Archive for the ‘research’ Category

Case Reports of Tick Bites and Illness in Two Central North Carolina Residents

http://www.ncmedicaljournal.com/content/78/3/156

Retrospective Case Reports of Two Central North Carolina Residents

Frequency of Tick Bites and Associated Illnesses, 2001-2014

  1. Marcia. E. Herman-Giddens, PA, MPH, DrPH, D. Marcus Herman-Giddens⇑

Abstract

BACKGROUND Tick bites are a source of illness and disease agents that may lead to morbidity and occasional fatalities in North Carolina. Public health interest in tick-borne illness and disease has increased due to continuing discoveries of tick-borne diseases and their increasing geographic spread and disease incidence. There are no data published on lay individuals with cumulative tick bites and associated illnesses over a period of years.

METHODS We learned of a married couple living on a central North Carolina property who had used reasonable bite prevention methods, kept attached ticks after removal, and recorded dates and related illness records from 2001–2014. We obtained permission to analyze their records. Ticks were identified by an entomologist.

RESULTS The male subject had a total of 219 bites from identifiable ticks comprising 213 Amblyomma americanum, 4 Dermacentor variabilis, and 2 Ixodes scapularis. He was treated for possible Rocky Mountain spotted fever once and presumed Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness once. The female subject had 193 bites comprising 168 A. americanum, 23 D. variabilis, and 2 I. scapularis. She was treated for 4 episodes of presumed Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness and one possible case of a tick-borne infection. Several years of data were missing for both subjects.

LIMITATIONS This retrospective report relied on the subjects’ own records for much of the data. The experience of these individuals cannot be generalized. Diagnoses of these tick-related illnesses are inexact due to lack of tests for the Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness and cross-reactivity in tests for spotted fever rickettsiosis.

CONCLUSIONS This report demonstrates that tick-associated illnesses, including episodes fitting the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s definition of the Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness, may be more common than realized. Use of personal tick protection measures for tick bite illness and disease prevention may not be sufficiently protective. Further subject-based research on tick and disease burden on selected populations would be informative, and could aid in planning appropriate actions to mitigate the effects of tick-borne disease in North Carolina.

 

Category:

Lyme, research, Ticks

Minocycline for MS and Much More

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/06/170601124019.htm

Canadian researchers have discovered that minocycline, a common acne medication, can slow relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in those with initial symptoms.

Standard treatment costs for MS treatment in Canada range from $20,000 to $40,000 per year, with the cost tripled in the U.S.  Treatment using minocycline would cost about $600 per year.  

According to lead author, Dr. Luanne Metz, neurologists will be able to give mino to patients who have MRI results suggesting an MS cause and who are suffering with initial symptoms of demyelination.  

In the study, http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1608889 one group was given 100mg twice a day of minocycline while the other group was given a placebo.  Over six months there was a 27.6% reduction in full blown MS.  (Risk was 61% in placebo group and 33.4% in the mino group).

Minocycline has been used safely and effectively for over 30 years and has many anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, chelates calcium and is well-tolerated.  A Tetracycline drug that is bacteriostatic, it is widely used against both gram negative and gram positive pathogens including Rickettsia, Chlamydia, Plasmodium spp., and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Minocycline, as most Lyme/MSIDS patients know, is one of the most effective antibiotics which crosses the blood brain barrier, due to its high lipid solubility.  It is one of my personal favorites and the most effective drug for the excruciating occipital (base of the skull) headaches I get due to Tick-borne infections.  If you experience these, please read:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/04/02/chiari/ as brain infections can cause Chiari.  Please also see:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/07/03/lyme-meningoencephalitis-masquerading-as-normal-pressure-hydrocephalus/

According to Spanish researchers, Minocycline is much more than just an antibiotic.  Minocycline far beyond an antibiotic  Not only is it antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, it has also been shown to be neuroprotective, anti-apoptotic, and it inhibits proteolysis, angiogenesis and tumor metastasis.  Preclinical trials have shown it to inhibit malignant cell growth and activation and repletion of HIV, and  prevents bone resorption.  It has helped those with Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, ALS, Alzheimer’s, and spinal cord injury.  The link in blue demonstrates minos effectiveness against dermatitis, periodontal disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and CNS (central nervous system) pathologies, osteoporosis, and autism, as well as has potential to help atherosclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and allergic asthma.  The researchers also feel mino is a rational treatment for neuropathic pain, something Lyme/MSIDS patients understand up close and personal.

