Archive for the ‘Transmission’ Category

When a Tick Changes the Game: Jared Allen’s Battle with Alpha-Gal Syndrome

https://www.si.com/everyday-athlete/nfl-legend-jared-allen-s-tick-bite-diagnosis-every-athlete-needs-to-know-about

NFL Legend Jared Allen’s Tick Bite Diagnosis Every Athlete Needs to Know About

John Welbourn

When a Tick Changes the Game: Jared Allen’s Battle with Alpha-Gal Syndrome

Most athletes know the importance of diet when it comes to peak performance; what you eat fuels your training, recovery, and overall health. But what happens when something as small as a tick forces you to rethink how you fuel your body completely? That’s precisely what happened to former NFL legend Jared Allen, who recently opened up about his battle with alpha-gal syndrome, a tick-borne food allergy that has reshaped his lifestyle—and his plate.

What is Alpha-Gal Syndrome?

Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is an allergy caused by the bite of the Lone Star tick, commonly found in the southeastern and midwestern United States. Unlike typical food allergies that react to things like peanuts or shellfish, AGS is unique: it causes the body to have a delayed allergic reaction to red meat and other mammal-based products. That means beef, pork, lamb, venison, and even hidden mammal-derived ingredients in foods or supplements can trigger severe symptoms.

The reaction doesn’t always happen immediately after eating, which makes it tricky to diagnose. Symptoms can range from stomach pain and hives to life-threatening anaphylaxis hours after a meal.

Jared Allen’s Diagnosis

For Jared Allen—known for his grit and strength on the football field—the diagnosis meant he had to completely cut mammal meat out of his diet and switch to what he calls a “fins and feathers” lifestyle, sticking to poultry and fish. Imagine going from fueling your body with steak or burgers after grueling workouts to suddenly being told those foods could send you to the ER. That’s a massive change for anyone, let alone a professional athlete used to finely tuned nutrition. (See link for article)

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**Comment**

My son was recently bitten by a Lone star tick.  Well, I should say he was nibbled on by a LS tick, leaving a minuscule red pin prick.  The tick was not remotely engorged.  I received the frightening text from him but admitted I needed to brush up on all of this as so far Wisconsin patients are still mostly dealing with black legged ticks and Lyme/MSIDS even though Lone Star ticks have been found here.

But, the nibble was enough to cause profound illness in 2 weeks time.  (Yes, I’m kicking myself for not demanding prophylactic treatment, but we all grow slack at some point and need a wake-up call.  This was it!) 

His symptoms sounded exactly like Lyme but he was worried he had also developed Alpha Gal as he would get diarrhea within a few hours of eating red meat.  Thankfully this dreaded symptom quickly went away.

All I initially remembered was that LS ticks transmit not only Alpha Gal Syndrome (AGS) the meat allergy the NFL star got, but also STARI, which looks, smells, and acts just like Lyme disease, despite the fact at least 9 transmission experiments involving B. burgdorferi in Lone Star ticks have failed to demonstrate vector competency.  The offending agent of STARI is B. lonestari not B. burgdorferi, but the illness looks the same.  Go here for the nuts and bolts.

BTW: STARI is also called Masters’ disease, named after famed rebel Dr. Ed Masters who took the CDC on single-handedly and outwitted them.  All of Masters’ patients improved dramatically with extended antibiotic treatment despite the CDC’s belief that antibiotics should be used sparingly, if at all.

So, what to do?

Well, I figured if this looked and felt exactly like Lyme, it would respond to Lyme treatment.  My son went on the following (reminder: I’m not a doctor and I don’t diagnose or treat anyone):

  • 100mg minocycline, twice daily for two weeks; however when discontinued his symptoms returned, signaling that a layered approach was needed.  This is common.
  • he then pulsed 500mg tinidazole once a day for two successive days weekly
  • he then layered in 12mg ivermectin every other day
  • he did daily red light and sauna therapy
  • he did two rounds of EBOO (extracorporeal blood oxygenation and ozonation) 3 weeks apart.  He said the EBOO completely knocked him on his butt and he had to take a day off work to sleep, but that shortly he felt the best he had felt since starting treatment.
It took every bit of that treatment for three months to finally knock it.
 I’m happy to report he has remained symptom free.

On a side note, ivermectin and/or fenbendazole has:

This was not a fun experiment but I know how important it is to share our experiences, as that is often all we patients truly have – each other.

Category:

Alpha Gal Meat Allergy, Alzheimer's, Autism, Lyme, Parasites, research, Testing, Ticks, Transmission, Treatment

RMSF Case Documented in Quebec

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/article/tick-borne-rocky-mountain-spotted-fever-detected-in-quebec-and-ontario/

Potentially deadly tick-borne illness recorded in Quebec and Ontario

By Daniel Otis

Published: 

Canada’s first known human case of a potentially deadly tick-borne illness has been documented in Quebec.

The Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever case was recently recorded in Quebec’s Eastern Townships. It follows reports from Ontario of infected animals that visited Long Point on Lake Erie.

“Many people with this infection can be on the more severe end of the spectrum,” infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch told CTV’s Your Morning on Monday. “This can cause a very significant illness and can result in hospitalization and death.”

The bacterial illness is carried by several tick species, including dermacentor variabilis, which is also known as the American dog tick. Despite its name, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is most common in the eastern United States, where thousands of cases are recorded every year. (See link for article)

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**Comment**

Unfortunately, the article regurgitates the climate change myth.

Ticks are marvelous ecoadapters and will be the last species on planet earth. They have the equivalent of antifreeze in their bodies and will simply find snow or leaf litter to crawl under when conditions become harsh.  In fact, warm winters are lethal to ticks, with overwinter survival dropping to 33% when the snow melted.  This has been substantiated by other researchers as well.  Scott & Scott, 2018, ticks and climate change, JVSM

They need snow cover to survive.

So ‘climate change’ would actually kill ticks.  

If only.

Important excerpt:

If left untreated, the fatality rate can be as high as between 20 to 30 per cent, according to the U.S.-based Cleveland Clinic. When treated with the antibiotic doxycycline, which is also used for Lyme disease, the fatality rate drops to between five and 10 per cent. Early intervention is key to avoid more serious outcomes, which can also include amputation, hearing loss and brain damage.

Sadly, very little real journalism is occurring in the U.S.  Reporters simply take regurgitated information and regurgitate it back yet again perpetuating the cycle of an accepted narrative.  Where are the investigative journalists digging for truth?  Where are the journalists who present all sides of an issue so the reader can form their own opinion?

They are an extinct species.

Category:

Activism, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ticks, Transmission, Treatment

Justin Timberlake Reveals His ‘Relentlessly Debilitating’ Battle With Lyme Disease

The 44 year old singer was previously called out for cancelling multiple shows during the tour.

“If you’ve experienced this disease or know someone who has — then you’re aware: living with this can be relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically…

“When I first got the diagnosis I was shocked for sure.

“But, at least I could understand why I would be onstage and in a massive amount of nerve pain or, just feeling crazy fatigue or sickness.  ~ Justin Timberlake

https://www.morgellonssurvey.org/tick-in-a-box-why-didnt-justin-timberlake-get-morgellons/

Tick in a Box: Why Didn’t Justin Timberlake Get Morgellons?

 by 

Picture this: Justin Timberlake, the king of pop who brought sexy back, is out there cryin’ a river on stage during his Forget Tomorrow World Tour, but not because of a bad breakup—nah, it’s because he’s secretly battling Lyme disease, that sneaky tick-borne villain. On July 31, 2025, JT dropped the bomb on Instagram, revealing he’d been diagnosed with Lyme, describing it as “relentlessly debilitating” with nerve pain so bad it felt like his body was staging a mutiny. Fans were shocked—how did the guy who once gifted us “Dick in a Box” end up with a “Tick in a Box” instead? But here’s the real head-scratcher: JT got Lyme, but he didn’t spiral into Morgellons, that bizarre skin condition often lurking in Lyme’s shadow like an unwanted sequel nobody asked for.

Lyme disease, caused by those pesky Borrelia bacteria from tick bites, affects hundreds of thousands annually, turning everyday folks into exhausted zombies. Morgellons? That’s the plot twist where your skin feels like it’s hosting a bug rave, complete with fibers emerging like confetti from hell. Some dismiss it as delusion, but evidence ties it to Lyme. Yet, only a tiny fraction of Lyme sufferers—think 5-10%—get hit with Morgellons. JT dodged it, and we’re here to unpack why, with a dash of humor (because who doesn’t love a good JT pun?) while keeping things real about the serious stuff. We’ll break it down like one of his dance routines: smooth, informative, and with plenty of links to dive deeper, like this New York Times piece on his announcement. No medical degree required—just curiosity and a sense of humor.

Justin Timberlake isn’t just a singer; he’s a human Swiss Army knife—actor, dancer, golfer, and apparently, tick magnet. After wrapping his epic two-year tour on July 30, 2025, he hit Instagram with the news: “I’ve been battling some health issues, and was diagnosed with Lyme disease—which I don’t say so you feel bad for me—but at least I could understand why I would be onstage and in a massive amount of nerve pain or just feeling crazy fatigue or sickness.” Oof, talk about a plot twist worthy of a thriller. Fans had been whispering about his “lackluster” energy on stage, as noted in this Page Six article, but now it all makes sense. Lyme had him feeling like he’d been hit by a truck, or maybe just a very determined tick.

