguished Professor; Director, Antimicrobial Discovery Center; Department of Biology
INSTITUTION: Northeastern University

Dr. Lewis is one of the foremost scientists tackling Lyme disease. In 2015, Dr. Lewis’s published report in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy confirms GLA/Johns Hopkins original findings that the bacterium that causes Lyme disease forms dormant persister cells, which are known to survive antibiotics. He identified compounds for eliminating persister bacteria, and is also investigating the role of the microbiome in chronic Lyme disease.

lyme disease research
Dr. Kim Lewis, far right, with Drs. Ying Zhang, Klemen Strle, Nicole Baumgarth and Brian Fallon at GLA’s 2018 Research Symposium

GLA: What motivated you to focus on Lyme and tick-borne disease research?

KL: The challenge of a tough unsolved problem, and the promise of finding a cure for Lyme disease.

GLA: What discovery has been most gratifying?

KL: We identified two compounds that are highly active, and selective, against Borrelia burgdorferi in a mouse model of Lyme disease. These compounds hold the promise to rapidly treat acute Lyme and diminish development of PTLDS. If a dormant pathogen is contributing to PTLDS, these selective compounds will be able to eradicate the remaining bacteria. Finally, mixing these compounds into a bait may interrupt the cycle of transmission and eradicate Lyme disease.

GLA: Are you confident we’ll find a cure?   

KL: Yes. It is important to develop therapies that will work irrespective of the causes of PTLDS, and that is what we are focusing on.

GLA-funded research grants with Dr. Lewis include:

“Persister Cells and Antibiotic Tolerance in Borrelia burgdorferi” (2013-14)
“Formation of Persisters in Bb and Their Elimination” (2014-15)
“Discovery of New Antibiotics and Combos” (2016-17)
“Treatment of Lyme Disease” (2015-16, 2017-18)

Hear Dr. Lewis discuss his finding on Chronic Lyme disease:

https://globallymealliance.org/news/making-strides-chronic-lyme-disease/embed/#?secret=PnAn7cK0oM

PUBLISHED LYME DISEASE RESEARCH

(a sample)

Borrelia burgdorferi, the Causative Agent of Lyme Disease, Forms Drug-Tolerant Persister Cells Bijaya Sharmaa, Autumn V. Browna, Nicole E. Matlucka, Linden T. Hub and Kim Lewis   Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. August 2015 vol. 59 no. 8 4616-4624 

________________

For More:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/10/31/news-story-on-researcher-kim-lewis-and-chronic-lyme/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2015/07/07/promising-new-research-for-persisting-lyme/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/11/03/lyme-bug-stronger-than-antibiotics-in-animals-and-test-tubes-now-study-people/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/06/03/good-news-stanford-lyme-working-group/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2015/12/14/closing-in-on-the-8/

Category:

Activism, Lyme, Treatment

Lyme Nanotrap Test Granted Breakthrough Device Designation by FDA

Ceres Nanosciences’ Point-of-Care Nanotrap® Lyme Antigen Test System Granted Breakthrough Device Designation by U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Press Release: Ceres Nanosciences, Inc., Manassas, Virginia

July 12, 2018
http://www.ceresnano.com/press-release-breakthroughhttp://www.ceresnano.com/press-release-breakthrough

Ceres Nanosciences (Ceres) announced today that is has received Breakthrough Device designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its new point-of-care Nanotrap® Lyme Antigen Test System.

Under the Breakthrough Device program, formerly the Expedited Access Pathways program, the FDA works with a test developer to reduce the time and cost from development to approval.

The Ceres’ Nanotrap® Lyme Antigen Test System is a powerful diagnostic test that is intended to be available in point-of-care settings, like a physician’s office or a walk-in clinic. Requiring only a patient’s urine sample, it will deliver results to the physician and patient at the earliest stages of infection, when treatment is most successful.

“We’re truly grateful to receive the FDA’s Breakthrough Device designation for the Nanotrap® Lyme Antigen Test System,” said Ross Dunlap, Chief Executive Officer of Ceres Nanosciences. “This will accelerate our delivery to patients of a much needed test for Lyme disease, a devastating and increasingly common infectious disease that can cause irreparable harm if not detected and treated early on.”

