Archive for the ‘research’ Category

RFK Jr. To Lead Lyme Disease Roundtable Today: December 15, 2025

https://www.lymedisease.org/hhs-lyme-roundtable-dec15/

RFK Jr. to lead Lyme disease roundtable on December 15

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced a roundtable discussion titled Invisible Illness — Leading the Way with Lyme Disease, scheduled for December 15, from 2:00–4:30 PM Eastern Time / 11:00 AM–1:30 PM Pacific Time.

The event will be broadcast live to the public on the HHS YouTube channel:

http://
 

Lyme Disease Round Table

The session will be convened by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., along with senior HHS leadership, Members of Congress, clinicians, researchers, innovators, and patient advocates.

The roundtable will focus on several topics, including:

  • Early detection of Lyme disease
  • Coordinated care approaches
  • Next-generation diagnostic tools
  • Federal priorities for Lyme disease and related chronic conditions

Organizers note that the conversation will highlight the roles of researchers, transparency in decision-making, and patient participation in shaping solutions.

SOURCE: US Department of Health and Human Services

For more:

 
 

Category:

Activism, Lyme, research, Testing, Treatment

New Rickettsia Species Found in Dogs & Lone Star Ticks in California

https://www.lymedisease.org/new-rickettsia-in-dogs/

Researchers confirm new Rickettsia species found in dogs

By Tracy Peake, NC State

Researchers from North Carolina State University have confirmed that a species of Rickettsia first seen in dogs in 2018 is a new species of bacteria.

The new species, dubbed Rickettsia finnyi, is associated with symptoms similar to those of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) in dogs, but has not yet been found in humans.

Rickettsia pathogens are categorized into four groups; of those, spotted-fever group Rickettsia (which is transmitted by ticks) is the most commonly known and contains the most identified species. There are more than 25 species of tick-borne, spotted-fever group Rickettsia species worldwide, with R. rickettsii – which causes RMSF – being one of the most virulent and dangerous.

Symptoms of RMSF in dogs and people are similar, including fever, lethargy and symptoms related to vascular inflammation, like swelling, rash and pain.

“We first reported the novel species of Rickettsia in a 2020 case series involving three dogs,” says Barbara Qurollo, associate research professor at NC State and corresponding author of the new study.

“Since then we received samples from an additional 16 dogs – primarily from the Southeast and Midwest – that were infected with the same pathogen. We were also able to culture the new species from the blood of one of the naturally infected dogs in that group.”

To name a new Rickettsial bacterial species, the bacteria must be cultured, its genome sequenced and published, and the cultures must be deposited in two biobanks so that other researchers can also study it. Qurollo’s group successfully cultured the new species from the infected dog.

Culturing a difficult pathogen

“Rickettsia species are difficult to culture because these organisms grow inside of cells,” Qurollo says. “While we haven’t been able to confirm which tick species transmit it yet, we think it may be associated with the lone star tick, because a research group in Oklahoma found R. finnyi DNA in a lone star tick.”

The researchers named the new species Rickettsia finnyi, after Finny, the first dog they found it in.

“By naming it after an individual dog, we wanted to honor all companion dogs that have contributed to the discovery of new pathogens that could cause serious illness in both dogs and humans,” Qurollo says.

The work appears in Emerging Infectious Diseases.

SOURCE: North Carolina State University

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https://www.lymedisease.org/lone-star-ticks-california/

Are lone star ticks taking hold in California?

The lone star tick, notorious for spreading disease and causing a red meat allergy called alpha-gal syndrome, has long plagued the eastern United States.

Now, UC Davis researchers warn it may be edging closer to establishing itself in California.

Their study uncovered seventy-six lone star ticks reported across the state, including recent finds in the Bay Area and San Clemente. While field teams in 2024 and 2025 didn’t recover any during surveillance, climate models show coastal California offers prime conditions for the species.

Experts say the tick isn’t officially established yet, but the risk is real. With climate change and increased movement of animals and people, scientists caution that Californians should stay vigilant, check for ticks after outdoor activities, and report unusual sightings.

Click here to read the study in the journal Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases.

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**Comment**

Sadly, climate clap trap has taken hold in research because a political tribalism has taken over due to highly competitive, but limited research dollars to be vied for.  “Science” has been wrong about global warming for over 50 years but refuses to admit fault or reform.  

Regarding tick and disease proliferation, independent research has already proven the climate is a mute point as ticks are highly ecoadaptive, yet the narrative continues on like a bad penny.  And nary a word is ever mentioned about our own government experimenting on ticks and dropping them out of airplanes.

Much easier to blame the climate phantom.

