Archive for the ‘research’ Category

The History Of Lyme Disease – Dr. Burrascano

https://www.ilads.org/dr-burrascano-happy-holidays/?  Approx. 43 Min.

The History of Lyme Disease

Dr. Burrascano explains and debunks much of what is accepted and blindly promoted in main-stream medicine about Lyme.

For a summary of the video go here.  Go here for an article that presents a bird’s-eye view of the entire issue.

He also shares what he discovered worked with patients, including himself, often by trial and error.

Important takeaways:

  • Burrascano found that blood levels of various drugs in some patients was low or even undetectable.  In other words, the level of doxycycline in the blood for instance, was too low to kill anything, which helps explain why some fail antibiotic therapy.  (Scroll to 17:30 for this information.)  He also cringes because the CDC guidelines state all patients should receive 200mg of doxycycline, which sets some patients up for failure.  Doctors should do blood levels on patients to determine if it’s working.
  • He, as well as ILADS, recommends being symptom-free for 2-4 months before stopping treatment.  Then, wait until symptoms return and go back on treatment.  This is called Cycling.  He found that cycling 3-4 times typically worked for most patients.  Ironically, the 3rd cycle yielded the worst herx.  Pam Weintraub wrote about this in, “Cure Unknown:  Inside the Lyme Disease Epidemic,” way back in the 90’s, yet few doctors do this.
Please share this with family, friends, doctors, and researchers.

Category:

Activism, Lyme, research, Testing, Treatment

Widespread Inflammation in Brains of Those With Fibromyalgia

https://neurosciencenews.com/inflammation-fibromyalgia-9925/?

Widespread Inflammation in Brains of Those with Fibromyalgia

Neuroscience NewsNeuroscience News 

Summary: A new study reveals elevated glial activation in the brains of those with fibromyalgia.

Source: Mass General.

A study by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers – collaborating with a team at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden – has documented for the first time widespread inflammation in the brains of patients with the poorly understood condition called fibromyalgia. Their report has been published online in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity.

“We don’t have good treatment options for fibromyalgia, so identifying a potential treatment target could lead to the development of innovative, more effective therapies,” says Marco Loggia, PhD, of the MGH-based Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, co-senior author of the report. “And finding objective neurochemical changes in the brains of patients with fibromyalgia should help reduce the persistent stigma that many patients face, often being told their symptoms are imaginary and there’s nothing really wrong with them.”

Characterized by symptoms including chronic widespread pain, sleep problems, fatigue, and problems with thinking and memory, fibromyalgia affects around 4 million adults in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Previous research from the Karolinska group led by Eva Kosek, MD, PhD, co-senior author of the current study, suggested a potential role for neuroinflammation in the condition – including elevated levels of inflammatory proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid – but no previous study has directly visualized neuroinflammation in fibromyalgia patients.

A 2015 study by Loggia’s team used combined MR/PET scanning to document neuroinflammation – specifically activation of glial cells – in the brains of patients with chronic back pain. Hypothesizing that similar glial activation might be found in fibromyalgia patients as well, his team used the same PET radiopharmaceutical, which binds to the translocator protein (TSPO) that is overexpressed by activated glial cells, in their study enrolling 20 fibromyalgia patients and 14 control volunteers.

At the same time, Kosek’s team at Karolinska had enrolled a group of 11 patients and an equal number of control participants for a similar study with the TSPO-binding PET tracer. Since that radiopharmaceutical binds to two types of glial cells – microglia and astrocytes – they also imaged 11 patients, 6 who had the TSPO imaging and 5 others, and another 11 controls with a PET tracer that is thought to bind preferentially to astrocytes and not to microglia. At both centers, participants with fibromyalgia completed questionnaires to assess their symptoms. When the MGH team became aware of the similar investigation the Karolinska group had underway, the teams decided to combine their data into a single study.

a brain scan

The results from both centers found that glial activation in several regions of the brains of fibromyalgia patients was significantly greater than it was in control participants. Compared to the MGH team’s chronic back pain study, TSPO elevations were more widespread throughout the brain, which Loggia indicates corresponds to the more complex symptom patterns of fibromyalgia. TSPO levels in a structure called the cingulate gyrus – an area associated with emotional processing where neuroinflammation has been reported in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome – corresponded with patients reported levels of fatigue. The Karolinska team’s studies with the astrocyte-binding tracer found little difference between patients and controls, suggesting that microglia were primarily responsible for the increased neuro-inflammation in fibromyalgia patients.

