Archive for the ‘research’ Category

Rickettsiales in Ticks Removed From Outdoor Workers From Georgia & Florida

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/25/5/18-0438_article

Volume 25, Number 5—May 2019

Research Letter

Rickettsiales in Ticks Removed from Outdoor Workers, Southwest Georgia and Northwest Florida, USA

Elizabeth R. Gleim1Comments to Author , L. Mike Conner, Galina E. Zemtsova, Michael L. Levin, Pamela Wong, Madeleine A. Pfaff, and Michael J. Yabsley  DOI: 10.3201/eid2505.180438

The southeastern United States has multiple tick species that can transmit pathogens to humans. The most common tick species, Amblyomma americanum, is the vector for the causative agents of human ehrlichioses and southern tick-associated rash illness, among others (1). Dermacentor variabilis ticks can transmit the causative agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Ixodes scapularis ticks can transmit the causative agents of Lyme disease, babesiosis, and human granulocytic anaplasmosis (1). Although less common in the region, A. maculatum ticks are dominant in specific habitats and can transmit the causative agent of Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis (1).

Persons who have occupations that require them to be outside on a regular basis might have a greater risk for acquiring a tickborne disease (2). Although numerous studies have been conducted regarding risks for tickborne diseases among forestry workers in Europe, few studies have been performed in the United States (2,3). The studies that have been conducted in the United States have focused on forestry workers in the northeastern region (2). However, because of variable phenology and densities of ticks, it is useful to evaluate tick activity and pathogen prevalence in various regions and ecosystems.

Burn-tolerant and burn-dependent ecosystems, such as pine (Pinus spp.) and mixed pine forests commonly found in the southeastern United States, have unique tick dynamics compared with those of other habitats (4). The objective of this study was to determine the tick bite risk and tickborne pathogen prevalence in ticks removed from forestry workers working in pine and mixed pine forests in southwest Georgia and northwest Florida, USA.

During June 2009–December 2011, forestry workers in southwestern Georgia (7 counties) and northwestern Florida (1 county) submitted ticks crawling on or attached to them. We identified ticks and tested them for selected pathogens (Appendix). Immature forms of the same species from the same day and person were pooled (<5 nymphs and <20 larvae) for testing.

A total of 53 persons submitted 362 ticks (Table). Excluding larvae, the most common tick species submitted was A. maculatum, followed by A. americanum, I. scapularis, and D. variabilis. On 4 occasions, 1 person submitted A. tuberculatum ticks (3 batches of larvae and 1 batch of nymphs) from a longleaf pine site in Baker County, Georgia. Average submissions per persons were 2.6 ticks (median 1 tick), but 1 person submitted 100 ticks. A total of 24 persons submitted ticks more than once, and they submitted an average of 0.08–6.5 ticks/month (overall average submission rate of 1.1 ticks/month). Three ticks were engorged (1 D. variabilis adult, 1 A. americanum nymph, and 1 Amblyomma sp. nymph); only the Amblyomma sp. nymph was positive for a pathogen (R. amblyommatis).

  • Rickettsia spp. prevalence was 36.4% in adult, 27.9% in nymphal, and 20% in larval A. americanum ticks; R. amblyommatis was the only species identified (Table).
  • Rickettsia spp. were detected in 23% of A. maculatum adults; R. amblyommatis was most common (6.0%), followed by R. parkeri (4.8%).
  • A previously detected novel Rickettsia sp. was identified in 10 of 11 A. tuberculatum larval pools and was reported by Zemtsova et al. (6). An additional pool of A. tuberculatum nymphs was tested in this study and also was positive for the novel Rickettsia sp.
  • E. chaffeensis was detected in 1 A. maculatum adult (prevalence 1.2%), and Panola mountain Ehrlichia sp. was detected in 2 A. maculatum adults (prevalence 2.4%) and 1 D. variabilis adult (prevalence 10%).
  • No ticks were positive for Borrelia spp., E. ewingii, or Anaplasma phagocytophilum.

Thus, forestry workers were found to encounter ticks on a regular basis, and peak encounter rates reflected previously reported tick seasonality in this region (4). Only 3 (0.8%) of the ticks submitted were engorged, indicating prompt removal of most ticks and thus low risk for pathogen transmission. A. maculatum, a fairly uncommon tick in the southeastern United States, was the most commonly submitted tick. However, A. maculatum ticks dominate in regularly burned pine ecosystems (4), which is where most of these workers spent their time.

