LDA NEWS & UPDATES
May 31, 2022
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Connecticut Supreme Court,
2013, with Dr. Jones
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Sometimes we are blessed to have great men walk the earth - men and women who devote their lives to helping others without thought for themselves. Such a man was Dr. Charles Ray Jones, healer. He was honest, kind, courageous and had integrity, compassion, and humility. His devotion to helping our children all over the country is unparalleled. I knew him for decades yet never heard a complaint from him despite the many trials he faced in his life just trying to save the lives of our children. Read more.
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In a recent publication of Emerging infectious Diseases, researchers analyzed reported Lyme disease cases in endemic states to assess the total patient and societal cost.
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CDC: Emerging Infectious Disease |
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Bb in mouse.
Photo from LDA file, Courtesy: Stephen Barthold, DVM, PhD
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A study conducted by Elizabeth M. Hammond, et al., examining CD4 T cell responses associated with persistent B. burgdorferi (Bb) infections, was published in Current Opinion in Immunology.
It was found that infecting mice with Bb triggers CD4 T cell activation in secondary lymphoid tissues, where they continue to spread into other diseased
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tissues. Regardless of this activation and the associated CD4 T cell-dependent antibody responses, it was observed that Bb is nevertheless able to establish continued infection in Bb reservoir hosts despite the absence of overt disease. This calls into question the efficacy of anti-Bb T cell responses. Supporting the induction of more effective CD4 T cell responses may help overcome Bb persistence. Read more.
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Those of us who have been on the front line of the Lyme epidemic for decades, watching patients get sick with acute and chronic forms of the illness, are in a unique position to help find solutions for the COVID pandemic. Both diseases have acute and chronic forms with clinical pictures that strongly resemble each other, with imperfect testing strategies. |
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Lyme and COVID can lead to acute and/or chronic illnesses, and neuropsychiatric difficulties, with similar multisystemic manifestations. These include fevers, sore throats, headaches, hair loss, chest pain, shortness of breath, gastrointestinal complaints, joint/muscle/and nerve pain, brain fog, insomnia, dizziness, palpitations, anxiety, depression and on rare occasions, even psychosis. Establishing a proper diagnosis for both |
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illnesses is essential because both diseases mimic each other, can simultaneously exist, and treatments are completely different. Read the blog.
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The Oxford Dictionary defines trauma as, “A medical condition caused by severe shock, stress or
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fear, especially if the harmful effects last for a long time.” The Oxford Reference Dictionary definition is, “A physical injury or wound or a powerful psychological shock that has damaging effects.” Lyme disease is, indeed, a very real trauma, physically, psychologically, and for many, spiritually.
In my 30 years’ experience working with children with tick-borne diseases and their families, I have heard the stories of what they are
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going through, not only with the illness, but with the lack of understanding of the very people these parents and children counted on prior to the child becoming ill. The child’s symptoms, especially neuropsychiatric symptoms, affect their functioning, leading to their becoming pariahs within the extended families and communities. By giving these kids our compassion, understanding and support, we can make the dark and bumpy road a bit smoother and a lot brighter! Read the blog.
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The causal association between Lyme/tick-borne diseases and mental illness was first demonstrated decades ago, but why do so many fail to see this today? The science is there and has been there for a long time. Admittedly, there has always been resistance to new ideas and science, medicine and Lyme disease are no exception. I’ll review the evidence supporting this association, look at the obstacles that prevent acceptance, and then discuss possible corrective approaches. Read the blog.
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When it comes to ticks and the human immune system, we don’t have all the answers and we need to stop pretending as though we do.
Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS) is an easy example. At a fundamental level AGS seems straightforward: a tick bite induces an allergy to the alpha-gal sugar found in mammals and, thereafter, one experiences allergic reactions to beef, pork, lamb, venison, etc. However, we know this is an oversimplification. Read the blog.
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Most of you may be familiar with the deer tick, also known as a black-legged tick or Ixodes scapularis. However, you may not be as familiar with other ticks, such as the Lone Star tick, American Dog, and Wood ticks. It can be challenging to identify the type of tick that bites you. The length of time a tick must be attached to cause disease varies. The Powassan virus can be transmitted in minutes. Babesia can be transmitted in hours. However, the length of time to transmit Lyme disease remains controversial. Read the blog.
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Anasuya C. Pal, et al., published a study using Babesia duncani as a model to further assess intraerythrocytic parasites in The Journal of Infectious Diseases.
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The researchers investigated the development, virulence, and susceptibility of the organism in vitro and in vivo to gain a better understanding of its biology and pathogenesis. Read more.
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Positive Phase 2 clinical trial results for the Lyme disease vaccine candidate (VLA15) in the pediatric population have just been announced by Pfizer and Valneva. VLA15 is currently the only Lyme disease vaccine |
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candidate in clinical development and is the first clinical study to enroll children aged 5 to 17 years old. This phase 2 clinical study compared the “immunogenicity and safety” of the vaccine after patients received either two or three primary doses in various age groups. Read more.
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HHS and the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation have launched Phase 1 of the LymeX Diagnostics Prize, a $10 million competition to accelerate the development of Lyme disease diagnostics. Phase 1 calls on scientific, technical, and clinical experts to submit innovative methods for detecting active Lyme disease infections in people.
Help LDA spread the word to experts across sectors such as vector-borne disease biology and clinical and technology translation. Read more.
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In a recent publication of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, researchers utilized an online questionnaire to determine which factors were associated with Lyme disease. They compared responses between patients with and without Lyme disease that were recruited through social media outlets, Lyme disease support groups in NY, NJ & PA, as well as through a number of public presentation gatherings. Read more.
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Early Tick Stik prototype developed by Delaney Dixon & BU students (Photo: LDA) |
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Delaney Dixon, a 6th grade Windsor, NY, student contracted Lyme disease in 2017 following an undetected tick bite. It took her several years of treatment to recover, and she was nervous about being bitten again. This experience inspired Delaney to come up with a device that checks for ticks in hard-to-reach places on the body and also removes them. Read more.
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Journal of Medical Entomology published, “Reported County-Level Distribution of Seven Human Pathogens Detected in Host-Seeking Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus (Acari: Ixodidae) in the Contiguous United States” by Amy C. Fleshman, et al. Read more.
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The early stage of cutaneous Lyme is frequently distinguished by the erythema-migrans patch, which manifests within a month after being bitten by an infected tick. Numerous erythema migrans variants have now been documented, prompting a case study by Hayden Doughty, BS, et al. that was recently published in Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. The case series examines the occurrence of bullous erythema migrans, a rare and blistering form of erythema migrans, in three patient cases. Read more.
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PA Lyme Virtual Impact Series:
Lyme Disease - 47 Years: Past, Present & Moving Forward
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