Archive for the ‘Bartonella’ Category

Woman Wakes up With Black Eye & Swollen Face After Cat Scratch That Left Her on IV Drip For Four Days

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7053027/Woman-42-wakes-BLACK-EYE-swollen-face-scratched-cat.html

Woman, 42, wakes up with a BLACK EYE and swollen face after being scratched by her cat that left her on an IV drip for four days

  • Heidi Plamping had been trying to calm down her cat, Storm, who was scared
  • The cat scratched her on the face and arm, but Ms Plamping wasn’t worried
  • Three days later she woke up with a mild reaction she thought was due to dust
  • But her face was soon covered in a rash, and she needed to visit the hospital 

By VANESSA CHALMERS HEALTH REPORTER FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 21 May 2019 

A woman woke up with a black eye and swollen face after being scratched by her pet cat.

Heidi Plamping, from Canada, had been trying to calm down her cat, Storm, who had been freaked by a large dog.

As three-year-old Storm clambered on to her head for refuge, her claws caught Ms Plamping’s skin, drawing blood.

When the 42-year-old’s eyes and hands started to swell three days later, she thought dust mites were to blame.

But her face worsened over the next few days, to the point where it was covered in a rash.  She was given pills by her doctor and sent home.

However, they did not work and she needed to go to the hospital every day for four days to receive a drip of antibiotics to fight her swelling.

Doctors warned her cat scratches can be very serious – cats carry and can transfer bacteria, which, in very rare cases, can lead to life-threatening complications such as sepsis.

Heidi Plamping, 42, of Cochrane, Alberta, Canada, had been trying to calm down her cat, Storm, who scratched her face and arm as she clambered onto her head for safety
Heidi Plamping, 42, of Cochrane, Alberta, Canada, had been trying to calm down her cat, Storm, who scratched her face and arm as she clambered onto her head for safety

Ms Plamping's face swelled and became covered in a rash that worsened over the course of a few days. Pictured, on May 8, six days after being scratched

Ms. Plamping’s face swelled and became covered in a rash that worsened over the course of a few days.  Pictured, on May 8, six days after being scratched.

Ms Plamping had to go to hospital every day to receive a drip of antibiotics. Pictured on May 10

Ms. Plamping had to go to the hospital every day to receive a drip of antibiotics.  Pictured May 10.
As three-year-old Storm clambered onto Ms Plamping's her head for refuge, her claws caught Ms Plamping's skin ten times. Pictured, cuts to her face
As three-year-old Storm clambered onto Ms Plamping’s head for refuge, her claws caught Ms Plamping’s skin ten times.  Pictured, cuts to her face.

Ms Plamping, a digital marketing consultant who lives in Cochrane, Alberta, had travelled to British Columbia at the start of May with Storm to stay and work with friends for the summer.

When they arrived on May 2, Ms Plamping let Storm out on her lead as she had done countless times before when they’ve visited the unidentified friend.

However, since their last visit, Ms Plamping’s friend had got two Great Danes who were very friendly and excited to meet Storm.

The large dogs scared her and she started to get tangled in her lead as she panicked to get away.

Ms Plamping said: ‘Their dogs are very friendly, but my cat hasn’t met a dog before so when one of them showed up she freaked out.’

Ms Plamping rushed to Storm’s rescue and started to untangle her beloved cat as she climbed up her face to the safety of her head.

Ms Plamping said: ‘Eventually I picked her up so I could bring her inside. She was so scared she climbed my face to my head while I screamed murder and put her inside.’

As a result, Ms Plamping had seven scratches on her face and three more on her hand and arm.

When she woke up the next day with a black eye, Ms Plamping thought nothing more of her injuries.

But by May 5, Ms Plamping had a swollen hand and eyes. Due to having sensitive skin, she thought that she could possibly be having a reaction to any dust that could have been present in her new surroundings.

