Find information on thousands of medical conditions and prescription drugs.

Lyme disease

Lyme disease or Lyme borreliosis is an infectious tick-borne disease, caused by the Borrelia spirochete, a gram-negative microorganism. more...

Home
Diseases
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
Amyotrophic lateral...
Bardet-Biedl syndrome
Labyrinthitis
Lafora disease
Landau-Kleffner syndrome
Langer-Giedion syndrome
Laryngeal papillomatosis
Laryngomalacia
Lassa fever
LCHAD deficiency
Leber optic atrophy
Ledderhose disease
Legg-Calvé-Perthes syndrome
Legionellosis
Legionnaire's disease
Leiomyoma
Leiomyosarcoma
Leishmaniasis
Lemierre's syndrome
Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
Leprechaunism
Leprophobia
Leprosy
Leptospirosis
Lesch-Nyhan syndrome
Leukemia
Leukocyte adhesion...
Leukodystrophy
Leukomalacia
Leukoplakia
LGS
Li-Fraumeni syndrome
Lichen planus
Ligyrophobia
Limb-girdle muscular...
Limnophobia
Linonophobia
Lipodystrophy
Lipoid congenital adrenal...
Liposarcoma
Lissencephaly
Lissencephaly syndrome...
Listeriosis
Liticaphobia
Liver cirrhosis
Lobster hand
Locked-In syndrome
Loiasis
Long QT Syndrome
Long QT syndrome type 1
Long QT syndrome type 2
Long QT syndrome type 3
LSA
Lung cancer
Lupus erythematosus
Lyell's syndrome
Lygophobia
Lyme disease
Lymphangioleiomyomatosis
Lymphedema
Lymphoma
Lymphosarcoma
Lysinuric protein...
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Medicines

Lyme disease is so named because it is generally believed to have first been observed in and around Old Lyme and Lyme, Connecticut in 1975. Before 1975, elements of Borrelia infection were also known as "tick-borne meningopolyneuritis", Garin-Bujadoux syndrome, Bannwarth syndrome or sheep tick fever. It is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected ticks.

History

The disease was first documented as a skin rash in Europe in 1883. Over the years, researchers there identified additional features of the disease, including an unidentified pathogen, its response to penicillin, the role of the Ixodes tick (wood tick) as its vector, and symptoms that included not only the rash but additional ones that affected the nervous system.

Researchers in the US had been aware of tick infections since the early 1900s. For example, an infection called tick relapsing fever was reported in 1905, and the wood tick, which carries an agent that causes Rocky Mountain spotted fever, was identified soon after. However, the full syndrome now known as Lyme disease, was not identified until a cluster of cases thought to be juvenile rheumatoid arthritis occurred in three towns in southeastern Connecticut, in the United States. Two of these towns, Lyme and Old Lyme, gave the disease its popular name.

In 1982 a novel spirochete was isolated and cultured from the midgut of Ixodes ticks, and subsequently from patients with Lyme disease. The infecting agent was first identified by Jorge Benach, and soon after isolated by Willy Burgdorfer, a scientist at the National Institutes of Health who specialized in the study of spirochete microorganisms. The spirochete was named Borrelia burgdorferi in his honor. Burgdorfer was the partner in the successful effort to culture the spirochete, along with Alan Barbour.

Microbiology

The disease is caused by the parasite Borrelia, which has well over three hundred known genomic strains but is usually cultured as Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia afzelii or Borellia garinii. Different Borrelia strains are predominant in Europe and North America.

The disease has been found to be transmitted to humans by the bite of infected Ixodes ticks. Not all ticks carry or can transmit this particular disease. The disease may also, in a few cases, be transmitted by mosquitoes, fleas or blackflies. However, other Borrelia strains (e.g. B. garinii) are probably transmitted this way.

Other tick-borne infections may be transmitted simultaneously with Lyme, including Bartonella, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, and Rickettsia.

Borrelia burgdorferi resembles other spirochetes in that it is a highly specialized, motile, two-membrane, spiral-shaped bacterium which lives primarily as an extracellular pathogen. One of the most striking features of Borrelia burgdorferi as compared with other eubacteria is its unusual genome, which includes a linear chromosome approximately one megabase in size and numerous linear and circular plasmids.

