Lyme Handbook

Sarah Klein of the Huffington post, recently published an article called “Lyme Disease Myths: 9 Things You Should Know About The Tick-Borne Disease“:  (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/20/lyme-disease-myths-facts_n_3287872.html ).  As much as I appreciate the effort to spread awareness of the dangers of tick borne infections (TBI), most of her assumptions are merely aping what the medical establishment has incorrectly pontificated many times before.

In her piece. Ms. Klein conveniently dismisses any and all recent research as “NON CREDIBLE EVIDENCE” to discredit opposing views.  This is deeply offensive to the chronically sick struggling with Lyme Disease (LD) today.  It is also potentiality harmful to her readers should they follow her dubious information.

Let’s revisit some of the article’s questionable claims:

• Myth: All Ticks Carry Lyme disease

 HUFF POST: There are a number of types of ticks, but only blacklegged ticks (commonly called deer ticks) carry the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Lone star ticks, the American dog tick, the Rocky Mountain wood tick and the brown dog tick do not transmit the disease.

Hmm: granted, all ticks cannot possibly be carriers, but I have seen no research explaining why ticks other than deer ticks cannot be carriers.  In fact, I have seen research that discovered very small populations of some mosquitoes and other biting insects to indeed be carriers.

• Myth: You Can Get Lyme disease Everywhere in the U.S.

HUFF POST: More than 97 percent of all cases of Lyme disease occur in the northeastern and north-central parts of the country, says Mead. Your chances of being bitten by an infected tick outside of those regions are very small. While there have indeed been reported cases in nearly all 50 states, Lyme disease is reported by state of residence, not necessarily the state of infection. A child from Wyoming who spends the summer in Pennsylvania with Grandma and comes down with Lyme disease will count as a reported case for Wyoming, says Mead, even though her chances of getting Lyme in her home state are tiny.

Hmm: the article implies that 97% of cases occur in the northeast.  If this stat has any credibility, it is most likely because most regions of the country deny that LD exists at all in their area.  Ill patients are often misdiagnosed and treated for other ailments other than LD.  This denial is part of the reason why the CDC believes that the real number of LD cases may be 10 times higher than officially reported.

Additionally LD has now been confirmed in most countries throughout the world.

• Myth: Lyme disease Can Spread Between People

 HUFF POST: From time to time you do see a husband and a wife, for example, who both come down with Lyme disease around the same time, says Mead, but there’s no solid evidence to support the idea that one of them passed it to the other. It’s much more likely that they were both bitten by ticks, especially since young ticks can be so small, he says.

Hmm: Lyme disease is indisputably a spirochetal type bacteria much like Syphilis.  Since Syphilis is a well-documented STD, it would be well advised to assume that LD could be transmitted in the same fashion.

Additionally, there have been a number of cases where a pregnant mother has been infected with LD and has infected the baby.

And finally, some patients have contracted LD from blood transfusions.

All in all, LD has been transmitted through blood exchange and it would be wise to be cautious.

Let’s not forget that in the early years of AIDS, the CDC told the public  that AIDS was only transmitted between gay men.

:

    “Dr. Curran (CDC – 1981) said there was no apparent danger to non homosexuals from contagion. ‘The best evidence against contagion’, he said, ‘is that no cases have been reported to date outside the homosexual community or in women’”

     – The New York Times

All the best,

Rob

~ by Rob on June 7, 2013.

Posted in CDC, Commentary, Lyme
Tags: CDC, Commentary, Lyme, Lyme Disease, ticks