To achieve Breakthrough Device designation, a device must demonstrate compelling potential to provide more effective diagnosis for life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating diseases. In addition, the device must meet at least one of the following criteria: represent breakthrough technologies; no approved or cleared alternatives exist; offer clinically meaningful advantages over existing approved or cleared alternatives; or the availability of which is in the best interest of patients.

About Ceres Nanosciences, Inc.

Ceres Nanosciences is a privately held company, located in Prince William County, Virginia, focused on the development of research and diagnostic products using its unique and proprietary Nanotrap® particle technology. The Nanotrap® particle technology provides powerful biomarker capture and biofluid sample processing capabilities for a wide array of diagnostic applications and sample handling needs. The Nanotrap® particle technology was invented at George Mason University and developed under funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). With support from the NIH, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Commonwealth of Virginia, Ceres is focused on incorporating this technology into a range of innovative diagnostic products. Learn more at www.ceresnano.com http://www.ceresnano.com

Press Contact:

Ross M. Dunlap
Ceres Nanosciences, Inc
1.800.615.0418 ext. 202
rdunlap@ceresnano.com mailto:rdunlap@ceresnano.com

_________________

**Comment*

Direct quote from Ceres:  http://www.ceresnano.com/nanotrap-lyme-test

The Nanotrap® Lyme Antigen (LA) Test is a novel, high sensitivity, DIRECT test for Lyme that will provide valuable information to assist a physician in diagnosing and treating Lyme disease at most stages of infection.

So this is not the end all.  People are going to slip through cracks here as well.  Please keep this in mind.

While using urine samples to directly detect Bb, (other tests use indirect testing by testing for antibodies), it relies on Bb being in the urine.  We all know Bb is a stealth organism that goes where it pleases – Often where it can’t be found.

For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/08/15/reliability-of-lyme-testing/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/08/15/emerging-lyme-tests/

Samuel Shor, MD, FACP: We’re involved in the study of 2 tests that are very promising. One is called the Nanotrap, which looks at a highly specific protein called OspA that is found across multiple strains of Borrelia. And what this technology does is super concentrate, in a urine sample, the presence of this protein and then further tests it, and, it’s 1000-fold more sensitive than the standard Western Blot. In our 2015 paper that was published in the Journal of Translational Medicine, in the preliminary erythema-migrans patients—who are very often negative in the ELISA test because they haven’t had the time to respond immunologically—24 out of 24 were positive with the Nanotrap test.

So it looks better but it’s not perfect…..

 

Category:

Activism, Lyme, Testing

Crisis of Tick-spread Disease Crushes Ontario Teen

https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/crisis-of-tick-spread-disease-crushes-london-teen

Crisis of tick-spread disease crushes London teen

Jonathan Sher
Updated: August 1, 2018
Brandan Barnett, 16, has been battling lyme disease for four years after it wasn’t properly diagnosed in London, Ont. Mike Hensen/The London Free Press/Postmedia Network

A day after Canadians celebrate a civic holiday, a London couple will go on their only trip of the summer, driving more than 800 kilometres to Maryland to seek care for a 15-year-old son — care they can’t find in their own country.

Brandan Barnett was once a 12-year-old boy who excelled in school, played AAA hockey for the London Knights and whose can-do attitude inspired his firefighting father Dan and his mom Lisa, an education assistant who helps special needs kids.

Four years later, his body has been ravaged by disease, his parents’ faith in our health care system has been obliterated, and they have placed all their hope on an American doctor who specializes in tick-borne illness like Lyme Disease.

“Brandan had his life stolen from him in an instant, and at every turn, we had absolutely no help from our current medical system at all,” Lisa Barnett told The Free Press. “We were passed from one specialist to another, none knowing what to do (and) had to watch our child become suddenly bedridden.”

The Barnett’s experience is all too typical in a country in which Lyme disease has grown to epic proportions, a crisis that neither doctors nor public health officials have adequately addressed, say a registered nurse and lawyer who have made headway pressing their cause to politicians in Ottawa.

“We have heard similar stories time and time again all across Canada,” said Sue Faber, a registered nurse who battled Lyme for 14 years before co-founding an advocacy group called LymeHope that’s made its presence felt in Ottawa. “It’s just a huge crisis.”