We observed several unique findings related to pathogens during this study. Larvae and nymphs of A. tuberculatum ticks were submitted on multiple occasions, a tick rarely reported on humans (7). These findings in conjunction with the identification of a novel Rickettsia sp. (6), suggest that additional research is warranted. This study also identified E. chaffeensis and Panola Mountain Ehrlichia in A. maculatum ticks. Although A. americanum ticks are considered the primary vector of Ehrlichia spp., these pathogens have been occasionally reported in questing A. maculatum ticks, suggesting that this tick might be involved in their transmission cycles (5,8). We also detected Panola Mountain Ehrlichia in 1 D. variabilis tick. Thus, further research regarding these alternative tick species as potential vectors of these pathogens is warranted, particularly in the case of A. maculatum ticks, which were a common species on forestry workers and are widespread in this region (4).

At the time of this study, Dr. Gleim was a research scientist at the University of Georgia, Athens, GA. She is currently a disease ecologist at Hollins University, Roanoke, VA. Her research interests include wildlife and zoonotic diseases with a particular emphasis on tickborne diseases.

Acknowledgments

We thank the persons whom submitted ticks for this study and members of the Yabsley and Levin laboratories for providing laboratory assistance.

This study was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/University of Georgia (UGA) collaborative grant (#8212, Ecosystem Health and Human Health: Understanding the Ecological Effects of Prescribed Fire Regimes on the Distribution and Population Dynamics of Tick-Borne Zoonoses); the Oxford Research Scholars Program at Oxford College of Emory University; the Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources (UGA); the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (UGA) through the Federal Aid to Wildlife Restoration Act (50 Statute 917); and Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study sponsorship from fish and wildlife agencies of member states.

References

  1. Stromdahl  EY, Hickling  GJ. Beyond Lyme: aetiology of tick-borne human diseases with emphasis on the south-eastern United States. Zoonoses Public Health. 2012;59(Suppl 2):48–64. DOIPubMed
  2. Covert  DJ, Langley  RL. Infectious disease occurrence in forestry workers: a systematic review. J Agromed. 2002;8:95–111. DOIPubMed
  3. Lee  S, Kakumanu  ML, Ponnusamy  L, Vaughn  M, Funkhouser  S, Thornton  H, et al. Prevalence of Rickettsiales in ticks removed from the skin of outdoor workers in North Carolina. Parasit Vectors. 2014;7:607. DOIPubMed
  4. Gleim  ER, Conner  LM, Berghaus  RD, Levin  ML, Zemtsova  GE, Yabsley  MJ. The phenology of ticks and the effects of long-term prescribed burning on tick population dynamics in southwestern Georgia and northwestern Florida. PLoS One. 2014;9:e112174. DOIPubMed
  5. Loftis  AD, Kelly  PJ, Paddock  CD, Blount  K, Johnson  JW, Gleim  ER, et al. Panola Mountain Ehrlichia in Amblyomma maculatum From the United States and Amblyomma variegatum (Acari: Ixodidae) From the Caribbean and Africa. J Med Entomol. 2016;53:696–8. DOIPubMed
  6. Zemtsova  GE, Gleim  E, Yabsley  MJ, Conner  LM, Mann  T, Brown  MD, et al. Detection of a novel spotted fever group Rickettsia in the gophertortoise tick. J Med Entomol. 2012;49:783–6. DOIPubMed
  7. Goddard  J. A ten-year study of tick biting in Mississippi: implications for human disease transmission. J Agromed. 2002;8:25–32. DOIPubMed
  8. Allerdice  ME, Hecht  JA, Karpathy  SE, Paddock  CD. Evaluation of Gulf Coast ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) for Ehrlichia and Anaplasma species. J Med Entomol. 2017;54:481–4.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=28031351&dopt=Abstract

Table

_____________________

**Comment**

Again, folks down South should be taken seriously when they present with symptoms.  BTW: Southern advocates tell me that STARI looks, smells, and feels just like Lyme disease.  

Lyme IS in the South:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/10/25/hope-for-southerners/

The take home: Clark is finding borrelia (Lyme) strains in the South that the current CDC two-tier testing will never pick up in a thousand years.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/285584725_Isolation_of_live_Borrelia_burgdorferi_sensu_lato_spirochetes_from_patients_with_undefined_disorders_and_symptoms_not_typical_for_Lyme_diseases

The take home: Clark found live Bbsl (bissettii-like strain) in people from the Southeast who had undefined disorders not typical of LD, and were treated for LD even though they were seronegative, proving that B. bissetti is responsible for worldwide human infection.

He also showed DNA of Bbsl in Lone Star ticks which might be a bridge vector of transmission to humans.

Dr. Clark was the first to report finding LD spirochetes in animals and ticks in South Carolina, as well as in wild lizards in South Carolina and Florida. He has documented the presence of LD Borrelia species, Babesia microti, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia species, and other tick-borne pathogens in wild animals, ticks, dogs, and humans in Florida and other southern states.

