Lyme Disease: Hidden Epidemic

Lyme Disesease: Contracted in ALL States!

I want to stress the seriousness of this disease. According the the International Lyme & Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), Lyme Disease is the fastest growing infectious disease in the country. There is much controversy surrounding the origin, treatment, & testing for the illness. Borrelia burgdorferi, the scientific name for the bacteria, mimmicks other diseases such as Multuple Sclerosis, Lupus, Lou Gehrig's disease, Alzheimer's, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, & Chronic Fatique Syndrome.

The symptoms of of Lyme Disease vary. Most individuals experience one or more of the following: incapacitating fatigue, joint pain, muscle pain, fever, bulls-eye rash at tick bite (though less than 50% get the rash), odd nerve sensations, cognitive & mood disorders, memory loss, & depression.

The Center for Disease Control reports on their website the following: "Each year, approximately 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported to CDC by state health departments and the District of Columbia. However, this number does not reflect every case of Lyme disease that is diagnosed in the United States every year.".......

"Because only a fraction of illnesses are reported, researchers need to estimate the total burden of illness to set public health goals, allocate resources, and measure the economic impact of disease."

The IDSA denies that Lyme bacteria can persist in the body after a short course (1-2 months) of antibiotic therapy.

ILADS doctors (Lyme Literate Medical Doctors) who disagree with short term treatment recommended by the IDSA may become targets of investigations by their state medical board for breaking standard treatment guidelines with the IDSA.

"The IDSA's 2006 Lyme disease guideline panel undercut its credibility by allowing individuals with financial interests -- in drug companies, Lyme disease diagnostic tests, patents and consulting arrangements with insurance companies -- to exclude divergent medical evidence and opinion." As stated by Connecticut Attorney-General Richard Blumenthal said in a 2008 news release.

Eight U.S. states -- Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island -- have passed laws to allow doctors to prescribe long-term antibiotics for the treatment of Lyme disease.

Source:

International Lyme & Associated Diseases Society, PO Box 341461 Bethesda, Maryland 20827-1461

Disclaimer: The foregoing information is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace or supersede patient care by a healthcare provider. If an individual suspects the presence of a tick-borne illness, that individual should consult a healthcare provider who is familiar with the diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne diseases.

1. Lyme disease is transmitted by the bite of a tick, and the disease is prevalent across the United States and throughout the world. (No one is immune to it).

2. Lyme disease is a clinical diagnosis. The disease is caused by a spiral-shaped bacteria (spirochete) called Borrelia burgdorferi. (It can infect multiple organs).

3. Less than half of patients with Lyme disease recall a tick bite. (Some studies suggest only 15%).

4. Fewer than 50% of patients with Lyme disease recall any rash. (It is not the most common dermatologic manifestation of early Lyme infection).

5. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveillance criteria for Lyme disease were devised to track a narrow band of cases for epidemiologic purposes. (The surveillance criteria were never intended to be used as diagnostic criteria).

6. The ELISA screening test is unreliable. (The test misses 35% of culture proven Lyme disease (only 65% sensitivity) and is unacceptable as the first step of a two-step screening protocol).

7. Of patients with acute culture-proven Lyme disease, 20–30% remain seronegative on serial Western Blot sampling. (The CDC eliminated from the Western Blot analysis the reading of bands 31 and 34 which are highly indicative of Borrelia burgdorferi exposure. Yet these bands are not reported in commercial Lyme tests).

8. When used as part of a diagnostic evaluation for Lyme disease, the Western Blot should be performed by a laboratory that reads and reports all of the bands related to Borrelia burgdorferi. (Laboratories that use FDA approved kits (for instance, the Mardx Marblot®) are restricted from reporting all of the bands, as they must abide by the rules of the manufacturer).

9. There are 5 subspecies of Borrelia burgdorferi, over 100 strains in the US, and 300 strains worldwide.

10. Testing for Babesia, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia and Bartonella (other tick-transmitted organisms) should be performed.

11. A preponderance of evidence indicates that active ongoing spirochetal infection with or without other tick-borne coinfections is the cause of the persistent symptoms in chronic Lyme disease.

12. There has never been a study demonstrating that 30 days of antibiotic treatment cures chronic Lyme disease. (Short treatment courses have resulted in upwards of a 40% relapse rate, especially if treatment is delayed).

13. Most cases of chronic Lyme disease require an extended course of antibiotic therapy to achieve symptomatic relief. (The very real consequences of untreated chronic persistent Lyme infection far outweigh the potential consequences of long-term antibiotic therapy).

14. Many patients with chronic Lyme disease require prolonged treatment until the patient is symptom-free. (There are no tests currently available to prove that the organism is eradicated or that the patient with chronic Lyme disease is cured).

15. Like syphilis in the 19th century, Lyme disease has been called the great imitator.

"Currently there is no reliable test to determine if someone has contracted Lyme disease or is cured of it. False positives and false negatives often occur, though false negatives are far more common. In fact, some studies indicate up to 50% of the patients tested for Lyme disease receive false negative results. "

*ILADS is a nonprofit, international, multidisciplinary medical society, dedicated to the diagnosis and appropriate treatment of Lyme and its associated diseases. ILADS promotes understanding of tick"borne diseases through research and education and strongly supports physicians and other health care professionals dedicated to advancing the standard of care for Lyme and its associated diseases.

Lyme and it's co-infections of babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, bartonella, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever can affect the musculoskeletal system, neurological system, mental capabilities, psychological well-being, head, face, neck, eyes, vision, ears, digestive & excretory system, respiratory, circulatory system, reproduction, and general well-being of those who have it. In other words, Lyme and co-infections affect the complete central nervous system!

___________________

If Lyme Disease is not properly treated, one may become permanently disabled. Some people may not have a recurrence of the symptoms, but the majority suffer.

___________________

If you have the bulls eye rash, you have Lyme! Even if the test is negative (by CDC standards), a bulls eye rash is the sure indicator of definite infection.

_________________

Some medical researchers believe there is a possibility that Lyme & other tick-borne diseases can be sexually transmitted. There has never been any research to confirm or deny this information.

_____________________

In many cases, a person who is suffering from unsuspected Lyme disease is misdiagnosed as having something else other than Lyme.

_____________________

There is a theory that Lyme was developed as a biowarfare agent at Plum Island Animal Disease Center, NY in the 1950s.

If you would like more information, please refer to my personal account of the illness here on Hubpages AND VISIT THE LINKS AT THE END OF THE ARTICLE.