Among with lawyer Jennifer Kravis, the group has swum upstream against the current of conventional practice and belief in Canada, whose doctors and public health officials have resisted the notion that Lyme disease is spreading quickly, can create chronic and debilitating symptoms that last for years, and can be passed through childbirth from mothers to children.

In the last year alone, Faber and Kravis have met with Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott, hosted an Ottawa event that drew more than 40 MPs, testified before a senate committee on health, enlisted the support of one of the Canada’s most influential advocacy groups — the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario —  and persuaded The Public Health Agency of Canada to list on its website aggressive treatment guidelines created last year by the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society.

Their efforts have also resonated with everyday Canadians, of whom more than 65,000 have signed a petition pushing for change.

But even doctors who have adopted the changes are reluctant to speak out for fear of being ostracized by their peers. “This is a very controversial disease. (Some doctors) are hesitant to get their names out there,” Faber said.

That resistance to change has crushed Brandan Barnett, who for more than four years has been so sick he has been too weak to even attend school — at 5 feet 11, he weighs only 110 lbs.

“He’s gone from a 24/7 never-stop kid to a kid who couldn’t get out of bed,” Lisa Barnett said. “It’s the fight of his life.”

The descent was rapid. After a camping trip to Pinery Provincial Park, a hot spot for Lyme disease, Barnett was playing hockey at Nichols Arena in February, 2014 when he was suddenly overwhelmed with flu-like symptoms. Doctors were stumped, and when a rash developed on his back, a dermatologist prescribed steroids, which only made him worse.

What followed was a parade of specialists: a pediatrician, gastroenterologist, an infectious disease expert, and even a psychiatrist after one doctor suggested the problems might all be in his head.

The notion that a tick might be the source of his ills came from a family friend whose child had Lyme disease.

That led to the family’s first trip to Maryland to the first specialist who seemed to have any idea about what was plaguing Brandan — Dr. Bobak Mozayeni specialized in tick-borne illness.

While tests didn’t show Lyme disease, they did confirm another tick-spread illness, Bartonella. Mozayeni prescribed a lengthy course of antibiotics, and for the first nine months of 2017, Brandan improved.

But in November, the bottom dropped out — Brandan lost 20 pounds in four weeks.

While his parents hope their coming trip to Maryland will help Brandan turn things around, they are devastated their son lost three years to what they believe were missteps by Canadian doctors.

“Brandan might have been able to avoid years of unbelievable suffering (in) pain as his body was attacked by this illness. It shouldn’t be this way. When your child gets really sick, there should be support in Canada,” Lisa Barnett said.

“He had hopes, dreams and a future (and ) I need to do everything I can to mend and heal what this illness has destroyed and taken from him already. He is strong and resilient, and if there is a way to get his health back we will persevere and achieve it. Thank God for his positive attitude.”

Public health agencies in Canada already do one thing well, say Faber and Kravis — the agencies publicize how to lessen the risk of being bitten by a tick, and what to do if they find a tick

But while prevention is a worthy goal, the two advocates say Canadian doctors must learn how to properly diagnose and treat Lyme and other tick-borne illness. Many current practices are concerning, they said:

  • Doctors test for one strain of Lyme disease when evidence suggests there may be as many as 300.
  • Doctors won’t use a test well-established in the United States and Europe, a Western Blot test, unless patients first test positive using a method that is known to miss many cases, an Elisa test.
  • Public health rely on 12-year-old American standards that are no longer used by leading American tick-borne disease specialists
  • Doctors don’t search for other illness such as Bartonella that are carried by ticks whose population is growing as the climate warms.

The lack of vigilance has created a chasm between the numbers of confirmed cases of Lyme disease and the numbers that LymeHope uses based on surveys of Canadians.

According to public health officials, fewer than 1,000 people were diagnosed last year with Lyme disease. But a survey found that one in 10 Canadians said either they had the disease or knew someone who did.

Despite that disagreement, local public health officials say the number of ticks in the London region is on the rise and the map of affected areas growing across Ontario.

This year and last year, those concerned about tick bites have sent two to three times as many ticks to be tested at the Middlesex-London Health Unit as in previous years, said Jeremy Hogeveen, the health unit’s vector borne disease co-ordinator.