Clark is infected.  Surprised?  This is why he’s finding answers – it’s much more than a job to him.

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/05/31/no-lyme-in-the-south-guess-again/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/03/19/jacksonville-family-shares-daughters-9-month-diagnosis-of-rare-disease-which-isnt-rare-lyme/

Time to start believing people!

Category:

Anaplasmosis, Babesia, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme, research, Rickettsia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ticks, Uncategorized

CBD Has Unique Ability to Cross Blood-Brain Barrier

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2019/04/29/cbd-ability-to-cross-blood-brain-barrier.aspx?

CBD Has Unique Ability to Cross Blood-Brain Barrier

Written by Dr. Joseph MercolaFact Checked
cbd ability to cross blood brain barrier

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

  • Your body has a barrier to keep foreign chemicals from accessing your brain and spinal cord. Researchers have discovered by coating nanocapsules with CBD oil, they could carry particles into the brain of mice
  • CBD is the nonpsychoactive component of cannabis, which has strong anti-anxiety effects. Its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier suggests your brain has cannabinoid receptors used to maintain health
  • Although it’s normal to be concerned, too much stress and anxiety steals your time, energy and health; according to the World Health Organization, by 2030 global costs of anxiety treatment are expected to reach $147 billion annually
  • Low levels of endocannabinoids impact your risk of migraines, fibroids, irritable bowel syndrome and neurological conditions, but using CBD alone is not the answer to support your endocannabinoid system (ECS)
  • Natural ways to boost your ECS include avoiding pesticides, optimizing omega-3 intake, fasting, exercise and reducing stress

The cannabis plant has over 400 chemicals and at least 60 different cannabinoids1 — chemical compounds the human body is uniquely equipped to respond to. Of the two primary chemicals, cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), only THC has psychoactive properties.

THC is the compound in cannabis triggering a “high,” whereas CBD has no psychoactive effects. Both compounds, and other phytochemicals found in medical marijuana plants, have a long list of beneficial effects on health.

Medical marijuana is a term used for the use of the whole, unprocessed plant or its chemicals to treat a medical condition.2,3 With the exception of four cannabis-containing or cannabis-related products for specific conditions with a prescription, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved any “marketing application for cannabis for the treatment of any disease or condition.”4 On the other hand, some states have gone ahead and approved it themselves for certain medical conditions.5

The number of states that have decriminalized, legalized or allowed medical marijuana sales continues to grow. In some states, cannabis is fully legal or illegal, but in others the laws are mixed, allowing medicinal use but not recreational.6

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse,7 notable scientific study results led to the creation of two FDA-approved medications containing cannabinoid chemicals in pill form, but not the use of the whole plant. Recently scientists proved CBD can carry other chemicals across the blood brain barrier, opening up its medicinal potential even further.

The Blood-Brain Barrier Is Designed to Protect Your Brain

More than 100 years ago, scientists discovered not everything injected into the bloodstream would reach the brain or spinal cord.8 Through research, scientists discovered the blood-brain barrier is semi permeable; in other words, it allows some materials to cross into your neurological system, but prevents others.

The importance of the blood-brain barrier to the health of your neurological system cannot be overstated. One portion of the system is formed by endothelial cells lining the microvasculature, which feeds your brain. This protects it from circulating agents and substances capable of disturbing your neurological functioning.9

The endothelial tissue in other capillaries in your body have small spaces allowing substances to move between the inside and outside of the vessel. In the brain, these cells fit together so tightly that many substances cannot leave the bloodstream and enter the brain.10

Additionally, glial cells — astrocytes — form another layer around the blood vessels and are involved in a two-way communication affecting physiology and pathology.11 This barrier mechanism is vital for normal functioning and providing a stable internal environment. One compound known to normally pass the blood-brain barrier is CBD.

Pharmaceutical Industry Finds Way to Use CBD as a Trojan Horse

In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was fought between the Greeks and the city of Troy.12 To gain access, the Greeks used a massive wooden horse constructed to hide a select force of men. It was presented as a gift, thereby allowing the Greek warriors to enter and destroy the city. Researchers believe CBD can act as a Trojan horse, helping move restricted chemicals across the blood-brain barrier.13

Researchers were interested in using CBD as a means to an end. They attached CBD, resembling endocannabinoids made by both mice and humans, to the outside of nanocapsules loaded with fluorescent molecules.

The fluorescence enabled the researchers to track the particles with the hope the experiment would mimic what occurs in the blood-brain barrier of humans. They demonstrated the CBD nanocarriers could transport fluorescent molecules across the blood-brain barrier in mice.14

When added in vitro to human cells mimicking the blood-brain barrier, the nanocarriers with CBD were more successful in passing through the cells than those without the CBD. Researchers also found when CBD nanocapsules were injected into healthy mice, 2.5 times more of them entered the animals’ brains than nanocarriers of equal size lacking the CBD coating.