Read more at Wikipedia.org


[List your site here Free!]


Alternative treatment of Lyme Disease
From Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, 11/1/05 by Chris Gupta

When Antibiotics Fail: Lyme Disease and Rife Machines, with Critical Evaluation of Leading Alternative Therapies

by Bryan Rosner

ISBN 0-9763797-0-8

Available from: http://www.lymebook.com

Lyme Innovations Press, 2074 Lake Tahoe Blvd., Suite 6 South Lake Tahoe, California 96150 USA; 530-545-0309

Lyme Disease and Rife Machines, by Bryan Rosner, is a unique book that demonstrates what self-educated alternative health experts can do, but the billion dollar medical industry cannot or will not, do. An erudite balance between electro-medical, mainstream and alternative approaches in dealing with disease, the book is a profound piece of work that is sure to educate many readers regardless of whether or not one is interested in Lyme Disease.

The media, conventional health industry, and government all in tow by big pharma, have successfully brain washed many of us into believing we are incapable of thinking for ourselves. This devastating, paternal approach has squelched creativity and self-empowerment among sick and healthy people alike. The profitable system to control/hide symptoms of disease, rather than restoring the body's ability to heal and eliminate disease, has become the defining feature of modem, conventional medicine in the United States and Canada.

Bryan's book is a refreshing departure. His innovative methods for dealing with Lyme Disease are solidly based on the following statement from the book: "Actively participate in your healing journey--no one else will take responsibility for your treatment campaign except you ... a patient must be empowered and proactive during treatment."

This book is a real validation of electro-medical treatment: Lyme Disease is the ultimate test as it is one of the most difficult infections to eradicate. To date, this work provides the clearest understanding regarding use of electromagnetic therapies for this specific application. And, the book's information also applies to many other health conditions which Lyme Disease can stealthily mimic, such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Multiple Sclerosis, Arthritis, Depression, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, and more (a long list is in Appendix A). Bryan's book, which separates the wheat from the chaff, also includes extensive personal reports from dozens of Lyme Disease sufferers who have used Rife machines. Included also are instructions for accessing an online Lyme/Rife discussion group (membership is free) with over 1000 members.

Four primary Rife machines are discussed, along with a detailed explanation of the history of Rife therapy in the treatment of Lyme Disease. The introduction to the book includes sections about how long the recovery process is, mainstream vs. alternative medicine, and the story of Royal Raymond Rife. Supplemental graphs, charts and tables throughout the chapters drive home the book's concise theme.

More often than not, symptoms of disease are actually symptoms of nutrient deficiencies; hence, an enlightening discussion is aptly included. Of particular note, among others, is the significantly important role of magnesium and its association to disease. In this case, the Lyme Disease bacteria (unlike most bacteria which utilize iron in their lifecycle) requires magnesium to proliferate and thus causes a deficiency of it in the body.

In addition to the risk/reward analysis of Rife type devices (so one can come to their own conclusion), discussion is included focusing on practical applications of other therapies, such as hydrogen peroxide, homeopathy, colostrum, oxygen, ozone, hyperbaric oxygen chamber, and more. Also integrated is a thorough discussion of the important role and understanding of detoxification critical to any healing journey.

The following basically sums up the book (excerpt from the Preface): "I also heard people say that the placebo effect is responsible for Rife machine success against Lyme Disease. But where was the placebo effect when I failed to get benefit from so many other "proven" medical therapies? Why did the placebo effect show up and save the day all of a sudden, as soon as I tried Rife machines? After I started using Rife machines, the term "placebo effect" blended into the rest of the useless medical jargon I had heard from countless "experts" These supposed experts were really good at talking but really bad at offering any kind of solution. Rife machines offered me a workable solution. This book will give you the tools to come to your own conclusion."

review by Chris Gupta

Health Freedom Advocate, Canada

http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/chris/index.htm

chrisgupta@alumni.uwaterloo.ca

COPYRIGHT 2005 The Townsend Letter Group
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group

Return to Lyme disease
Home Contact Resources Exchange Links ebay