Storm, pictured, was freaked by a Great Dane dog at Ms Plamping's friend's houseStorm, pictured, was freaked by a Great Dane dog at Ms Plamping’s friend’s house

When Ms Plamping woke up the day after the scratches with a black eye (pictured), but didn't think much of her injuries
When Ms Plamping woke up the day after the scratches with a black eye (pictured), but didn’t think much of her injuries
But by May 5, Ms Plamping had a swollen hand and eyes (pictured). Due to having sensitive skin, she thought that she could possibly be having a reaction to dust mites
But by May 5, Ms Plamping had a swollen hand and eyes (pictured). Due to having sensitive skin, she thought that she could possibly be having a reaction to dust mites
On May 7, pictured, Ms Plamping's face was significantly more swollen and covered in rashes so she went back to the doctor she had seen the day before

On May 7, pictured, Ms Plamping’s face was significantly more swollen and covered in rashes so she went back to the doctor she had seen the day before

Ms Plamping said: 'When they had to order antibiotics that had to go into me through an IV, I knew it was serious'. Pictured, an IV line to administer the drugs

Ms Plamping said: ‘When they had to order antibiotics that had to go into me through an IV, I knew it was serious’. Pictured, an IV line to administer the drugs

She said: ‘I haven’t had a bad skin reaction in a long time but since high school I have had sensitive skin.

‘I have had rashes off and on all my life from dust, detergent, perfumes and dyes.’

The next day her symptoms were worse, and she went to a doctor where she was given pills and told to come back the next day if her condition deteriorated.

On May 7, Ms Plamping’s face was significantly more swollen and covered in rashes so she went back to the doctor who was shocked.

Ms Plamping said: ‘This time they were a bit freaked out by my face and informed me how bad cat scratches and bites can get. It can lead to sepsis and even death.’

Cats carry bacteria, one of which, called Bartonella henselae, can cause infection in a human when it is transmitted through a deep cut or bite.

About three to 14 days after the skin is broken, a mild infection can occur at the site of the injury, and then progress to become swollen, red and painful.

Known as ‘cat-scratch disease’, it can become fatal if not treated quickly. The CDC and NHS are quick to assure people that the dangerous cases are generally rare.

But other experts warn that cat bites and scratches can be ‘devastating in terms of infection and permanent disability’, if left untreated.

Official figures suggest around 12,000 Americans get cat scratch disease each year. It is unsure how many Britons develop the infection.

Ms Plamping, a digital marketing consultant, said it wasn't the first week in British Columbia she had been hoping for. Pictured, on May 13 when the swelling and rashes had almost gone

Ms Plamping, a digital marketing consultant, said it wasn’t the first week in British Columbia she had been hoping for. Pictured, on May 13 when the swelling and rashes had almost gone

Ms Plamping, pictured before the drama, said if she had to rescue Storm again, she would
Ms Plamping, pictured before the drama, said if she had to rescue Storm again, she would
Ms Plamping has had Storm ever since she was four months old and said that this incident hasn't changed their relationship. Pictured together
Ms Plamping has had Storm ever since she was four months old and said that this incident hasn’t changed their relationship. Pictured together 
Ms Plamping was put on an IV and had to return every day for four days to get a new dose of antibiotics administered.

She said: ‘They said it is common for cat scratches or bites to cause infection. When they had to order antibiotics that had to go into me through an IV, I knew it was serious but was just thankful that we were heading in the right direction to make me better.

‘The next day, the swelling was going down but a rash was spreading on my arm. 

‘The doctor outlined my arm where the rash was and told me to go to the emergency room if it spread any further that night. Thankfully it didn’t and once the hand swelling went down they finally gave me prednisone [a medication to calm the immune system] to help with the swelling and rash in my face.’

The medication made Ms Plamping nauseous and sleepy, and she said: ‘I started getting upset when my face was so tight and itchy.

‘I knew it would get better, but I was growing impatient. So, it wasn’t exactly the first week in British Columbia that I had pictured for myself.’

