Archive for the ‘Lyme’ Category

Lyme Forecast – Companion Animal Parasite Council

https://capcvet.org/articles/despite-the-availability-of-preventative-measures-the-risk-of-vector-borne-disease-remains-high./

20190402-CAPC-Forecast-Maps-Display-Lyme.jpg

The tick vector of Borrelia burgdorferi, an agent of Lyme disease in dogs, is expanding its range from the northeastern and mid-Atlantic states, the upper Midwestern states, and throughout Canada. These ticks are bringing their associated pathogens along for the ride. These include Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia spp., Borrelia miyamotoi, Ehrlichia muris eauclarensis, and possibly Bartonella spp. among others.

  • The seroprevalence of B. burgdorferi is predicted to be higher in three areas this year. Most notably throughout the Appalachian region. Veterinarians in eastern Pennsylvania, West Virginia, western Virginia and North Carolina, and eastern Ohio and Kentucky should reinforce their recommendations on the use of tick preventatives and may consider vaccination for high-risk patients.
  • Second, a hotspot of higher than average seroprevalence is expected to be seen in northwestern Minnesota.
  • Third, although small, areas in Indiana are expected to see higher than average seroprevalence. This is not a historically endemic state, so veterinarians should educate themselves and their clients about the risks of tick-borne disease.
  • The Atlantic coast, New England states, central Wisconsin, and southeastern Minnesota are all expected to see lower than average seroprevalence in 2019.

Preventing exposure to ticks is the best way to prevent infection with tick-borne pathogens. The areas highlighted above expected to see lower than average seroprevalence are endemic for Borrelia burgdorferi and risk for exposure is high!

Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis

View the Ehrlichia spp. and Anaplasma spp. forecast and learn more about the CAPC guidelines for prevention and treatment of ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis.

2019 Anaplasma spp. forecast

2019 Ehrlichia spp. forecast

Year-round protection, annual testing

The best way to protect your patients is to advise owners of the importance of year-round prevention, even during the winter months. You can use the CAPC Parasite Prevalence Maps to support your recommendation by underscoring the risks in your area and in regions of the country your clients may travel with their pets. It is also critical to emphasize the importance of compliance and using products according to label. The use of CAPC Parasite Prevalence maps and Forecast maps are a validated tool for increasing client willingness to engage in parasite prevention. Sign up for local alerts today by visiting the CAPC Parasite Prevalence Maps and selecting “Get Updates”.

Veterinary professionals and pet owners who want to monitor the activity in their county throughout the year, can also access 30-Day Parasite Forecast Maps at www.petdiseasealerts.org. These maps, developed exclusively by CAPC, provide a local forecast for every county in the continental United States on a monthly basis.

The Science behind the Forecasts

Vector-borne disease is dynamic and ever changing, driven by multiple factors that affect the development of arthropod vectors and the pathogens they carry. Leading parasitologists work in collaboration with a team of statisticians to identify regions of the country that may experience higher parasite incidence in the months ahead. Numerous factors are analyzed, including the number of positive tests and the influence of weather patterns, vegetation indices, and human population density. Using this multi-disciplinary approach, we are leveraging everyone’s expertise to focus on a single common interest: forecasting the risk of exposure to vector-borne pathogens. While these forecasts predict the potential risk of a dog testing positive, they do not necessarily reflect the occurrence of clinical disease.

To learn more about the science behind the maps, full access to our manuscripts describing the methodology and fidelity of our forecasts can be found here.

We are committed to publishing our scientific studies in open-access journals so they are freely available to researchers, veterinarians, and the general public. For those interested in learning more about the science of these forecasts or to see additional graphics, we encourage you to view them here:

Heartworm:

Bowman DD, Liu Y, McMahan CS, Nordone SK, Yabsley MJ, Lund RB. Forecasting United States heartworm Dirofilaria immitisprevalence in dogs. Parasit Vectors. 2016 Oct 10;9(1):540. https://parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13071-016-1804-y

Wang D, Bowman DD, Brown HE, Harrington LC, Kaufman PE, McKay T, Nelson CT, Sharp JL, Lund R. Factors influencing U.S. canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) prevalence. Parasit Vectors. 2014 Jun 6;7:264 https://parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1756-3305-7-264