“It’s growing. Climate change is altering the landscape,” he said. “The map of affected areas is growing every year.”

Only one lab in Canada tests ticks, the turn-around time for results is six months, so if someone has been in an area known to have black-legged deer ticks, the type that can carry Lyme disease, and shows symptoms of the disease, the health unit recommends seeing a doctor who can start antibiotics right away, Hogeveen said.

At the same health unit, the Associate Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Barry Pakes, is skeptical of some American practices that specialize in Lyme testing because he believes the tests are prone to show a positive match even when that’s not the case. That someone in London was diagnosed with Bartonella surprises him, as that is a disease that is more typically found in much tropical climates; Pakes said he saw cases when he worked in South America.

_______________

**Comment**

To the skeptic – Lyme and the various coinfections that often come with it are EVERYWHERE….

It is a huge mistake to limit the location and/or severity of this complex illness.

For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/07/16/ticks-that-carry-lyme-disease-are-spreading-fast/  “People should be aware of ticks and tick-borne disease, even when they may think there’s not a recorded incidence of a tick in a county,” Nieto said. “These things, they’re not obeying borders. They’re going by biology. If they get moved there by a deer or bird or people or pets, they’re going to establish themselves and start growing.”

This tick border thing is a man-made constructed paradigm that has never been accurate, but it’s fit the CDC/NIH/IDSA narrative. http://steveclarknd.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/The-Confounding-Debate-Over-Lyme-Disease-in-the-South-DiscoverMagazine.com_.pdf (go to page 6 and read about Speilman’s maps which are faulty but have ruled like the Iron Curtain, and have been used to keep folks from being diagnosed and treated)

The climate-change issue is another man-made paradigm regarding ticks who will be the last species on the planet besides the IRS: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/08/14/canadian-tick-expert-climate-change-is-not-behind-lyme-disease/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/01/03/bartonella-treatment/

“Dr. Mozayeni talks about Bartonella as one of the major co-infections of Lyme disease. It’s more prevalent than Lyme, as there are many more ways to contract the disease (eg. flees, cats, arachnids, etc).  Many claim ticks also transmit it.”

 

Category:

Activism, Bartonella, Lyme, Testing, Ticks

12 Scary Diseases You Can Catch at the Beach – Lyme is One of Them

https://www.rd.com/health/wellness/scary-diseases-catch-at-the-beach/amp/?

12 Scary Diseases You Didn’t Know You Could Catch at the Beach

Sunburn isn’t the only concern at the shore this year. Keep your family safe by protecting them against these scary diseases you didn’t know you could pick up at the beach.

By

Cryptosporidium

Air bubbles in clear blue water in poolJag_cz/Shutterstock

You may have heard horror stories about Cryptosporidium outbreaks at the local beach or pool and with good reason. Crypto causes watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and vomiting for up to two weeks. There is nothing like two weeks of diarrhea to put a damper on your summer travel plans. The Cryptosporidium parasite has a protective outer layer that allows it to survive outside the body and on surfaces or water. Beachgoers can be infected by swimming in or accidentally drinking contaminated water.

Vibrio vulnificus infections

Shucked Oysters Fines de Claire and oyster knife on white marble backgroundLisovskaya Natalia/Shutterstock

If you’re planning to have a cookout while enjoying your beach day, make sure your seafood is fully-cooked. Eating undercooked seafood, especially oysters, could lead to a Vibrio vulnificus infection. While this condition is rare, people with underlying medical conditions could be more at risk. Swimming with an open sore or wound can also encourage the infection. “A superficial wound in such a person can become contaminated and a rapidly progressive skin/soft tissue infection could occur,” says Amesh A. Adalja, MD, senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “These infections require prompt treatment with antibiotics and sometimes even amputation.” Fortunately, this infection will not affect the vast majority of people, says Dr. Adalja.

Legionnaires’ disease

Soft pastel landscape photo of waves breaking on a pristine, peaceful, unpopulated beach.forestpath/Shutterstock

Legionnaires’ disease is a serious lung infection caused by the bacteria Legionella, which can survive in pools, the ocean, or lakes. Breathing in the mist or accidentally inhaling a bit of contaminated water can lead to an infection. While most people can manage a little exposure, smokers and people with lung conditions are at higher risk. Don’t miss these other hidden beach dangers you need to take seriously.

