Archive for the ‘research’ Category

Global Warming Numbers Fudged

https://player.vimeo.com/video/226928039“>

 Mike Adams, Health Ranger, Approx. 7 min.

Scientists continue to use global warming/climate change as an excuse as to why ticks and the diseases they carry are proliferating.  In scientific circles, global warming is being used as a key to obtain grants to fund more research propagating it.  It’s circular reasoning at its best.

Please remember that Lyme disease began as an epidemic in Lyme, Connecticut in the 70’s.  It is now a pandemic – in every continent but Antarctia and as Dr. Bransfield says, “Given enough time it will be found there too.”  I do not believe for a minute that global warming and/or landscaping practices are causing what we are suffering with today.

This 30 page pdf points out that the steeper warming linear trend of historical GAST data used by the NOAA, NASA, and Hadley CRU, was accomplished by systematically removing the previously existing cyclical temperature pattern.

In sum:

The conclusive findings of this research are that the three GAST data sets are not a valid representation of reality. In fact, the magnitude of their historical data adjustments, that removed their cyclical temperature patterns, are totally inconsistent with published and credible U.S. and other temperature data. Thus, it is impossible to conclude from the three published GAST data sets that recent years have been the warmest ever –despite current claims of record setting warming. Finally, since GAST data set validity is a necessary condition for EPA’s GHG/CO2 Endangerment Finding, it too is invalidated by these research findings.

Abridged Research Report found here:

https://thsresearch.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/ef-gast-data-research-report-062717.pdf  June 2017

http://www.naturalnews.com/2017-07-26-nasa-confirms-sea-levels-have-been-falling-across-the-planet-for-two-years-media-silent.htmlAl Gore states he needs $15 trillion to stop rising ocean levels, yet NASA shows Ocean levels have actually been falling for nearly two years dropping from 87.5mm to below 85mm.  Even in the worst case scenerio, oceans rise at 3.4 mm per year – a foot per century!  https://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/sea-level/

http://www.climatedepot.com/2017/05/24/global-warming-is-not-about-the-science-un-admits-climate-change-policy-is-about-how-we-redistribute-the-worlds-wealth/

Excerpt:

Ottmar Edenhofer, lead author of the IPCC’s fourth summary report released in 2007 candidly expressed the priority. Speaking in 2010, he advised, “One has to free oneself from the illusion that international climate policy is environmental policy. Instead, climate change policy is about how we redistribute de facto the world’s wealth.”

Category:

Activism, Lyme, research, Ticks

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Columbia University Needs Volunteers for a Chronic Lyme Study

Columbia study

Written

on July 7, 2017

Dr. Shor on MMWR Article

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28617768#cm28617768_69799

Marzec, et al (1) described 5 cases of treated chronic Lyme disease that resulted in poor outcomes. We are concerned about 3 conclusions:

1. Characterization of chronic Lyme disease as an invalid nebulous condition

2 “…..evidence that the recommended two-tiered serologic testing is actually more sensitive the longer B. burgeorferi infection has been present”

3. “Studies have not shown that such treatments lead to substantial long-term improvements for patients.”

  1. We too are concerned about any individual whose outcomes represent complications to well-intentioned intervention. However, there is substantive support in the literature for the existence of 1. Chronic Lyme disease-Our perspective is that this represents the clinical manifestations of ongoing active infection by Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) sensu latu complex in the setting of either chronic untreated or inadequately treated individuals. The likelihood of undiagnosed acute Lyme is increased by the infrequency of patients recalling tick bites. In one study representing CDC criteria diagnosed Lyme disease, only 14% had that recollection. (2) Not all cases of acute Lyme are associated with an erythema (EM) rash. Over 15 years, 31% of the reported surveillance cases lacked an EM rash. (3) The ILADS guidelines (4) describe the Lyme post treatment “….persistence of B. burgdorferi in specific individuals and animal models..” The 2012 Embers (5) nonhuman primate and 2014 Hodzic (6) murine studies provide evidence of persistence of Bb infection after MBC adequate courses of antimicrobials. Additional animal and human studies support this concept (references upon request). We want to emphasize that other etiologies may be causal, but that a cohort of these patients likely have a perpetuation of chronic signs and symptoms due to an active Bb infection.
  2. Sensitivity of two tiered testing in late Lyme: Based upon a 2008 study by Steere et al (7) “the sensitivity of 2-tier testing in patients with later manifestations of Lyme disease was 100%, and the specificity was 99%” Entrance criteria for late stage Lyme: “In all patients with neurologic, cardiac, or joint involvement, a serologic result positive for B. burgdorferi by ELISA and Western blot was required for case inclusion….” “Because the entrance criteria for the aforementioned analysis REQUIRED positive serologies … by definition, all patients with disseminated or persistent Lyme disease were required to have a positive serologic test result. It is disingenuous to define a condition by a positive test result and then state that the test has 100% sensitivity…” (8) By extension, the concept of seronegativity is well-documented in cases of chronic Lyme disease. (references upon request)
  3. “Studies have not shown that such treatments lead to substantial long-term improvements for patients.” A number of studies discount this claim. In 2 of the 4 NIH supported prospective human trials by Fallon (9) and Krupp (10), sub-cohort analysis showed statistically significant benefit to retreatment. In the former study 37 patients who were suspected of having active neuroborreliosis, and were treated with 10 weeks of 2gms/day IV Ceftriaxone. Pain and physical functioning improved at 12 and was sustained at 24 weeks. The authors indicated that “these benefits were felt to be independent of carefully assessed placebo effects.” In the latter study 55 patients who were felt to have active infection by Bb, with persistent severe fatigue of 6 or more months received 28 days of IV Ceftriaxone. A significant improvement in fatigue was sustained at 6 months. Other prospective trials of prolonged antimicrobial treatment were employed that revealed statistically significant improved outcomes. (11-13)