Brown HE, Harrington LC, Kaufman PE, McKay T, Bowman DD, Nelson CT, Wang D, Lund R. Key factors influencing canine heartworm, Dirofilaria immitis, in the United States. Parasit Vectors. 2012 Oct 30;5:245. https://parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1756-3305-5-245

Tick-borne pathogens:

Stich RW, Blagburn BL, Bowman DD, Carpenter C, Cortinas MR, Ewing SA, Foley D, Foley JE, Gaff H, Hickling GJ, Lash RR, Little SE, Lund C, Lund R, Mather TN, Needham GR, Nicholson WL, Sharp J, Varela-Stokes A, Wang D. Quantitative factors proposed to influence the prevalence of canine tick-borne disease agents in the United States. Parasit Vectors. 2014 Sep 4;7:417. https://parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1756-3305-7-417

Watson SC, Liu Y, Lund RB, Gettings JR, Nordone SK, McMahan CS, Yabsley MJ. A Bayesian spatio-temporal model for forecasting the prevalence of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi, causative agent of Lyme disease, in domestic dogs within the contiguous United States. PLoS One. 2017 May 4;12(5):e0174428. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0174428

Liu Y, Lund RB, Nordone SK, Yabsley MJ, McMahan CS. A Bayesian spatio-temporal model for forecasting the prevalence of antibodies to Ehrlichiaspecies in domestic dogs within the contiguous United States. Parasit Vectors. 2017 Mar 9;10(1):138. https://parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13071-017-2068-x

McMahan CS, Wang D, Beall MJ, Bowman DD, Little SE, Pithua PO, Sharp JL, Stich RW, Yabsley MJ, Lund RB. Factors associated with Anaplasmaspp. seroprevalence among dogs in the United States. Parasit Vectors. 2016 Mar 22;9:169. https://parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13071-016-1431-7

Liu Y, Watson SC, Gettings JR, Lund RB, Nordone SK, Yabsley MJ, McMahan CS. A Bayesian spatio-temporal model for forecasting Anaplasmaspecies seroprevalence in domestic dogs within the contiguous United States. PLoS One. 2017 Jul 24;12(7):e0182028. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0182028

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**Comment**

We shall see if Wisconsin truly has lower seroprevalence.  I’m not buying it.

 

 

 

Category:

Activism, Lyme, Ticks

Lyme Advocates Rally in DC Over Government Mishandling of Lyme Disease – May 17, 2019

https://www.change.org/p/the-us-senate-calling-for-a-congressional-investigation-of-the-cdc-idsa-and-aldf/u/24550940?

Lyme Advocates Rally in DC Over Government Mishandling of Lyme Disease

MAY 14, 2019 — 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Mirenda Campirano
Phone: 956-778-1130
Email: thelymearmy@gmail.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 13, 2019) — Lyme Disease patients with their families and friends from across the United States and Canada are converging on Capitol Hill in to convince elected officials to hold a formal investigation into the government’s mishandling of tick-borne diseases.

The group is gathering outside the Hart Senate Office Building on Friday, May 17, 2019. Three independent Lyme disease groups are banding together to lead the call.

Representatives of The Lyme Army centered in Texas, The Lyme Center of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts and The Lyme Disease Foundation from Connecticut have scheduled appointments with elected officials to demand a comprehensive congressional investigation into the mishandling of this insidious disease by Health and Human Services and their divisions of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), as well as the National Institutes of Health.

​The day will culminate at Union Square with a candlelight vigil at 6 p.m. to commemorate those who have lost their lives to this horrific disease. A list of names of those who have died of and with tick-borne diseases will be read. A march to Health and Human Services (HHS) will follow.

​Award-winning film producer, director, and cinematographer Andy Abrahams Wilson and another documentary crew will be there to film the day’s events.

Lyme and tick-borne diseases are not recognized by the CDC or the mainstream medical community because most Lyme patients do not meet the CDC’s current case definition, despite clinical symptoms and serologic evidence.

“Fraudulent testing criteria and an inordinately narrow case definition both promulgated by the CDC and Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA), have led to the denial of this debilitating, incurable disease; thus, patients are left with little to no access to health care, inaccurate test results, no valid treatments, no insurance coverage, no disability insurance, and little funding for proper research,” said Mirenda Campirano, a registered nurse and advocate for those who suffer from Lyme. “We are passing these infectious diseases to our children. I know, because I gave it, along with several other tick-borne infections, to my son in utero.”

