Archive for the ‘research’ Category

Spirochetes in Sputum of Chronic Lyme Patient

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/spirochaetes-sputum-patient-chronic-lyme-borreliosis-peter-kemp/

Spirochaetes in the Sputum of a patient with chronic Lyme borreliosis

Peter Kemp

Private researcher at Private borreliosis research
No alt text provided for this image

INTRODUCTION. Over the past 15 years since I joined support groups for patients with Lyme disease, an occasional and recurring topic of discussion has been breathing problems. These include a chronic cough and what some have described as having symptoms like persistent low-grade pneumonia. My recent microscopy study of sputum demonstrates the presence of significant numbers of spirochaetes showing varied morphology.

METHODS. Various methods to prepare slides were used. The simplest and a fairly effective method involves putting a small sample on a microscope slide with an added drop of DI water or saline. Wait a few seconds for the sample to absorb as much water as possible. This is carefully squashed with a 50mm glass coverslip until the sample spreads and becomes thin enough for high-power darkfield microscopy. Alternative 1. With the sample in a suitable sample collection tube with a cap, an equal volume of DI water or normal saline is added and the tube is shaken. This rapidly achieves full hydration of the sample which reduces its viscosity and improves handling. Once thinned, the sample can be centrifuged to eliminate bubbles. Alternative 2. Add to the sample an equal volume of: N-Acetyl L Cysteine 100mg/ml DI water or normal saline. Agitate vigorously and leave for a few minutes then centrifuge to eliminate bubbles. This is very effective for thinning the sample and is a first-stage in preparing a sputum sample for PCR.

RESULTS. Micrographs of the results can be seen here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/76898309@N08/albums/72157713091911953 The album of micrographs includes standard darkfield imaging of plain samples, giemsa stained and acridine orange stained samples. The latter includes matched pairs of filtered/unfiltered fields of view. The final set of compilation pictures demonstrate spirochaetes in varied forms, from cysts (curled into a ball inside a membrane) and partially open cysts, to fully formed spirochaetes.

For original unedited photos please contact me with the filename.

Peter Kemp. February 2020

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**Comment**

The species of borrelia has yet to be determined as well as viability.  Stay tuned.

Category:

Lyme, research

Study: CDC’s 2-tier Lyme Testing Inaccurate in More than 70% of Cases

https://www.lymedisease.org/study-cdcs-two-tier-lyme-testing-was-inaccurate-in-more-than-70-of-cases/

Study: CDC’s two-tier Lyme testing was inaccurate in more than 70% of cases

BALF Lyme Biobank

According to a new study, the CDC’s standard two-tier testing for Lyme disease failed to accurately diagnose more than 70% of blood samples from individuals with an erythema migrans rash greater than 5 centimeters across.

Additional findings showed that Lyme disease also occurred in individuals with no rash, and those with rashes smaller than 5 cm.

This is significant, because patients with symptoms of Lyme disease are often denied proper diagnosis and treatment based on the CDC’s two-tier testing protocol.

Furthermore, EM rashes less than 5 cm are often disregarded in reporting Lyme disease cases.

The study highlights the unreliability of current diagnostic testing for Lyme disease and underscores the need for more research. Samples for the study came from the Lyme Disease Biobank.

Press release from Bay Area Lyme Foundation:

Bay Area Lyme Foundation, a leading sponsor of Lyme disease research in the U.S., announces results published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology, that point to limitations of currently available diagnostic tests for early-stage Lyme disease, and highlight the need for more research toward improved diagnostics and treatments.

Among the findings, the Centers for Disease Control’s standard two-tier testing algorithm (STTTA) for Lyme disease failed to accurately diagnose 71% of blood samples from individuals presenting with a Lyme rash, also known as an erythema migrans, greater than 5 cm in endemic areas.

These samples are part of the Lyme Disease Biobank (LDB), which was founded to catalyze new research in the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections. Samples are available for research use through an application process to scientists who already work in tick-borne infections as well as those new to the field.