Cannabidiol — Nonpsychoactive Component Has Anti-Anxiety Effects

The ability of CBD to naturally move across the blood-brain barrier indicates there are endocannabinoid receptors in the brain, which your neurological system uses to maintain optimal health. One of the benefits of CBD on your neurological system is reducing anxiety.

A meta-analysis15 evaluated the potential for CBD as a treatment for anxiety-related disorders. They found preclinical evidence strongly supported it for the treatment for panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

A second large retrospective study16 looked at cases in psychiatric clinics involving the application of CBD for anxiety and sleep complaints. It too found the data supported the use of CBD for anxiety-related disorders.

In a small study17 involving 24 patients with generalized social anxiety disorder who, while diagnosed, had never been treated, half received CBD while the other half received a placebo. Another 12 healthy control subjects performed the test without receiving either medication or a placebo.

Each volunteer participated in a double-blind procedure. The researchers compared the effects of a simulation of public speaking on the 36 individuals, finding CBD pretreatment significantly affected cognitive impairment, anxiety and discomfort in speech performance.

The participants in the placebo group experienced higher anxiety, cognitive impairment and alert levels than the control group. No significant differences were observed between those taking CBD and the healthy control subjects who took nothing.18

These results piqued the interest of Dr. Esther Blessing, psychiatrist and researcher at New York University. She obtained funding from the National Institutes of Health, and along with collaborators are beginning a clinical trial to test if CBD helps those with PTSD and moderate or severe alcohol use disorder.19

The researchers plan to use pharmaceutical grade CBD or a placebo daily on 50 participants with the goal of evaluating alcohol intake in those who take CBD.

A second study20 now in Phase II is exploring whether CBD may help prevent relapse in opioid addicts. As explained by Blessing, CBD is different from cannabis. Although it’s extracted from cannabis, it does not lead to altered perception or cognition.21 She commented:22

“Drugs can be non-psychoactive and still have an effect on the brain. CBD does have an effect on the brain, but it seems to affect the brain in possibly medicinal ways.”

Anxiety Steals Time, Energy and Lives

Although it’s normal to be concerned about aspects of your life, too much stress and worry may devastate your health. A rise in stress levels and anxiety may trigger physical, mental or emotion changes, an indicator of anxiety disorders.23 Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental illnesses in the U.S., affecting an estimated 40 million adults.

Those suffering are three to five times more likely to see their physician and six times more likely to be hospitalized. It’s not uncommon for someone with anxiety to also suffer depression.24 Anxiety disorders carry a significant financial burden to individuals, families and communities.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), by 2030, the global annual cost of anxiety will reach $147 billion.25 Researchers in one study concluded:26

“The cost burden of depression, anxiety, and emotional disorders is among the greatest of any disease conditions in the workforce. It is worth considering methods for quantifying direct and indirect costs that use administrative data sources given their utility.”

The cost of anxiety is measured in more than finances, as it takes an enormous emotional and physical toll. Long-term negative health effects may include digestive issues, insomnia, substance abuse disorders and depression,27 each of which come with a laundry list of physical symptoms, emotional disruption and financial burden.

Differences Between Recreational and Medicinal Use

The healing properties of medical cannabis come primarily from high levels of CBD and critical levels of other medicinal terpenes and flavonoids. However, THC, responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis, also has medicinal benefits.28,29 Growers are able to use selective breeding techniques to increase CBD and lower levels of THC for medicinal use.

While CBD has gained the most attention, CBD alone cannot fully support your body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). Cannabinoid receptors in the human body were discovered in the 1990s,30 which in turn led to the realization our body makes endogenous cannabinoids that influence these receptors.

It was also discovered the ECS orchestrates communication between other bodily systems, such as your respiratory, digestive, immune and cardiovascular systems. The ECS does this via receptors found in every organ, including your skin. The use of medicinal CBD is aimed at the health benefits derived from providing your ECS with sufficient support.

However, if you choose to use exogenous CBD, it’s important to choose the right product as some do not meet the claims made on the label.31 Since CBD oil became a focus of popular holistic medicine almost overnight, the rapid innovations in the market have been impressive. However, while products quickly enter the market, effective control has not caught up yet.

Despite CBD being sold as a food supplement, it is often used for significant health problems. The WHO analyzed available scientific data and concluded CBD does not require drug scheduling. Nevertheless, CBD manufacturing may benefit from a preparation analysis to reduce contaminants and ensure the product in the bottle is what’s on the label.32

Researchers believe the methodology to achieve this goal already exists and the approach would hold the producer accountable for quality and safety. Until a system is in place, if you live in a state that has legalized CBD, it is important you purchase any products from a trusted source.