Category:

Activism, Alpha Gal Meat Allergy, Climate, research, Rickettsia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ticks, Transmission

FDA Chief Says Lyme Disease Came From U.S. Military Lab 257 & Suggests HIV Came From African Lab

https://jonfleetwood.substack.com/p/fda-chief-says-lyme-disease-came

FDA Chief Says Lyme Disease Came from U.S. Military Lab 257, Suggests HIV Came from African Lab (Video)

“It came from Lab 257 on Plum Island.”

Jon Fleetwood
Nov 27, 2025

In a stunning exchange on the PBD Podcast (Episode 690), U.S. Commissioner of Food and Drugs (FDA) Dr. Marty Makary, a Johns Hopkins surgeon, dropped two bombshell admissions about pathogen origins—one about HIV, the other about Lyme disease.

Dr. Makary openly entertained the possibility that HIV “may very well have come from a lab in Africa,” saying the film Thank You, Dr. Fauci “explore[s] a non-traditional narrative, which has not gotten the attention it deserves.”

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is said to be a retrovirus that targets and destroys CD4 T cells in the immune system, weakening the body’s ability to fight infections and potentially leading to AIDS if untreated.

When asked where Lyme disease originated, Makary answered directly: “I can tell you with a high degree of probability. It came from Lab 257 on Plum Island.”

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, transmitted through bites from infected blacklegged ticks, often marked by an expanding “bull’s-eye” rash, fever, fatigue, and joint pain.

The head of the FDA has admitted that two major diseases originated not in nature, but in government laboratories, raising questions about other disease origins.  (See link for article)

________________

**Comment**

Here’s the brief 5 minute portion of the interview pertaining to HIV and Lyme.  Scroll to 2:44 hear the bit on Lyme disease.  Go here for entire interview.

For years, Lyme advocates have been gaslit for stating the exact same words Makary said.

In fact, after waiting an entire year for Representative Chris Smith‘s (R-NJ) proposed amendment passed by the House of Representatives directing the government’s ‘watchdog’ agency to investigate the DOD’s possible weaponization of ticks and other insects with Lyme disease, the inspector general at the Pentagon didn’t have the bandwidth to launch an investigation. (Translation – I don’t have any balls and I’m passing the football to someone else), so then it headed to the Government Accountability Office (GAO).  Ultimately, the Senate rejected the amendment for the GAO to investigate whether Lyme came from a Pentagon research laboratory

And despite an investigation into five NJ school districts revealing devastating effects of Lyme disease on the children there, cries have fallen on deaf ears.  The CDC refused to publish the school study despite telling the advocate that they would.

So while Makary affirms what we all know, the following problems remain:

Category:

Activism, Lyme, research, Testing, Treatment

PTSD-Like Symptoms After Medical Gaslighting in Lyme Disease

https://danielcameronmd.com/ptsd-like-symptoms-lyme-disease/

PTSD-Like Symptoms After Medical Gaslighting in Lyme Disease

Posted By: Dr. Daniel Cameron

Recognizing PTSD-Like Symptoms in Lyme Disease

Many patients describe racing thoughts before appointments, fear of being dismissed, and physical reactions when discussing symptoms. These PTSD-like patterns arise not only from infection, but from the experience of being doubted, delayed, or disbelieved.

Patients report:

  1. Flashbacks of being dismissed or misdiagnosed

  2. Anxiety before medical visits

  3. Insomnia and startle reactions

  4. Emotional numbness or loss of trust

Bransfield (PubMed) has extensively documented the psychiatric manifestations of Lyme disease, including trauma-related anxiety, intrusive thoughts, depression, and emotional dysregulation.

“Medical dismissal can wound as deeply as disease itself.”

Why PTSD-Like Symptoms Develop in Lyme Disease

Medical gaslighting undermines safety — a key foundation of recovery.
When patients with Lyme disease are denied validation or treatment, the nervous system stays locked in survival mode.
The overlap between chronic infection and trauma responses can amplify fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, and pain sensitivity.

Emerging research suggests that inflammation and prolonged immune stress can heighten the brain’s threat response — making it harder to return to a sense of safety.

For many, validation is not simply emotional comfort — it’s a biological reset that allows the nervous system to stand down from chronic defense.

The PTSD Framework (DSM-5 Criteria)

To understand why so many patients describe trauma-like reactions, it helps to look at how PTSD itself is defined.

The DSM-5 classifies Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a trauma- and stressor-related disorder with symptom clusters that last more than one month and cause significant distress or impairment.

