Archive for the ‘research’ Category

Rickettsia spp. in East Texas With Reduced Tick Density Due to Controlled Burns

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31704208

2019 Oct 17:101310. doi: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.101310. [Epub ahead of print]

Presence of diverse Rickettsia spp. and absence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in ticks in an East Texas forest with reduced tick density associated with controlled burns.

Hodo CL1, Forgacs D1, Auckland LD1, Bass K2, Lindsay C1, Bingaman M2, Sani T1, Colwell K1, Hamer GL2, Hamer SA3.

Abstract

As tick-borne diseases continue to emerge across the United States, there is need for a better understanding of the tick and pathogen communities in the southern states and of habitat features that influence transmission risk. We surveyed questing and on-host ticks in pine-dominated forests with various fire management regimes in the Sam Houston National Forest, a popular recreation area near Houston, Texas. Four linear transects were established- two with a history of controlled burns, and two unburned. Systematic drag sampling yielded 112 ticks from two species, Ixodes scapularis (n=73) and Amblyomma americanum (n=39), with an additional 106 questing ticks collected opportunistically from drag cloth operators.

There was a significant difference in systematically-collected questing tick density between unburned (15 and 18 ticks/1000 m2) and burned (2 and 4 ticks/1000 m2) transects. We captured 106 rodents and found 74 ticks on the rodents, predominantly Dermacentor variabilis. One unburned transect had significantly more ticks per mammal than any of the other three transects. DNA of Rickettsia species was detected in 146/292 on and off-host ticks, including the ‘Rickettsial endosymbiont of I. scapularis’ and Rickettsia amblyommatis, which are of uncertain pathogenicity to humans. Borrelia lonestari was detected in one A. americanum, while Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, the agent of Lyme disease, was not detected in any tick samples. Neither Borrelia nor Rickettsia spp. were detected in any of the mammal ear biopsies (n=64) or blood samples (n=100) tested via PCR.

This study documents a high prevalence in ticks of Rickettsia spp. thought to be endosymbionts, a low prevalence of relapsing fever group Borrelia in ticks, and a lack of detection of Lyme disease-group Borrelia in both ticks and mammals in an east Texas forested recreation area. Additionally, we observed low questing tick density in areas with a history of controlled burns. These results expand knowledge of tick-borne disease ecology in east Texas which can aid in directing future investigative, modeling, and management efforts.

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**Comment**

Why states do not do seasonal controlled burns is beyond me. It’s inexpensive and doesn’t have the negative side-effects that pesticides do – and it works ticks:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/07/18/frequent-prescribed-fires-can-reduce-risk-of-tick-borne-diseases/

Also, please remember that while Lyme was not found it doesn’t mean it isn’t there.  There are plenty of Texas patients with Lyme disease.

Category:

Lyme, research, Rickettsia, Ticks, Treatment

Science and Alternative Medicine Agree: It’s Probably Time You Try Acupuncture

https://sporteluxe.com/science-and-alternative-medicine-say-its-probably-time-you-try-acupuncture/  Full Article Here

Science And Alternative Medicine Agree: It’s Probably Time You Try Acupuncture

DAVID MINKOFF
October, 29 2019
image
Image: Antonika Chanel

Category:

Gut Health, Inflammation, Pain Management, research, Treatment

Side Effects Mild & Brief With Single Antidepressant Dose of Intravenous Ketamine

https://neurosciencenews.com/ketamine-side-effects-depression-15222/

Side effects mild and brief with single antidepressant dose of intravenous ketamine

Neuroscience NewsNEUROSCIENCE NEWS
Summary: The side effects of administering ketamine to treat major depressive disorder are mild and persist for no longer than four hours, researchers report. Most of the side effects peaked within an hour of treatment, and many patients reported the effects as being significantly reduced two hours post ketamine administration.Source: NIH/NIMH

National Institutes of Health researchers found that a single, low-dose ketamine infusion was relatively free of side effects for patients with treatment-resistant depression. Elia Acevedo-Diaz, M.D., Carlos Zarate, M.D., and colleagues at the NIH’s National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) report their findings in the Journal of Affective Disorders.

Studies have shown that a single, subanesthetic-dose (a lower dose than would cause anesthesia) ketamine infusion can often rapidly relieve depressive symptoms within hours in people who have not responded to conventional antidepressants, which typically take weeks or months to work. However, widespread off-label use of intravenous subanesthetic-dose ketamine for treatment-resistant depression has raised concerns about side effects, especially given its history as a drug of abuse.