Mino is inexpensive, has a known side-effect profile, and is well-absorbed (95-100%).  It, along with doxycycline, due to their ability to penetrate the cell wall, is commonly used for Lyme disease treatment:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/02/13/lyme-disease-treatment/

Category:

Lyme, Mycoplasma, research, Rickettsia, Treatment

Sugar Documentary

Lyme/MSIDS patients learn quickly that diet is key to healing.  For a great documentary by Newton that explains the devastating effects of sugar and artificial sweeteners on the human body, please watch:

A great example of the effects of sugar on the human body is cited by Dr. Mercola as well as other great information:  http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2017/06/03/eating-too-much-sugar.aspx?utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20170603Z1_UCM&et_cid=DM147092&et_rid=2030975579

In an effort to study the health effects of a high sugar diet, documentary filmmaker Damon Gameau, from “That Sugar Film,” conducted an experiment during which he consumed the average amount of sugar eaten daily by Australians, which amounts to 160 grams or about 40 teaspoons.

It’s important to note that before the experiment Gameau ate very little sugar. Surprisingly enough, Gameau didn’t feast on junk food all day to reach his goal. Instead, he ate commonly sold processed foods, many of which are marketed as healthy, such as fruit juice, yogurt and energy drinks.

Initially, Gameau thought it would be difficult to reach his daily goal of 40 teaspoons but to his surprise found it disturbingly easy. The film shows Gameau nearly reaching his daily sugar goal in just one meal with a small bowl of cereal, yogurt and fruit juice. It wasn’t long before Gameau began feeling both the physical and psychological effects of eating a high sugar diet. One of the first symptoms he noticed was wild mood swings.

After eating a sugary food, Gameau experienced what’s known as the typical “sugar high,” accompanied by short-lived feelings of alertness and even euphoria. His wife reported spontaneous and even manic-like bursts of laughter. But less than an hour later he would crash, noting severe feelings of lethargy. Gameau also reported feeling aloof, distracted and unable to concentrate at home — a trait his wife described as extremely uncharacteristic.

Prior to the experiment, Gameau was in good health. A medical exam determined he was slightly healthier than the average western male in his age range. His diet consisted of about 2,300 calories per day, 50 percent of which was made up of healthy fats found in foods like nuts and avocado; 26 percent was derived from protein-based foods such as meat, eggs and fish, and the remaining 24 percent consisted of carbohydrates found in fresh vegetables.

Gameau weighed about 167 pounds and had a waist circumference of 33 inches (84 centimeters). Blood tests showed his liver was healthy and that he had low triglyceride levels (fat in the bloodstream) and no signs of insulin resistance or diabetes. Gameau also kept up his exercise routine, which consisted of running three laps around his garden twice a week followed by a 10-minute workout in his home gym. But despite maintaining weekly exercise, Gameau’s health quickly deteriorated.

After 12 days of ramping up his sugar intake, Gameau had gained almost seven pounds, the majority of which went straight to his abdomen. In a month of eating 40 teaspoons of sugar per day, he added 2.75 inches (7 centimeters) to his waistline. But the health effects were more serious than just weight gain.

Within three short weeks, doctors were shocked to find that Gameau was already displaying signs of fatty liver disease. “By the end, I’d developed pre-type 2 diabetes, I had heart disease, I had 11 centimeters of visceral fat. But the big one was, the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was almost in a full-blown state,” said Gameau in a news article highlighting his film.

***The take home:  if you want something sugary, partake in limited amounts and savor it and don’t fool yourself by thinking artificial sweeteners will help you lose weight.  Also, eating sugar only feeds the bacteria you are trying to rid your body of as well as sets your body up for Candida, a systemic yeast infection common with antibiotic users.

Category:

Activism, diet and nutrition, Psychological Aspects, research

Lorraine Johnson on Lyme Ninja Radio: My Lyme Data

https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/325365023&color=ff5500“>

In this episode you will learn:
• How to help cure Lyme Disease by adding your data to the My Lyme Data Registry
• The surprising statistic of how many lyme sufferers actually use antibiotics
• How you can use the my lyme data to help you along your lyme journey.

Lorraine Johnson is the Chief Executive Officer of LymeDisease.org and an attorney advocate. In 2014 she co-authored the Lyme disease guidelines of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society. She has spoken before state legislatures, US and international governmental agencies, and at healthcare policy conferences throughout the world.

Category:

Lyme, research

Bartonella: Endocarditis, Opportunistic Infection in Cancer Patients, and Eye Inflammation

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/28490579/  Bartonella Species, an Emerging Cause of Blood-Culture-Negative Endocarditis.

Okaro U1, Addisu A2, Casanas B2, Anderson B3. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2017.