Single Magic Bullet Is Not the Answer to Support Your Endocannabinoid System

In this video clip from an interview with Carl Germano, board-certified nutritionist and phytocannabiniods expert, he discusses the need to move away from the single magic bullet idea of separating one nutritional compound from a plant and expecting miraculous results.

It’s important in many cases to consume the whole plant. The cannabis plant contains at least 60 other cannabinoids and 400 other chemicals, and many of these other phytocannabinoids and terpenes are needed to fully support your ECS.

However, the vilification of cannabis continues to negatively impact the ability to use the compounds medicinally.33 CBD oil has demonstrated use in the treatment of pain,34 which represents a significant threat to the sale of opioids responsible for a large piece of the financial growth of Big Pharma in the past decade.35

Purdue Pharma went even further, trying to position the company as an “end-to-end provider” of opioids and the treatment for addiction.36 The cannabis plant also poses economic threats37 to the lumber, energy, food and other industries as the fiber may be used to make paper, biofuel, building materials, food products and oil, clothing, shoes and even jewelry.

Cannabinoids Necessary for Optimal Health

Low levels of endocannabinoids in your system result in ill health. As you age, your body becomes less efficient in creating endocannabinoids needed for optimal health. According to Germano, cannabinoids may be used as biological markers for specific conditions and illnesses.

Endocannabinoid deficiency has been identified in those with migraines, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and neurological conditions, for example. Research has also discovered an intimate relationship between ECS and your omega-3 status, as omega-3 fat improves your cannabinoid receptors.

Other conditions associated with low levels include stress, anxiety, insomnia and eye health. For a long list of health benefits you’ll receive from supporting your ECS system, see my previous article, “The Many Medicinal Benefits of Cannabis and Cannabidiol (CBD).”

How to Boost Your Natural Endocannabinoid Levels

In my previous article, “The Endocannabinoid System and the Important Role It Plays in Human Health,” I discussed the importance of activating your ECS. There are several natural ways you may activate the system to improve your health without using external cannabinoids:

Avoid pesticides and phthalates — Start by avoiding chemicals blocking the receptivity of your endogenous system by reducing your exposure to neonicotinoid pesticides and phthalates. Find more information about phthalates in my previous article, “Phthalate Exposure Threatens Human Survival.”
Optimize your omega-3 intake — There’s an intimate relationship between your ECS and your omega-3 status. Omega-3 fats make your cannabinoid receptors more active, and are used as backbone structures to produce cannabinoids in your body.
Expose yourself to cold temperatures — In past articles I’ve written about some of the surprising benefits of extreme temperatures. One of those benefits is the regulation of endocannabinoid in white and brown adipose tissue.
Fasting — Intermittent fasting may improve your health using yet another mechanism in your body — by increasing your endocannabinoid levels, and regulating your ECS.
Caffeine — Regular caffeine consumption regulates and enhances the activation of cannabinoid receptors. Remember the added caffeine may also disrupt quality sleep, so it’s important to forgo any caffeinated substances after 2 p.m.
Reduce stress — High levels of emotional stress have been shown to downregulate endocannabinoid levels in your body. High levels of cortisol also reduce binding to your endocannabinoid receptors. I recommend my previous article, “How Stress Affects Your Body, and Simple Techniques to Reduce Stress and Develop Greater Resilience,” to help you find methods that work for you.
Exercise — Although exercise is an excellent stress reducer, research also finds the much talked about “runner’s high” may be a function of the release of endocannabinoids in your brain and not just endorphins. If you are new to exercise, you’ll find suggestions and links in my previous article, “Exercise to Improve Your Body and Your Brain.”

______________________

For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/01/16/ldn-cbd/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/02/10/the-endocannabinoid-system-and-the-important-role-it-plays-in-human-health/

 

Category:

Hemp Oil, Herbs, Inflammation, Pain Management, research, Sleep, Treatment

Good News For Bartonella Patients: Identification of FDA-Approved Drugs With Higher Activity Than Current Front-line Drugs

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/31035691/

Identification of FDA-Approved Drugs with Activity against Stationary Phase Bartonella henselae.

Li T, et al. Antibiotics (Basel). 2019.

Abstract

Bartonella henselae can cause various infections in humans, ranging from benign and self-limiting diseases to severe and life-threatening diseases as well as persistent infections that are difficult to treat. To develop more effective treatments for persistent Bartonella infections, in this study, we performed a high-throughput screen of an FDA-approved drug library against stationary phase B. henselae using the SYBR Green I/propidium iodide (PI) viability assay. We identified 110 drug candidates that had better activity against stationary phase B. henselae than ciprofloxacin, and among the top 52 drug candidates tested, 41 drugs were confirmed by microscopy to have higher activity than the current frontline antibiotic erythromycin.