Following her ordeal, animal lover Ms Plamping said that Storm looked at her funny for a few days whilst the swelling went down.

But the two forgave each other instantly and Ms Plamping said she wouldn’t hesitate to rescue Storm again if the situation arose.

Ms Plamping has had Storm ever since she was four months old and said that this incident hasn’t changed their relationship, but Storm is now more wary of going outside.

‘Storm is very hesitant to leave the cabin. Back home in Alberta she freely goes outside. Here she is nervous about the dog,’ said Ms Plamping.

‘If I had to protect her again and pick her up, I would. I don’t have kids. She is my baby. My fur baby.

‘I wasn’t aware that cat scratches were so infectious. If you get a cat scratch or bite, go to your doctor right away.’

CAN YOU GET AN INFECTION FROM A CAT SCRATCH?

Cat-scratch disease (CSD) is a bacterial infection spread by cats. The disease spreads when an infected cat licks a person’s open wound, or bites or scratches a person hard enough to break the surface of the skin. 

About three to 14 days after the skin is broken, a mild infection can occur at the site of the scratch or bite.

The infected area may appear swollen and red with round, raised lesions and can have pus. The infection can feel warm or painful. A person with CSD may also have a fever, headache, poor appetite, and exhaustion.

Later, the person’s lymph nodes closest to the original scratch or bite can become swollen, tender, or painful.

CSD is caused by a bacterium called Bartonella henselae. About 40% of cats carry B. henselae at some time in their lives, and it is more common in kittens. 

Although rare, CSD can cause people to have serious complications. CSD can affect the brain, eyes, heart, or other internal organs.

These rare complications, which may require intensive treatment, are more likely to occur in children younger than five years and people with weakened immune systems.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU’RE BITTEN BY AN ANIMAL? 

  • Clean the wound immediately by running warm tap water over it for a couple of minutes, even if the skin does not appear broken.
  • Remove any dirt or foreign objects from the wound.
  • Encourage the wound to bleed slightly by gentle squeezing (unless already bleeding freely).
  • If there is heavy bleeding, place a clean pad or sterile dressing over wound and apply pressure.
  • Dry the wound and cover with a clean dressing or plaster.
  • Seek medical advice unless the wound is very minor.
  • For severe wounds, go to A&E. 

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**Comment**

Bartonella with cat scratch and fairly immediate & severe symptoms, while scary, is fairly straight forward.  Bartonella, without cat exposure that smolders over years, along with potential tick bites and other pathogen involvement can be devastating, fly under the radar, and remain undiagnosed for years.  This is what many Lyme/MSIDS patients struggle with.  

For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/05/07/fox-news-bartonella-is-the-new-lyme-disease/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/03/24/cat-scratch-disease-caused-teens-schizophrenia-like-symptoms-report-says/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/03/02/skin-inflammation-nodules-letting-the-cat-out-of-the-bag/  Cases of Bartonella with NO cat exposure listed in comment section.

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/24/human-bartonellosis-an-underappreciated-public-health-problem/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/05/09/bartonella-transmitted-to-children-at-birth-causing-chronic-infections/

More about Bartonella & Treatments: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/01/03/bartonella-treatment/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/05/05/good-news-for-bartonella-patients-identification-of-fda-approved-drugs-with-higher-activity-than-current-front-line-drugs/

Pets can also bring ticks into the house to infect you:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/08/12/pet-owners-have-nearly-2-times-the-risk-of-finding-ticks/

 https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/01/29/woman-links-lyme-disease-diagnosis-to-pet-cat-sleeping-in-bed/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/05/28/septic-shock-caused-by-rmsf-in-suburban-texas-patient-with-pet-dog-exposure-a-case-report/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/09/20/tick-infestations-of-wildlife-companion-animals-in-ontario-canada-with-detection-of-human-pathogens-in-ixodes-scapularis-ticks/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/16/april-lyme-prevention-month-for-dogs-a-pet-owners-guide/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/05/14/tick-population-soaring-as-local-vets-see-lyme-disease-cases-in-dogs-quadruple/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/10/02/fda-flea-tick-meds-for-pets-causing-seizures-neurological-issues/

If you are currently treating your fur baby with Bravecto, Nexgard or Simparica you need to be careful. According to the FDA, some animals treated with these medications

“have experienced adverse events such as muscle tremors, ataxia, and seizure.”1 There is also another product in that class of drugs called, Credelio (it recently received FDA approval).