Pseudomonas infection

The first stepM Phillips/Shutterstock

This bacteria lives in water or sand and will trigger a mild reaction in most people—usually spots, redness, or an open wound. However, if the bacteria enters your bloodstream, the infection can be much more serious, with symptoms such as a fever, chills, and muscle pain. If you think you were exposed, see your doctor—you may need antibiotics.

Hepatitis

Tasty cutlets from beef on the grillch3rryzzz/Shutterstock

Catching hepatitis is probably not front of mind when you’re packing your hat and sunscreen for a fun beach day—but it is possible. The most common way to contract Hepatitis A is by eating contaminated food, but you can also catch it by eating undercooked shellfish and being exposed to polluted water. Hepatitis A causes severe gastric distress including symptoms like nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and even jaundice. Keep you and your family safe by following these 9 beach safety rules.

Swimmer’s itch

A man foot in the stream line of deep dark watertonirichsag1411/Shutterstock

Swimmer’s itch is just as uncomfortable as it sounds. It’s a reaction to certain parasites that live on birds and other animals; the bugs get washed off and can survive in salt or freshwater, where you can pick them up. They burrow into the skin and cause small raised red bumps that can turn into blisters. Swimmers itch (officially, cercarial dermatitis) is possible when exposed to parasites in certain freshwaters, says Alexander Evens, DO, an infectious disease specialist at Marin General Hospital. “It presents about 48 hours after exposure with these parasites that irritate the human skin but fortunately do not cause invasive disease.”

Lyme disease

Close-up of tick filled with blood crawling on white paperandriano.cz/Shutterstock

You might remember to check for ticks after a stroll through the woods—but after a beach trip? “When you walk along the beach, you expect to run into some crabs or birds, but it’s definitely possible to find ticks on the beach hanging out in long strands of beach grass,” says Mayla Hsu, PhD, director of Research and Science at the Global Lyme Alliance. “That’s why people should always stay off dunes and away from tall grass.” Dr. Hsu explains that ticks could also fall off seagulls onto the sand, so it’s best to bring along some insect repellant along with your shades and beach towels.

Ear infection

Young pretty woman ear closeupAleksandra Voinova/Shutterstock

Ear infections don’t just affect toddlers and young kids. Adults can come down with them too, and a trip to the beach could put you at higher risk. “Otitis externa is a common bacterial infection acquired with persistent water exposure along the external ear canal,” says Dr. Evens. “It manifests by itchiness, pain, and swelling of the outer ear.” While the infection shouldn’t be serious, it will require antibiotics to treat. Find out the 17 sneaky ways summer is making you sick.

Norovirus

close-up partial view of african american man washing in bathroom

LightField Studios/Shutterstock

If you need to use the public restroom at the beach, be vigilant about washing your hands. Germs like norovirus can live on surfaces like toilets, doorknobs, and sinks, and they can cause major stomach upset. Norovirus is responsible for what is commonly called the stomach flu, and that would definitely wreck your fun day at the beach. Washing hands with soap and water should be enough to kill the virus. Don’t miss these 50 ways to have your healthiest summer ever.

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Hookworm

Fishing pier disappearing into the sea in foggy conditions. Scott Heaney/Shutterstock

Nothing could make you regret a romantic stroll down the beach more than hookworm. You’ll want to watch where you step, says Cole Beeler, MD, an infection prevention specialist at Indiana University Health. “Dogs poop on the beach, and sometimes this poop has hookworm larvae in it,” warns Dr. Beeler. “If you step on this poop without knowing it, these larvae can penetrate through your skin and crawl around until they eventually die.” As if that visual isn’t enough to keep you up at night, hookworm can cause a rash and intense itching.

Lung infection

Steamed Crab serve on white disk for Steamed Crab or seafood buffet in Thailand.ArtPanupat/Shutterstock

When hosting a cookout on the beach, it may be safer to stick with s’mores instead of seafood. Undercooked fish and shellfish can pass on dangerous parasites. When Aileen M. Marty, MD, director of the FIU Health Travel Medicine program, examined a patient who had been vomiting blood for months, she discovered that he had eaten improperly cooked crabs on the beach. “He had gone on a canoe trip at a lakeside beach where he had cooked crabs (improperly) and eaten them,” says Dr. Marty. “When we examined his sputum, we found the golden brown eggs of a Paragonimus species.” Don’t miss these 8 health problems that totally feel worse in the summer.