1️⃣ Exposure to Trauma

Exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence, through:

  1. Direct experience

  2. Witnessing the event

  3. Learning it occurred to a close contact

  4. Repeated or extreme exposure to details (e.g., first responders)

2️⃣ Intrusion Symptoms (≥1)

  1. Recurrent, involuntary distressing memories

  2. Nightmares or flashbacks

  3. Intense distress at reminders of the trauma

3️⃣ Avoidance (≥1)

  1. Avoidance of thoughts, feelings, or conversations related to the trauma

  2. Avoidance of places, people, or activities that trigger memories

4️⃣ Negative Alterations in Cognition and Mood (≥2)

  1. Negative beliefs (“I’m broken,” “No one can be trusted”)

  2. Distorted blame of self or others

  3. Persistent fear, anger, guilt, or shame

  4. Diminished interest in activities

  5. Detachment or estrangement

  6. Inability to experience positive emotions

5️⃣ Alterations in Arousal and Reactivity (≥2)

  1. Irritability or angry outbursts

  2. Hypervigilance

  3. Exaggerated startle response

  4. Sleep disturbance or poor concentration

6️⃣ Duration and Impact

  1. Lasts more than one month

  2. Causes clinically significant distress or impairment

  3. Not due to substances or another medical condition

When the Trauma Isn’t a Single Event

Many Lyme patients don’t meet all DSM-5 criteria — particularly the “qualifying trauma” element — but develop PTSD-like symptoms through chronic exposure to helplessness, disbelief, or prolonged illness.
These experiences are often cumulative rather than catastrophic — a slow erosion of safety and trust that rewires both body and brain.

Chronic infection, inflammation, and repeated invalidation create a complex trauma environment, where the nervous system remains in defense mode long after the acute threat has passed.

Restoring Safety and Trust

If you’ve lived through disbelief or dismissal, you’re not alone.
Sharing your story can help others feel seen — and remind them that healing begins with being heard.
Recognizing PTSD-like symptoms in Lyme disease is an important step toward healing — both medically and emotionally.

References

For more:

Category:

Activism, Lyme, Psychological Aspects, research

Study: 92% of Pediatric Bipolar Disorder Had Evidence of Tick-Borne Exposure

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/child-and-adolescent-psychiatry/articles/10.3389/frcha.2025.1685016/full

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 05 November 2025

Sec. Developmental Psychopathology and Mental Health

Volume 4 – 2025 | https://doi.org/10.3389/frcha.2025.1685016

This article is part of the Research TopicSevere Mental Illnesses in Children: Unravelling Developmental Trajectories, Neuropsychiatric Impairments, and Chronic PainView all 3 articles

Investigating the frequency of tick-borne infections in a case series of 37 youth diagnosed with pediatric bipolar disorder

Rosalie Greenberg1,2*
  • 1Medical Arts Psychotherapy Associates, P.A., Summit, NJ, United States
  • 2Overlook Medical Center, Summit, NJ, United States

Introduction: This retrospective chart review examined 37 youth with pediatric bipolar disorder from a private practice in the Lyme-endemic state of New Jersey, expanding on findings from 27 previously reported cases to explore the potential contribution of tick-borne infections to disease etiology.

Methods: Diagnoses were based on DSM-IV-TR and DSM-V criteria using parent and child interviews, questionnaires, and school reports. Initial screening evaluated for possible PANDAS/PANS, with testing for Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus, Borrelia burgdorferi, Babesia, Bartonella, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Lyme disease testing included ELISA, Western Blot (IgM/IgG), and immunoblots, interpreted per CDC guidelines. Other pathogens were assessed via IgM/IgG titers, anti-streptolysin O, anti-DNAase B, fluorescent in situ hybridization, and blood cultures. A positive diagnosis required both laboratory evidence and clinician confirmation.

Results: Babesia was detected in 51% (19/37), Bartonella in 49% (18/37), Mycoplasma pneumoniae in 38% (14/37), Borrelia burgdorferi in 22% (8/37), and Group A Streptococcus in 19% (7/37).

Overall, 92% (34/37) had evidence of tick-borne exposure, with 81% (30/37) meeting both laboratory and clinical criteria.

Discussion: More than three-quarters of the cohort demonstrated confirmed tick-borne infections. Overlaps between bipolar disorder and tick-borne illness—such as immune dysregulation, chronic symptomatology, and responsiveness to treatments like minocycline and anti-inflammatory agents—support further exploration of infectious contributors to pediatric bipolar disorder. While limited by its single-practice retrospective design, these findings suggest that tick-borne pathogens may play a role in the pathogenesis of bipolar symptoms in youth, warranting larger, controlled studies.

For More:

Category:

Babesia, Bartonella, Lyme, Mycoplasma, PANS, Psychological Aspects, research