Archive for the ‘research’ Category

COVID-19: Is Infection Along With Mycoplasma Or Other Bacteria Linked to Progression to a Lethal Outcome?

https://m.scirp.org/papers/100307

COVID-19 Coronavirus: Is Infection along with Mycoplasma or Other Bacteria Linked to Progression to a Lethal Outcome?

Garth L. Nicolson1*, Gonzalo Ferreira de Mattos2
 
Abstract: Most patients with COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus recover from this infection, but a significant fraction progress to a fatal outcome. As with some other RNA viruses, co-infection or activation of latent bacterial infections along with pre-existing health conditions in COVID-19 disease may be important in determining a fatal disease course. Mycoplasma spp. (M. pneumonaie, M. fermentans, etc.) have been routinely found as co-infections in a wide number of clinical conditions, and in some cases this has progressed to a fatal disease.
 
Although preliminary, Mycoplasma pneumoniae has been identified in COVID-19 disease, and the severity of some signs and symptoms in progressive COVID-19 patients could be due, in part, to Mycoplasma or other bacterial infections. Moreover, the presence of pathogenic Mycoplasma species or other pathogenic bacteria in COVID-19 disease may confer a perfect storm of cytokine and hemodynamic dysfunction, autoimmune activation, mitochondrial dysfunction and other complications that together cannot be easily corrected in patients with pre-existing health conditions.
 
The positive responses of only some COVID-19 patients to antibiotic and anti-malaria therapy could have been the result of suppression of Mycoplasma species and other bacterial co-infections in subsets of patients.
 
Thus it may be useful to use molecular tests to determine the presence of pathogenic Mycoplasma species and other pathogenic bacteria that are commonly found in atypical pneumonia in all hospitalized COVID-19 patients, and when positive results are obtained, these patients should treated accordingly in order to improve clinical responses and patient outcomes.  (See link for full article)
 
Important note:

Since we prepared this manuscript, there have been recent contributions, mostly brief preprint reports or letters that support our hypothesis. Charkraborty and Das [98] discussed the possibility that anaerobic bacteria, including Mycoplasma species, could be causing secondary infections in COVID-19 disease. They have proposed that such infections may be altering hemoglobin degradation and producing metabolites that affect hypoxia in progressing COVID-19 patients [98]. Stricker and Fesler [99] suggested that patients who have COVID-19 disease should not progress to a fatal outcome, if their therapy includes combinations of antibiotics (including minocycline or doxycycline) used for tick-borne infections [99]. As we discussed previously, Lyme disease patients often have mycoplasma co-infections that are sensitive to minocycline and doxycycline [62] [75].

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Category:

Lyme, Mycoplasma, research, Viruses

How to Apply Repellent

https://www.globallymealliance.org/videos/how-to-apply-repellent

How To Apply Repellent

by Admin at Global Lyme Alliance on May 6, 2020

<img style="box-sizing:inherit;max-width:100%;height:auto;" src="https://www.globallymealliance.org/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/MyLymeLife_2-75.png&quot; alt="How To Apply Repellent“>
WHY TICK-BITE PREVENTION IS IMPORTANT

Increased tick activity combined with unreliable diagnostics and limited treatment options make diligent tick-bite prevention for the entire family of utmost importance. Even when diagnosed and treated early, up to 20% of people infected with Lyme disease continue to experience debilitating symptoms. For those not diagnosed early, treatment success can vary greatly. With late-stage or chronic Lyme disease, the bacteria can adversely affect multiple organ systems, joints, the heart, the brain, and parts of the central nervous system.

TICKS CARRY MORE THAN LYME DISEASE

The most common tick-borne illnesses are carried by blacklegged ticks (called deer ticks) that may also transmit several bacterial diseases including Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, and Anaplasmosis, which often result in infections coincident with Lyme. The same blacklegged tick, may also transmit the Powassan virus which can cause encephalitis and meningitis. Experts warn that viral infections may occur in as little as 15 minutes after a tick bite.

HOW TO BE TICK AWARE
  1. AVOID areas where ticks live. Ticks thrive in wood piles, long grass, leaf piles, and beach grass.
  2. WEAR light-colored clothing: long pants, sleeves, socks, and closed-toe shoes. APPLY EPA-approved, CDC-recommended tick repellent to skin and insecticide to clothing and shoes as directed.
  3. REMOVE clothing upon entering the home; toss into dryer at a high temperature for 10-15 minutes to kill ticks.
  4. EXAMINE yourself and your pets for ticks daily. Check everywhere — ticks love to hide!
CHOOSING A TICK REPELLENT

Body-worn repellents serve as the first line of defense for tick bites.

