Archive for the ‘Lyme’ Category

Nebraska Wakes up From Long Coma. Admits Lyme Disease Exists There

https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Joint-Release—Bacteria-That-Causes-Lyme-Disease-Detected.aspx

Joint Release – Bacteria That Causes Lyme Disease Detected

For Immediate Release: 12/10/2021
 

MEDIA CONTACT

Jeff Powell, (402) 471-6223, jeff.powell@nebraska.gov

Emilee Longuski, (402) 385-4770, Emilee.Longuski@WinnebagoTribe.com

Julie Rother, (402) 375-2200, Julie@nnphd.org

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Lincoln, Neb. – Recently, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) was notified by the Northeast Nebraska Public Health Department of two cases of Lyme disease locally acquired within their jurisdiction. Both patients reported likely exposure around the same time frame at sites located near one another in Thurston County.

Due to the association between both cases, a coordinated environmental investigation involving DHHS, the Northeast Nebraska Public Health Department, and the Winnebago Public Health Department was completed at the suspected exposure sites. Ixodes scapularis (commonly called deer tick or the blacklegged tick) were collected from the sites of likely exposure.

Thurston County is now the fourth known county (Douglas, Sarpy, and Saunders were identified in 2019) in the state to have established black-legged tick populations. A subset of the ticks collected was sent to the CDC’s Division of Vector-Borne Disease and Creighton University for testing in an attempt to detect pathogens vectored by the tick including the bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) responsible for causing Lyme disease.

Ticks submitted to Creighton University and CDC came back positive for Borrelia burgdorferi indicating that the bacteria that causes Lyme disease is circulating in the tick population in the area. These results mark the first ever detection of Borrelia burgdorferi in Nebraska’s blacklegged tick populations and the first definitive evidence of Lyme disease cases acquired locally in the state.

The detection of an established population of black-legged ticks in Nebraska with evidence of detectable pathogens heightens concern of further establishment of the tick vector and its associated pathogens in other areas of the state. DHHS will continue to work with the Northeast Nebraska Public Health Department, the Winnebago Public Health Department, and other state public health partners on surveillance efforts for blacklegged and other medically important ticks.

While tick activity may be slowing down with colder weather, blacklegged ticks can be active year-round. There are simple steps people can take to protect themselves against tick bites.

Prevention steps include:

  • Use an EPA approved insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol, or 2-undecanone.
  • Treat clothing and gear such as boots, pants, socks, and tents with products containing 0.5% permethrin.
  • Dress in long-sleeved shirts, pants, and socks when outside.
  • Do frequent tick checks after being outdoors and remove attached ticks promptly with fine-tipped tweezers. Don’t forget to check pets for ticks after being outdoors as well.
  • Shower as soon as possible after being outdoors.

Ticks are generally found near the ground, in brushy or wooded areas. They cannot jump or fly. Instead, they climb grasses or shrubs and wait for you to brush against them. This is called “questing”. When this happens, they hang on to you with small claws and then find a spot to attach and take a blood meal.

What to do if you find an attached tick:

  • Remove the attached tick as soon as you notice it by grasping with fine-tipped tweezers, as close to the skin as possible, and pull it straight out. Early removal can minimize and often eliminate the chance of infection. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
  • Avoid using nail polish, petroleum jelly, or heat to make the tick detach from the skin. These methods are not effective and may increase the risk of disease transmission.
  • Watch for signs of illness such as rash or fever in the days and weeks following the bite, and see a healthcare provider if these develop. Be sure to let your healthcare provider know you were recently bitten by a tick.

For more information visit the following links:

CDC Ticks Website: https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/index.html

CDC Lyme Disease Website: https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/index.html

CDC Preventing Ticks on Pets Website: https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/avoid/on_pets.html

DHHS Press Release, “Blacklegged Tick Identified in Nebraska: https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Blacklegged-Tick-Identified-in-Nebraska.aspx

Placeholder text for an image.To be replaced by appropriate text
Image. Four (3 female; 1 male) Ixodes scapularis (black-legged ticks) collected from two exposure sites. The male Ixodes scapularis is located at the top of the image with the three other ticks being female Ixodes scapularis. Photo courtesy of Jeff Hamik (DHHS).


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**Comment**

And you thought Rip Van Winkle was a myth.

Category:

Activism, Lyme, Ticks

Lyme Disease in an African American Child With Down’s Syndrome

https://danielcameronmd.com/lyme-disease-in-an-african-american-child-with-downs-syndrome/

Lyme disease in an African American child with Down’s syndrome

Welcome to another Inside Lyme Podcast with your host Dr. Daniel Cameron. In this episode, Dr. Cameron discusses the case of a 3-year-old African American child with Down’s syndrome, developmental delays and disseminated Lyme disease.