With the CDC now reporting 390,000 cases of Lyme annually, the implications of this statistic are devastating.  In addition to the revised testing standards that are too narrowly defined, many Lyme strains do not test positive on the traditional ELISA or Western blot tests. This leaves millions of people infected with Lyme disease excluded.

Lyme and tick-borne diseases are not recognized as a legitimate disease and there is insufficient funding for proper research – research to elaborate more accurate criteria for laboratory testing as well as research to determine how best to treat this devastating illness.

The decision to delegitimize Lyme and tick-borne diseases have left patients’ lives in ruins as they lose their ability to work, their homes and their savings, become isolated from their family and friends, and ignored or by the mainstream medical community. Moreover, although the CDC is a United States based organization, its reach is global. Many countries that lack the resources the United States enjoys in the field of disease control look to the US for guidance. The CDC, HHS and IDSA are supposed to be the United States’ health protection agencies. They are supposed to save lives and protect people from health threats. Part of the CDC’s mission is to provide consultation and assistance to other nations to help assist in approving their disease prevention and control. Sadly, in the case of Lyme and tick-borne diseases, these agencies are withholding the truth of Lyme disease and failing citizens of the United States as well as the world at large.

ABOUT THE GROUPS:

The Lyme Army, led by Mirenda Campirano, RN BSN, is a grass roots activist group made up of individuals from across the globe fighting for truth and justice so that Lyme Disease patients can get the help they rightfully deserve. Her son contracted Lyme in utero, while she was infected. Campirano is actively working with Texas legislators to help provide pass legislation that will provide patients and doctors with more accurate Lyme testing and insurance coverage. She is also the founder of the Lyme Disease/Tick Borne Illness Group of the Rio Grande Valley, TX.

The Lyme Disease Foundation, Inc. is the first Lyme disease nonprofit in the world. It was co-founded in 1988, by a healthcare lawyer Karen Vanderhoof-Forschner, JD, LLM, BS, MBA, CPCU, CLU and a team of Lyme researchers and business people, to find the scientific truth about Lyme disease, in the hopes of saving her dying son’s life. Her son Jamie was born in 1985 and at birth had contracted Lyme in utero. He was multihandicapped from the disease. He died in 1991 during a relapse when his brain crushed itself. On autopsy the doctors found the Lyme bacterium in his optic nerve. More IV therapy was not better treatment because he died while infected. Jamie was unique because he had damage to the back of his eyes that proved he had damage from a congenital spirochetal infection.

Dr. Enid Haller is the Executive Director of The Lyme Center of Martha’s Vineyard, a free walk-in information service for Lyme and tick-borne diseases. Both Vanderhoof-Forschner and Haller are former member of the Tick-Borne Disease Working Group Subcommittee for Access to Care Services and Support to Patients. These three organizations called on their members and supporters to be present in the nation’s capital on May 17, 2019 to their members and supporters to be present in the nation’s capital on May 17, 2019 to walk the halls of Congress to demand a congressional investigation of the mishandling of Lyme and tick-borne diseases.

Visit The Lyme Army Facebook page, the Lyme Disease Foundation Facebook page, or The Lyme Center at Martha’s Vineyard.

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**Comment**

While I won’t be there, I’m with you in Spirit!

Category:

Activism, Lyme, Uncategorized

One Family’s Story of Strep, Lyme Disease, and PANS/PANDAS

https://www.lymedisease.org/kravitz-pandas-lyme/

One family’s story of strep, Lyme disease, and PANS/PANDAS

PANDAS Lyme disease

By Jenny Kravitz

On January 3, 2019, my family’s whole world changed LITERALLY OVER NIGHT.

Our once loving little man (now age 6) was filled with rage, aggression and hatred. He went from snuggling with me and loving me, to lashing out at me, telling me he hated me, wanted to kill me and physically coming after me.

Let’s back track. As a baby and toddler, Nathan got strep throat constantly over and over again. He had his first positive strep test at six months old. From then on, it felt like a battle with strep every month.

At 3, Nathan got his tonsils and adenoids removed, in hopes this would cure his recurring strep infections. He had to go back under the knife two days after surgery for hemorrhaging.