“For an epidemic like Lyme disease that is growing at such an alarming rate, there needs to be more research, greater understanding, better diagnostics, and improved treatments,” said Charles Chiu, MD, PhD, Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, and Bay Area Lyme Foundation scientific advisory board member, who is currently using samples from the Lyme Disease Biobank for his research.

No accurate test

“This study draws attention to the fact that we simply don’t have an accurate test for Lyme disease at present, and this is exactly why clinicians still need to rely on their knowledge of the signs and symptoms of early Lyme disease to diagnose patients and provide prompt treatment.”

These findings also reinforce that Lyme disease does occur in individuals who do not have a erythema migrans, and those with rashes smaller than 5 cm.

Samples that were laboratory confirmed for Lyme disease (N=82) were more likely to be enrolled with a Lyme rash (83%) and more likely to present with a Lyme rash greater than 5 cm (74%). However, 26% of laboratory confirmed Lyme disease did not present with a Lyme rash greater than 5 cm, including 9% enrolled as having a Lyme rash smaller than 5 cm and 17% enrolled without any skin manifestation.

Hard to get diagnosed without a rash

“Patients who do not exhibit a rash likely face the greatest challenges in being diagnosed – not only because many healthcare providers specifically look for this sign to diagnose patients, but because the lack of a rash correlated to less likelihood of an accurate serology test, according to this study,” added Dr. Chiu.

Currently comprised of samples from more than 800 participants, the Lyme Disease Biobank utilized 550 patient and control samples (298 cases and 252 controls) collected from 2014 through 2018 for this study.

Each sample was tested using both a first tier ELISA and second tier immunoblot (i.e., western blot), and the STTTA was applied. Assays were also performed to detect the presence of tick-borne pathogens (polymerase chain reaction (PCR)), and a subset of samples was evaluated by culture.

Of the 298 cases enrolled with signs and symptoms of Lyme disease, only 28% were identified as positive for Lyme disease through these methods, or a modified two-tier testing algorithm, consisting of two positive ELISAs in patients with Lyme rash (erythema migrans) greater than 5 cm. This collection highlights and reinforces the known limitations of STTTA testing in early Lyme disease.

Limitations of available tools

“This study highlights the limitations of available tools for all healthcare providers whose patients may be infected with Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. Our hope is that healthcare providers will consider these findings when evaluating patients with signs and symptoms of early Lyme disease,” said Liz Horn, PhD MBI, the study’s lead author and principal investigator for Lyme Disease Biobank.

“Our original goal was to characterize the samples we were making available to investigators working on new diagnostics for Lyme disease. We didn’t expect to find such large inaccuracies in current laboratory tests that support clinical decision-making.”

According to findings, participants presenting with a Lyme rash greater than 5 cm were more likely to be positive by any serologic test.

For samples taken while patients were experiencing signs and symptoms of early Lyme disease, a positive ELISA was found in 38-43% of patients with Lyme rashes larger than 5 cm, 17-35% of patients with rashes smaller than 5 cm, and 15-27% of patients without a rash, while 5-11% of controls also received a positive ELISA (ranges represent percent positive using different first-tier tests). For the second tier immunoblots, more cases were positive for IgM than IgG (as would be expected for early Lyme disease).

“We are thrilled to see the Lyme Disease Biobank helping to uncover the critical challenges facing patients and physicians as well as the urgent need for more accurate Lyme disease diagnostics,” said Alex Cohen, President and Co-founder of the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, whose funding has been instrumental in the rapid expansion of the Lyme Disease Biobank over the past four years.

Currently, there are 50 research projects that rely on Lyme Disease Biobank samples.