Category:

Activism, Bartonella, Inflammation, Treatment

What Role Do Co-infections Play in Lyme Disease Diagnosis?

https://www.bca-clinic.de/en/what-role-do-co-infections-play-in-lyme-disease-diagnosis/

What Role Do Co-infections Play In Lyme Disease Diagnosis?

10. May 2019in BCA-clinic

Chronic Lyme disease is an intimidating enough prospect by itself. Unfortunately, a large number of cases are compounded by Lyme co-infections – additional diseases that are transferred simultaneously with the Lyme-causative Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria. Ticks are responsible for all these transmitted infections; they carry the strains that are passed on to their human hosts. Unfortunately, many patients don’t realise that co-infections even exist, and more crucially, many doctors don’t either. It’s extremely important to test for co-infections at the same time as Lyme disease diagnosis, as they can compound or revitalise the primary debilitating symptoms of the umbrella infection. This makes simultaneous diagnosis an important area of study for Lyme-literate doctors.

The majority of co-infections will exacerbate the symptoms of chronic Lyme itself. They modulate and stymy the immune system, as well as providing resistance to therapy. Chronic Lyme disease diagnosis in itself is a controversial topic, whose waters do not need muddying further. Acute Lyme is relatively straightforward to diagnose, if the distinctive bullseye rash is present. This rash – a red circle surrounded by a larger red circle, forming the shape of a bullseye – will be noticeable in the majority of cases, although it can be easily missed. Once the infection develops to chronic Lyme, however, the process of diagnosis becomes much more difficult, as Lyme is not usually considered among potential diseases.

Lyme is sometimes nicknamed ‘the Great Imitator’, due to its symptoms mimicking the symptoms of other significant diseases. The symptoms themselves bear very little resemblance to the initial ones presented by acute Lyme, instead differing in severity from patient to patient. Broadly, they encompass everything from fatigue, joint pain and muscle pain to depression, neurological issues, headaches and sleep disturbances. These symptoms are so broad that it’s easy to see why under-educated doctors will often reach for something more common, like multiple sclerosis or fibromyalgia. When it comes to Lyme, misdiagnosis rates are estimated to be extremely high, with the full extent unknown. Co-infections can cloud diagnosis by adding more symptoms, presenting new ones, or making others more pronounced. To fully benefit Lyme disease treatment, the full spectrum of issues must be investigated and laid out before the process begins.

The full range of symptoms must be examined during Lyme disease diagnosis.

BCA-lab, who are Lyme specialists based in Augsburg, Germany, understand co-infections very well. They will run a full gamut of tests early on in the treatment process in an effort to understand exactly what the patient is suffering from, and how precisely they’re suffering from it. Some of the main diseases they test for can severely change the way Lyme develops within the body, and how it should be treated. Some co-infections can even revitalise the Lyme disease symptoms after the primary Borrelia infection has been dealt with, leading patients to believe that either they are not fully cured, or that they were never suffering from Lyme in the first place.