“The most common short-term side effect was feeling strange or loopy,” said Acevedo-Diaz, of the Section on the Neurobiology and Treatment of Mood Disorders, part of the NIMH Intramural Research Program (IRP) in Bethesda, Maryland. “Most side effects peaked within an hour of ketamine administration and were gone within two hours. We did not see any serious, drug-related adverse events or increased ketamine cravings with a single-administration.”

This shows two brain diagrams

The researchers compiled data on side effects from 163 patients with major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder and 25 healthy controls who participated in one of five placebo-controlled clinical trials conducted at the NIH Clinical Center over 13 years. While past studies have been based mostly on passive monitoring, the NIMH IRP assessment involved active and structured surveillance of emerging side effects in an inpatient setting and used both a standard rating scale and clinician interviews. In addition to dissociative (disconnected, unreal) symptoms, the NIMH IRP assessment examined other potential side effects – including headaches, dizziness, and sleepiness. The study did not address the side effects associated with repeated infusions or long-term use.

Out of 120 possible side effects evaluated, 34 were found to be significantly associated with the treatment. Eight occurred in at least half of the participants: feeling strange, weird, or bizarre; feeling spacey; feeling woozy/loopy; dissociation; floating; visual distortions; difficulty speaking; and numbness. None persisted for more than four hours. No drug-related serious adverse events, cravings, propensity for recreational use, or significant cognitive or memory deficits were seen during a three-month follow-up.

Credit: NIMH.To overcome the limitations associated with side effects and intravenous delivery, ongoing research efforts seek to develop a more practical rapid-acting antidepressant that works in the brain similarly to ketamine. These NIMH researchers, in collaboration with the National Institute on Aging, and the National Center for Advancing Translational Science, are planning a clinical trial of a ketamine metabolite that showed promise as a potentially more specific-acting treatment in pre-clinical studies. Meanwhile, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration earlier this year approved an intranasal form of ketamine called esketamine, which can be administered to adults with treatment-resistant depression in a certified doctor’s office or clinic.

ABOUT THIS NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH ARTICLE

Source:
NIH/NIMH
Media Contacts:
Jules Asher – NIH/NIMH
Image Source:
The image is credited to NIMH.

Original Research: Closed access
“Comprehensive assessment of side effects associated with a single dose of ketamine in treatment-resistant depression.”. Acevedo-Diaz EE, Cavanaugh GW, Greenstein D, Kraus C, Kadriu B, Zarate CA Jr, Park LT.
Journal of Affective Disorders doi:10.1016/j.jad.2019.11.028.

Abstract

Comprehensive assessment of side effects associated with a single dose of ketamine in treatment-resistant depression.

Background
Concerns about ketamine for treating depression include abuse potential and the occurrence of psychotomimetic effects. This study sought to comprehensively assess side effects (SEs) associated with a single subanesthetic-dose intravenous ketamine infusion. A secondary aim was to examine the relationship between Clinician-Administered Dissociative States Scale (CADSS) scores and dissociative symptoms reported on a comprehensive, clinician-administered SE questionnaire.

Methods
Data from 188 participants were pooled from four placebo-controlled, crossover ketamine trials and one open-label study (n=163 with either treatment-resistant major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder and 25 healthy controls). SEs were actively solicited in a standardized fashion and monitored over the time-course of each study. Statistical analyses assessed the effect of drug (ketamine, placebo) on SEs and measured the relationship between CADSS total score and SEs contemporaneously endorsed during structured interviews.

Results
Forty-four of 120 SEs occurred in at least 5% of participants over all trials. Thirty-three of these 44 SEs were significantly associated with active drug administration (versus placebo). The most common SE was feeling strange/weird/loopy. Most SEs peaked within an hour of ketamine administration and resolved completely by two hours post-infusion. No serious drug-related adverse events or increased ketamine craving/abuse post-administration were observed. A positive correlation was found between dissociative SEs and total CADSS score.

Limitations
The post-hoc nature of the analysis; the limited generalizability of a single subanesthetic-dose ketamine infusion; and the lack of formal measures to assess ketamine’s cognitive, urological, or addictive potential.

Conclusions
No long-lasting significant SEs occurred over the approximately three-month follow-up period.