About Lyme Disease Biobank

The Lyme Disease Biobank (LDB), a program of the Bay Area Lyme Foundation, is a non-profit organization working to accelerate research of Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections. With a collection of biological samples from more than 800 participants, including serum, blood, urine and tissue, LDB provides much-needed samples to researchers working to better understand tick-borne diseases and develop improved tests and therapeutics. Blood and urine samples are collected from the Northeast and Upper Midwest areas of the U.S., as well as the San Francisco area and, now, San Diego, and tissue samples are collected throughout the U.S.

Healthcare providers, and patients interested in donating blood, urine or tissue samples can learn more here.

Researchers interested in obtaining samples should visit www.lymebiobank.org or contact info@lymebiobank.org.

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**Comment**

This is even worse than previously thought.

Although, Dr. Sin Lee found testing missed nearly 86% of patients:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/01/16/2-tier-lyme-testing-missed-85-7-of-patients-milford-hospital/

I think we can safely say the tests suck.

 

Category:

Lyme, research, Testing

A Daily Musical Allowance For Health?

https://www.britishacademyofsoundtherapy.com/musical-daily-allowance/?

The study in the link above asked 7581 people questions about music. The conclusion states:

There was a general agreement of dosage time across 3 of the 4 domains with 11 minutes being the most common amount of time it took for people to receive the therapeutic benefit from their self- selected music preferences. The only exception was the domain of happiness where the most common length of time for people to become happier after listening to their chosen music was reduced to 5 minutes, suggesting that happy music takes less time to take effect than other music. More studies would need to be undertaken to establish a ‘before’ and ‘after’ mood-state to support these findings. This study revealed many interesting elements of how people use music as medicine.

the-musical-prescription-infographic-BAST-2

For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/07/06/study-finds-listening-to-music-can-help-regulate-mood-during-a-stressful-situation/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/09/23/top-nine-tips-for-coping-with-social-anxiety/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/11/30/cope-with-depression-anxiety-when-you-have-lyme/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/02/09/6-traits-to-look-for-in-a-therapist-when-you-have-chronic-lyme/

New article on “noise pollution”:  https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiegold/2020/02/25/the-hidden-dangers-of-noise-pollution-at-home/#487060c67504  It’s pretty common for Lyme/MSIDS patients to have sound, smell, and touch sensitivities.  

Category:

Psychological Aspects, research, Treatment

Bacterial Community Profiling Highlights Complex Diversity & Novel Organisms in Wildlife Ticks

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32051105

2020 Feb 5:101407. doi: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101407. [Epub ahead of print]

Bacterial community profiling highlights complex diversity and novel organisms in wildlife ticks.

Egan SL1, Loh SM2, Banks PB3, Gillett A4, Ahlstrom L5, Ryan UM6, Irwin PJ7, Oskam CL8.

Abstract

Ticks Acari:Ixodida transmit a greater variety of pathogens than any other blood-feeding group of arthropods. While numerous microbes have been identified inhabiting Australian Ixodidae, some of which are related to globally important tick-borne pathogens, little is known about the bacterial communities within ticks collected from Australian wildlife.

In this study, 1,019 ticks were identified on 221 hosts spanning 27 wildlife species. Next-generation sequencing was used to amplify the V1-2 hypervariable region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene from 238 ticks; Amblyomma triguttatum (n = 6), Bothriocroton auruginans (n = 11), Bothriocroton concolor (n = 20), Haemaphysalis bancrofti (n = 10), Haemaphysalis bremneri (n = 4), Haemaphysalis humerosa (n = 13), Haemaphysalis longicornis (n = 4), Ixodes antechini (n = 29), Ixodes australiensis (n = 26), Ixodes fecialis (n = 13), Ixodes holocyclus (n = 37), Ixodes myrmecobii (n = 1), Ixodes ornithorhynchi (n = 10), Ixodes tasmani (n = 51) and Ixodes trichosuri (n = 3).