One of the most common Lyme co-infections is Bartonellosis. If this co-infection is present in the initial tick bite, and is allowed to run amok within the system, it can be expected to have substantial significance to the overarching Lyme infection. The clinical manifestations of both diseases contain numerous overlaps, and the symptoms presented by both are undeniably broad. Bartonellosis is still not well understood by the medical community at large; it was initially thought to be relatively benign. However, the long-term effects and symptoms of the disease are intimidating, especially if paired with Lyme. They include fever, fatigue, joint pain, muscle ache and brain fog. More alarmingly, the disease can have a range of neurological effects, resulting in symptoms such as panic attacks, seizures, depression, epilepsy and psychosis. Many of these symptoms are extremely similar to the ones presented by chronic Lyme, which makes differentiating them at the diagnostic stage a critical first step.

Another common co-infection is Chlamydophila pneumoniae, the primary manifestation of which is the well-known and well-understood pneumoniae. However, left over a long period of time, Chlamydophila pneumonia can severely compromise the body’s immune system by placing it under extreme stress. Upper respiratory infections can be a huge drain on the immune response, especially if they are recurring. Given the fact that chronic Lyme already sends the immune system haywire, Chlamydophila pneumoniae is a very dangerous co-infection, if left to its own devices. To compound this, the infection is quite hard to both detect and treat, as chlamydia are much smaller than other pathogens. Mixed in with Lyme disease and possible other co-infections, it can often go undetected.

Chlamydophila pneumoniae can be one of the more dangerous Lyme co-infections.

 

Bartonellosis and Chlamydophila pneumoniae are just two examples of co-infections that can cause severe problems for Lyme patients if they are not dealt with adequately. Currently, the answer to the question posed by this article, ‘what role do co-infections play in Lyme disease diagnosis’, is simply ‘not enough’. There needs to be a combined and concerted effort on the part of medical health professionals everywhere to engage with co-infections and recognise the danger they pose to Lyme patients. Diagnosis is often the hardest part of the Lyme battle; it’s the stage where we should strive to get everything right the first time. Correct diagnosis across the Lyme disease spectrum lays a strong foundation for successful patient treatment and subsequent recovery.

___________________

**Comment**

Great article overall, just remember this is written by a lab that does testing for profit, so their first priority is selling tests.

Testing throughout the history of Lyme/MSIDS has been extremely poor.  Most testing is serological testing – utilizing blood, where frankly these pathogens do not hang out.  They are stealth pathogens and burrow deep within the body to avoid the immune system, treatment, AND testing.

LLMD’S (Lyme literate doctors) are educated in the symptomology of these diseases and can diagnose you clinically.  Treatment is often a bit of “Let’s try this and see,” approach as everyone is so different with numerous variables.  This is why mainstream medicine is woefully unprepared and uneducated for all of this.  They simply are ignorant.

To date, nobody has a true bead on what the implications of multiple pathogens fighting synergistically to the body are, but this work is screaming to be done as recent research has borne polymicrobialism out to be true:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/10/30/study-shows-lyme-msids-patients-infected-with-many-pathogens-and-explains-why-we-are-so-sick/

Mainstream medicine STILL hasn’t acknowledged or dealt with this FACT.

It makes the CDC/IDSA mono-therapy of doxycycline a true joke. As well as their FDA-approved 2-tiered testing which misses half of all cases.

Bartonella, as mentioned in this article, is a HUGE player that up until recently has been considered a benign disease with required of cat exposure, yet any Lyme literate doctor OR patient will tell you Bart is far from benign, and a plethora of case studies have proven you don’t have to be around cats to contract it.  In fact, personally, it is my Achilles heel.  It’s what I deal with – perhaps forever.

Great read on the types of chlamydia:  https://articles.mercola.com/chlamydia/types.aspx The first two are mentioned in the abstract:

  • Chlamydia trachomatis can be passed from one person to another via unprotected sexual intercourse. Pain English: this is a STD.
  • Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae), a nonsexually transmitted disease that infects the lungs and causes bacterial pneumonia.
  • Chlamydia psittaci is another chlamydia strain that can lead to a rare condition called psittacosis, aka “parrot fever.”

