Archive for the ‘Lyme’ Category

Targeting the “Motor” That Helps Lyme Spread Through the Body

https://www.lymedisease.org/motor-behind-lyme-and-syphilis/

Targeting the “motor” that helps Lyme spread through the body

By Stephen D’Angelo, Cornell Research & Innovation

3/31/25

Researchers have identified a new way to fight infections like Lyme disease and syphilis by disrupting the bacteria’s ‘motor,’ preventing it from spreading through the body.

The findings could have wide-ranging impacts on the treatment of infections in the future as concern about antibiotic-resistant strains grows. The study was published in ACS Chemical Biology.

“Many types of bacteria must be able to move to infect their host organisms, including humans,” said Brian Crane, director of the Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, corresponding author on the publication.

“Motility can be important to move between hosts—ticks to humans, for example—and also for disseminating within the host, colonizing the most advantageous tissue, and evading the immune system.”

Disrupting the ability to move

In the study, funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Bay Area Lyme Foundation, the researchers exploited a crucial relationship in the bacteria’s movement system by disrupting the germ’s ability to propel itself through tissues, and significantly weakening its chances to spread and infect.

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Click to open gallery view

Credit:Credit Chunhao Li
Click here to see video of the Lyme Disease bacterial spirochete in action. 

Spirochetes are thin, corkscrew-shaped bacteria that spiral through body tissues using a hidden propeller-like motor, protected by a membrane that shields it from the host’s immune system.

Central to its ability to accelerate is a long strand called a flagella that is joined by a hook to the organism’s motion-generating machinery. Built from self-assembled protein subunits called FlgE, the hook is tightly held together by molecular bridges known as lysinoalanine (LAL) cross-links.

“When LAL formation is disrupted, a spirochetes’ flagella hook and motor are unable to work together to move effectively. This, in turn, prevents the spirochete from swimming through body tissues and significantly reduces the ability to spread and infect,” said Michael Lynch, research associate in the Crane Group (A&S), a Cornell Weill Institute lab, and the study’s first author.

After testing a collection of existing, clinically approved drug compounds, the researchers identified three—hexachlorophene, triclosan, and dichlorophene—that could be used as inhibitors to interfere with the connections between LAL molecules and the flagella hook.

A new way to fight infections

In one experiment on the spirochete linked to gum disease, treatment with hexachlorophene significantly reduced the bacteria’s ability to move, demonstrating that stopping their motility could be a powerful new way to fight infections.

Spirochetes, including Borrelia (Lyme disease), Treponema (syphilis), and Leptospira (leptospirosis, a bacterial infection that causes mild flu-like illness to severe kidney or liver damage), are highly invasive and capable of penetrating virtually every tissue in the human body, even crossing the blood-brain barrier.

According to the researchers, many of these infections are persistent, difficult to diagnose early, and sometimes resistant to standard medicines. Current treatments rely primarily on antibiotics, which target bacteria and cells indiscriminately, affecting both harmful and beneficial bacteria.

“In contrast, our approach is highly specific, targeting the formation of LAL in flagella within pathogenic spirochetes—the only known bacteria that catalyze the formation of LAL cross-links between flagella subunits,” Lynch said. “This specificity has the potential to reduce collateral damage to beneficial bacteria, such as microbiota in the gut microbiome, which is a significant advantage over conventional antibiotic treatments.”

Antibiotic resistence

According to the researchers, the need for novel antimicrobial strategies to combat spirochetes is pressing, as antibiotic-resistant strains evolve and emerge. This puts available drug options for individuals, and even public health efforts combating certain diseases, at risk, they said.

The researchers’ approach focusing on bacteria mobility could expand the number of targets for antibiotic drug development, helping to address the challenge that disease-causing bacteria are developing resistance to today’s common antibiotics.

“While bacterial motility has been studied extensively, this is the first research to target LAL cross-links in the flagella hook as an antimicrobial strategy,” Crane said. “Ultimately, because motility is widely recognized as an enhancement in pathogenic spirochetes’ ability to cause disease, our results establish LAL cross-linking as a legitimate target for antimicrobial therapeutic development.”

SOURCE: Cornell Research & Innovation

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Lyme Disease Increases Gynecological Health Risks in Women

https://www.lymedisease.org/lyme-disease-reproductive-health/

Lyme disease increases gynecological health risks in women

By Lonnie Marcum

3/17/25

A new study has uncovered significant findings about how Lyme disease can impact the female reproductive system.

While previous research primarily focused on the effects of Borrelia (Lyme) on pregnancy, this study explores how the infection affects the reproductive system in non-pregnant mice and compares this to its effect on human gynecological disorders.

In a MedRxiv article entitled, Lyme disease increases risk for multiple gynecological conditions, MIT researchers Michal Caspi Tal, PhD, and Paige S. Hansen Colburn teamed up with researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Nasa Sinnott-Armstrong, PhD, and colleagues.

“This changes how we understand Lyme”

Dr. Tal says, “For years, people have been asking if Lyme disease might cause miscarriage and other pregnancy problems. Our study shows a strong link, and more research is vital. This research changes how we understand Lyme. It’s a much bigger problem than we thought, especially for women.”

