Archive for the ‘Biofilm’ Category

Borrelia burgdoeri Co-Localizing With Amyloid Markers in Alzheimer’s Disease Brain Tissues

https://content.iospress.com/articles/journal-of-alzheimers-disease/jad215398

Borrelia burgdorferi Co-Localizing with Amyloid Markers in Alzheimer’s Disease Brain Tissues

Accepted Oct. 24, 2021, Published Dec. 5, 2021

Authors: Senejani, Alireza G.a; * | Maghsoudlou, Jasmina | El-Zohiry, Dinaa | Gaur, Gauria | Wawrzeniak, Keitha | Caravaglia, Cristinaa | Khatri, Vishwa A.a | MacDonald, Alanb | Sapi, Evaa

Affiliations: [a] Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of New Haven, West Haven, CT, USA | [b] Molecular Interrogation Research Laboratory, Naples, FL, USA

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Alireza G. Senejani, Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of New Haven, 300 Boston Post Road, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA. E-mail: asenejani@newhaven.edu.

Abstract:

Background:

Infections by bacterial or viral agents have been hypothesized to influence the etiology of neurodegenerative diseases.

Objective:

This study examined the potential presence of Borrelia burgdorferi spirochete, the causative agent of Lyme disease, in brain autopsy tissue of patients diagnosed with either Alzheimer’s (AD) or Parkinson’s diseases.

Methods:

Brain tissue sections from patients with age-matched controls were evaluated for antigen and DNA presence of B. burgdorferi using various methods. Positive Borrelia structures were evaluated for co-localization with biofilm and AD markers such as amyloid and phospho-tau (p-Tau) using immunohistochemical methods.

Results:

The results showed the presence of B. burgdorferi antigen and DNA in patients with AD pathology and among those, one of them was previously diagnosed with Lyme disease. Interestingly, a significant number of Borrelia-positive aggregates with a known biofilm marker, alginate, were found along with the spirochetal structures. Our immunohistochemical data also showed that Borrelia-positive aggregates co-localized with amyloid and anti-phospho-tau markers. To further prove the potential relationship of B. burgdorferi and amyloids, we infected two mammalian cell lines with B. burgdorferi which resulted in a significant increase in the expression of amyloid-β and p-Tau proteins in both cells lines post-infection.

Conclusion:

These results indicate that B. burgdorferi can be found in AD brain tissues, not just in spirochete but a known antibiotics resistant biofilm form, and its co-localized amyloid markers. In summary, this study provides evidence for a likely association between B. burgdorferi infections and biofilm formation, AD pathology, and chronic neurodegenerative diseases.

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My holistic doctor (RIP) was in his 90’s when he retired.  His proclivity for studying history was a marvel, and it would behoove us to do the same. A few interesting facts:

  • Syphilis was initially treated with mercury.
  • Later, they used malaria to induce a high fever (hyperthermia) which cured some patients.
  • Hyperthermia is used today in some Lyme clinics.
  • The development of penicillin in the 1940s sounded the death knell for syphilis.  Source

My old, retired doc reminded me that the mental wards were emptied out after they administered penicillin, as many of the patients had late-stage syphilis and all they needed was help killing the spirochetes in their brains. It makes complete logical sense that this approach – and studying other antimicrobials for effectiveness as well, would also work with many Lyme/MSIDS patients who have dementia and Alzheimer’s, but our corrupt public health ‘authorities’ are too busy trying to control our lives to be concerned with such trifles.

Please note that two of the researchers that did the study have been attempting to bring the spirochetal-brain connection for decades.  We owe Dr. McDonald and Dr. Sapi a debt of gratitude we will never be able to repay,

Category:

Alzheimer's, Biofilm, Lyme, Psychological Aspects, research

How Lyme Disease Can Affect Your Vision

https://www.lymedisease.org/padula-lyme-affects-eyes/

TOUCHED BY LYME: How Lyme disease can affect your vision

Aug. 4, 2021

Dr. William Padula is a noted expert on how Lyme and other tick-borne diseases can affect the eyes.

According to his website, the following can all be symptoms of tick-borne illness: blur, visual fatigue, double vision, headaches associated with visual activities, light sensitivity, losing place when reading, seeing words appear to double or become double when reading, and more obscure problems often not associated with vision such as difficulty with balance, spatial orientation, memory, comprehension, feeling of being overwhelmed by being in a busy environment, and sensitivity to sound.

The website notes: “The cause of the visual symptoms is because the tick-borne disease affects visual processing in the brain.”

Recently, Dr. Padula has discovered two eye-related biomarkers for tick-borne infection. (A biomarker is something that can be found by examination or testing that indicates the presence of a particular disease or condition.)

