lyme in Australia?????

[heapsreal]

The controversy over whether Lyme disease exists in Australia is set to be inflamed by new research that has found no evidence of the bacteria responsible for it around Sydney.

But the new findings have been quickly dismissed as flawed by those who say they have they have contracted the disease from tick bites in Australia.

In July last year a clinical advisory committee on the disease was wound up by Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Baggoley.

But he said the way forward was to monitor research including that being done by Professor Peter Irwin at Murdoch University and also a team at the University of Sydney

Professor Irwin told Fairfax Media that in yet-to-be published work, tests on some 300 ticks taken amongst several thousand from the tick hotspot on the North Shore have failed to show any evidence of the Borrelia bacteria linked to Lyme disease in the United States and Europe.

A second study of 84 dogs exposed to 160,000 ticks to produce the antiserum jab used on pets if they get paralysis after a tick bite showed no sign of exposure to the bacteria in Australia he said.

"We have detected Borrelia in European ticks but to date we haven't found it in Australian ticks," he said.

The latest twist comes as 16-year-old Francesca Wallis from Lindfield on the North Shore, who was bitten by a tick seven years ago, prepares to travel to a clinic in Germany next month for $40,000 treatment for a catalogue of debilitating symptoms which developed after the bite.

Her parents say her GP believes that following blood tests in the US that Francesca has Lyme disease.

Francesca said: "We just pulled the tick out. I got a big red lump that just got bigger. A few weeks later the tiredness and flu symptoms started," she said.

The rest of the article can be found here:

http://www.smh.com.au/national/heal...ny-for-radical-treatment-20150131-132ls0.html

 

[minkeygirl]

Wankers.

 

[heapsreal]

It makes sense that ticks in Australia probably carry multiple bacterial infections that are maybe somewhat different to American or European ticks.

I think in Australia they dont want to recognize this illness just like chronic viral infections requiring avs because the health system has to help cover the cost of chronic treatment with abx or avs and this would be costly but this is short sighted.

 

[ahmo]

One of the docs from my GP's practice in Bellingen, actually, maybe 2 of them, were heavily involved in treating Lyme. Trevor Cheney. I heard him on a RN Background Briefing program last year. Sounded like lot's of people trying to discredit him. And then he had to take a break from the practice, too all-consuming

 

[heapsreal]

One of the docs from my GP's practice in Bellingen, actually, maybe 2 of them, were heavily involved in treating Lyme. Trevor Cheney. I heard him on a RN Background Briefing program last year. Sounded like lot's of people trying to discredit him. And then he had to take a break from the practice, too all-consuming

yes its like the medicos just dont want to believe it, i dont understand why. Recent research out of Sydney university is showing multiple tick infections as well as proving they are commonly found in cfsers who wouldnt consider themselves to have been a lyme patient?

 

[taniaaust1]

It once again I think comes down to money, with our health system which pays for the medical treatment of many who are sick... they probably think they are saving money.

Thing is they arent when so many of us are on disability. Ive booked in once again with a lyme specialist doctor I saw in the past as Ive just found out blood tests had me do (not lyme ones.. autoimmune ones) were abnormal and my other doctor never followed them up. Fingers crossed the disability service will approve someone to help me get to this appointment.

Im costing them heaps as I havent been medically treated well.

 

[5150]

It makes sense that ticks in Australia probably carry multiple bacterial infections that are maybe somewhat different to American or European ticks.

I think in Australia they dont want to recognize this illness just like chronic viral infections requiring avs because the health system has to help cover the cost of chronic treatment with abx or avs and this would be costly but this is short sighted.

hi heaps, hey this sounds like it is in the US. Stonewall , plus DelayLinger&Wait. Class action lawsuit is needed.

 

[Martial]

There are different strains they could look for, obviously it won't be the exact same borrelia strain as say Lyme town Conneticut in the United States. There are other forms of Borrelia bacteria differing in geography. Japan has their own strain, along with the middle east, south east Asia, and Europe. Like you mentioned I think this is more about politics rather then actual hard working research.

 

[heapsreal]

Abstract Introduction: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a varied and complex disorder with a common set of core symptoms and a large array of secondary symptoms. After more than four decades of research, no causative factor has been identified and more recently scientific opinion has shifted towards recognising the presence of immune disruption within this disorder.

Underlying chronic infection has been advocated as a contributing factor to CFS, yet its role and the extent of its impact are unconfirmed. This study compares evidence of infections of two groups of CFS patients, those with co-diagnoses of infections transmissible through tick bite (CFT subgroup), and those without (CFX subgroup) compared to a healthy control group. Method: Blood samples were obtained from eighty-eight CFS patients and twenty nine age and sex matched controls. Forty-seven of the eightyeight CFS patients did not have tick transmissible co-diagnoses, the CFX subgroup and forty one did, the CFT subgroup.


Evidence of infection by Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia garinii, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Rickettsia spp. was tested for through the use of PCR, nested PCR, western blot, ELISA and IFA. Results: 82% of CFS participants had evidence of exposure to at least one of the pathogens investigated which was not significantly different to the control group (72%).

19% of CFS participants had evidence of exposure to 3 out of 4 pathogen species compared to 3% of controls (p = 0.04). There was a high level of exposure to Chlamydophila pneumoniae in both CFS (49%) and control groups (31%) and similarly for Mycoplasma pneumoniae (46% of CFS and 62% of controls) and was not significantly different between groups. The high prevalence of positive serology for the respiratory pathogens observed in this study is consistent with other research. When comparison was made on tick-borne (TB)pathogens, 56% of CFS participants had exposure to at least one, compared to 14% of controls (p < 0.001).