Tracking the illness for months, the team demonstrated that Lyme disease can cause prolonged and severe infection in the reproductive organs of female mice.

The study documented infected gynecological tissue, and problems such as enlarged uterus, ovarian cysts, thickening of the vaginal lining and inflammation of the internal and external tissues. Notably, older mice experienced more severe outcomes when infected.

Hansen Colburn says, “Our research both supports previous studies on Lyme in pregnancy and also highlights novel implications for Lyme in women’s health outside of the reproductive lens.”

In addition, using clinical and survey data, the researchers found associations between Lyme disease and an increased risk of endometriosis, dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps), menorrhagia (heavy periods), miscarriage, uterine polyps, and endometriosis (uterine tissue growing outside the uterus).

Supporting evidence from human data

These findings were corroborated with data from a Finnish database, which showed higher rates of gynecological issues like miscarriage, vulvovaginitis, uterine fibroids, and dysmenorrhea in women with Lyme disease.

Hansen Colburn says, “We still need to learn exactly how the bacteria cause this damage. Is it the bacteria themselves, or is it collateral damage from the body’s immune response?”

It’s known that men and women exhibit different symptoms of Lyme disease. For example, men tend to develop a larger more typical Lyme rash than women. Men are also more likely to have a CDC-positive two-tier test for Lyme. But why?

In order to prevent miscarriage, women’s bodies are designed to alter their hormones and immune response when pregnant. It may be that female hormones or this immune response set women up for chronic Lyme.

Elevated risk

“Lyme disease appears to elevate risk of many gynecological diseases, and we still have a lot to learn about what else might result from Borrelia infection. This is just the beginning,” says Sinnott-Armstrong.

This study emphasizes the importance of:

  • tracking gender in Lyme disease studies
  • tracking age-related status
  • understanding the hormonal phase at the time of infection, during treatment and post-infection (eg. pre & post-pubescent, peri & post-menopausal)
  • understanding hormone levels and hormone dysregulation
  • tracking reproductive pathologies in both male and female patients with Lyme disease.

Findings from MyLymeData

In 2019, LymeDisease.org published results of a MyLymeData study, Gender Bias in Chronic Lyme Disease, showing that women are at a disadvantage when it comes to Lyme disease. Not just because women’s bodies respond differently to infection, but also because women represent a smaller percentage of participants in acute Lyme disease research.

A follow-up MyLymeData study, Does Biological Sex Matter in Lyme Disease? The Need for Sex-Disaggregated Data in Persistent Illness, published in 2023, found that women encountered lengthier diagnostic delays, grappled with more severe symptoms, and suffered greater functional impairment compared to men.

The MyLymeData authors concluded, “Our results indicate that biological sex should be integrated into Lyme disease research as a distinct variable. Future Lyme disease studies should include sex-based disaggregated data to illuminate differences that may exist between men and women with persistent illness.” (Disaggregated means that you separate out the data from male and female patients, so that you can look for trends in each group.)

Next steps

Today, we owe a huge thank you to the Tal Research Group and the Sinnott-Armstrong lab for demonstrating that Lyme disease increases the risk for gynecological disorders in women.

Dr Tal tells me the next step is to work on treatment protocols. “We’re very interested in the intersection of hormones and immune responses to infection, and we’ll be testing out different treatment protocols for the infection and also modulating the immune response to the infection to try to understand once this gynecological damage has happened, if antibiotic treatment alone be sufficient to reverse it.”

The Tal Research Group at MIT has also found Borrelia bacteria in the male reproductive tract, which is currently being investigated further.

The CDC estimates there are 475,000 annual cases of Lyme disease, however they make no meaningful analysis of sex differences in their list of symptoms or progression of disease.

Furthermore, approximately 5 million women in the U.S. suffer from endometriosis. Perhaps some of them would benefit from exploring a diagnosis and treatment for Lyme disease?

We look forward to the continued MIT research results and further understanding of chronic illness following infection.

LymeSci is written by Lonnie Marcum, a physical therapist and mother of a daughter with Lyme. She served two terms on a subcommittee of the federal Tick-Borne Disease Working Group. Follow her on X: @LonnieRhea   Email her at: lmarcum@lymedisease.org.

Reference

Hansen–Colburn PS, Blacker G, Galloway S, Feng Q, Padmanabham PS, Pisani G, Lee BT, Loeser G, Perez MW, Liu K, Kuan J, Von Saltza E, Strausz S, Mattei L, Nahass GR, Kitjasateanphun A, Potula HS, Shoham MA, Mascetti VL, Gars E, Ollila HM, Bruner-Tran KL, Weissman IL, You S, Pollack B, Griffith L, Sinnott-Armstrong N, Tal MC. (2025). Lyme disease increases risk for multiple gynecological conditions. medRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.03.03.25323258.

Acknowledgement

This research was supported, in part, by the Emily and Malcolm Fairbairn donor advised fund.

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Lyme Disease Crisis Addressed During HHS Hearing

https://www.globallymealliance.org/news/rfk-jr-endorses-lyme-focus-during-congressional-hearing-for-hhs-position?