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/10/07/chlamydia-like-organisms-found-in-ticks/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/19/first-study-showing-borrelia-chlamydia-mixed-biofilms-in-infected-human-skin-tissues/  Excerpt:  

IN SUMMARY, OUR STUDY IS THE FIRST TO SHOW BORRELIA–CHLAMYDIA MIXED BIOFILMS IN INFECTED HUMAN SKIN TISSUES, WHICH RAISES THE QUESTIONS OF WHETHER THESE HUMAN PATHOGENS HAVE DEVELOPED A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP FOR THEIR MUTUAL SURVIVAL.

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/03/09/researchers-identify-herpes-1-chlamydia-pneumoniae-several-types-of-spirochaete-as-major-causes-of-alzheimers/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/04/04/correlation-of-natural-autoantibodies-heart-disease-related-antibacterial-antibodies-in-pericardial-fluid-mycoplasma-bb-chlamydia/  Excerpt:

Mycoplasma pneumoniae antibody positive patients had significantly higher anti-CS IgM levels. In CABG patients we found a correlation between anti-CS IgG levels and Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae and Borrelia burgdorferi antibody titers. Our results provide the first evidence that natural autoantibodies are present in the PF and they show significant correlation with certain antibacterial antibody titers in a disease specific manner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Category:

Activism, Bartonella, Lyme, Psychological Aspects, Testing, Ticks, Treatment

First Report of Lesions Caused By Bartonella Elizabethae in HIV Patient

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31094718

2019 Apr 25. doi: 10.1097/DAD.0000000000001439. [Epub ahead of print]

First Report of Bacillary Angiomatosis by Bartonella elizabethae in an HIV-Positive Patient.

Julieta C1, Amairani MR2, Sonia TC3, Rigoberto HC4, Gabriela MC5.

Abstract

We present the case of an HIV-positive patient who developed polymorphous lesions in which the evidence in the skin biopsy corresponds to the diagnosis of bacillary angiomatosis, and further tests proved the pathological agent involved in this case is not the usual Bartonella species, B. henselae and B. quintana, but B. elizabethae. As far as we know, this is the first case of bacillary angiomatosis secondary to this etiological agent.

_____________________

**Comment**

Before you brush this off as only happening in someone with HIV, please understand that  being infected with Lyme/MSIDS also cripples the immune system making us targets for diseases that often hit those with compromised immune systems.

In this case, another strain of Bartonella not normally associated with lesions is to blame.  This is important from the stand point that again, researchers and medical professionals have put much of this in a very small box which has to be rethought.  

More on Bacillary Angiomatosis:  https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/212737-overview

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

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/24/human-bartonellosis-an-underappreciated-public-health-problem/

Similar to Lyme and Babesiosis, Bartonella is transmitted congenitally:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/05/09/bartonella-transmitted-to-children-at-birth-causing-chronic-infections/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/02/06/uh-study-shows-hawaii-kids-more-vulnerable-to-bartonella/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/03/02/skin-inflammation-nodules-letting-the-cat-out-of-the-bag/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/05/07/fox-news-bartonella-is-the-new-lyme-disease/

 

 

Category:

Bartonella, research

Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy as an Autoimmune Disease – but Associated with Bartonella, Mycoplasma & Viruses

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31072742

2019 May 6. pii: S0896-8411(19)30043-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jaut.2019.04.021. [Epub ahead of print]

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy as an autoimmune disease.

Rodríguez Y1, Vatti N2, Ramírez-Santana C1, Chang C3, Mancera-Páez O4, Gershwin ME5, Anaya JM6.

Abstract

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is an autoimmune disease characterized by neurological symptoms and signs of progressive weakness, paresthesias, and sensory dysfunction. Other symptoms include reduced or absent tendon reflexes, cranial nerve involvement, autonomic symptoms, ataxia, and neuropathic pain. Unlike other autoimmune diseases, CIDP generally affects older individuals and has a male predominance. The onset is generally insidious and can take up to 8 weeks with a relapsing-recovery pattern. Like all autoimmune diseases, the etiology is multifactorial, with both genetic and environmental factors contributing to it.