After bioinformatic analyses, over 14 million assigned bacterial sequences revealed the presence of recently described bacteria ‘Candidatus Borrelia tachyglossi’, ‘Candidatus Neoehrlichia australis’, ‘Candidatus Neoehrlichia arcana’ and ‘Candidatus Ehrlichia ornithorhynchi’. Furthermore, three novel Anaplasmataceae species were identified in the present study including; a Neoehrlichia sp. in I. australiensis and I. fecialis collected from quenda (Isoodon fusciventer) (Western Australia), an Anaplasma sp. from one B. concolor from echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) (New South Wales), and an Ehrlichia sp. from a single I. fecialis parasitising a quenda (WA).

This study highlights the diversity of bacterial genera harboured within wildlife ticks, which may prove to be of medical and/or veterinary importance in the future.

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**Comment**

This article clearly shows that so much more needs to be done in the area of pathogen transmission.  Thousands of Australian patients are suffering with a Lyme-like illness but are told Lyme doesn’t exist there.  Well, they have something!  Figure it out!

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/08/21/our-battle-ongoing-lyme-disease-in-australia/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/11/03/ld-not-in-australia-here-we-go-again/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/09/19/tbis-in-australia/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/10/03/aussie-widow-of-lyme-disease-victim-to-sue-nsw-health/  A SYDNEY woman launches a class action against NSW Health after autopsy results showed her husband was riddled with Lyme in his liver, heart, kidney, and lungs. He was only 44 years old and was bitten by a tick while filming a TV show in Sydney.

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/01/14/python-covered-with-more-than-500-ticks-rescued-in-australia/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/03/28/human-tick-borne-diseases-in-australia/

The following infections are on record in Australia:

  • Q fever
  • Queensland tick typhus (QTT)
  • Flinders Island spotted fever (FISF)
  • Australian spotted fever (ASF)
  • Babesiosis
  • Anaplasma spp.
  • Bartonella spp.
  • Burkholderia spp.
  • Francisella spp. (Tularemia)
  • Dera Ghazi Khan virus (DGKV)
  • tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV)
  • Lake Clarendon virus (LCV)
  • Saumarez Reef virus (SREV)
  • Upolu virus (UPOV)
  • Vinegar Hill virus (VINHV)

 

 

 

Category:

research, Ticks, Transmission

Woman Tripped 34 Hours on LSD. Said it Cured Pain From Chronic Lyme Disease

https://www.insider.com/woman-who-overdosed-on-lsd-said-it-cured-lyme-disease-2020-2

A woman who tripped for 34 hours on LSD after taking 550 times the normal dose said the drug cured her pain from chronic Lyme disease

Julia Naftulin
Feb 25, 2020
psychedelic trip

Photo by Horacio Villalobos – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

During the first 12 hours, the woman blacked out for most of it, but remembered vomiting a lot.

  • A woman overdosed, but didn’t die, after consuming 550 times an average dose of the psychedelic drug LSD. She had mistaken it as cocaine and ended up tripping for 34 hours.
  • Following her overdose, the woman microdosed LSD and found it eliminated her chronic pain, a symptom of her Lyme disease.
  • Other psychedelics like DMT and psilocybin also have been shown to manage conditions, like anxiety and depression.  (See link for article)

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**Comment**

Case report found here:  https://www.jsad.com/doi/10.15288/jsad.2020.81.115

Important excerpt:

She’d stopped taking morphine for five days after her LSD experience, and then her chronic pain returned, so she decided to take the morphine again but at a lower dose, and to also microdose LSD, every three days. A microdose of LSD is about a quarter of the typical 10-milligram dose and doesn’t cause a hallucinogenic effect.

Three years later, the woman was able to completely stop using morphine to manage her pain and said she had no withdrawal symptoms.

The pain Lyme/MSIDS can cause is of a magnitude that makes life unbearable.

I remember the story of a woman with Lyme who went into the garage, took a hammer and broke all her fingers on one hand to get her mind off her shoulder pain.

Category:

Lyme, Pain Management, Psychological Aspects, research