Lyme Disease Crisis Addressed During HHS Hearing

by Admin at Global Lyme Alliance on March 17, 2025

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. & Senator Collins discuss the Lyme disease crisis  during HHS confirmation hearing

“I’ve had Lyme disease. I’ve lived in the epicenter of Lyme disease. Every member of my immediate family has had Lyme disease. I had a son whose face was paralyzed for a year, and I have a son today who has been suffering from the devastating effects of Lyme disease for two years. There is nobody who will fight harder to find a vaccine or a treatment for Lyme disease than me.”

Read the transcript:

Senator Susan Collins (R-ME): The state of Maine has seen a steady and disturbing increase in Lyme disease cases over the past decade. We talked a little bit about this in my office. In 2023, Maine had a record number of Lyme disease cases—nearly 3,000 reported cases. Fortunately, there is a promising vaccine trial for Lyme disease underway at Maine Health in Portland. Access to a Lyme disease vaccine would be a monumental step forward in reducing the burden of this disease, which can have lifelong effects. I’ve seen it in members of my own family. As HHS Secretary, if confirmed, what influence would you exercise over new vaccine approvals, such as one for Lyme disease?

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: Senator, you and I have talked about this issue. I’ve had Lyme disease. I’ve lived in the epicenter of Lyme disease. Every member of my immediate family has had Lyme disease. I had a son whose face was paralyzed for a year, and I have a son today who has been suffering from the devastating effects of Lyme disease for two years. There is nobody who will fight harder to find a vaccine or a treatment for Lyme disease than me.

Senator Collins: I very much appreciate that. I’m sorry that your own family has been so adversely affected. In Maine, we have a lot of people who work outside and in the woods, and ticks are everywhere. So this is a very important issue to me.

Global Lyme Alliance
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**Comment**
When you truly understand Lyme/MSIDS, then you truly understand that a ‘vaccine’ is not the answer.  It simply won’t work.  I have my serious doubts about ALL ‘vaccines,’ but Lyme/MSIDS is a complicated monster typically involving more than one pathogen with the ability to go dormant that was purposely created to evade antimicrobials.  You can’t vaccinate moving targets.
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Activism, Lyme, Treatment, vaccines

Healing Lyme Summit 2.0

Hinchey and Horowitz present Healing Lyme 2.0–online, zero cost
The Healing Lyme Summit 2.0, scheduled for April 15 – 21, offers a unique opportunity to learn more about Lyme and explore new ways to heal from it.The event is online and can be viewed for free.

Gain insights from more than 40 of the world’s top experts in holistic medicine, detoxification, chronic illness prevention, and pain management. Take control of your health!

Reserve your spot now for $0

About your hosts:

  • Myriah Hinchey, ND, FMAPS. A renowned specialist in tick-borne diseases with 20 years of experience. Her natural, patient-focused approach incorporates herbal medicine, lifestyle modifications, and functional medicine principles, helping countless individuals achieve remission.
  • Richard Horowitz, MD. A board-certified internist and medical director of the Hudson Valley Healing Arts Center. With over 30 years of experience and having treated 13,000+ Lyme patients, he’s a trailblazer in the field. Dr. Horowitz is a founding member and former president-elect of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society, celebrated for advancing knowledge of tick-borne diseases.

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Activism, Detoxing, Herbs, Lyme, Pain Management

Missouri Bill Tackles Alpha-Gal Syndrome & Lyme Disease

https://www.lymedisease.org/missouri-bill-ags-and-lyme/

Missouri bill tackles alpha-gal syndrome and Lyme disease

By Meg Muckenhoupt

3/27/25

Missouri State Representative Matthew Overcast, Esq. has introduced a bill to add alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) and Lyme disease to that state’s list of mandatory reportable conditions.

AGS is an allergy to red meat and meat-related products that is triggered by a tick bite.

HB 986 also requires the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to submit annual reports on the incidence of AGS and Lyme disease to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Overcast says that alpha-gal syndrome profoundly impacts many individuals and families in his district. However, he needs hard data to persuade his fellow legislators to help solve this problem.

Many states at the epicenter of the AGS explosion don’t even mention AGS in their information about tick-borne diseases. If they do mention AGS, they don’t give a figure for the number of cases. Thanks to research by the US military, though, we can estimate the number of AGS cases in several states. That number is frighteningly large.

By testing the blood of 3,000 recruits for the allergic antibody to alpha-gal, researchers were able to identify AGS hot spots. In the most impacted states–like Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas–more than 20% of recruits tested positive. In some areas of these states, almost half the recruits had the antibody.

In Missouri, almost 30% of recruits had the alpha-gal allergic antibody. Extrapolating from this data, an estimated 80,000 Missourians may have AGS.

Documenting the extent of AGS and Lyme disease and tracking their expansion is the first step in attracting the public health resources needed for provider education and other help for people with AGS and Lyme.

If you are a Missourian affected by AGS and/or Lyme disease, please contact your state representative now to help pass HB 986.

Meg Muckenhoupt works with Alpha-gal Information, an Alpha-gal Alliance project.

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