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A scientist answers questions, if you want

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Lyme Disease
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Professor Snape
New Member
Joined : Jan 2011
Posts : 2
Posted 1/7/2011 1:34 PM (GMT -8)
Dear HealingWell.com LD forum members, A terrible gap exists between the scientists studying B. burgdorferi and tick-borne illnesses and the sufferers of Lyme disease who must personally deal with its painful impacts every day.   I hope to help bring these groups together through mutual education. I am a university scientist specializing in the study of disease-transmitting parasitic arthropods, particularly ticks and mites, and associated viral and bacterial diseases.   I wish to remain anonymous for now, but am willing to answer any questions I can, honestly and from a scientific perspective. Types of questions I am most qualified to answer: Entomological questions regarding ticks, mites and insects Microbiological questions about the specific bacteria and viruses associated with ticks Disease transmission between arthropods and humans   Types of questions I am unqualified for:   Politics, policy, and insurance I know little or nothing about Human immunology questions Disease testing questions in humans – this forum already has some experts on this already.   Finally, I assure you that I am writing this in good faith.     Sincerely, Professor Snape
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springsjean
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2009
Posts : 2185
Posted 1/7/2011 2:03 PM (GMT -8)
I have kind of a stupid question - but how can such a tiny tiny insect carry enough bacteria to transmit sometimes 3 infections enough to make a much larger human so very very sick. Thanks.
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Mamyou
Regular Member
Joined : Aug 2010
Posts : 317
Posted 1/7/2011 2:29 PM (GMT -8)
Can lyme be sexually transmitted?
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mikazmat
Regular Member
Joined : Sep 2009
Posts : 133
Posted 1/7/2011 2:32 PM (GMT -8)
Hi prof, welcome from me to this forum, as a starter question I'd like to know your personal thoughts and views on the exsistance chronic LD.

Thanks Mik.
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nasalady
Veteran Member
Joined : Sep 2009
Posts : 1176
Posted 1/7/2011 2:35 PM (GMT -8)

Mamyou said...
Can lyme be sexually transmitted?

I too would like to know your thoughts on this question.

As a scientist with a Ph.D., albeit in a different field, I believe that A LOT more research on this topic is needed, and that the question is an urgent one!

Just yesterday I was reading online about a 1986 study in which laboratory mice infected with Lyme were put into a group of mice that were healthy. The end result? All showed positive for Lyme within 42 days. No ticks were involved.

In addition, there was a study in 2001 that had the following (shocking) result: Dr. Gregory Bach presented a paper at the International Scientific Conference on Lyme Disease showing that in 42 tested Lyme borreliosis patients, 14 had DNA evidence of Bb in semen or vaginal fluids.

Please see www.lymediseaseresource.com/wordpress/lyme-disease-on-the-rise-sexual-transmission/

JoAnn
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Professor Snape
New Member
Joined : Jan 2011
Posts : 2
Posted 1/7/2011 3:00 PM (GMT -8)
how can such a tiny tiny insect carry enough bacteria to transmit sometimes 3 infections enough to make a much larger human so very very sick.

 

Even in the realm of the microscopic, most tick-borne disease-associated bacteria are very small.  A b. burgdorferi bacterium is quite long (7um) but extremely narrow (0.2um).  If you could pack them tight like sardines, you could fit at least 3,000 of these bacteria into the volume of a white blood cell.  Thousands of bacteria can easily be packed into a sesame seed-sized nymphal tick's gut, or even its salivary glands.  Additionally, it doesn't necessarily take a lot of bacteria to make a person sick, especially if they can reproduce rapidly in a human body.

Can lyme be sexually transmitted?

 

This question is not in my area of expertise.  These sorts of studies are really difficult to do in humans because of the amount of time it takes, as well as bureaucratic and ethical difficulties involved in studying humans.  Studies done on hamsters showed no venereal transmission, but that was in hamsters not people.  I think this question needs to be looked into.

I'd like to know your personal thoughts and views on the exsistance chronic LD.

Definitely not my area of expertise in terms of research.  Personally, I do believe in the existence of chronic Lyme disease and post-Lyme syndrome.  It seems likely that chronic Lyme is caused by live bacteria rather than an auto-immune response.  Certainly, sufferers are often very sick and previous Lyme exposure is a common epidemiological thread.

 



 

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Cat111
Veteran Member
Joined : Nov 2010
Posts : 571
Posted 1/7/2011 6:39 PM (GMT -8)
Welcome Prof. Snape,

If this is within your area of expertise, could you shed some scientific light on the dormancy capabilities of the bacteria?

For example, if an individual was bitten by a tick in the 1990's, presented with the classic bullseye rash, was then treated with antibiotics (seemingly successfully as no symptoms of the disease developed) could the bacteria have gone dormant?.... becoming active 15 years later and presenting with symptoms?

Best regards.... and thank you!
Harriet Potter
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Mamyou
Regular Member
Joined : Aug 2010
Posts : 317
Posted 1/7/2011 9:03 PM (GMT -8)
I'm not going to shoot the messenger but I sure don't like the message.....3,000 of the bacterium can fit into one white blood cell. I'm still trying to grasp the enormity and gravity of that number... Thanks, Professor....I think.
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CajunGrl
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2009
Posts : 4717
Posted 1/7/2011 9:44 PM (GMT -8)
I understand that everyone wants answers but we do not know who is behind this ID. Alot of this information can be found online. I will have to close this thread because it breaks one of the rules here. If any of you want to speak further about this, please do so through email and I ask you to please be cautious.

20. Do not use the forum to give professional medical advice. If you are a medical professional, please remember the forums and chat are for patient support and not to be used for distributing professional medical advice and/or using the forum to represent your professional services.
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