By

“A case of disseminated Lyme disease in a child with skin of color” was published by Bax and colleagues in the journal Pediatric Dermatology.¹ The child, who had trisomy 21 (Down’s syndrome) and developmental delays, had a history of playing outside in an area where ticks were observed.

According to the authors, the young girl had experienced a high fever for 9 days and had a 5-day history of rashes. The rashes were asymptomatic and would wax and wane. They consisted of “scattered ill-defined 2-5 cm erythematous patches on the back, abdomen, and upper and lower extremities,” a pattern consistent with disseminated Lyme disease.

There were other manifestations of Lyme disease, as well. “While the patient could not verbalize pain, her mother noted that she was walking less and was not tolerating her leg braces or shoes,”  wrote the authors. “She also appeared increasingly fatigued and agitated.”

The doctors ruled out COVID-19, inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), and Incomplete Kawasaki’s syndrome.  “Incomplete Kawasaki’s syndrome was also considered given her hand/foot erythema, skin lesions, fingertip desquamation, and elevated CRP.”

Laboratory tests supported the diagnosis of Lyme disease. The child showed “significant improvement” with 14 days of amoxicillin.

Challenges raised by this case

The authors addressed the challenges in diagnosing Lyme disease in people of color, citing a study by Fix and colleagues.2

“African Americans in Borrelia burgdorferi-endemic regions have been reported to have higher rates of extracutaneous sequelae, such as arthritis, and lower rates of erythema migrans compared with Caucasians, suggesting that the characteristic rash in skin of color may go unrecognized until more severe symptoms manifest,” the authors wrote.

They did not address the challenges in diagnosing Lyme disease in people with Down’s syndrome and development delays. Fortunately, the 3-year-old toddler presented with a disseminate Lyme disease rash, symptoms, and functional problems, which led to an accurate diagnosis. This would have undoubtedly been more difficult without these findings. 

Treatment 

The authors did not discuss long-term outcomes or treatment concerns. In some cases, Lyme disease patients may have a co-infection which would require different types of treatment. For instance, amoxicillin would not be effective in treating Anaplasmosis and Babesia.

The following questions are addressed in this Podcast episode:

  1. Have you treated children with Down’s syndrome and developmental delays for Lyme disease?
  2. What were the diagnostic and treatment challenges in working with this child?
  3. Have you also treated children and adults of color? If so, what diagnostic and treatment challenges do they pose?
  4. Tell me about your experience with Lyme disease in children on the autism spectrum.

Thanks for listening to another Inside Lyme Podcast. Please remember that the advice given is general and not intended as specific advice to any particular patient. If you require specific advice, please seek that advice from an experienced professional.

Inside Lyme Podcast Series

This Inside Lyme case series will be discussed on my Facebook page and made available on podcast and YouTube.  As always, it is your likes, comments, and shares that help spread the word about this series and our work. If you can, please leave a review on iTunes or wherever else you get your podcasts.

References:
  1. Bax CE, Clark AK, Oboite M, Treat JR. A case of disseminated Lyme disease in a child with skin of color. Pediatr Dermatol. Sep 13 2021;doi:10.1111/pde.14770
  2. Fix AD, Pena CA, Strickland GT. Racial differences in reported Lyme disease incidence. Am J Epidemiol. Oct 15 2000;152(8):756-9. doi:10.1093/aje/152.8.756

Category:

Lyme, research, Testing, Treatment

Potential Barriers to Accepting a Lyme Disease Vaccine

https://danielcameronmd.com/potential-barriers-lyme-disease-vaccine/  Go here for video

Dr. Daniel Cameron: Inside Lyme Podcast

Potential barriers to accepting a Lyme disease vaccine

Welcome to another Inside Lyme Podcast with your host Dr. Daniel Cameron. In this episode, Dr. Cameron discusses the potential barriers to the public’s acceptance and utilization of a Lyme disease vaccine.

By

The study, “Understanding consumer and clinician perceptions of a potential Lyme disease vaccine,” was published by Devchand and colleagues in the journal Health Education Research.¹

It has been two decades since the LYMErix vaccine for Lyme disease was withdrawn from the market by the manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals after poor sales.

Why is it taking so long for another vaccine to become available?  Several factors have been mentioned including: complex recommendations for the use of the vaccine; the lack of approval for the use of the vaccine in children, the group at highest risk; unvalidated claims of the vaccine causing Lyme arthritis and the coincident rise of general anti-vaccination sentiment among the public.”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO DISCUSSING POTENTIAL BARRIERS TO A LYME DISEASE VACCINE

The authors conducted 9 online focus groups which included consumers and 30 in-depth interviews among clinician groups.

