Lyme disease is one of the biggest catastrophes deluging the world and there is a marked lack of awareness. To make it worse, the Infectious Disease Society of America are far from helping the situation. In 2006, and IDSA panel upheld the view that chronic Lyme disease does not exist. But in 2007 an antitrust settlement started by Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal demonstrated significant conflicts of interest among the panel members. They were found to have commercial interest in diagnostic tests, vaccines, and insurance. It was also demonstrated that scientific evidence and opposing views were suppressed from the panel. The settlement forced the IDSA to review the guidelines yet again, and in 2010 they have yet again unanimously ignored science. Their decision sets an international precedent that doctors should not treat chronic Lyme patients, and that they should not be allowed to prescribe long term antibiotics.

Aside from ample proof of the existence of chronic Lyme disease, members of the IDSA review panel itself have been caught flip-flopping. Here is one of several humorous quotes from members of the panel:

“These chronic neurologic abnormalities began months to years after the onset of infection, sometimes after long periods of latency, as in neurosyphilis…The likely reason for relapse is failure to eradicate the spirochete…with antibiotic therapy. This last article is one of many studies that show continuing symptoms are most likely due to persistence of the spirochete.” (1)

Somehow, members of the panel managed to catch amnesia and forget that they already knew chronic Lyme was real.

In 2006 the CDC reported 10,000 new cases. In 2008 that number tripled to 30,000. The CDC says that only about 1 in 10 cases are ever reported. So in 2008, that means the CDC estimated 300,000 new cases. They also estimate 1.8 million total cases in the USA. But some Lyme experts state that the CDC is off by yet another factor of 10, and that the true Lyme count is closer to 18 million cases! That is 1 in every 17 Americans! If the rate of transmission continues to increase, it would not be any stretch of the imagination to see the vast majority of the US population becoming infected. Some experts already believe this is the case. Transmission can occur through ticks, but there is evidence that it can also be transmitted through mosquitoes, fleas, other insects, cats, birds, sexual intercourse, saliva, from mother to the womb, and even to a small degree by airborne transmission.

Lyme disease is a misnomer. It is better called “Lyme Complex”. When people suffer from chronic Lyme, they can also suffer from numerous complications. These include other serious infections such as bartonella, babesia, mycoplasma, erlichia, and Chlamydia, as well as other conditions such as KPU (kryptopyrroluria), heavy metal toxicity, mold toxicity, food allergies, biofilm, hypercoagulation, methylation dysfunction, Candida, and more. Just trying to “kill the bug” is usually not curative.

If 1 in 17 people really do have Lyme, then we all owe it to ourselves to be aware of the symptoms and know that there may be an infectious cause to our vague problems. It is easy to think that someone is “just a jerk” or is “just lazy” or that it is “all in the head”, but in fact, many such people are actually suffering from toxins and inflammation in their brain and body from an infection. Depression, ADHD, OCD behavior, bipolar disorder, violence, rage, abnormal sexual craving, anxiety, panic, brain fog, concentration difficulties, irritability, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and arthritis are some of the most common manifestations of Lyme. Be aware of Lyme disease and prevent it if you can.

It is heartrending to see that the IDSA has knowingly helped to spread a plague of ignorance about a disease that is harming many millions around the world.

From http://www.lymebook.com/plum-island

More info:
(1) Steere, AC New England Journal Medicine Nov 22, 1990; 323(21): 1438-44
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Disclaimer: This article does not contain any medical advice. This website contains opinion and is for informational purposes only. If seeking medical advice, consult a licensed physician.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 at 3:15 pm.