“The activation of glial cells we observed in our studies releases inflammatory mediators that are thought to sensitize pain pathways and contribute to symptoms such as fatigue,” says Loggia, an assistant professor of Radiology at Harvard Medical School. “The ability to join forces with our colleagues at Karolinska was fantastic, because combining our data and seeing similar results at both sites gives confidence to the reliability of our results.”

Original Research: Open access research for “Brain glial activation in fibromyalgia – A multi-site positron emission tomography investigation” by Daniel S.Albrecht, Anton Forsberg, Angelica Sandström, Courtney Bergan, Diana Kadetoff, Ekaterina Protsenko, Jon Lamp, Yvonne C. Lee, Caroline Olgart Höglund, Ciprian Catana, Simon Cervenka, Oluwaseun Akeju, Mats Lekander, George Cohen, Christer Halldin, Norman Taylor, Minhae Kim, Jacob M. Hooker, Robert R. Edwards, Vitaly Napadowa, Eva Kosek, and Marco L.Loggia in Brain, Behavior and Immunity. Published September 14 2018.
doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2018.09.018

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**Comment**
Many Lyme/MSIDS patients are initially diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
https://www.lymedisease.org/lyme-sci-fibro/  In this informative article you will read about how Rheumatologist, Dr. Miller, became a Lyme activist due to his daughter-in-law’s misdiagnosis of fibromyalgia.
He believes all patients who have been given a diagnosis of a neurodegenerative disease—including ALS, MS, lupus, and fibromyalgia—should be evaluated for Lyme disease.

Almost all of these diseases are accompanied by pain, fatigue, sleep issues, cognitive issues, headache, numbness and tingling.

And, according to a survey of over 4000 patients with Lyme disease,

“roughly 20% of those with chronic Lyme disease were initially misdiagnosed with a neurologic disease including MS, ALS, Parkinson’s and multiple systems atrophy.”

Dr. Miller’s 4-part Lyme series:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/05/11/dr-al-miller-lyme-disease-series/

Interview with Dr. Miller:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/10/13/dr-miller-a-new-perspective-on-lyme-disease/

 

 

Category:

Activism, Inflammation, Pain Management, research

Relapsing Fever Spirochete Uniquely Adapted to Highly Oxidative Salivary Glands of Soft-bodied Tick

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30489694

2018 Nov 29:e12987. doi: 10.1111/cmi.12987. [Epub ahead of print]

The relapsing fever spirochete Borrelia turicatae persists in the highly oxidative environment of its soft-bodied tick vector.

Bourret TJ1, Boyle WK1, Zalud A1, Valenzuela JG2, Oliveira F2, Lopez JE3.

Abstract

The relapsing fever spirochete Borrelia turicatae possesses a complex life cycle in its soft-bodied tick vector, Ornithodoros turicata. Spirochetes enter the tick midgut during a bloodmeal, and during the following weeks spirochetes disseminate throughout O. turicata. A population persists in the salivary glands allowing for rapid transmission to mammalian hosts during tick feeding. Little is known about the physiological environment within the salivary glands acini in which B. turicatae persists. In this study, we examined the salivary gland transcriptome of O. turicata ticks and detected the expression of fifty-seven genes involved in oxidant metabolism or antioxidant defenses. We confirmed the expression of five of the most highly expressed genes including glutathione peroxidase (gpx), thioredoxin peroxidase (tpx), manganese superoxide dismutase (sod-1), copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (sod-2), and catalase (cat) by reverse-transcriptase droplet digital PCR (RT-ddPCR). We also found distinct differences in the expression of these genes when comparing the salivary glands and midguts of unfed O. turicata ticks.

Our results indicate that the salivary glands of unfed O. turicata nymphs are a highly oxidative environment where reactive oxygen species (ROS) predominate, while midgut tissues comprise a primarily nitrosative environment where nitric oxide synthase is highly expressed. Additionally, B. turicatae was found to be hyperresistant to ROS compared to the Lyme disease spirochete B. burgdorferi, suggesting that it is uniquely adapted to the highly oxidative environment of O. turicata salivary gland acini.

