Thursday 28 July 2016

LYME DISEASE PROTEST UK 2016




Published on Jul 28, 2016
Interviews from the Worldwide Lyme Disease Protest on the 24th May 2016 held in Parliament Square.

For more information please visit : www.lymediseaseuk.com

Excellent Video produced from interviews at 2016 Lyme Disease Protest

Saturday 16 July 2016

ECONOMIC COSTS OF LYME DISEASE




 

Published on Jul 14, 2016
In reviewing several studies, Dr. Daniel Cameron discusses the economic impact Lyme disease is estimated to have on both individual patients and society.

To view other Video blogs from Dr Cameron go to https://www.youtube.com/user/danielcameronmd/videos

Dr Daniel Cameron -
http://danielcameronmd.com/lyme-disease-can-cost-billions/


In the UK it is difficult to know the Economic costs because we are a long way from understanding the numbers of cases involved
https://caudwell-lyme.net/2016/05/18/how-many-people-in-the-uk-really-have-lyme-disease/

Caudwell Lyme is conducting a survey to look at the costs to the NHS
 https://caudwell-lyme.net/2016/03/07/patient-survey-what-does-lyme-disease-cost-the-nhs/

Friday 15 July 2016

EVIDENCE ACCUMULATING THAT LYME SPIROCHETES SURVIVE ANTIBIOTIC ASSAULT

Another excellent article by Mary Beth Pfeiffer in the Huffington post US edition.


Go-To Lyme Drugs Don’t Always Kill The Bug, At Least For Some


The article talks about the fast accumulating evidence on the persistence of Lyme disease from prestigious Universities, in animals, humans and test tubes.

The need for more money for researchers, funding has been far less from NIH than many illnesses with lower case numbers.

In 2008 the  Attorney General Richard Blumenthal charged that some on the Infectious Diseases Society of America panel that crafted the Lyme Guidelines had "undisclosed financial interests" and forced their reconsideration.

With Paul Auwaerter, a long time critic of the notion of Chronic Lyme infection being one of the authors of three recent Johns Hopkins papers on Lyme disease persistence after treatment, Beth poses the possibility of movement forward on the situation.

This is the link for the full and detailed article with useful links to various research papers 
 (I wish Huffington post UK would publish a similar article )

Friday 8 July 2016

TICKS INFESTING DOMESTIC DOGS IN THE UK

Ticks infesting domestic dogs in the UK: a large-scale surveillance programme

Research published 7 July 2016 Parasites & Vectors


Abstract

Background

Recent changes in the distribution of tick vectors and the incidence of tick-borne disease, driven variously by factors such as climate change, habitat modification, increasing host abundance and the increased movement of people and animals, highlight the importance of ongoing, active surveillance. This paper documents the results of a large-scale survey of tick abundance on dogs presented to veterinary practices in the UK, using a participatory approach that allows relatively cost- and time-effective extensive data collection.

Methods

Over a period of 16 weeks (April–July 2015), 1094 veterinary practices were recruited to monitor tick attachment to dogs and provided with a tick collection and submission protocol. Recruitment was encouraged through a national publicity and communication initiative. Participating practices were asked to select five dogs at random each week and undertake a thorough, standardized examination of each dog for ticks. The clinical history and any ticks were then sent to the investigators for identification.

Results

A total of 12,000 and 96 dogs were examined and 6555 tick samples from infested dogs were received.Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus) was identified on 5265 dogs (89 %), Ixodes hexagonus Leach on 577 (9.8 %) andIxodes canisuga Johnston on 46 (0.8 %). Ten dogs had Dermacentor reticulatus (Fabricius), one hadDermacentor variabilis (Say), three had Haemaphysalis punctata Canesteini & Fanzago and 13 hadRhipicephalus sanguineus Latreille. 640 ticks were too damaged for identification. All the R. sanguineus and the single D. variabilis were on dogs with a recent history of travel outside the UK. The overall prevalence of tick attachment was 30 % (range 28–32 %). The relatively high prevalence recorded is likely to have been inflated by the method of participant recruitment.

Conclusion

The data presented provide a comprehensive spatial understanding of tick distribution and species abundance in the UK against which future changes can be compared. Relative prevalence maps show the highest rates in Scotland and south west England providing a valuable guide to tick-bite risk in the UK.
Go to the link for access to the full study
Earlier post on The Big Tick Project -

I note with interest that one dog had 200 ticks attached mentioned in the research study.

Earlier I posted about a vet finding over 100 ticks on one dog after a walk on a beach in Ainsdale 

in the same post there was mention of a child with in excess of 100 ticks attached 
Last week I was told my neighbours dog was so infested with ticks it had to have it's coat trimmed to get at them all.

I await with interest on the Bristol researchers publishing on what pathogens they found in the ticks they collected.

Sunday 3 July 2016

ALZHEIMER'S - RESEARCH FINDS NEMATODE WORMS IN ALZHEIMER'S BRAINS

Amazing and important new findings in the search for answers regarding Alzheimer's Disease Thank you Dr Alan MacDonald.