Case reports of CIDP have found associations with multiple pathogenic organisms including Hepatitis B and C viruses, Bartonella henselae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Human immunodeficiency virus, Cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus. Possible antigenic self-targets include myelin protein 0, myelin protein 2, peripheral myelin protein 22, Connexin 32, and myelin basic protein. Antibodies targeting the Ranvier node proteins such as contactin-1, contactin-associated protein 1, and neurofascin 155 have been described. CIDP is treated with rehabilitation and pharmacological modalities. Pharmacological treatments target autoimmune dysfunction and include corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulin, subcutaneous immunoglobulin, plasma exchange, immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory agents such as methotrexate, cyclophosphamide, rituximab, and mycophenolate mofetil. Although there are few observational studies and randomized clinical trials with limited evidence supporting the use of immunosuppressive drugs, they are widely used in clinical practice. A comprehensive review of CIDP is presented herein in light of the autoimmune tautology.

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**Comment**

It’s a bit of a head-scratcher to me why they call this an autoimmune disease when it’s associated with multiple pathogenic organisms.  From everything I know – treat the infection and the symptoms improve:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/10/03/treat-the-infection-psychiatric-symptoms-get-better/

That’s not to say the immune system doesn’t need to be addressed.

Lyme/MSIDS treatment includes both aspects as well as detoxification and addressing imbalances within the body which requires supplementation with whatever is lacking.

It is common knowledge that immunosuppressive drugs worsen Lyme/MSIDS patients, so they need to be used scrupulously and along with antimicrobials or the pathogens are in an environment where they are allowed to thrive, ultimately worsening the patient’s condition.

For more:  https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Chronic-Inflammatory-Demyelinating-Polyneuropathy-CIDP-Information-Page  Excerpt:  

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is a neurological disorder characterized by progressive weakness and impaired sensory function in the legs and arms. The disorder, which is sometimes called chronic relapsing polyneuropathy, is caused by damage to the myelin sheath (the fatty covering that wraps around and protects nerve fibers) of the peripheral nerves….It often presents with symptoms that include tingling or numbness (beginning in the toes and fingers), weakness of the arms and legs, loss of deep tendon reflexes (areflexia), fatigue, and abnormal sensations. CIDP is closely related to Guillain-Barre syndrome and it is considered the chronic counterpart of that acute disease.

The NIH link states the treatment is corticosteroids, but again, you’ve been warned that IF you have Lyme/MSIDS, that mono-therapy will make you worse.

Tingling, numbness, and stabbing pain are quite common in Lyme/MSIDS and many people with Epstein Barr (EBV) have misdiagnosed Lyme:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/04/11/diagnosed-with-ebv-had-lyme/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/11/04/24514/  EBV – A Key Player in Chronic Illness.

Neuropathy is also common with Lyme/MSIDS:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/03/12/small-fiber-neuropathy-ptlds/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/02/07/cranial-neuropathy-severe-pain-due-to-bb-infection/

 

 

Category:

Bartonella, Mycoplasma, Treatment, Viruses

Seventy People Attend Bartonella Event

https://www.galaxydx.com/galaxy-co-sponsors-barbecue-and-bartonella-one-health-event-at-tulane-university/

Galaxy Co-Sponsors “Barbecue and Bartonella” One Health Event at Tulane University

Galaxy Diagnostics, the One Health Commission, Louisiana One Health in Action (LOHA), and the One Health Student Club at Tulane partnered to present an educational “Barbecue and Bartonella” event for medical students, veterinarians, public health faculty, and other interested parties on March 28th 2019 at the Tulane School of Public Health. Approximately 70 attendees gathered to raise awareness of bartonellosis and discuss the impact of a one health approach to medicine.

Lousiana One Health in Action (LOHA) founder, Amy LeBoeuf, sharing her son’s medical journey.