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**Comment**

Much can be learned about Borrelia turicatae by reading this case study:  https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/23/5/16-2069_article

We learn:

  • Ornithodoros turicata soft bodied ticks, are endemic to Texas and Florida
  • They are found in caves and ground squirrel or prairie dog burrows  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/04/23/tick-borne-relapsing-fever-found-in-austin-texas-caves/
  • Once infected, they remain infected for the rest of their lives, which can be up to ten years.
  • Attachment is painless
  • They are rapid night feeders (5-60min)
  • Due to their rapid feeding they are rarely found or leave lesions
  • Patient in study suffered with headache, nausea, & pain behind knees
  • Had numerous lesions which resolved after 6 days (without treatment)
  • Developed persistent fever
  • Developed thrombocytopenia (low platelets)
  • Developed elevated Erythrocyte sedimentation rate & C-reactive protein
  • Improved rapidly with doxycycline
  • Platelet count normalized within 2 weeks
  • Asymptomatic soldiers with similar exposure were treated prophylactically
  • TBRF is a neglected and probably underdiagnosed disease
  • Published cases in Texas have been supported by serology for the TBRF group, exposure location, and tick collections, but the authors state successful identification of B. turicatae in a human has not been reported
  • Military training groups in Israel have declared certain caves off limits because of heavy tick presence https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/10/27/israeli-kids-get-lyme-disease-from-ticks-in-caves/ and have prophylactically administered doxycycline to those suspected to have been exposed
  • Asymptomatic patients given doxy don’t have a Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction but those with active illness do
Another study demonstrating the wily and adaptable nature of spirochetes.

 

 

 

 

Category:

Borrelia Miyamotoi (Relapsing Fever Group), research, Testing, Ticks, Transmission

Baggio-Yoshinari Brazil’s Lyme-Like Illness From Ticks That Shouldn’t Transmit it

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6218955/

. 2018; 73: e394.
Published online 2018 Nov 6. doi: 10.6061/clinics/2018/e394
PMCID: PMC6218955
PMID: 30462754

Passage of Borrelia burgdorferi through diverse Ixodid hard ticks causes distinct diseases: Lyme borreliosis and Baggio-Yoshinari syndrome

Carmen Silvia Molleis Galego Miziara,I,* Virginia Aparecida Gelmeti Serrano,I and Natalino YoshinariII
Author information Article notes Copyright and License information Disclaimer

Abstract

Baggio-Yoshinari syndrome is an emerging, tick-borne, infectious disease recently discovered in Brazil. This syndrome is similar to Lyme disease, which is common in the United States of America, Europe and Asia; however, Brazilian borreliosis diverges from the disease observed in the Northern Hemisphere in its epidemiological, microbiological, laboratory and clinical characteristics. Polymerase chain reaction procedures showed that Baggio-Yoshinari syndrome is caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto spirochete. This bacterium has not yet been isolated or cultured in adequate culture media. In Brazil, this zoonosis is transmitted to humans through the bite of Amblyomma and Rhipicephalus genera ticks; these vectors do not belong to the usual Lyme disease transmitters, which are members of the Ixodes ricinus complex. The adaptation of Borrelia burgdorferi to Brazilian vectors and reservoirs probably originated from spirochetes with atypical morphologies (cysts or cell-wall-deficient bacteria) exhibiting genetic adjustments, such as gene suppression. These particularities could explain the protracted survival of these bacteria in hosts, beyond the induction of a weak immune response and the emergence of serious reactive symptoms. The aim of the present report is to note differences between Baggio-Yoshinari syndrome and Lyme disease, to help health professionals recognize this exotic and neglected zoonosis.

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**Comment**

This abstract shows a Bbss spirochete NOT YET isolated or cultured in adequate culture media, i.e., is invisible to current lab techniques.  Also, please note that the ticks mentioned are not TYPICALLY thought of as transmitting Lyme.

Two commonly touted myths busted to smithereens.

The plot thickens with the mere mention of ATYPICAL morphologies (cysts or cell wall deficient) bacteria as well as GENETIC ADJUSTMENTS WITH GENE SUPRESSION, and the ability of these bacteria to SURVIVE FOR A LONG TIME.  

To this day, the CDC/IDSA refuses to recognize the persistent nature and pleomorphism of Bb.

Researchers who talk about pleomorphism are almost always from outside the U.S.:  https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2017.00596/full  There’s only a handful of U.S. researchers taking on pleomorphism.  All the IDSA-authors (The Cabal) report about Lyme as if it were a mere nuisance, which it is not.

