LIFELYME
(A
non-profit 501(c)3 charity organization)
An
Educational Resource for Lyme Disease and Related Diseases
enter
Research
Click Here For
"Evidence now confirms that noncommunicable chronic disease can stem from infectious agents. Furthermore, at least 13 of 39 recently described infectious agents induce chronic syndromes. Identifying the relationships can affect health across populations, creating opportunities to reduce the impact of chronic disease by preventing or treating infection.
As the concept is progressively
accepted, advances in laboratory technology and epidemiology
facilitate the detection of non-cultivable, novel, and even
recognized microbial origins. A spectrum of diverse pathogens and
chronic syndromes emerges, with a range of pathways from exposure to
chrnoic illness or disability. Complex systems of changing human
behavioral traits superimposed on human, microbial, and environmental
factors often determine risk for exposures and chronic outcome. Yet
the strength of causal evidence varies widely, and detecgting a
micobe does not prove causality. Nevertheless, infectious agents
likely determine more cancers, immune-mediated syndromes,
neuro-developmental disorders, and other chronic conditions then
currently appreciated".
On
Jan 23, 2010, at 5:48 PM, Lifelyme wrote:
http://vesta.cumc.columbia.edu/lymedisease/news/user/featNews.php?sel=newsFeat
A
new paper 'Inflammation and central nervous system Lyme disease' has
just been published in the journal Neurobiology of Disease authored
by Dr. Brian Fallon, Director of the Columbia Lyme and Tick-Borne
Diseases Research Center, Dr. David Hardesty, Lyme Center
Neurologist. and fellows Elizabeth Levin and Pernilla Schweitzer.
Neurologic manifestations of Lyme disease occur in 10-15% of individuals with untreated Lyme. This paper discusses the symptoms of neurologic Lyme and reviews experimental studies that provide insight into the possible mechanisms of inflammation following Borrelia infection and contributing risk factors.
A fascinating and potentially very important study has recently come out in the journal Science. The study reports on the discovery that 68% of patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) carry the XMRV virus as compared to 3.7% of those without CFS. Further work reported in the New York Times indicates that the virus has been found in 98% of patients with CFS. The discovery of this retrovirus, if confirmed by other research groups, suggests that this virus is either the cause or an important secondary factor in CFS.
This finding has implications for Lyme research as it is possible that patients who carry this virus when co-infected with Lyme go on to have persistent symptoms because: a) of activation of the latent virus; b) infection with Lyme or another tick-borne disease lowers the immune surveillance making the individual more susceptible to "catch" the virus; or c) the presence of the virus and the spirochete together act synergistically to induce an array of illness symptoms or to prevent eradication or control of either organism.
In any case, given that the symptoms of CFS are so similar to the symptoms of patients with chronic persistent Lyme symptoms, especially shared problems with fatigue and cognition, research in this area may shed important light on the mechanisms underlying the perpetuation of chronic symptoms. In terms of treatment, if this virus is thought to be causal, then retroviral treatments that are used for treating HIV may be very helpful for patients with chronic persistent symptoms.
The
studies compiled in this presentation represent a small example of
the number of research studies whose conclusions are in agreement
with the following statement made by the Center for Disease Control
(CDC) made in the article "Emerging Infectious Determinants of
Chronic Diseases. The articles was published on the CDC website in
July 2006.
"Evidence
now confirms that noncommunicable chronic disease can stem from
infectious agents. Furthermore, at least 13 of 39 recently described
infectious agents induce chronic syndromes. Identifying the
relationships can affect health across populations, creating
opportunities to reduce the impact of chronic disease by preventing
or treating infection.
As
the concept is progressively accepted, advances in laboratory
technology and epidemiology facilitate the detection of
non-cultivable, novel, and even recognized microbial origins. A
spectrum of diverse pathogens and chronic syndromes emerges, with a
range of pathways from exposure to chrnoic illness or disability.
Complex systems of changing human behavioral traits superimposed on
human, microbial, and environmental factors often determine risk for
exposures and chronic outcome. Yet the strength of causal evidence
varies widely, and detecgting a micobe does not prove causality.
Nevertheless, infectious agents likely determine more cancers, immune-mediated
syndromes, neuro-developmental disorders, and other chronic
conditions then currently appreciated".
P.A.N.D.O.R.A.
and THE LANFORD FOUNDATION - Lifelyme, Inc. foundations upon
considering the research evidence decided to pursue a possible
solution to the problem by partnering together to establishment of a
NEI Center. The NEI Center would promote and conduct research on
chronic illnesses and the infection agents at their core.
The
following research studies were compiled by:
Sandi
Lanford, Founder/President
THE
LANFORD FOUNDATION - Lifelyme, Inc.
Lifelyme is a non-profit 501c3 organization setup as a educational resource for Lyme disease and related illnesses.
Gulf Coast Lyme Disease Support Group - Carol Fisch
For
information on Mycoplasmas go to Professor Garth Nicolson's website:
www.immed.org
What Lyme Researchers Are Saying
Updated Rates of Common U.S. Neurological Disorders
Borrelia burgdorferi in its various forms
Article on Dr. Steven Phillips
Gestational Lyme borreliosis. Implications for the fetus. MacDonald AB
Lyme Disease Discovery Raises new Concerns About Syphilis
Transfection "Junk" DNA - a link to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease?
Infection with Multiple Strains of Borrelia
Research
done on MS and antibiotic therapy
(Open
this page, read the pubmed abstract and look at the right sidebar
for more information.)
High Blood Pressure Could Be Caused by a Common Virus - CMV
The
University of Indiana School of Medicine: Cites 6 months IV and
afterwards-continuous abx
http://www.indstate.edu/thcme/micro/
http://www.indstate.edu/thcme/micro/pdf/chapter17.pdf
Spirochete Turning into L Form
Greater Understanding of Lyme Disease-causing Bacteria