The identified top drug candidates include:

  • pyrvinium pamoate
  • daptomycin
  • methylene blue
  • zole drugs (clotrimazole, miconazole, sulconazole, econazole, oxiconazole, butoconazole, bifonazole)
  • aminoglycosides (gentamicin and streptomycin, amikacin, kanamycin)
  • amifostine (Ethyol)
  • antiviral Lopinavir/ritonavir
  • colistin
  • nitroxoline
  • nitrofurantoin
  • verteporfin
  • pentamidine
  • berberine
  • aprepitant
  • olsalazine
  • clinafloxacin
  • clofoctol

Pyrvinium pamoate, daptomycin, methylene blue, clotrimazole, and gentamicin and streptomycin at their respective maximum drug concentration in serum (Cmax) had the capacity to completely eradicate stationary phase B. henselae after 3-day drug exposure in subculture studies.

While the currently used drugs for treating bartonellosis, including rifampin, erythromycin, azithromycin, doxycycline, and ciprofloxacin, had very low minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) against growing B. henselae, they had relatively poor activity against stationary phase B. henselae, except aminoglycosides.

The identified FDA-approved agents with activity against stationary phase B. henselae should facilitate development of more effective treatments for persistent Bartonella infections.

_________________

**Comment**

I am convinced that Bartonella is a much bigger player in Lyme/MSIDS than we are being led to believe. Just type Bartonella into the search bar on this website and you will see what I mean.  It’s everywhere, and people without cat exposure who are perfectly healthy are getting it. 

And it with Lyme and it’s a, “one, two, punch, you are out!”

I’m so thankful to see this work being done on drug effectiveness as it is desperately needed.

Interesting personal side-note: when we relapse it is Bartonella symptoms. Recently, I’ve relapsed twice while my husband didn’t.  Guess what he just started taking that I’m not?  Berberine for thick blood.  Berberine is one of the substances listed above.  Bizzarely, Berberine comes from the woody part of the Barberry plant – the thorny, invasive shrub that ticks love to live under. Now if that isn’t Ironic, I don’t know what is.  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/01/20/manage-barberry-lower-ticks/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2015/09/30/barberry-friend-or-foe/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/10/27/lyme-wars-part-4/  Excerpt:

Barberry has a stronger form of Berberine, according to some experts, than what’s found in Goldenseal, Coptis, or golden thread and the Oregon Grape and is used in both Indian and Chinese medicine.  Master herbalist, Steven Buhner states it is active against a large number of resistant bacteria and numerous strains of Mycoplasma, a common coinfection of Lyme.

Berberine is a chemical found in several plants including European barberry, goldenseal, goldthread, Oregon grape, phellodendron, and tree turmeric: https://www.verywellhealth.com/barberry-berberis-vulgaris-what-you-need-to-know-89546

Do not take Berberine without discussing it with your pracitioner.  There are contraindications.

Seems it does many things:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/05/study-shows-berberine-induces-cell-death-in-leukemia/

 

 

 

Category:

Bartonella, research, Treatment

Ehrlichiosis: A Tick-borne Illness That Can Imitate Blood-Related Cancers

https://www.galaxydx.com/ehrlichiosis-tick-borne-infection-imitates-blood-related-cancers/

written on

Ehrlichiosis: A Tick-borne Illness That Can Imitate Blood-Related Cancers

Ehrlichiosis, or an infection caused by Ehrlichia species, is a tick-borne illness that causes mild to severe symptoms in approximately 1,500 patients per year in the United States and an unspecified number around the world.

The nonspecific symptoms of the infection can lead to misdiagnosis. Furthermore, research in North Carolina suggests that testing for Ehrlichia species infection is frequently missed, even when other tick-borne disease testing is ordered.

Reported cases of ehrlichiosis have steadily increased since 2000. This graph only includes infections caused by Ehrlichia chaffeensis (Source: CDC).

Accurate diagnosis is crucial. Initial lab work for a patient with an Ehrlichia species infection may show anemia and other abnormalities that mimic blood-related cancers, leading physicians down a diagnostic rabbit hole. In one case, a patient had a preliminary diagnosis of T-cell lymphoma, but fortunately had a physician who dug deeper before initiating treatment for cancer. The physician ordered additional diagnostic testing including for tick-borne disease and found the patient was positive on PCR testing for Ehrlichia chaffeensis. The patient recovered with antibiotic treatment.

This case highlights the importance of continuing to develop advanced diagnostics for ehrlichiosis and other tick-borne illnesses. Current diagnostic tests, such as serology and conventional blood smear microscopy, are often not specific enough to accurately differentiate between species and even between Anaplasma and Ehrlichia because of similarities in morphology. Furthermore, serology results are difficult to interpret because the presence of antibodies can indicate current or past infection.