In an article published by Healio, Dr. Padula reports:

“My colleagues and I have demonstrated that the presence of a hazy, white ring of peri-papillary ischemia around the optic nerve — especially in children or adults younger than 60 years who would not be expected to have ischemic changes — is associated with tick-borne infection. One way that spirochetes hide from the immune system is by building up protective biofilms. We believe that these biofilms clog the narrow capillary vessels just around the perimeter of the optic nerve, blocking blood flow.”

Dr. Padula recommends that optometrists and ophthalmologists who observe this condition in patients who also have convergence insufficiency or focusing should rule out the possibility of tick-borne infection.

In the same article, Dr. Padula also discusses something called the Visual Evoked Potential (VEP) test. He says that abnormal results on this test strongly indicate tick-borne disease.

As we in the Lyme community know well, it often takes a long time for people to get properly diagnosed with tick-borne infections. If eye doctors become alert to these biomarkers, that could speed up the process considerably.

Click here to read the article on Healio.

Click here to visit Dr. Padula’s website

TOUCHED BY LYME is written by Dorothy Kupcha Leland, LymeDisease.org’s Vice-president and Director of Communications. She is co-author of When Your Child Has Lyme Disease: A Parent’s Survival Guide. Contact her at dleland@lymedisease.org.

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Category:

Biofilm, Eye Issues, Lyme

Biofilm

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319858.php

Strength in numbers: How biofilms outfox antibiotics

By 
Bacteria are vital for survival, but when they form communities, they can wreak serious havoc and pose a threat to our health.

When bacteria flock together and form a community, this is called a biofilm. Found all over the planet — from desert rocks to the surfaces of buildings — biofilms are an integral part of nature.

Biofilms are tricky beasts because they have a tendency to become resistant to all manner of efforts employed to eradicate them. This spells bad news for anyone with conditions such as cystic fibrosis, periodontitis, or chronic wounds as medical implants and catheters are hotspots for biofilm formation.

But why are biofilms so persistent, and what are doctors and scientists doing to outsmart these clever microbial communities?

What are biofilms?

“Biofilms are one of the most widely distributed and successful modes of life on Earth,” says Prof. Hans-Curt Flemming — director of the Institute for Interface Biotechnology at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany — in a 2016 article published in Nature Reviews Microbiology.

(See link for article)

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Category:

Activism, Biofilm, Lyme, Treatment

May Lyme Awareness Talk, 2021

http://

May 5, 2021

Lyme Awareness Talk

According the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average number of Lyme disease cases has more than doubled over the last decade.  In this presentation, Alicia Cashman from the Madison Lyme Support Group discusses tick-born illness, why it’s so difficult to obtain help, symptoms, prevention, and real life experience of patients.  The program was made possible through funding from the Friends of the Oregon Library.

Slide 1: Lyme Disease a 21st Century Pandemic
Slide 2: Why should we care about Lyme disease:
Slide 3: The History of Lyme disease:
Slide 4:  What is Lyme disease?
  • The CDC/NIH/IDSA accepted narrative
  • Reality
Slide 5: Pleomorphism (Lyme shape-shifts)
Slide 6: Video of a spirochetal cluster grown from a sick patient’s blood
Slide 7: Polymicrobialism (There are often other infections involved)
Slide 8:  How is Lyme Transmitted?
  • The CDC accepted narrative
  • Reality
Slide 9:  Congenital Lyme – is real
Slide 10: How is Lyme diagnosed?
Slide 11:  Symptoms of Lyme disease
  • CDC accepted narrative
  • Reality
Slide 12: Lyme disease signs and symptoms explained by Dr. Aucott of Johns Hopkins
  • Patients can jump to stage 3 quickly and bypass the other stages.  I give the example of the little girl who went out to play, got a tick bite above her eye and within 4-6 hours couldn’t walk or talk.
  • Many never see the tick or the rash
  • While the rash is diagnostic for Lyme (if you have the rash, you have Lyme – no testing required), you may still be infected even if you don’t have the rash. Most doctors are uneducated, don’t know what the rash looks like, and mistakenly tell people they got a spider or other bug bite.  The rash can also be irregular: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/07/18/misdiagnosis-of-lyme-caused-rash-can-have-potentially-fatal-consequences/
Slide 13: Why are definitions important?
  • Organism
  • Transmission
  • Treatment
Slide 14:  Tick Prevention
Slide 15: Willy Burgdorfer, the “discoverer” of Lyme
Slide 16: New Treatments for Lyme disease
Please remember that most patients are infected with numerous infections.  Treatment should reflect this as research shows patients fighting numerous infections simultaneously have more severe symptoms for a much longer duration.
Slide 17: Hollywood Stars infected with Lyme