Algal blooms

Closeup of Green algae underwater in Moucha Island in Djibouti, East Africa

Hiren Ranpara/Shutterstock

Before visiting the lake or ocean, consider checking to make sure there are no current health warnings. When certain algae are blooming, swimmers can come down with a variety of serious illnesses. “Tiny organisms called dinoflagellates may overgrow in the ocean and release toxins in the air that can cause fever, headache, rash, eye irritation, gastrointestinal disturbances, wheezing, numbness, and even confusion,” says Dr. Beeler. “Most beaches will warn you when algae are overgrowing, but be aware that the symptoms are nonspecific and the best treatment, if you are affected, is avoidance of the beach.”

How to stay safe

kids running and jumping from pier

paul prescott/Shutterstock

Don’t let this list make you cancel your beach excursions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are a few simple steps to take to stay safe at the beach. First, never swim or allow your kids to swim with diarrhea, as this could lead to a crypto outbreak. While you’re swimming, take care to never swallow the water (and keep your mouth closed underwater). In addition to your sunscreen, toss some insect repellant and hand sanitizer in your beach bag as well. Next, find out the 18 healthy ways to prepare your body for summer.

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**Comment*

The word is finally getting out. TICKS ARE EVERYWHERE!
Beaches: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/06/07/ticks-on-beaches/
Rocks and picnic benches: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/03/13/ticks-found-on-rocks/
Caves: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/04/23/tick-borne-relapsing-fever-found-in-austin-texas-caves/, and https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/10/27/israeli-kids-get-lyme-disease-from-ticks-in-caves/
Birds: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/08/17/of-birds-and-ticks/
California: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/05/19/infected-ticks-in-california-its-complicated/
In the South: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/05/31/no-lyme-in-the-south-guess-again/, and https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/10/06/remembering-dr-masters-the-rebel-for-lyme-patients-who-took-on-the-cdc-single-handedly/, and https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/03/02/hold-the-press-arkansas-has-lyme/
Southern Hemisphere: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/02/06/lyme-in-the-southern-hemisphere-sexual-transmission/
Australia: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/11/03/ld-not-in-australia-here-we-go-again/
And everywhere else…..
Remember, there are 300 strains and counting of Borrelia worldwide and 100 strains and counting in the U.S. Current CDC two-tiered testing tests for ONE strain! Do the math….
For more: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/05/27/study-conforms-permethrin-causes-ticks-to-drop-off-clothing/
https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/06/06/mc-bugg-z/

 

 

 

Category:

Activism, Lyme, Ticks

Can These Essential Oils Help Lyme Patients Overcome Chronic Candida?

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/can-essential-oils-help-lyme-disease-patients-overcome-greg-lee/

Can These Essential Oils Help Lyme Disease Patients Overcome Chronic Candida Infections?

By Greg Lee Published on

FREE-Sample-of-Essential-Oils

photo credit:  freebiesdip.com

For people diagnosed with Lyme disease that have persistent Candida infections

Have you ever been frustrated by a really slow computer? A month ago, I was making a video and it took f-o-r-e-v-e-r to edit the final version. The computer was being choked by a group of programs called “Bloatware.” These programs ate up huge amounts of disk space and processing which turned my computer into a slow moving tortoise.

How is Bloatware that slows down your computer similar to recurring Candida infections in people also diagnosed with Lyme disease?

Just like Bloatware, Candida can slow you down by eating up your valuable energy and increasing inflammation

According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Candida lives on the skin and in the digestive tract without normally causing symptoms. Candida can cause local infections in the mouth, throat, esophagus and in the vagina. Candida can also cause systemic infections which affect the blood, heart, brain, eyes, bones, and other parts of the body1. Symptoms found in persistent Candida infections can include leaky gut, irritable bowel syndrome2, chronic fatigue3, arthritis4, clinical depression5, cerebral abscesses6, neck stiffness, seizures7, fever, chills, weakness, and death8. An immune system weakened by Lyme disease may make people more vulnerable to Candida infections.