Galaxy Diagnostics offers highly sensitive PCR testing for active Ehrlichia species infections. Our broad-spectrum PCR method detects the DNA of pathogenic Ehrlichia species in blood samples. If a sample is positive, the species is determined using DNA sequencing.

Learn more about ehrlichiosis and the species that can cause the illness at our new Ehrlichiaspecies webpage.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019a). Ehrlichiosis clinical and laboratory diagnosis. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/ehrlichiosis/healthcare-providers/diagnosis.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019b). Ehrlichiosis epidemiology and statistics. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/ehrlichiosis/stats/index.html

Malani, A. et al. (2005). Ehrlichiosis mimicking T-cell lymphoma/leukemia. Blood, 106, 4343. Retrieved from: http://www.bloodjournal.org/content/106/11/4343

University of North Carolina Health Care. (2018). Providers often fail to consider Ehrlichia when treating tick-borne infections: Discovery shows need for statewide educational efforts. ScienceDaily. Retrieved from: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181001171202.htm

_________________

More on Ehrlichiosis:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/12/02/everything-thats-known-about-ehrlichiosis/

 https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/10/15/ehrlichiosis-masquerading-as-thrombotic-thrombocytopenia-purpura/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/10/02/north-carolina-ehrlichia-often-overlooked-when-tick-borne-illness-suspected/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/07/24/oklahoma-ehrlichiosis-central/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/03/09/dogs-ehrlichiosis/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/11/11/gestational-lyme-other-tick-borne-diseases-dr-jones/

 

Category:

Ehrlichiosis, research, Testing

When Lyme Disease Doesn’t Go Away

https://news.columbia.edu/news/when-lyme-disease-doesnt-go-away

When Lyme Disease Doesn’t Go Away

It’s tick season. Here’s what Brian Fallon, the director of Columbia’s Lyme & Tick-borne Diseases Research Center, has to say about combating chronic Lyme disease.
By

Carla Cantor
April 29, 2019
Brian Fallon

Brian A. Fallon, (VP&S ’85, MPH ’85) spent his early career working with patients whose medical symptoms were a mystery. The Columbia University Irving Medical Center psychiatrist became one of the foremost researchers of hypochondria and somatic disorders, or psychological illness that manifests as physical symptoms.

He might have stayed with that specialty had he not begun in the early 1990s to see a surge in referrals of patients with chronic, unexplained symptoms who had all been healthy—until they got Lyme disease. These patients suffered from chronic pain, fatigue and cognitive problems that had a debilitating effect on their lives. They all had been treated with antibiotics with partial response but then relapsed.

Since such persistent infection was considered impossible, they were told they were hypochondriacs.

“At the time, the medical community was saying that initial antibiotic therapy led to a cure,” Fallon said. “I found this hard to believe given the suffering among these patients. We needed to look further.”

Since 2007 Fallon has headed Columbia’s Lyme & Tick-borne Diseases Research Center, a joint effort by the Global Lyme Alliance, the Lyme Disease Association and the Columbia University Medical Center Board of Trustees. It is the first such academic research center in the country, and its mission is to tackle the core clinical questions of the disease and identify better diagnostics, biomarkers and treatments.

Fallon discusses why this is a pivotal time in the world of Lyme disease.

Book cover of Conquering Lyme Disease

Q. Lyme disease was first reported in the United States in 1977 in the town of Old Lyme, Connecticut.  How far have we come?

A. We still have many unanswered questions, but there has been tremendous progress. We now know the cause of the disease, a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi, and its multi-system manifestations. We know many of the biologic tricks the organism uses to evade the human immune response and we know its genetic makeup, as it has been fully sequenced. We know that while most Borrelia are easily eradicated with a standard course of antibiotics, some persist despite treatment. We briefly had a vaccine on the market, which is no longer available, but a new vaccine is now in clinical trials. Despite advances in some areas, there remain serious problems, most prominently that the epidemic of Lyme disease continues to expand both geographically and in the number of new cases—an estimated 400,000 in the United States each year.

Q. What are the symptoms of chronic Lyme disease and how is it diagnosed? What percentage of Lyme sufferers go on to have chronic problems?

A. Most patients do well if the infection is recognized and treated early. In about 10 to 20 percent of cases, patients develop a more severe disease whose symptoms can include debilitating pain, fatigue, headaches, mental fog causing difficulty with memory or finding words, irritability and  sleep disorders. Unfortunately, because our blood tests are antibody-based and can remain positive for years even when infection is no longer present, it is hard to determine whether a patient’s recurrent symptoms are due to persistent infection, a new infection or a post-infectious disorder.