Category:

Activism, Babesia, Bartonella, Biofilm, Lyme, Prevention, Psychological Aspects, research, Testing, Ticks, Transmission, Treatment

In-Depth Look at the Dangers of Mold Toxicity

https://holtorfmed.com/articles/immune-health/an-in-depth-look-at-the-dangers-of-mold-toxicity

In-Depth Look at the Dangers of Mold Toxicity

3/31/21

By Holtorf Medical Group

Mold is a type of fungus that grows in the form of multicellular filaments called hyphae. There are tens of thousands of mold species that have evolved to survive harsh conditions. Mold reproduces by means of small, lightweight spores that travel through the air. These spores contain toxic chemicals called mycotoxins that can be inhaled and lead to mold toxicity.

Mold toxicity is a very prevalent and underdiagnosed condition that can consist of a variety of symptoms. Although anyone can suffer from mold toxicity, 25% of the population is particularly vulnerable due to a genetic predisposition that inhibits the clearance of biotoxins.

Learn about sources of mold, how mold affects the body, and more below.

Sources

Because mold grows on organic matter, it is an increasingly common part of our environment and people can be exposed in a variety of ways. Mold is able to feed on the moisture and warmth of its surroundings, leading to the release of mold spores and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In fact, research suggests that mold can surface anywhere after just two days of moisture exposure.

Outdoor sources of mold include:

  • Stagnant water sources
  • Forests, beaches
  • Playgrounds
  • Sidewalks

Unfortunately, mold is also commonly found indoors, which is typically more harmful as mold spores can accumulate in higher concentrations due to a lack of airflow. Mold spores can enter homes, schools, and workplaces by attaching to clothing, shoes, or pets. Additionally, homes in climates where it frequently rains or that reside near the water are more likely to develop mold as they are exposed to moisture more often. It is common for mold to be found in damp bathrooms, basements, carpets, tiles, drywall, washing machines, and dishwashers. Some of the most common varieties of indoor mold are Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Stachybotrys atra, all of which are considered black mold.

There is a growing number of health problems caused by mold inhalation. This is thought to be, in part, due to the rise of people living in urban areas. Researchers at Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon in Spain reported that Aspergillus spores in outdoor air are more common in urban than rural settings in the province of Madrid. The continuing rise in global population has also pushed more people into environments that are likely to breed mold such as coastal and riparian floodplains, other bottomlands, and hurricane-prone areas.

Other mold risk factors are on the rise due to poor building practices that have been accepted for convenience. For instance, poorly built roofs leave behind rainwater that fosters mold growth. It is also common for venting clothes dryers to be located in a spot where they direct moisture to vulnerable areas inside homes. Additionally, modern homes often have tighter building envelopes, slowing the escape of water vapor and allowing it to become trapped and grow mold.

It is important to note that the same conditions that allow for mold growth also foster bacteria, MVOCs, beta-glucans, live or dead spores, fungal fragments, endotoxins, dust mites, cockroaches, and other pests. This combination of toxins can trigger an immune response and exacerbate chronic illnesses.

How Mold Affects the Body

Fungal secondary metabolites or mycotoxins affect numerous bodily functions mainly through triggering an immune response that leads to chronic inflammation. Mycotoxins impact both the innate immune system (the first line of defense against invading pathogens) and the adaptive immune response (specified immune response that eliminates certain pathogens and prevents their growth).

Mycotoxins such as aflatoxins and ochratoxins (which are produced from Aspergillus) as well as fumonisins (produced by Fusarium) have immunomodulatory properties. Consequently, these mycotoxins alter the body’s inflammatory response. Specifically, they target the functionality and production of cytokines, macrophages, and neutrophils.

Mycotoxins bind with cytokines, leading to an increase in clot formation and arterial blockages. This can lead to headaches, muscle aches, lack of temperature regulation, and brain fog. Increased cytokine levels then trigger action from white blood cells such as macrophages and neutrophils. This inflammatory immune response can restrict blood flow and reduce the amount of oxygen transported to tissues, resulting in fatigue, shortness of breath, and muscle cramps.

Another contributing aspect to the chronic inflammation experienced with mold toxicity is due to the way in which mycotoxins impair the white blood cell’s regulation cytokines, which leads to an increase in infections and a slower recovery from these infections.

Moreover, some mycotoxins inhibit the production of messenger cells, leukotriene B4, by targeting the enzyme, LTA4 hydrolase. This interrupts communication between the immune cells and minimizes the body’s defense mechanism. Because the first line of defense is impaired, it is difficult to develop adaptive immunity and eliminate the mycotoxins. As a result, the body is likely to experience chronic inflammation and a host of other issues.