His symptoms? Nerve pain that could make even the toughest cry me a river, fatigue so deep it rivals a post-concert hangover, and unexplained sickness that had him questioning if he was “bringing sexy back” or just bringing sickness back. No skin drama mentioned, though—no itching, no sores, no fibers—which is why Morgellons stayed off his setlist. Support rolled in from everywhere: *NSYNC buddy Chris Kirkpatrick praised his resilience on Insta, saying it was “rare,” while Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean dropped a “respect” bomb. Even on X (formerly Twitter), fans like TooFab highlighted the love.

JT joins a star-studded Lyme club: Avril Lavigne was bedridden for years, Bella Hadid calls it her “invisible illness,” and Shania Twain blamed it for vocal woes. Check out this Business Insider list for more celeb stories. But JT’s quick diagnosis (mid-tour, per CNN) and likely antibiotic blitz might be why he avoided extras like Morgellons. Living in tick hotspots like Tennessee or New York? Prime real estate for a “tick in a box” surprise. His transparency? Pure gold—encouraging tick checks after that golf game or hike. As USA Today notes, he’s boosting awareness big time.  (See link for article)

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A few points on the article:

  • The bulls-eye rash is highly variable and many never get it.  Hardly anyone I work with sees a tick or a rash.
  • Ticks do not need 36-48 hours to transmit.  Minimum attachment time for transmission has NEVER been done.
  • Climate change has NOTHING to do with tick or tick-borne illness proliferation.  Ticks will be the last species on planet earth – vying for position with cock-roaches and IRA agents.
  • Symptoms are also highly variable and could immediately be severe – like Lyme carditis.
  • Chronic Lyme affects far, far more than 10-15%.  The literature only counts those diagnosed and treated early and completely ignores the larger subset of people diagnosed and treated late.  Add up the two groups and a whopping 40-60% go on with lingering symptoms.
  • Not all who treat with doxy for 10-21 days are ‘golden,’ and treatment failures have been found in every study ever done.
  • Sadly, those with Morgellons are gaslit even worse than Lyme/MSIDS patients.

Category:

Activism, Climate, Lyme, Morgellons, Ticks, Transmission

WSJ Says Chronic Lyme Was Once Dismissed But Doctors Are Coming Around – I Disagree

FILE_7701.pdf  Article Here

Chronic Lyme Disease Was Once Dismissed. More Doctors Are Coming Around.

Newer trials are starting to track Lyme patients and investigate potential treatments

By Brianna Abbott Jul 20, 2025

(See link above for article)

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Why This Research Won’t Help Patients One Iota

By Alicia Cashman, Madison Lyme Support Group, Wisconsin

7/24/25

Summary of WSJ article:

  • A 63 year old Massachusetts woman was told in 2015 the root of her odd, flulike illness was likely Lyme disease.  (This website has hundreds if not thousands of such stories)
  • For the next decade she cycled through ‘unproven’ treatments and got push-back from doctors. (They must push the ‘not proven’ issue to keep us all from getting extended antibiotics which would make a majority of us better)
  • When MIT starting recruiting ‘people just like her,’ she felt validated.
  • The article then states ‘long COVID,’ is what is bringing chronic Lyme more credibility.
  • True to form and right on cue, long time player – Dr. John Aucott of Johns Hopkins, who has studied chronic Lyme for TWO decades but hasn’t budged the needle an inch, repeats the narrative that ‘long COVID’ has given chronic Lyme more ‘acceptance.’ (You must understand that there’s a lot of grant money for those who ignore the fact the COVID shots are likely behind ‘long COVID. It must also be stated that ‘long COVID’ looks exactly like other post-viral syndromes.) Vaccine injury gets ZERO grant money because our own government and researchers are beholden to Big Pharma. Vaccines are the cash cow of research.
    • The cat is let out of the bag on the final page of the article when it’s stated that the study includes acute Lyme and ‘long COVID’ participants.
      • First, notice that the reason we are hearing the clanging mantra of ‘long COVID’ is because it’s a part of the study. A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.
      • Second, notice that they are ONLY looking at ACUTE Lyme – something that’s been studied ad nauseam.  This research once again omits the sickest patients who never have any research done on them.
    • Thirdly, the cat continues to be let out when it’s stated they are looking for whether a molecule left behind could be driving inflammation.  Right there – they are admitting their bias that this is not a chronic, persistent infection that could be cured or benefitted with anti-microbial treatments.
  • The author is oblivious to the fact that Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (prolonged symptoms for at least 6 months after treatment) doesn’t include a HUGE subset of patients who were diagnosed and treated late.  This continued regurgitated ignorance is allowing research to be skewed in favor of chronic Lyme only affecting 5-20% of patients – which is a much smaller deal than 40-60%, when those diagnosed and treated late are included.
  • The article repeats a falsehood: that in order to get Lyme one NEEDS to be bitten by a bacteria-carrying tick.  Congenital Lyme has been proven, and there is much to indicate  sexual transmition as well.
  • The reason they ignore anything but ticks is because then they can state their next falsehood, which fits the ‘climate change‘ narrative, which has been proven false by an independent tick researcher.
  • Third falsehood: a 2-4 week course of antibiotics cures the disease.
  • Fourth falsehood: blood tests can help determine if a person has antibodies against the pathogen. Seronegativity has been a big part of the Lyme debate from the beginning.
    • Part of the reason for this is the fact one of the most specific bands for Lyme was taken out of testing at the Dearborn, MI conference because it interfered with vaccine development.
    • Another reason is the fact that arbitrary levels of antibodies have been set, keeping a majority of those infected from ever testing positive.
    • Yet another reason is the fact that there has been a concerted suppression of microscopy  which is considered the gold standard for syphilis diagnostics. Similarly to the attacks on ivermectin and HCQ for COVID, ‘the powers that be’ continue to attack any test other than the CDC 2-tiered test for not being ‘FDA approved,’ even though the CDC test is not ‘approved’ either.
  • Fifth falsehood: there are no treatments that have been proven safe and effective after the initial antibiotics. My husband and I were in intense treatment for over 5 years using multiple antibiotics, among other things, simultaneously. Without this life-saving treatment I wouldn’t be writing this article today.
  • Proving that nobody’s coming around to accept Lyme Disease – read, “Gaslighting and Cults: Our Baffling Relationship With Tick-Borne Diseases,” written this past January, 2025.