Nathan made a full recovery after spending a few days in the PICU and he returned home. Little did we know that strep would come back with a vengeance!

I personally never knew until now that strep could come back with no tonsils and even hide in other places. It was living in his GI system and causing severe inflammation in his brain, liver and spleen, causing Nathan now to be critically anemic.

The “flu”?

Fast forward to January of 2019. Nathan came down with the “flu.” He was lethargic, sleeping 24/7. No matter what we did, he persistently had high fevers of 103-104 for days on end.

Finally after two weeks, the fever broke and slowly started coming around. He was still quiet, still tired but happy to be around friends.

Then, came rage and saying awful things. Then he became sad, overly sensitive, and would cry for hours. Then came the bowel regression. I’m not telling this for pity or embarrassment, but to make others aware, because this is what this nasty illness does. This is OUR REALITY. Nathan was fully potty trained at the age of 3. He has now regressed and is most of the time in pull ups, having three or four accidents a day.

He has “flares” that can be caused by just about anything. I’ve seen it happen when he’s overtired, has a loose tooth (open wounds allow bacteria to move freely), and when he comes into contact with illness. Nathan doesn’t have to have a current strep infection to cause a flare up. If he simply is around someone who has strep, this can cause a huge reaction.

I called an emergency IEP meeting with Nathan’s teachers, to figure out what the hell was going on! THIS WAS NO WAY ADHD OR PEDIATRIC BIPOLAR like the neurologist wanted to label my child. We put a good plan in place and I mentioned my concerns and thoughts.

Finally, some answers

Late January, I called a naturopathic doctor in New Hampshire who is highly knowledgeable and came recommended by many. This was after a friend reached out to me and told me Lyme disease could cause this behavior and then told me about a illness called PANDAS (pediatric autoimmune neurological disorder associated with streptococcus).

My head went spinning, I researched and researched, stayed up late researching, googling, joining support groups. OH MY HEAVENS. This is it! This was my son. I only remember ever seeing two ticks on Nathan. But honestly, I didn’t know much about tick-borne illness, so I removed the ticks and shrugged it off.

We went to see this naturopathic doctor. Fast forward again, to when his lab work came back. Nathan’s strep antibodies were four times what they should be! His CRP (which measures inflammation in the body) was also four times what it should be. BAM 💥PANDAS! This mama knew it!

Then we got the Lyme lab work. He tested positive for Lyme AND mycoplasma AND Bartonella. BAM AGAIN! WE FINALLY HAD A DIAGNOSIS! We also found out he has celiac, so we are now a gluten-free family.

A face to the nastiness

Don’t get me wrong. I was sad, I cried. But this mama was and still am so relieved to put a face to this nastiness that was causing Nathan to act so out of character.

He now is in treatment. On two antibiotics and natural tinctures to support his immune system (which by the way is literally nothing) and to help with the inflammation that’s going on in his body/brain.

Nathan still struggles with facial and vocal tics, potty regression, slurred slow speech, mood swings and major GI issues. But slow and steady and ONE DAY AT A TIME!

Love you my sweet, brave boy. Mama always has your back!

Jenny Kravitz lives in New Hampshire. She shared this on her Facebook page and gave us permission to republish it.

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**Comment**

Children with PANS/PANDAS often have an infection(s) triggering their illness.  Treating this infection(s) is imperative. According to a Wisconsin specialist, 80% of his PANS/PANDAS patients have Lyme and other coinfections. This is important to know and tell others about, remembering that tick borne illness testing is abysmal.

Getting to a specialist who understands this complexity is paramount.

For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/09/abstract-bartonella-in-boy-with-pans/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/07/28/stories-of-pandas/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/06/30/child-with-lymemsidspans-told-by-doctors-she-made-it-all-up/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/10/08/misdiagnosed-how-children-with-treatable-medical-issues-are-mistakenly-labeled-as-mentally-ill/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/04/11/hidden-invaders-infections-can-trigger-immune-attacks-on-kids-brains-provoking-devastating-psychiatric-disorders/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/12/01/guidelines-for-treating-pans-its-real/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/01/02/pans-pandas-a-survivors-story/

Please spread the word and educate others. Children are losing their childhoods to this.

 

Category:

Activism, Bartonella, Inflammation, Lyme, PANS, Psychological Aspects, Uncategorized

Lyme Disease: An Introduction

https://articles.mercola.com/lyme-disease.aspx?