When choosing a tick repellent, it is important to select an EPA-approved, CDC-recommended active ingredient such as Picaridin 20%. “Picaridin 20% is recommended by the CDC, the World Health Organization, and Health Canada, is the leading active ingredient sold in European pharmacies,” said Chris L. Fuentes, Founder and CEO of Ranger Ready Repellents. “We created Ranger Ready with Picaridin 20% because it’s highly effective against ticks and can be safely worn by adults and children who must be protected every day.”

Go to RangerReady.com and use code GLA2021 for 10% off! As always, a portion of proceeds on rangerready.com go to GLA to advance our combined mission to protect future generations from tick bites and tick-borne illnesses.

For more prevention tips, visit BeTickAware.org

Global Lyme Alliance

Admin at Global Lyme Alliance

Global Lyme Alliance

Email: info@globallymealliance.org

_______________________

For more: 

Category:

Lyme, Prevention, research, Ticks

2019 Lyme Case Numbers Finally Released by CDC

https://lymediseaseassociation.org/about-lyme/cases-stats-maps-a-graphs/delayed-cdc-lyme-final-lyme-case-numbers-for-2019-finally-released/

Delayed CDC Lyme Final Lyme Case Numbers for 2019 Finally Released

Deer Tick Questing

Lyme Disease Association (LDA) Announces CDC’s 2019 Final Lyme Disease Reported Case Numbers:  The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has just released the 2019 final Lyme disease reported U.S. case numbers–34,945. CDC reported that cases were ~4% more than in 2018, and the geographic distribution of areas with a high incidence of Lyme appears to be expanding based on data reported to National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (NNDSS). The number of counties with an incidence of ≥10 confirmed cases per 100,000 persons increased from 324 in 2008 to 432 in 2019.

Reporting Delay Explained  Final Lyme disease case numbers are usually reported in the fall of the next year (for 2019, should have been reported in 2020). The CDC has responded to LDA inquiries over time that reporting was delayed due to the pandemic and thus to shortages of resources/personnel at many government levels, which was no surprise to anyone following the numbers’ delay.  CDC also had a note on the reporting page that “Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, data from some jurisdictions may be incomplete.” 

Past Estimates of Underreporting  In the past,  CDC has reported that only 10% of cases are actually reported─ that translates into 349,450 actual new Lyme cases in the US in 2019.  However, in 2021, the CDC announced that:

“A recently released estimate based on insurance records suggests that each year ~ 476,000 Americans are diagnosed & treated for Lyme disease(1,2). ” Prior Lyme estimates based on claims data had indicated “~300,000 people get Lyme disease  each year.”

It appears clear from the number of patients culled from insurance data as being diagnosed and treated annually for Lyme disease in the U.S. that cases are vastly under-reported. 

  1. Schwartz AM, Kugeler KJ, Nelson CA, et al. Use of Commercial Claims Data for Evaluating Trends in Lyme Disease Diagnoses, United States, 2010-2018. Emerg Infect Dis. 2021;27(2).
  2. Kugeler KJ, Schwartz AM, Delorey M, et al. Estimating the frequency of Lyme disease diagnoses —United States, 2010-2018. Emerg Infect Dis. 2021;27(2).

LDA NOTE:

  • The State of Hawaii does not require reporting of Lyme disease.
  • The State of New York estimates the Lyme numbers in many counties and those numbers are not permitted to be entered into CDC reported case numbers.
  • Massachusetts changed their reporting system and their numbers on paper have dramatically dropped in the past few years, moving them out of the top 15 states.  To see more states that have changed reporting of Lyme disease over time see  LDA Lyme Cases Map Page

Top 15 States  The LDA has ranked the top 15 states based on the CDC total reported Lyme case numbers for 2019 below. This ranking should not be construed to mean that other states do not have reported Lyme cases. They do have reported cases,  Click here for all states.

Often patients cannot get diagnosed and/or treated in states that CDC considers “low incidence” states.

Doctors in low incidence states are often either afraid to diagnose Lyme or do not understand that surveillance criteria are not meant as diagnostic criteria. 