Click on the above to go to the page and read in full or I have copied out below

'New findings by Dr. Alan MacDonald released today on the Dr. Paul H Duray Website (Pathology Research Fellowship)
Earlier Alan MacDonald reported in over 100 Harvard Alzheimer's Brain Bank samples (see F1000 site) that Alzheimer's amyloid plaques are associated with Borrelia biofilms, often with Borrelia miyamotoi a Relapsing Fever Borrelia not picked up with Lyme serology testing.
Then in 2016 Alan showed a high percentage of MS patients had Nematode parasites in their spinal Fluids. (using trichrome stain and Ethidium Bromide blue)
After seeing the nematodes in MS, Alan went back to the Alzheimer's tissue samples and stained for Nematodes. Alan found Nematodes in Alzheimer's brains and that the Nematodes contained Borrelia in their gut.
Then Alan showed that Nematodes shed fecal debris in Alzheimer's brains.
Now using a stain specifically for cytokeratin a protein never found in human brain, Alan found more evidence of both nematodes in Alzheimer's brains and Nematode eggs. The cytokeratin is an excellent stain for Nematodes and this work clinches the observed presence of Nematodes in many Alzheimer's brain samples.
The results were confirmed by others and the samples were screened by Harvard. Below are Alan's brief comments.
===========================================
Cytokeratin POSITIVE Parasites
Have Never before been reported in Brain.
The rounded structures are actually Eggs of the Nematodes
which have invaded the Alzheimer's autopsy brain.
It couldn't be more clearly presented.
Special thanks to my colleagues at McClain Laboratories who performed quality control on the stains, and did the Immuno-Histochemistries for Cytokeratin immunostains in the Harvard Brain Bank autopsy tissues from five patients with Braak Stage VI Alzheimer's Disease.
( Pathology diagnoses all ratified by Harvard Medical School
Faculty in Neuropathology, and consultants at the
Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center, Belmont, Massachusetts.)
This is a huge Evidentiary Step forward in Alzheimer's Disease
pathobiology. Parasitic Infestations of Human Brain can be treated
with Veterinary type Antiparasitic medications.
A clear superhighway to the solution and to the humane treatment
of Alzheimer's Disease, is now at hand.
All good wishes,
Alan'

Earlier posts on Alzheimer's can be viewed here 

Dr MacDonald's websites
http://www.molecularalzheimer.org/

Friday 1 July 2016

FOX 5 LYME AND REASON

Thank you to FOX5 for excellent coverage of Lyme Disease - go to the links below for full coverage.
'Yale-trained Lyme disease expert Steven Phillips, MD, addresses the controversy surrounding Lyme disease, while Paul Mead, MD, Chief of Epidemiology and Surveillance Activity of The Bacterial Diseases Branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, offers the perspective from the country's lead public health agency.
-Singer and songwriter Dana Parish describes how Lyme disease temporarily derailed her music career during the prime of her life, and how she is now raising awareness about this debilitating illness!
-Lyme patient and advocate Susan Green of the non-profit The National Capital Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Association (NatCapLyme) talks about the burden placed on families in terms of costs for the treatment of Lyme disease!
-Renowned oncologist Neil Spector, MD, shares his own personal story of his transition from doctor to patient, and how Lyme disease led to an emergency heart transplant!
-Actress and TV personality Marla Maples talks about her own diagnosis of Lyme disease, and how she is encouraging other celebrities to share their stories to put the spotlight on Lyme!
-Author, artist and designer Ally Hilfiger, the daughter of fashion icon Tommy Hilfiger, reflects on how Lyme disease stole her childhood, and her mind after being committed to a psychiatric hospital!
-Patricia De La Mora, Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medical College talks about prevention and how to keep your children safe, while Lawrence Putter, MD - Medical Director Lenox Hill Veterinarians discuss pet safety when it comes to ticks!
-12-year-old Julia Bruzzese shares her heartbreaking story of how Lyme disease has left her unable to walk, and how a blessing from Pope Francis on his visit to NYC last year has given her and her family hope for recovery!'
Go to this link to watch the program-
and this link to excellent extended coverage 
http://www.fox5ny.com/lyme-disease

and thanks to Lew comment below this is Fox5 You Tube channel of all the videos

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcuHpcV2MbFj420zTVNNRoF3jJMJ6kFs5


also not sure how long this will be available on Fox5 Facebook page a Conversation with Dr Liegner and General manager of Fox5 news Lew Leone
https://www.facebook.com/TeresaPrioloNY/videos/582442851927333/?pnref=story 

UPDATE - from Fox5 news Facebook page -
 https://www.facebook.com/FOX5NY/photos/a.107956651319.116657.39442131319/10154433090686320/?type=3&comment_id=10154434172266320

Our FOX 5 special, “Lyme and Reason: The Cause and Consequence of Lyme Disease,” truly struck a nerve with our viewers. Not was it viewed on TV by tens of thousands of viewers, it has gotten more than 20,000 views on our YouTube Channel, it also elicited over three thousand viewer responses via social media and email. What really caught our attention was the outrage in the Lyme Community over statements made by the CDC and the confusion from the general public as to why this disease is so controversial. Dr. Steven Phillips, a Yale-trained lyme disease expert interviewed in last week’s special, asked us if he could respond to statements made by the CDC, claiming among other things that “Reports of cases of Lyme being mistaken for other diseases are really quite rare” In an attempt to present both sides of this debate and have an open dialogue, I’m posting his comments here for our viewers to see. I have also reached out to the CDC for their response Wouldn’t it be great for all current and future sufferers of Lyme disease if we can at least have doctors who treat this illness and the government all working together to help find solutions and cure people living with this disease. Thank you to the tens of thousands of you who have watched our coverage and to the many hundreds who have offered your feedback. I look forward to continuing the discussion.
Sincerely,
Lew Leone

Please go to the link to read Dr Phillips responses and thank you to Fox5 for posting this.