The LYMErix vaccine was effective at preventing a rash but only 50% effective at preventing chronic manifestations of Lyme disease.

“Individuals who strongly disagreed with the importance of vaccines in general were excluded from the study to minimize skewed opinions that may not reflect the opinions of the general population,” the authors wrote.

They point out that their findings may not be generalizable. Nevertheless, the participants in the survey raised several potential barriers to accepting a Lyme disease vaccine.

Several of the clinicians’ concerns included:

  • “A quarter of the clinicians argued that a Lyme disease vaccine would be less important than other routine vaccines because Lyme disease can be prevented through other measures, cannot be transmitted person-to-person, is not widespread throughout the United States and has a lower disease burden than other vaccine-preventable diseases.”
  • “The most commonly presumed barriers to vaccine uptake were patient concerns about cost and safety and anti-vaccine sentiment.”
  • “Five clinicians expressed concern that a vaccine might promote a false sense of security against Lyme disease and other vector-borne diseases.”

The consumers also raised several potential barriers to accepting a Lyme disease vaccine. Below are a few of the consumers’ concerns:

  • “Four consumers expressed concerns about side effects, with most others assuming it would have minimal risks. Three consumers suggested that potential side effects may make a vaccine more risky than other preventive behaviors.”
  • “Four consumers shared that they prefer to avoid vaccines in general. Two consumers also mentioned generally that anti-vaccine sentiment in their communities might be a barrier for vaccine acceptance more broadly.”
  • “Two consumers mentioned that the vaccine could create a false sense of security among recipients if the vaccine was not completely protective against Lyme disease.”

One in three of the consumers were undecided about getting a Lyme disease vaccine for either themselves or a family member.

Survey Limitations

The participants were not asked to review the safety and efficacy of the LYMErix vaccine or a future vaccine. The LYMErix vaccine was effective at preventing a rash but only 50% effective at preventing chronic manifestations of Lyme disease, according to the LYMErix package insert.

It is not clear from the survey whether the clinician and consumer participants reviewed what they referred to as “unvalidated claims of the vaccine causing Lyme arthritis.” It is also unclear how to generalize their results, as the investigators excluded “Individuals who strongly disagreed with the importance of vaccines in general.” Finally, it is unclear whether the authors informed the participants that a Lyme disease vaccine would not protect a person from a co-infection.

The following questions are addressed in this Podcast episode:

1. What was the LYMErix vaccine based on?
2. What were the benefits and problems with the LYMErix vaccine?
3. What was your experience with the LYMErix vaccine?
4. Why would a Lyme disease vaccine be helpful?
5. What new vaccines have been introduced?
6. Do you agree with the participants concerns with a Lyme disease vaccine?
7. Is there a vaccine for co-infections?
8. How important would it have been to include participants who strongly disagreed with the importance of vaccines?

Thanks for listening to another Inside Lyme Podcast. Please remember that the advice given is general and not intended as specific advice to any particular patient. If you require specific advice, please seek that advice from an experienced professional.

Inside Lyme Podcast Series

This Inside Lyme case series will be discussed on my Facebook page and made available on podcast and YouTube.  As always, it is your likes, comments, and shares that help spread the word about this series and our work. If you can, please leave a review on iTunes or wherever else you get your podcasts.

References:
  1. Devchand R, Koehler L, Hook S, et al. Understanding consumer and clinician perceptions of a potential Lyme disease vaccine. Health Educ Res. Sep 16 2021;doi:10.1093/her/cyab032

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**Comment**

The elephant in the room of course is WHY should we trust these people at all when they’ve never come clean over Lymerix or anything else in Lymeland including the faulty testing and Lyme “guidelines” which have ruled like an Iron Curtain.  They’ve never admitted to persistent/chronic infection or that people were severely damaged from the first vaccine.

Interesting they left out those with anti-vaccine beliefs.  Just erase people.  Sure.  Makes sense. Nothing to see here.

If you are unfamiliar with the sordid history of Lymerix where researchers took out the most specific bands for Lyme, and the fact it maimed people:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/02/10/the-bitter-feud-over-lymerix/

But that doesn’t stop those who care more about profits than people and more “vaccines” are in the works, but they haven’t dealt with the previous problems or come clean in any way, shape, or form:

The best cure for Lyme/MSIDS is to not get it in the first place:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/12/tick-prevention-2019/

The second best cure is to get diagnosed and treated early:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/09/25/why-should-we-care-about-lyme-disease-a-colorful-tale-of-government-conflicts-of-interest-probable-bioweaponization-and-pathogen-complexity/

Unfortunately, people still get infected.  Some are infected congenitally, others aren’t fortunate enough to be diagnosed and treated early.  And some researchers state you can become infected via other routes.