Q. Why does post-treatment Lyme disease affect some people and not others?

A. This is an important question for which we have only preliminary answers. Infection by a more invasive strain of the Borrelia microbe, rather than one that only causes skin manifestations, increases the risk of more severe disease. Certain genetic markers increase the risk of chronic Lyme arthritis. Patients with a history of multiple physical illnesses and other life stressors may have less resilience to infection. And because the tick may transmit other microbes, some patients may have two or more infections.

Q. What are the current treatments for persistent Lyme disease?

A. There are multiple approaches to the treatment of lingering symptoms, but there haven’t been any new, large clinical trials in the U.S. on chronic Lyme-related symptoms in over 10 years. Studies in Europe of early Lyme disease indicate that some of these patients improve without further treatment over the course of one year after initial antibiotic therapy. Patients with chronic symptoms need a personalized approach based on the cause of their symptoms.

Q. Is there hope of finding a cure?

A. Absolutely. With precision medicine approaches, biomarkers are now emerging that appear able to predict who might respond to standard antibiotic therapy and those who might not. This provides an opening for testing new treatment approaches for the latter group, leading to improved long-term outcome.

Dr. Fallon is co-author of Conquering Lyme Disease: Science Bridges the Great Dividewith Dr. Jennifer Sotksy ( VP&S’16,) a fourth-year psychiatry resident at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. (Columbia University Press, 2017 hardcover,  2019 paperback)

For media inquiries or more information, contact Carla Cantor at 212-854-5276 or carla.cantor@columbia.edu.

__________________

**Comment**

  • Again, the erroneous percentages of 10-20% of patients going on to develop persistent symptoms is inaccurate.  There’s a whole lot more of us out here in Lyme-land than that.  Please read:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/02/25/medical-stalemate-what-causes-continuing-symptoms-after-lyme-treatment/  In a nutshell, microbiologist Holly Ahern points out that the 10-20% the CDC calls PTLDS only includes those patients diagnosed and treated early.  It does not and should not include a large subset of patients (30-40%) diagnosed and treated late.  When you add the two groups together, you get 60% of patients going on to struggle with persisting symptoms.  This is an important detail as it shows the vast numbers struggling as well as the need for high priority research studying this issue.  

 

  • He discusses strains of borrelia.  I learned something the other day – that borrelia (Lyme) is unique in that bacteria are typically only allowed 1 species name, but due to honoring Willy Burgdorfer, all borrelia are “Lyme.” This little fly in the ointment is a huge reason many are not getting diagnosed.  Current 2-tiered testing only tests for 1 strain. I was told by a researcher to think of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex as an umbrella, and the 23 genospecies are dangling from it (soon to be 24, BTW!) This may be why Southerners struggle with getting a diagnosis. STARI may be one of these borrelia that doesn’t fit into the box researchers have created for this night-mare.

 

 

  • He also found IV’s give much higher blood levels of drugs than orals, and that the following variables necessitated IV treatment:
    1. Spinal tap shows high inflammation (high protein)
    2. High Sed rate and synovitis (inflammation of synovial membrane)
    3. People sick for more than 1 year
    4. Age over 60
    5. Acute carditis
    6. Immune deficiency
    7. Those who used immunosuppressants
    8. Failed oral treatment

 

  • If you study this for 1 second you begin to appreciate the complexity of treating this which mainstream doctors still haven’t even accepted.

 

  • The fact that there haven’t been any new, large clinical trials in the U.S. on chronic Lyme-related symptoms in over 10 years is unacceptable when you consider that this is two times more prevalent than breast cancer.  HELLO?  Where’s the green ribbons and huge institutions raising funds for Lyme research?  Oh, yeah, I remember, our researchers are using their own microscopes in their basements!  https://lymelifescapeswithcaroline.com/2014/03/25/dr-alan-b-macdonald/  MacDonald is shown in the documentary, “Under Our Skin.”  

 

  • BTW: when MacDonald presented his culture findings (direct testing) at a meeting of the NY State medical society where there were many detractors from Yale & Stoneybrook who didn’t want their patented serological tests to be usurped. They accused him of falsifying his results.  Dr. McDonald then went on to prove conclusively it was Lyme by morphology, silver staining, monoclonal antibodies staining, DNA PCR and finally electron microscopy.  Frustrated, he quit the field and moved to Texas leaving all his old files in Burrascano’s basement until twenty years went by and he became interested again due to Alzheimer’s research & picked up his old files. https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/02/22/why-mainstream-lyme-msids-research-remains-in-the-dark-ages/

 

 

 

 

 

Category:

Activism, Lyme, Lyme Vaccine, Psychological Aspects, research, Testing