Lyme Disease: An Introduction

By Dr. Mercola

May 12, 2019

Tick attached to skin

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

  • Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can be transmitted by ticks
  • It mimics a number of disorders such as arthritis, multiple sclerosis (MS), chronic fatigue syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer’s disease. Infected individuals also can appear to be completely healthy even though they are experiencing severe symptoms
  • Up to 300,000 people may contract Lyme disease each year in the U.S.
Lyme disease remains one of the most serious and controversial epidemics today.

Approximately 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) every year. However, data from the standard national surveillance show that around 300,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year in the U.S.,1 indicating the disease is considerably underreported. But what exactly is Lyme disease and how can you contract it?

An Overview on Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can be transmitted by ticks.2 Some studies suggest that the bacteria that cause it can also be spread by other insects like fleas, mosquitoes and mites.3 Lyme disease is called “the great imitator” because it mimics a number of disorders such as arthritis, multiple sclerosis (MS), chronic fatigue syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer’s disease.4,5

It’s also called “the invisible illness,” as infected individuals can appear to be completely healthy even though they are experiencing severe symptoms.6

Lyme disease usually starts with a red, round rash that resemble a bull’s-eye. It then progresses with symptoms such as fatigue, fever, headaches and joint and muscle pain. It can then progress to muscle spasms, loss of motor coordination, intermittent paralysis, meningitis and even heart problems.7 The disease typically causes vague, dispersed pain, which is the reason it is often misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia even by experienced doctors.8

The best strategy against Lyme disease is to avoid being bitten by ticks and other insects. The CDC recommends checking your whole body carefully after going to a tick-infested area and taking a shower immediately after being outdoors, to wash off and easily find ticks or tick bites.9

Controversies Surrounding Chronic Lyme Disease

Many physicians now acknowledge that Lyme disease is real, but there is still controversy about whether it can become a chronic condition.10 Members of the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) do not believe in chronic Lyme and generally will not treat a patient longer than the usual duration of treatment, which is four to six weeks.

On the other hand, members of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) believe that Lyme disease can persist and are willing to treat patients for a longer duration.11

According to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health, long-term antibiotic treatment is not beneficial for individuals with ongoing symptoms of Lyme disease, as it does not result in a positive prognosis and only increases the risks for complications such as biliary disease.12,13 It can also significantly decrease the beneficial bacteria in the gut and impair your natural immune function. To help manage this condition without complications, opt for safer holistic methods.

These Pages Will Help You Better Understand Lyme Disease

Take immediate action if you suspect that you, someone you know or your pet is infected with Lyme disease. Read these pages to learn more about Lyme disease, including its causes, stages, symptoms and treatment options. Learning crucial information about this potentially debilitating condition is an important step to helping lower your risk.

MORE ABOUT LYME DISEASE
Lyme Disease: Introduction What Is Lyme Disease? Is Lyme Disease Contagious?
Lyme Disease Causes Lyme Disease Stages Lyme Disease Symptoms
Lyme Disease Treatment Lyme Disease Prevention Lyme Disease Test
Lyme Disease Diet Lyme Disease FAQ
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**Comment**
A few points for consideration:
  1. We really haven’t a clue on on all the possible modes of transmission. Besides other bugs:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/02/transmission-of-lyme-disease-lida-mattman-phd/ there is much evidence for congenital transmission:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/06/19/33-years-of-documentation-of-maternal-child-transmission-of-lyme-disease-and-congenital-lyme-borreliosis-a-review/, as well as sexual transmission:   https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/05/11/lyme-found-in-genital-lesion-sexual-transmission-studies-screaming-to-be-done/
  2. According to the CDC 42,743 people contracted Lyme in 2017; however, they estimate it’s 10 times that number, so the estimated number of NEW cases was close to 428,000. Since these numbers are already two years old and it’s only increased, it’s even higher than that.
  3. The controversy is very real and is keeping people from proper diagnosis and treatment. This issue needs resolution:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/04/13/chronic-lyme-post-mortem-study-needed-to-end-the-lyme-wars/
  4. Many NEVER see a bull’s eye rash:  https://www.lymedisease.org/lymepolicywonk-how-many-of-those-with-lyme-disease-have-the-rash-estimates-range-from-27-80-2/
  5. Let’s break down the studies that supposedly show “long-term antibiotic treatment is not beneficial for individuals with ongoing symptoms of Lyme disease.” 