This study won’t help chronically infected patients.  Don’t expect anything from this.  It’s the same crap, different day.  

For more:

Until we start OVER, and I mean from square one, research is all tainted and biased.  Don’t believe me?  Listen to Willy himself:

http://

Willy Burgforfer, Ph.D. Lyme Disease ‘Discoverer’

Category:

Activism, Lyme, Testing, Ticks, Transmission, Treatment, Uncategorized

Expert Briefing on Ticks & Lyme Disease

http://

Expert Briefing on Ticks and Lyme Disease

May 29, 2025

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health experts Nicole Baumgarth and Thomas Hart discuss ticks and the growing threat of Lyme and other tickborne diseases.
Lyme disease is on the rise in the U.S., according to the CDC, mainly in the Northeast, Upper Midwest, and parts of the West. In 2023, state health departments reported more than 89,000 cases of Lyme disease in humans to the CDC, but the actual number of cases is likely much higher due to underreporting and misdiagnosis.
If left untreated, Lyme disease can lead to serious complications affecting the heart, joints, and nervous system. Other tickborne illnesses are also of concern, including Powassan virus and Heartland virus. There is currently no vaccine against tickborne illnesses.
Ticks Pose an Increasing Health Risk https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2025/tic…
Tickborne Diseases Are on the Rise—Here’s What To Know https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2023/lym…
Lyme and Tickborne Diseases Research and Education Institute video    • Lyme and Tickborne Diseases Research and E…  
Ticks Are Dangerous video    • Ticks Are Dangerous  
About Ticks and Tickborne Disease https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/about/index….
Lyme Disease Surveillance and Data https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/data-researc…
Lyme Disease https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/index.html
  • 00:00 Introduction
  • 01:40 What is Lyme disease
  • 04:12 Rates of Lyme disease
  • 9:10 Status of a vaccine
  • 10:30 Tracking infection rates
  • 11:25 Vaccine challenges
  • 13:30 Ubiquity of tick bites
  • 14:45 Diagnosing lesser known tickborne illnesses
  • 16:10 How to improve diagnosis
  • 19:00 Diagnosing illnesses
  • 20:10 This year’s tick season
  • 20:40 Symptoms of Lyme disease
  • 22:10 Other tickborne illnesses
  • 23:20 Dogs and ticks
  • 24:40 Ticks in the environment
  • 25:30 Preventing tick bites

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**COMMENT**

Sadly, researchers continue to slice and dice this complex illness into a singular infection they call ‘Lyme disease,’ when truth be told, patients are often infected with numerous things working synergistically together, making the illness much more complex, harder to identify and treat, and much harder to overcome. So the very name, ‘Lyme disease,’ is inadequate for most patients.

I realize why they do this: due to their very specific work, they must omit variables to conduct research – at least within the current allopathic model of one drug and vaccine, for one disease.  Unfortunately, this is often not what we are dealing with at all in reality.

Category:

Lyme, research, Testing, Ticks, Transmission, vaccines