Respiratory Impact

Mold enters the body through the skin and through inhalation, making respiratory function a primary target of mold. Once inhaled, mold can quickly colonize the lungs and sinuses as they are optimal growing conditions. This leads to the continual release of mycotoxins. Moreover, biofilms can form around the mold colonies, protecting them from the body’s immune system.

The sinuses are particularly susceptible to mold colonies and many species of Aspergillus have been identified in the sinuses of those with chronic sinus inflammation. Aspergillosis is known to be able to colonize in the lungs of both humans and animals, which causes invasive fungal infections. Because of the respiratory tract’s susceptibility to mold, mold exposure often mirrors allergy symptoms such as coughing, runny nose, sneezing, itchy eyes, and asthma.

Neurological Impact

Once mycotoxins are inhaled, they are stored in the body’s fatty tissue. Given that the brain is approximately 60% fat, mold toxicity can have profound neurological effects. Mycotoxins trigger an inflammatory immune response and this inflammation in the brain can impair cognitive function and lead to symptoms such as fatigue, memory loss, headaches, insomnia, dizziness, anxiety, depression, and more.

Chronic inflammation in the brain, especially when caused by toxins, can cause long-lasting damage. This is because when the brain is in a chronic state of inflammation, glial cells can no longer support neuron health and neural communication. When inflammation is present, glial cells change their cell morphology significantly and activate rapidly. These cells generate reactive oxygen species and release signals to trigger immune cells, which results in a continuation of the body’s inflammatory response. Over time, this leads to the degradation of tissue and of the blood–brain barrier and neurocognitive issues.

Alzheimer’s specialist, Dr. Bredson, MD, has found that one-third of Alzheimer’s Disease patients are considered “Inhalational Alzheimers,” which means their Alzheimer’s is a result of chronic inflammation caused by mold or other toxins. Other diseases that can be caused by mycotoxins include: ADHD, migraines, Parkinson’s, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and more.

The Role of Mold in Lyme Disease and Chronic Illness

Mold has a significant negative impact on the immune system, making those with chronic illnesses such as Lyme disease more at risk for developing serious health issues.

Because those with a chronic illness often have a weakened immune system, their body is less likely to be able to fight off mold spores and toxins. When the mold then begins to colonize in the body, patients experience chronic mycotoxin exposure, which reduces the body’s ability to fight infection due to mycotoxins immuno-suppressant effect. Thus, the body’s weakened immune system is forced to fight the chronic illness in addition to mycotoxins, leading to a worsening of symptoms associated with both conditions. Additionally, mold exposure and toxicity elicit an inflammatory response, which worsens chronic conditions such as Lyme, Fibromyalgia, gut dysfunction, and more.

Warning Signs of Mold Toxicity

Mold illness can cause a wide variety of symptoms. Often, it is only the respiratory symptoms that are recognized but it is important to be aware of its profound effects:

  • Fatigue
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Light sensitivity
  • Headaches
  • Blurred vision
  • Dizziness
  • Vertigo
  • Brain fog
  • Memory loss (typically short-term)
  • Chronic congestion or sinus infections
  • Coughing
  • Abdominal pain
  • Muscle pain and/or joint pain
  • Hormone deficiency
  • Adrenal dysfunction
  • Nose bleeds
  • Environmental sensitivity (chemical sensitivity)
  • Chronic colds, flus, acute infections
  • Nausea
  • Itchy/ red eyes
  • Insomnia
  • Night sweats
  • Temperature dysregulation
  • Weight gain
Seeking Treatment

For over a decade, there has been a consensus in the medical community that regular exposure to mold significantly increases people’s risk for disease. This public health hazard has still not been addressed with the concern it should be as governmental agencies, such as the Institute of Medicine report commissioned by the CDC and released in 2004, have concluded that the primary health concerns with mold are solely respiratory. However, mold can have long-lasting health effects, especially for those dealing with a chronic illness.

If you feel you are suffering from mold toxicity or would like to get tested, contact Holtorf Medical Group today. At Holtorf Medical Group, our physicians are trained to provide you with cutting-edge testing and innovative treatments to properly diagnose and treat your condition, optimize your health, and improve your quality of life.

Resources

  1. http://www.drelizabethlarge.com/blog/2020/5/16/mold-a-common-cause-of-chronic-illness#:~:text=When%20people%20become%20ill%20from,the%20majority%20of%20doctors%20realize.
  2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26010737/
  3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19854819/
  4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4898283/
  5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1892134/
  6. https://www.ccfmed.com/blog/link-between-mold-illness-and-lyme-disease
  7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3920250/

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Category:

Alzheimer's, Biofilm, Inflammation, Lyme, Mold