The first clinical trial, which included two studies conducted at multiple research sites, had patients treated with 30 days of an intravenous antibiotic followed by 60 days of treatment with an oral antibiotic.

Another study, published in 2003, patients were treated with 28 days of intravenous antibiotic compared with placebo.

A subsequent study supported by NINDS gave patients that had at least three weeks of prior intravenous antibiotics, either 10 weeks of intravenous ceftriaxone or intravenous placebo.

A reappraisal of several of these studies concluded that IV antibiotics may provide benefit to PTLDS fatigue, but in light of significant adverse events they were not recommended and improved methods of treatment were needed.

I do not call a month or two of IV antibiotics “long term” treatment.  Regarding the severe reactions by a few on IV antibiotics, many patients do not require IV’s at all, lessening the adverse events substantially. Everyone knows IV antibiotics come with risk but that is a risk patient and doctor should weigh against the severity of the case. To determine that IV antibiotics across the board are not worth the risk is like stating that due to severe reactions, cancer treatment should be discontinued for everyone at all times. Go here to read of a Milwaukee, WI doctor and IDSA founder who used 6-8 grams of IV antibiotics on many of his patients with success:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/07/09/idsa-founder-used-potent-iv-antibiotics-for-chronic-lyme/

BTW: long-term antibiotics have been used for acne, rheumatic fever, cystic fibrosis, and other diseases.  Lyme/MSIDS can maim and kill you.

Much has also come out recently on the type of antibiotics used, and ceftriaxone may not be the best choice:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/24/three-antibiotic-cocktail-clears-persister-lyme-bacteria-in-mouse-study/

Until borrelia pleomorphism is addressed, mainstream medicine will continue to throw the mono therapy of doxycycline or ceftriazone at this when much research has shown it isn’t enough:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/02/25/medical-stalemate-what-causes-continuing-symptoms-after-lyme-treatment/

In vitro work has shown only certain drugs work against various forms of Lyme:  https://www.dovepress.com/evaluation-of-in-vitro-antibiotic-susceptibility-of-different-morpholo-peer-reviewed-article-IDR  Metronidazole led to reduction of spirochetal structures by ~90% and round body forms by ~80%. Tigecycline and tinidazole treatment reduced both spirochetal and round body forms by ~80%–90%.  In terms of qualitative effects, only tinidazole reduced viable organisms by ~90%. Following treatment with the other antibiotics, viable organisms were detected in 70%–85% of the biofilm-like colonies.

Also, these studies do not even mention the word coinfection, yet many patients are infected with many pathogens besides Lyme (borrelia).  The coinfected patient will not get better with only 1 drug:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/10/30/study-shows-lyme-msids-patients-infected-with-many-pathogens-and-explains-why-we-are-so-sick/  For instance, ceftiaxone will not effectively treat Babesia. Research has shown that those infected with both Lyme and Babesia have more severe cases of longer duration: https://reference.medscape.com/medline/abstract/8637139

Studies used to supposedly show that long-term antibiotics don’t work are rigged from the get-go to reveal a pre-determined outcome.

I can tell you right now, my husband and I very well might not be on planet earth if it weren’t for judiciously used long-term oral antibiotics.  I’m talking YEARS of treatment, not a month’s worth.  If you watched “Under Our Skin,” the ranger stated,

“Who would have thought my greatest improvement came after 3 years of treatment.“

This has been our experience with many other patients saying the exact same thing.

In talking to Dr. Hoffman, RIP, and probably one of the most experienced practitioners in the state of Wisconsin, he told me that when he initially started treating people for this in the 70’s, before it even had a name, cases resolved within a couple of months to a year.  Now, cases are taking 3 and more years for resolution.  WHY?  Good question.  He, Dr. Burrascano, and Dr. Horowitz have all stated that coinfections weren’t as much of an issue decades ago, but that now the added effect of Lyme with numerous coinfections are making cases much more severe.  http://www.lymepa.org/c07%20Lyme%20disease%20and%20Babesiosis%20coinfection.pdf

The CDC/NIH/IDSA won’t even consider pleomorphism of borrelia or coinfections involvement.  Again, WHY?
Perhaps that question needs to be resolved first before anyone claims the science is settled on treatment.