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For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/18/ketamine-reduces-depression-related-behaviors-in-mice-limits-bb-in-vivo-relieves-chronic-pain/

It’s also been shown to limit borrelia in vitro:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/03/10/ketamine-limits-bb-in-vitro/

And its’s been shown to relieve chronic pain, improve quality of life, reduce depression and suicidal ideation, and reduce opioid consumption:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/09/14/iv-ketamine-in-ptls/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/26/fda-approves-ketamine-nasal-spray-for-depression/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/09/20/the-chemical-imbalance-myth-and-antidepressant-harm/

 

Category:

Lyme, Pain Management, research, Treatment

Differentiating Psychosomatic, Somatopsychic, Multisystem Illnesses and Medical Uncertainty

https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/7/4/114

Differentiating Psychosomatic, Somatopsychic, Multisystem Illnesses and Medical Uncertainty

by Robert C. Bransfield 1,* and Kenneth J. Friedman 2,†
Abstract
There is often difficulty differentiating between psychosomatic, somatopsychic, multisystem illness, and different degrees of medical uncertainty. Uncommon, complex, and multisystem diseases are commonly misdiagnosed. Two case histories are described, and relevant terms differentiating psychosomatic, somatopsychic, and multisystem illnesses are identified, reviewed, and discussed. Adequate differentiation requires an understanding of the mind/body connection, which includes knowledge of general medicine, psychiatry, and the systems linking the body and the brain. A psychiatric diagnosis cannot be given solely based upon the absence of physical, laboratory, or pathological findings. Medically unexplained symptoms, somatoform disorder, and compensation neurosis are outdated and/or inaccurate terms. The terms subjective, nonspecific, and vague can be used inaccurately. Conversion disorders, functional disorders, psychogenic illness, factitious disorder imposed upon another (Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy), somatic symptom disorder, psychogenic seizures, psychogenic pain, psychogenic fatigue, and delusional parasitosis can be over-diagnosed. Bodily distress disorder and bodily distress syndrome are scientifically unsupported and inaccurate. Many “all in your head” conditions may be related to the microbiome and the immune system. Better education concerning the interface between medicine and psychiatry and the associated diagnostic nomenclature as well as utilizing clinical judgment and thorough assessment, exercising humility, and maintaining our roots in traditional medicine will help to improve diagnostic accuracy and patient trust. View Full-Text
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**Comment**
Thank God for Dr. Bransfield – a doctor who continues to underscore the need to listen to patients.
Here’s a video of Dr. Shapiro, member of the Tick-borne Disease Working Group despite a loud protest by the Lyme/MSIDS community, in a 2014 videotaped interview where he describes the term“medically unexplained symptoms” and urges the medical community to develop ways to prevent “healthcare-seeking behaviors” by parents who believed their children may have Lyme disease.  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/06/11/dr-eugene-shapiro-medically-unexplained-symptoms/

Excerpt:

“…it’s very clear that simply telling parents that Lyme disease is not the cause of these nonspecific symptoms such as fatigue, various pain syndromes that is not sufficient and that we need a new paradigm to how to best manage such patients. Often it’s not the pediatric infectious disease specialists who doesn’t have an ongoing relationship with his patients who is likely the best but someone who can develop a trusting relationship with them. Very frequently these parents are seeking affirmation that these symptoms are real and in fact they are real it’s just that they’re not caused by Lyme disease…..”

Due to this man, patients have suffered for decades:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/06/30/child-with-lymemsidspans-told-by-doctors-she-made-it-all-up/

And here, a school nurse documents 19 cases that were misdiagnosed when the children all had Lyme/MSIDS:   https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/09/05/school-nurse-documents-nineteen-lyme-disease-case-studies-misdiagnosis-is-rampant/

Again, a huge, huge problem is that many patients do not meet the strict CDC criteria for diagnosis including an ancient serology test looking for antibodies when it misses over half of all cases:   https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/11/21/how-many-lyme-disease-patients-dont-meet-strict-diagnostic-criteria/

 

 

Category:

Lyme, Psychological Aspects, research

Blood ‘cleaning’ Treatments Which Pulls Disease From Body Using Magnets Ready For Human Trials

https://www-telegraph-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2019/11/10/blood-cleaning-treatment-pulls-disease-body-using-magnets-ready/amp/

Blood ‘cleaning’ treatment which pulls disease from body using magnets ready for human trials

Dr George Frodsham, who came up with the idea
Dr George Frodsham, who came up with the idea

By Sarah Knapton

Deadly conditions like leukaemia, sepsis and malaria could be drawn from the body using magnets, after a British engineer designed a blood filtering system which sieves away disease.
Dr George Frodsham, came up with the idea while studying how magnetic nanoparticles can be made to bind to cells in the body, to allow, for example those cells to show up on scanners….The first human trials of the technology – called MediSieve – are awaiting approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and are likely to start next year.   (See link for full article)

Category:

research, Treatment