Read about Diagnosis by Geography

LDA State Ranking by Reported CDC Lyme Cases

Category:

Lyme, research

Columbia Clinical Trials Network Seeks Treatment Approaches From Public, Clinicians, & Others

https://lymediseaseassociation.org/resources/clinical-trials-studies/columbia-clinical-trials-network-seeks-treatment-approaches-from-public-clinician-others/

Columbia Clinical Trials Network Seeks Treatment Approaches From Public, Clinicians, & Others

From Columbia Clinical Trials Network: In recognition of a severe unmet need, the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation’s grant to Columbia University has established the first national Columbia Clinical Trials Network for Lyme and other Tick-borne Diseases [www.lymectn.org]. The Research Network starts with a team of leading investigators, including Dr. Brian Fallon at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City, Dr. John Aucott at Johns Hopkins University Medical Center in Baltimore Maryland, and Dr. Roberta DeBiasi at Children’s National Hospital in Washington D.C.

Providing oversight to ensure that the highest-quality clinical trials are undertaken, the Clinical Trials Network will:

  • provide internal funding support for small pilot studies
  • assist investigators in protocol design and statistical research planning
  • establish and manage a national case registry
  • create a data management system for multi-site clinical trials
The clinical trials network will be a powerful engine to drive large-scale clinical trials and potentially transformational early-stage research.

To generate as many ideas as possible and to hear directly from the front lines of clinical experience, Columbia CTNCC invites public, community clinicians, and other stakeholders to submit their ideas on treatment approaches. These ideas may spark off development of a pilot study and be included in clinical trials conducted at one of the CTN nodes.

You may contribute to a groundbreaking research project in the field of Lyme and the tick-borne diseases.

The deadline for the first round of submissions for treatment research ideas from the general public is July 1, 2021. The submission period opened June 1.

To submit your suggestions for treatments, please go to www.lymectn.org and submit on the “Treatment Research Idea Hub”.

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From the LDA:  The Lyme Disease Association Inc (LDA) President Pat Smith, had this to say about the release,

“This is a great opportunity for individuals to provide suggestions which might lead to research on a treatment which could lead to a cure or to a better life for many of our sickest Lyme/TBD patients. I hope those who have promising ideas will submit them to the Columbia CTNCC for consideration.”

Category:

Activism, research, Treatment

Review of Evidence Supporting IDSA Guidelines EM Treatment in US

https://lymediseaseassociation.org/about-lyme/research-articles/peer-reviewed-articles/review-of-evidence-supporting-idsa-guidelines-em-treatment-in-us/

Review of Evidence Supporting IDSA Guidelines EM Treatment in US

2014 ElizabethMaloneyMD
Elizabeth Maloney, MD

The IDSA guidelines for Lyme disease contain 2 recommendations for antibiotic therapy for patients with erythema migrans (EM) rashes. The first recommendation identified which antibiotics were preferred and the second specified therapy duration.

In “Evidence-Based, Patient-Centered Treatment of Erythema Migrans in the United States,” Antibiotics 2021, author Elizabeth L. Maloney, MD, reviews the US trial evidence on EM rashes, problems of the IDSA recommendations considering that evidence, and provides evidence-based patient-centered strategies for managing patients with EM.

“The EM rash is the hallmark finding of early disease,” along with other symptoms. “In light of the physical and financial costs, identifying and promoting highly effective therapeutic interventions for US patients with erythema migrans (EM) rashes that return them to their pre-infection health status should be a priority.” 

The paper states:

“when promptly diagnosed and appropriately treated with antibiotics, early Lyme disease is curable.” Untreated and inadequately treated infections can progress to long-term sequalae. Patient-centered care–defined by the National Academy of Medicine—“…is respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs, and values and ensuring that patient values guide all clinical decisions. Patient-centered outcomes are outcomes that matter to patients, such as reductions in symptoms or improvements in quality of life.” In recent times, patient-centered outcomes are becoming part of trial designs.

Dr. Maloney uses a Medline search with specified criteria to identify the trials conducted in the US for the named antibiotics recommended by IDSA Lyme guidelines.  There were 25 results of which 8 met the search criteria, other 17 were EM trials in Europe, disseminated disease in Europe, European antibiotic retreatment, culture difficulty, and tick bite prophylaxis. The US trials were old, were small, and 2 had high non completion rates of 40%+ and two others had single arm with 20%+ non—completion, thus Dr. Maloney indicates these should not be included to determine treatment efficacy.

The paper goes on to examine the remaining US trials, several of which used disease centered endpoints, not patient centered endpoints, and all those trials used what is currently considered outdated statistical methodology, pointing out the weaknesses of the evidence used by IDSA. In the conclusion, Dr. Maloney highlights the need for more research.

Click here to read the entire study

Click here to read Johns Hopkins Lyme Research Center Challenges IDSA Guidelines & Addresses Lyme-COVID

Click here to see video of Bransfield & Smith Discuss IDSA Guidelines

Category:

Activism, Lyme, research, Treatment