Don’t let anyone convince you that treatment isn’t crucial and that you can not get better (not just for acute cases).  You can regain much if not all of what you’ve lost to this plague.  It takes patience, nuance, and effort, but refuse to roll over and accept doom:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/29/is-the-sky-truly-going-to-fall-for-patients-with-the-untreatable-form-of-lyme-disease/

Trust me – nobody out here in Lyme-land enjoys taking antibiotics.  We take them because they improve our lives dramatically or even can make us completely well.  Antimicrobial treatment is imperative but only one prong of successful treatment.  I understand the need for antibiotic stewardship but people are dying from Lyme/MSIDS.  For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/02/13/lyme-disease-treatment/

This plague is far, far worse than they are admitting. Don’t kid yourself.  This is about money & power. Insurance companies don’t want to pay so authorities have constructed a paradigm making that possible.
Refuse to fall through the crack they’ve created.

Category:

Lyme, Ticks, Transmission, Treatment

Lyme Found in Genital Lesion – Sexual Transmission Studies Screaming to be Done

https://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=240044

Bacterial Agent of Lyme Disease Detected in a Genital Lesion

International Team of Scientists Led by Union Square Medical Associates Finds Further Evidence for Sexual Transmission of the Tickborne Disease.

San Francisco, CA, USA – WEBWIRE – Monday, May 6, 2019

“We have taken Lyme disease out of the woods and into the bedroom”

A report describing detection of the bacterial agent of Lyme disease in a genital lesion lends support to possible sexual transmission of the disease. The report was published in the prestigious Journal of Investigative Medicine High Impact Case Reports (https://journals.sagepub.com/articles/hic), and it supports a pilot study previously published in the online journal F1000Research(https://f1000research.com/articles/3-309/v3).

Lyme disease is a tickborne infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, a type of corkscrew-shaped bacteria known as a spirochete (pronounced spiro’keet). The Lyme spirochete resembles the agent of syphilis, long recognized as the poster child for sexually transmitted diseases. Recently the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that Lyme disease is much more common than previously thought, with over 400,000 new cases diagnosed each year in the United States. That makes Lyme disease in this country about twice as common as annual new cases of breast cancer and four times more common than annual new cases of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and syphilis combined.

The current study was a collaborative effort by an international team of scientists. Researchers included Marianne Middelveen, a veterinary microbiologist from Calgary, Canada, molecular biologist Jennie Burke from Sydney, Australia, and nurse practitioner Melissa Fesler and internist Raphael Stricker from Union Square Medical Associates in San Francisco, CA.

“Our findings demonstrate the complexity of Lyme disease,” said Fesler, a lead author of the published study. “It explains why the disease is more common than one would think if only ticks were involved in transmission.”

In the study, researchers examined a genital lesion in a patient on treatment for Lyme disease. The lesion was found to contain live spirochetes that could be grown in special culture broth, and sophisticated immunology and molecular techniques revealed that the spirochetes were indeed Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease. Testing for syphilis spirochetes and other pathogens was negative.

“The presence of live spirochetes in a genital lesion strongly suggests that sexual transmission of Lyme disease occurs,” said Middelveen. “We need to do more research to determine the risk of sexual transmission of this syphilis-like organism.”

Dr. Stricker pointed to the implications for Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment raised by the study. “We have taken Lyme disease out of the woods and into the bedroom,” he said. “We need to find better drugs to treat this runaway epidemic just like we did for HIV/AIDS and HCV.”

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**Comment**

The 2014 pilot study should have sent a shock wave throughout the world.  Should have, but didn’t.  The CDC/IDSA/NIH barely rolled over in bed.  2014 study found in this link along with animal studies:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/02/24/pcos-lyme-my-story/

Notice it’s the same folks looking into this?  Where’s the big studies?  Where’s the power-players with all the money?

Studying Zika and climate-change.

Lida Mattman, PhD. & Elizabeth Burgess, PhD. have been sounding the alarm on Bb being transmitted in a variety of ways since the 80’s:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/02/transmission-of-lyme-disease-lida-mattman-phd/
 

Category:

Lyme, research, Syphilis, Testing, Transmission