 

The event included an excerpt from our medical education webinar, Understanding Bartonella. Also LOHA founder, Amy LeBoeuf, shared her son’s medical journey. In her presentation, Amy discussed the severity of his symptoms, the complexity of his treatment, and the overwhelming amount of testing that he has faced over the years.

Like many patients facing chronic illnesses, he saw more than 30 doctors in 19 different specialties. A variety of autoimmune diseases were considered, including lupus, fibromyalgia, and complex regional pain syndrome, before an accurate diagnosis was made.

A key factor in the correct diagnosis and treatment was when Amy discovered that a cat scratch had occurred prior to the onset of symptoms.

“It is imperative that we develop a different approach in the medical community,” says Amy LeBoeuf, founder of Louisiana One Health in Action, “because not everyone that becomes ill has the same host response to these pathogens, which make it easy to mistake for other diagnoses.”

LOHA is a community of advocates dedicated to spreading the one health initiative at a community level and providing opportunities for awareness and education. Along with this event, they also organized a “Beating Bartonella” color run that Galaxy Diagnostics co-sponsored in October. If you would like to learn more about the organization and their events, please visit their page here.

“Barbecue and Bartonella” T-shirts that were handed out at the event.

About Galaxy Diagnostics, Inc.

As a social venture and a One Health company, Galaxy Diagnostics is passionate about protecting the animal-human bond through the surveillance, prevention and clinical management of flea- and tick-borne diseases shared by people and animals. Not only do we offer the best possible molecular and serology test options available, but we work with researchers and clinicians to generate new knowledge about emerging infectious diseases such as bartonellosis, Lyme borreliosis and other vector-borne diseases. Based on our scientific expertise, we are able to provide counsel to clinicians and researchers dedicated to achieving the most accurate diagnosis possible for their patients. Our mission is reflected in our corporate values, clinical service offerings, and everyday interaction with patients, clinicians and researchers.

Media contact: James Rebenski, contact@galaxydx.com
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**Comment*

Any forward progress regarding Bartonella is pretty much due to the efforts of one man – Dr. Breitschwerdt (veterinarian). Like other researchers truly undertaking research that helps Lyme/MSIDS patients, he’s heavily vested.

His own father died due to chronic Bartonellosis:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3044516/#!po=1.02041

The love he had for his dad is palpable – even in a scientific article.  Excerpt:

Potentially, his illness illustrates a complex interaction between intravascular Bartonella infection and complex disease expression, provides documentation for an as yet uncharacterized zoonotic rodent Bartonella sp., and offers disconcerting evidence supporting antimicrobial drug ineffectiveness and clinical evidence supporting the concept that persistent infection with >1 Bartonella spp. may lead to immunosuppression and opportunistic infections with organisms such as herpes zoster and C. albicans. As in his life, Dad would want this story to benefit others after his death. We hope that it does.

Breitschwerdt has seen all sorts of animals and mites, TICKS, fleas and even spiders test positive for Bartonella.

“Animals are the primary reservoir for the Bartonella species,” he said.  https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2013/12/05/bartonella-is-everywhere-so-why-dont-we-know-more-about-it/

While losing your father is a heavy blow, all of us out here in Lyme-land are indebted to a suffering man and his son who is leaving no stone unturned to discover all there is to know about an under appreciated pathogen causing all sorts of animal and human illness.

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

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/03/21/bartonella-sudden-onset-adolescent-schizophrenia-a-case-study/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/11/10/neurological-presentations-of-bartonella-henselae-infection/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/11/29/bartonella-seizures/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/08/case-series-bartonella-ocular-manifestations/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/08/09/a-bartonella-story/

You can be perfectly healthy and have no cat contact and still get infected with Bartonella:

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/03/02/skin-inflammation-nodules-letting-the-cat-out-of-the-bag/  Read comment after article.

Category:

Activism, Bartonella