Lyme disease patients may be more susceptible to recurring Candida infections 

A Lyme disease infection may weaken the immune system and make people more susceptible to opportunistic Candida infections9. Also, many Lyme patients receive prolonged antibiotic therapy which can kill off healthy gut microbes and can lead to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), leaky gut and Candida overgrowth10. Another theory for chronic Candida in Lyme patients is an inability to produce the necessary inflammatory compounds for eliminating yeast infections.

Chronic Candida infection patients may not be able to produce important anti-fungal inflammatory compounds

In a UK study on chronic Candida infection patients, Interleukin-2 (IL-2), Interleukin-12 (IL-12) production was significantly lower and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) production was much higher11. The study indicates that Candida patients over produce IL-6 which can lead to decreased IL-12. Lower IL-12 is correlated with the inability to clear fungal infections. Patients with gastrointestinal Candida have higher levels of Interleukin-17 (IL-17) which promotes fungal colonization12. Not only Candida, but also Lyme infections can lead to excess inflammation production.

Excess inflammatory compounds may also prevent clearing of Lyme as well as Candida

Increased IL-6 leading to decreased levels of IL-12 may enable Lyme and Candida infections to persist. In neurological Lyme patients, higher levels of inflammatory compounds including IL-6, IL-2, Interleukin-5 (IL-5), Interleukin-10 (IL-10), and CXCL13 were found in spinal fluid13. In a Borrelia infected mice study, decreased IL-12 lead to decreased arthritis and increased levels of Lyme disease in tissues14. In another study, increased IL-17 led to the development of destructive arthritis in mice infected with Borrelia15. Drug resistant strains of Candida may also lead to persistent yeast infections in Lyme patients.

Candida can persist despite multiple anti-fungal medications

In the US and Canada, multi-drug resistant strains of Candida have been found in immune compromised patients16. Candida can also produce a protective slime called a “biofilm” which may make infections up to 1000x more drug resistant17. As a result of resistant and biofilm forms of Candida, Lyme patients undergoing antibiotic therapy may experience recurring Candida infections.

Are there natural remedies that can help to reduce recurring symptoms by targeting antibiotic resistant and biofilm forms of Candida?

Fortunately, there are five essential oils that have been effective against drug resistant and biofilm forms of Candida

In a multiple studies, essential oils were effective at inhibiting drug resistant forms of Candida than anti-fungal medications. Other essential oils were highly effective at reducing Candida biofilms. Many of these essential oils have been used safely for years in our food supply18 and to help patients with Candida and Lyme disease to reduce relapsing symptoms. Microparticle “liposome” essential oils have greater penetration into organs and tissues in animal and lab studies19.

Anti-Drug Resistant Candida Essential Oil #1: Clove Bud

Clove bud essential oil demonstrated considerable anti-fungal properties against Fluconazole-resistant strains of Candida in one lab study20. In another study, clove bud exhibited anti-biofilm activity against Candida species biofilms21. In another lab study, clove bud inhibited IL-6, interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), and IL-1022.

Clove bud essential oil eradicated all Lyme disease persister cells and dissolved biofilms in a lab study23. In multiple animal and lab studies, clove bud oil has also been effective against biofilms produced by Staphylococcus aureus24, E. Coli25, and Aeromonas hydrophila26. In multiple lab studies, clove oil inhibits Salmonella typhimurium, E. coli, B. cereus, Listeria innocua, Morganella morganii, Listeria monocytogenes, Enterobacteriaceae, S. aureus, and Pseudomonas species27. This oil also posses potent anti-fungal properties against Aspergillus flavus28.

Clove bud oil use is cautioned in pregnancy. This oil has anti-coagulant properties and is cautioned with the use of diabetic medications, anticoagulant medications, after major surgery, peptic ulcer, hemophilia, and other bleeding disorders. It may interact with pethidine, MAOIs or SSRIs. It is also cautioned against using this oil on diseased or damaged, or hypersensitive skin, and with children under 2 years old This oil has US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status29. Similar to clove bud oil, tea tree has excellent anti-Candida properties.