Six percent of CFS participants had exposure to both Borrelia species and Rickettsia species compared to 0% controls. Exposure to at least one TB and one respiratory pathogen was significantly different between CFS participants (40%) and controls (3%) (p > 0.001) . There was no identified significant difference between the two CFS groups.

Discussion: The high prevalence of exposure to multiple pathogens within the test group suggests some level of relationship between CFS and infective agents. Each of the analysed bacterial pathogens has been shown to be capable of developing chronic infections within hosts. As hypothesised in previous studies, the results of this study could contribute towards the argument that chronic infections, as a result of contributing to immune dysregulation over extended periods of time, may lead to fatiguing symptoms.

The conclusions that can be derived from serological results are limited as they are a measure of immune response rather than clear isolation of bacteria, and more specific forms of investigation using methods that directly measure pathogen levels should be undertaken. No difference was found between CFX and CFT subgroups, indicating that levels of exposure to infection are similar throughout the CFS cohort.

I cant post a link at this stage and only post an abstract but it is interesting enough and tells us lyme is here. It seems cfs and lyme are very similar in pathogens found.

 

[alex3619]

There is a real possibility that Lyme disease is not always Lyme disease. These ticks carry so many infectious agents, what they need to do is screen the ticks for everything, not just Lyme. Ditto for Lyme patients. Indeed, its possible that those who do not get better on a short course of antibiotics who are diagnosed with Lyme might have additional infections (or not, as genetics and other factors might be important too). The place to start would be the viral chip. This however will massively add to the screening cost.

Where I was growing up there were lots of ticks. I have been bitten. I have never had a obvious rash after such a bite though, nor did I get very sick at that time.

In Australia I would like to point out another severe virus carrier - fruit bats. They can carry it around and contaminate fruit. Just to be clear, never try to tackle with one. I think they have evolved to carry many many viruses as a defense mechanism.

 

[MeSci]

Abstract Introduction: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a varied and complex disorder with a common set of core symptoms and a large array of secondary symptoms. After more than four decades of research, no causative factor has been identified and more recently scientific opinion has shifted towards recognising the presence of immune disruption within this disorder.

Underlying chronic infection has been advocated as a contributing factor to CFS, yet its role and the extent of its impact are unconfirmed. This study compares evidence of infections of two groups of CFS patients, those with co-diagnoses of infections transmissible through tick bite (CFT subgroup), and those without (CFX subgroup) compared to a healthy control group. Method: Blood samples were obtained from eighty-eight CFS patients and twenty nine age and sex matched controls. Forty-seven of the eightyeight CFS patients did not have tick transmissible co-diagnoses, the CFX subgroup and forty one did, the CFT subgroup.


Evidence of infection by Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia garinii, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Rickettsia spp. was tested for through the use of PCR, nested PCR, western blot, ELISA and IFA. Results: 82% of CFS participants had evidence of exposure to at least one of the pathogens investigated which was not significantly different to the control group (72%).

19% of CFS participants had evidence of exposure to 3 out of 4 pathogen species compared to 3% of controls (p = 0.04). There was a high level of exposure to Chlamydophila pneumoniae in both CFS (49%) and control groups (31%) and similarly for Mycoplasma pneumoniae (46% of CFS and 62% of controls) and was not significantly different between groups. The high prevalence of positive serology for the respiratory pathogens observed in this study is consistent with other research. When comparison was made on tick-borne (TB)pathogens, 56% of CFS participants had exposure to at least one, compared to 14% of controls (p < 0.001).

Six percent of CFS participants had exposure to both Borrelia species and Rickettsia species compared to 0% controls. Exposure to at least one TB and one respiratory pathogen was significantly different between CFS participants (40%) and controls (3%) (p > 0.001) . There was no identified significant difference between the two CFS groups.

Discussion: The high prevalence of exposure to multiple pathogens within the test group suggests some level of relationship between CFS and infective agents. Each of the analysed bacterial pathogens has been shown to be capable of developing chronic infections within hosts. As hypothesised in previous studies, the results of this study could contribute towards the argument that chronic infections, as a result of contributing to immune dysregulation over extended periods of time, may lead to fatiguing symptoms.

The conclusions that can be derived from serological results are limited as they are a measure of immune response rather than clear isolation of bacteria, and more specific forms of investigation using methods that directly measure pathogen levels should be undertaken. No difference was found between CFX and CFT subgroups, indicating that levels of exposure to infection are similar throughout the CFS cohort.

I cant post a link at this stage and only post an abstract but it is interesting enough and tells us lyme is here. It seems cfs and lyme are very similar in pathogens found.

Is it a thesis called Do certain microbiological pathogens cause or have a role in the aetiology of the disease entity known as chronic fatigue syndrome? by Thomas Kelly?

I just found it through an internet search by putting some of your quoted text in double quotes. Whilst there is some stuff about copyright, there seems no reason why I can't post the link, so here it is. Warning to people with slow computers/connections - it's 3.44 Mb (and 183 pages!).

 

[heapsreal]

Is it a thesis called Do certain microbiological pathogens cause or have a role in the aetiology of the disease entity known as chronic fatigue syndrome? by Thomas Kelly?

I just found it through an internet search by putting some of your quoted text in double quotes. Whilst there is some stuff about copyright, there seems no reason why I can't post the link, so here it is. Warning to people with slow computers/connections - it's 3.44 Mb (and 183 pages!).

Thats cool.. yes thomas kelly wasn't sure if able to post it. The interesting thing is lyme isnt suppose to exist but its being found in people with no history of overseas travel, so it is here in Australia but being denied by authorities. And being Australia with its unique wild life, who knows what other infections are carried by different animals which are passed on by ticks?