None of these “vaccines” deal with coinfections and most of us are infected with numerous pathogens.

Category:

Lyme, research, vaccines

Lyme & Mold Related Illness Webinar Q & A: Dec. 14, 2021, 8 pm EST

https://rawlsmd.com/webinars/lyme-mold-related-illness

Join Dr. Bill Rawls and special guest Jenny Buttaccio during this LIVE WEBINAR + Q&A on Tuesday, December 14th, at 8pm EST as they discuss who’s most at risk for mold-related illness, plus how to recognize the symptoms, test for, and get rid of mold in your home, food, and body.

Topics covered during the webinar will include:

  • Who’s affected by mold?
  • What are the symptoms of mold-related illness?
  • What are mycotoxins, and where are they found?
  • Are there any reliable tests for mold?
  • What are the best herbal and natural remedies for mold-related illness?
  • How can I protect my home from mold?
  • Numerous insights during the LIVE Q&A

Join us and bring your questions. Dr. Rawls and Jenny Buttaccio will answer as many as possible during the LIVE Q&A.

Go to link to reserve your seat.

Category:

Activism, Lyme, Mold

Another mRNA “Vaccine”. This Time For Lyme Disease

https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2021/12/02/yale-researchers-develop-mrna-based-lyme-disease-vaccine/

Yale researchers develop mRNA-based lyme disease vaccine

Yale researchers have developed an mRNA vaccine that targets the antigens found in tick saliva in order to alert individuals to tick bites as well as prevent the tick from feeding correctly, thereby reducing its ability to transmit pathogens.

Dec 02, 2021

Cate RoserYale researchers have developed an mRNA vaccine against lyme disease that triggers an immune response at the site of a tick bite and provides partial protection against the disease-causing bacteria.

In a paper published on Nov. 17 in the Science Translational Medicine journal, scientists studied specific ticks called “Ixodes scapulari” that carry a lyme-disease-causing bacteria called “Borrelia burgdorferi.” According to Gunjan Arora, one of the co-first authors of the paper and an associate research scientist at the Yale School of Medicine, lyme disease is the fastest-growing vector-borne illness in the United States, with close to half a million people affected every year. Currently, there are no commercially available vaccines for lyme disease. This novel vaccine is unique in that it targets the vector of transmission, the tick, rather than the actual pathogen itself. (See link for article)

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A few important points:

  • The article erroneously states it takes around 24 hours for transmission, when it can happen much more quickly.
  • They state they don’t expect pathogen resistance from it.
  • They state ticks don’t feed well on “vaccinated” animals and usually fall off quickly and will give the host opportunity to remove ticks before transmission but provides partial protection if the tick isn’t removed.
  • Preliminary findings showed that no “vaccinated” guinea pigs bitten by ticks tested positive for borrelia and that they developed EM rashes which they state is a sign of acquired tick resistance.  I completely disagree.  EM rash is diagnostic of Lyme.  You have the rash – YOU ARE INFECTED.
  • Similarly to the COVID-19 mRNA “vaccines”, it uses mRNA encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles, but unlike the COVID-19 vaccines that target a single antigen — the spike protein on SARS-CoV-2 — the lyme disease vaccine targets 19 antigens — the different salivary proteins in tick bites.
  • The “vaccine” still needs human trials in order to determine its effectiveness.
  • This shot doesn’t take into account Lyme disease for many is a chronic issue caused by complex issues, one of which is a persistent infection.  There are also immune issues. The mRNA “vaccines” are designed so that the immune system recognizes these proteins, sees them as an antigen and triggers a strong immune response at the site of the bite. The problem here is Lyme/MSIDS patients have very whacked-out immune systems. Nearly anything can serve as a trigger for them from light, to sound, to touch, to smells.  Injecting these people with foreign proteins would be a death-toll for them. I predict the same catastrophic reactions as the other “Lyme vaccines.”
  • This shot doesn’t take into account that Lyme rarely comes alone and that most patients are infected with numerous pathogens, with a net result of complex, complicated cases.
  • These researchers, drinking the Kool-aid of “the powers that be,” have a faulty premise for their entire paradigm.  Run away fast from this injection.

I’m not holding my breath.  This reminds me of Willy Burgdorfer’s creation of a Rickettsial vaccine where he essentially injected guinea pigs and rabbits with live organisms, placed ticks on them to feed for a couple days, doused the ticks with formalin, and then ground them up and used the filtered, diluted “tick juice” as a vaccine.  No thanks.

Notice that the race is always for a “vaccine”, never an effective treatment.  There’s no money in that.

For more:

Category:

Activism, Lyme, vaccines