Anti-Drug Resistant Candida Essential Oil #2: Tea Tree

In lab studies, tea tree oil inhibited drug resistant Candida strains30 and was effective at inhibiting biofilm growth31. Tea tree oil was also effective against Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae32, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and its biofilm,33 Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus34, Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium chrysogenum35, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Mycoplasma hominis and Mycoplasma fermentans36, group A streptococcus37, Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium culmorum, Pyrenophora graminea38, Alternaria alternata, Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium oxysporum39 in lab and animal studies.

In an endotoxin lab study, tea tree essential oil was effective at lowering inflammatory compounds IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-1040. In another lab study, tea tree oil decreased IL-2 and increased anti-inflammatory compound IL-441. Caution: some cases have been reported where tea tree oil caused allergic dermatitis when placed on the skin42. In five cases, high doses of this oil internally, 0.5-1.0 ml/kg, have produced central nervous system symptoms of loss of coordination, drowsiness, unconsciousness, diarrhea, and abdominal pain43. Just like tea tree, geranium essential oil has multiple anti-Candida properties.

Anti-Drug Resistant Candida Essential Oil #3: Geranium

In multiple lab studies, geranium oil inhibited Fluconazole resistant Candida strains44 and inhibited multiple Candida species biofilms45. Geranium oil was also effective at significantly decreasing inflammatory compounds IL-6, IL-10, IL-2 and COX-2 levels when exposed to Candida proteins in another lab study46. In a mouse study, this oil inhibited the degranulation of mast cells47.

The use of geranium oil is cautioned with diabetes medications, drugs metabolized by CYP2B6, and has a low risk of skin sensitization48. Just like geranium, savory reduced resistant forms of Candida.

Anti-Drug Resistant Candida Essential Oil #4: Savory

Due to their compositional similarity, winter and summer savory essential oils are grouped together here. In one lab study, winter savory essential oil was highly effective at inhibiting drug resistant strains of Candida glabrata49. In another lab study, summer savory essential oil demonstrated substantial anti-fungal activity against Candida albicans and it’s biofilms50.

Since these oils may inhibit blood clotting; use is cautioned with anticoagulant medications, major surgery, peptic ulcer, hemophilia, other bleeding disorders. Use is also cautioned with diabetic medications, use on mucous membranes due to a moderate risk of irritation and use on hypersensitive, diseased or damaged skin due to a low risk of skin irritation. Use is also cautioned in children under 2 years of age51. Similar to savory, lemon has demonstrated anti-Candida properties.

Anti-Drug Resistant Candida Essential Oil #5: Lemon

In lab studies, lemon essential oil was effective at inhibiting drug-resistant Candida species52. This oil was also 100% effective at reducing a mixed species Candida albicans and E. Coli biofilm53. If applied to the skin, skin must not be exposed to sunlight or sunbed rays for 12 hours54. These essential oils in combination may help to reduce relapsing symptoms caused by drug resistant and biofilm forms of Candida in patients with Lyme disease.

Essential oils may help to reduce recurring symptoms caused by antifungal resistant and biofilm forms of Candida

Similar to deleting the Bloatware off your computer to speed it up, a powerful combination of essential oils may help you to overcome energy draining and relapsing symptoms caused by drug resistant and biofilm forms of Candida. Formulating these remedies into microparticle liposomes may enhance the stability and extend the anti-fungal activity of these essential oils. Since these essential oils have cautions and contraindications on their use, work with a Lyme literate essential oil practitioner to develop a proper, safe, and effective strategy for your condition.

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/01/03/the-invisible-universe-of-the-human-microbiome-msm/

“Recitas, author of ‘The Plan,’ calls MSM the wonder supplement for your gut. It can alleviate allergy symptoms, helps with detoxification, eliminates free radicals, and improves cell permeability. She states that with given time, MSM will start to actually repair damage caused by leaky gut – a common problem with Lyme/MSIDS patients. It can also help the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food. Many Lyme patients struggle with paralysis of the gut where the muscles of the stomach and intestines stop being efficient. MSM helps this muscle tone as well.”

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/05/15/overview-of-anti-inflammatory-diets/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/05/20/minding-your-mitochondria/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/04/18/comparative-diets-to-address-chronic-inflammation/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Activism, Biofilm, Candida, Gut Health, Herbs, Inflammation, Mycoplasma, research, Treatment