In short, we have a LYME-LIKE Illness that:

  • can’t be picked up with common lab techniques
  • coming from ticks that don’t normally transmit it
  • caused by a bacteria that shape-shifts
  • makes genetic adjustments to survive

Now add other potential pathogens to this stew and it’s quite clear why patients are so ill and why it takes far more than 21 days of the mono-therapy of doxycycline.

Please spread the word!

For More:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/10/30/study-shows-lyme-msids-patients-infected-with-many-pathogens-and-explains-why-we-are-so-sick/  This international group of researchers state that:

“Our findings recognize that microbial infections in patients suffering from TBDs do not follow the one microbe, one disease Germ Theory as 65% of the TBD patients produce immune responses to various microbes.”

They also point out that 83% of all commercial tests focus only on Lyme (borrelia), despite the fact we are infected with more than one microbe.

They too mention the pleomorphism of borrelia:

“In addition to tick-borne co-infections and non-tick-borne opportunistic infections, pleomorphic Borrelia persistent forms may induce distinct immune responses in patients by having different antigenic properties compared to typical spirochetes32,33,34,35. Nonetheless, current LD diagnostic tools do not include Borrelia persistent forms, tick-borne co-infections, and non-tick-borne opportunistic infections.”

It’s all right here in bright purple crayon.

 

 

Category:

Lyme, research, Testing, Ticks, Transmission

Ehrlichiosis Presenting as Severe Sepsis & Meningoencephalitis in an Immunocompetent Adult

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/30425837/

Ehrlichiosis presenting as severe sepsis and meningoencephalitis in an immunocompetent adult.

Buzzard SL, et al. JMM Case Rep. 2018.

Abstract

Introduction: Ehrlichia are obligate intracellular pathogens transmitted to vertebrates by ticks.

Case presentation: We report the case of a 59-year-old man who presented to the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Medical Center (Lexington, KY, USA) after being found fallen down in the woods. A lumbar puncture revealed what appeared to be bacterial meningitis, yet cerebrospinal fluid cultures, Gram stains and a meningitis/encephalitis panel were inconclusive. However, an Ehrlichia DNA PCR of the blood resulted as being positive for Ehrlichia chaffeensis antibodies. The patient received a 14 day course of doxycycline, and recovered from his multiple organ failure. The aetiology of the ehrlichial meningoencephalitis was likely transmission through a tick-bite, due to the patient’s outdoor exposure.

Conclusion: While it is rare to see Ehrlichia as a cause of meningitis, this illness can progress to severe multisystem disease with septic shock, meningoencephalitis or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Those with compromised immunity are at a higher risk of developing the more severe form of the disease and have higher case fatality rates.

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**Comment**

Nothing about this monster is rare – it’s just not in the literature yet.  Again, researchers would be wise to remember that just because something isn’t found in the literature, doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen, particularly in a disease complex that testing misses half the cases and much goes unreported because it’s undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

Notice this poor man was found flat on his face in the woods – that’s how serious this stuff can be.  Please notice his immune system was fine.

Meningeal involvement (brain swelling) is NOT rare.  Why would it be?  When these pathogens can cross the blood/brain barrier, it makes complete, logical sense that people would deal with swelling.  They deal with swelling in their elbows, knees, fingers, wrists, and about every other place in the body.  Dr. Phillips talks about Balanitus, a painful swelling of the foreskin, or head of the penis in males here:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/12/22/s-e-x-lyme-msids/

I had swelling in my head so great that I wondered if I’d ever go a day without excruciating headaches that honestly felt like I’d been kicked by a horse, but the pain was completely all over in the lining of my head (meningeal).  I had an MRI, which came back normal, but I’ve met numerous folks with a Lyme and Chiari diagnosis:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/04/02/chiari/

Warning – some with Lyme/MSIDS go through with the Chiari surgery but continue to have symptoms because until the pathogens are dealt with, symptoms will not resolve.  

Now, I’m just a crazy gray-hair, but doesn’t it seem quite logical to have swelling in the brain with Lyme/MSIDS?

For more:  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/2018/11/11/gestational-lyme-other-tick-borne-diseases-dr-jones/

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

Category:

Ehrlichiosis, Inflammation, research, Testing, Ticks, Treatment