Abstract
Since the reclassification of the genus Bartonella in 1993, the number of species has grown from 1 to 45 currently designated members. Likewise, the association of different Bartonella species with human disease continues to grow, as does the range of clinical presentations associated with these bacteria. Among these, blood-culture-negative endocarditis stands out as a common, often undiagnosed, clinical presentation of infection with several different Bartonella species. The limitations of laboratory tests resulting in this underdiagnosis of Bartonella endocarditis are discussed. The varied clinical picture of Bartonella infection and a review of clinical aspects of endocarditis caused by Bartonella are presented. We also summarize the current knowledge of the molecular basis of Bartonella pathogenesis, focusing on surface adhesins in the two Bartonella species that most commonly cause endocarditis, B. henselae and B. quintana. We discuss evidence that surface adhesins are important factors for autoaggregation and biofilm formation by Bartonella species. Finally, we propose that biofilm formation is a critical step in the formation of vegetative masses during Bartonella-mediated endocarditis and represents a potential reservoir for persistence by these bacteria.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/28328183/  Seroprevalence of Bartonella species, Coxiella burnetii and Toxoplasma gondii among patients with hematological malignancies: A pilot study in Romania.

Messinger CJ1, Gurzau ES2,3, Breitschwerdt EB4,5, Tomuleasa CI6,7, Trufan SJ8, Flonta MM9, Maggi RG4,5, Berindan-Neagoe I6,10,11, Rabinowitz PM8. Zoonoses Public Health. 2017.

Abstract
Patients receiving immunosuppressive cancer treatments in settings where there is a high degree of human-animal interaction may be at increased risk for opportunistic zoonotic infections or reactivation of latent infections. We sought to determine the seroprevalence of selected zoonotic pathogens among patients diagnosed with haematologic malignancies and undergoing chemotherapeutic treatments in Romania, where much of the general population lives and/or works in contact with livestock. A convenience sample of 51 patients with haematologic cancer undergoing chemotherapy at a referral clinic in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, was surveyed regarding animal exposures. Blood samples were obtained and tested for evidence of infection with Bartonella species, Coxiella burnetii and Toxoplasma gondii, which are important opportunistic zoonotic agents in immunocompromised individuals. 58.8% of participants reported living or working on a farm, and living or working on a farm was associated with contact with livestock and other animals. 37.5% of participants were IgG seroreactive against one or more of five Bartonella antigens, and seroreactivity was statistically associated with living on farms. Farm dwellers were 3.6 times more likely to test IgG seroreactive to Bartonella antibodies than non-farm dwellers. 47.1% of the participants tested T. gondii IgG positive and 13.7% tested C. burnetii IgG positive, indicating past or latent infection. C. burnetii IgM antibodies were detected in four participants (7.8%), indicating possible recent infection. These results indicate that a large proportion of patients with haematologic cancer in Romania may be at risk for zoonotic infections or for reactivation of latent zoonotic infections, particularly with respect to Bartonella species. Special attention should be paid to cancer patients’ exposure to livestock and companion animals in areas where much of the population lives in rural settings.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/28405890/  Seroprevalence of Bartonella Species in Patients with Ocular Inflammation.

Brydak-Godowska J1, Kopacz D1, Borkowski PK2, Fiecek B3, Hevelke A4, Rabczenko D5, Tylewska-Wierzbanowska S3, Kęcik D1, Chmielewski T3. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2017.

Abstract
Bartonella species, vector-borne etiologic agents of many systemic or self-limited infections, are responsible for a widening spectrum of diseases in humans, including inflammatory conditions of the eye. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is any relationship between uveitis and the evidence of Bartonella spp. infection in the serum, ocular fluid, and cataract mass in patients with intraocular inflammation. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based tests and DNA sequencing were performed on surgery-extracted specimens of intraocular fluid and lens mass of 33 patients. Sera from 51 patients and 101 control subjects were tested for the presence of specific antibodies against Bartonella spp. Neither IgM-class antibodies against Bartonella spp. nor Bartonella spp. DNA were detected. A specific IgG-class antibody was found in 33.3% of the patients with uveitis. The rate of positive Bartonella serology was higher among the uveitis patients than that in control subjects. This high rate may in part result from unrecognized indirect mechanisms rather than the immediate presence and multiplication of Bartonella spp. in the eyeball. Nonetheless we believe that screening for Bartonella spp. should become part of the diagnostic workup in uveitis.

Another ocular study:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/04/06/ocular-bartonellosis/

Category:

Bartonella, Inflammation, research