In summary, as unfortunate are the 5 cases reported by Marzec, it is this author’s belief that they should not be used to discount a real entity, chronic Lyme disease. Whether due to the lack of timely diagnosis or adequacy of intervention, the literature supports the concept of chronic active Bb infection. That the diagnostic sensitivity of the 2 tiered paradigm is flawed, and seronegative active Bb infection exists. That emphasis should be made to generate a careful differential diagnosis, proactive management with probiotics and careful monitoring in the selective utility of long term antibiotics. As such, these often disabled individuals will more readily have access to the care they deserve, with compassion and empathetic oversight.

Samuel Shor, MD, FACP President ILADS [International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society] Associate Clinical Professor George Washington University Health Care Sciences 1. Marzec NS, 2017 2. Berger BW, 1989 3. Bacon RM, 2008 4. Cameron DJ, 2014 5. Embers ME, 2012 6. Hodzic E, 2014 7. Steere AC, 2008 8. Stricker RB, 2008 9. Fallon BA, 2008 10. Krupp LB, 2003 11. Cameron D, 2008 12. Wahlberg P, 1994 13. Oksi J, 1998
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Category:

Activism, Lyme, research, Testing, Treatment

Dr. Maloney Comments on MMWR Article

   June 16, 2017 Approx. 7 Min.

Partnership for Tick-Borne Diseases Education

Dr. Betty Maloney comments on the recent CDC paper  https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6623a3.htm?s_cid=mm6623a3_e that uses 5 anecdotal cases to announce IV treatments for Lyme/MSIDS patients are too dangerous.

“Patients and their physicians are not the problem.  Poor diagnostic tests and the pathogen itself, are.”  

“Hopefully, one day, we will see constructive CDC papers on topics that can truly reduce the numbers of patients burdened with chronic Lyme disease.”  

Dr. Betty Maloney

www.PartnershipforTick-borneDiseasesEducation.org

 

 

Category:

Activism, Lyme, research, Treatment

Concurrent Babesiosis and Lyme in Patient

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/20009666.2017.1299398

Mark Adler, Thein Swe, and Akari Thein Naing
Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives Vol. 7 , Iss. 1,2017

 

Abstract

Human babesiosis co-infected with Lyme disease in a young patient is an important condition. Here, we describe a case of a 39-year-old male patient with concurrent babesiosis and Lyme disease. Co-infections of tick borne diseases are often difficult to diagnose and underreported, and resulting in significant morbidity and mortality to patients. While co-infections have been infrequently described, it is of paramount importance that clinicians should be able to diagnose early and treat them effectively according to the patient geographical area and history of tick bite.

 

**Comment**

“The powers that be” have their heads in the sand when it comes to all things TBI (tick borne infections).  They speak of Lyme in terms of a single organism when most are infected with multiple organisms which complicate cases exponentially.  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/05/01/co-infection-of-ticks-the-rule-rather-than-the-exception/  This link shows that 45% of tested ticks were coinfected and carried up to 5 different pathogens.  This directly translates to human infection and a survey substantiates this:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2014/11/14/studies-show-why-its-tough-to-treat-lyme-and-co/  The most common co-infections in the LDo study were Babesia (32%), Bartonella (28%), and Ehrlichia (15%) while a study by Dr. Janet Sperling in Canada found that the most common were Bartonella (36%), Babesia (19%), and Anaplasma (13%).

Besides the fact it is a misnomer to think it novel that a patient has concurrent Lyme and Babesiosis, it is also a huge mistake to base treatment on geographical area as time and time again, entomologists are finding ticks in places they just shouldn’t be and ticks that shouldn’t be carrying pathogens, carrying them.  Also, using logic, until every bird, fox, squirrel, lizard, deer, and every other rodent on the earth read the memo that they are not supposed to cross state and country boundaries, ticks are going to continue to defy the box “experts” put them into.  And, there are other ways for pathogens to travel across state lines:  https://doi.org/10.1111/tid.12741

Abstract

The potential for transmission of Babesia microti by blood transfusion is well recognized. Physicians may be unaware that products used for transfusion may be collected from geographically diverse regions. We describe a liver transplant recipient in South Carolina who likely acquired B. microti infection from a unit of blood collected in Minnesota.

 Also, one must be careful of the “history of tick bite,” as well, as many never see the tick or subsequent bite, and fail to get a rash.  A nymphal tick is nearly impossible to see.  Lyme/MSIDS is a CLINICAL diagnosis.

Accurately, the authors advise diagnosing and treating early, but herein lies the catch-22, if practitioners continue to follow the outdated and unscientific IDSA/CDC guidelines and take a “wait and see” approach, waiting for positive serology from tests which are so stringent and biased, most patients will be missed.  

This is the topsy-turvy world Lyme/MSIDS patients live in.

 

 

Category:

Babesia, Lyme, research, Ticks