collecte section Bourgogne

https://www.helloasso.com/associations/association-france-lyme/collectes/section-bourgogne

Experts have been unable to agree for decades on whether a case definition called chronic Lyme disease exists.

not very safe either to live in Finland .........

http://lymedisease.org/news/lyme_disease_views/ticks-finland.html

28th April 2013

 
CM Rubin
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Guest blogger C.M. Rubin interviews two European scientists about the prevalence of Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections in Finland. 

The Global Search for Education: Finland — Ticks

by C M Rubin as featured in the Huffington Post

Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium transmitted to humans via a tick bite. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) claims that Lyme Borreliosis is the most common and fastest growing infectious illness in the United States. The disease can cause a variety of flu-like symptoms such as fever, achy joints, fatigue and headache. Additionally, Anaplasmosis/Ehrlichiosis, Babesiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Bartonella, Tularemia, and more recently, Borrelia Miyamotoi (a distant relative of Lyme Borreliosis) are other recognized tick-borne infectious diseases in the United States.
Experts have been unable to agree for decades on whether a case definition called chronic Lyme disease exists. Yet, some Lyme victims, even after taking the standard treatment of antibiotics, continue to suffer from long-term and often serious health problems for years after they first contract the disease. Does chronic Lyme disease exist, or is the condition which some patients experience an autoimmune or nervous system response triggered by the infection, or indeed is it a bit of both? These are some of the major questions researchers are trying to figure out as they take on the enormous challenges of identifying better Lyme diagnostic tools and treatment plans for what is becoming a growing global public health crisis.
Today in The Global Search for Education, I take a look at tick-borne illnesses in Finland. I am joined by Docent Jarmo Oksi, Finland’s leading researcher in the field of Lyme disease, who is based at the University of Turku in Finland. In addition, I welcome Markku Kuusi, Chief Medical Officer from Finland’s National Institute for Health and Welfare.
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“The weakness of the Finnish surveillance system is that we don’t collect any clinical information on patients, we only get notifications from laboratories.” — Markku Kuusi

What is the annual incidence of Lyme disease in Finland and in Europe at large?
Jarmo: Laboratory reports on Lyme Borreliosis cases (based on positive serology) have doubled in 10 years and are now about 1,500. The estimated number of Lyme Borreliosis infection cases is about four times this number — i.e. estimated incidence in Finland is 5,000-6,000 annually (population 5.5 million), which is about 100 per 100,000 inhabitants per year. However there are areas in the Southwestern Archipelago with incidence of 1000 per 100,000 inhabitants per year.
Markku: Based on the National Infectious Disease Register, the incidence of Lyme disease in Finland has been about 30/100,000 during the past few years. In terms of the annual incidence in other Nordic countries, in Norway it has been about 6/100,000 and in Denmark, 1 – 2/100,000. It is hard to believe that there is such a difference in actual incidence, so that is why I believe the diagnostic criteria are truly different. The weakness of the Finnish surveillance system is that we don’t collect any clinical information on patients, we only get notifications from laboratories; so it is difficult to say whether the symptoms of our cases really are compatible with Lyme Borreliosis.
Would you comment on the annual incidence of any of the other tick-borne illnesses which are endemic in Finland in addition to Lyme.
Markku: Tick-borne Encephalitis (TBE) is another important tick-borne disease in Finland. The incidence has been particularly high on Aland Island and therefore TBE vaccination is included in the national immunization program. Before the vaccination program, the annual incidence was up to 100/100,000 population. Now it has decreased substantially. It seems that in other parts of Finland (apart from Aland Island), the incidence is increasing, and therefore other areas may also be included in the immunization program in the near future (for example, the Archipelago around the city of Turku).
Do you believe that chronic Lyme disease exists or that it is a misnomer for other diseases triggered by Lyme disease?
Markku: This is a difficult question. I think it is clear that some patients have a prolonged course of the disease which may last several months. The most experienced clinicians in Finland think that a continuing Borrelia infection is possible if the patient has not received adequate treatment for the illness, resulting in disseminated infection. Even after adequate treatment, some patients have symptoms due to immunological mechanisms, but it is very hard to say whether these symptoms are related to Borrelia infection or to some other causes.
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“The most experienced clinicians in Finland think that a continuing Borrelia infection is possible if the patient has not received adequate treatment for the illness, resulting in disseminated infection.”
– Markku Kuusi

If you believe in chronic Lyme disease, what do you believe are the most effective ways to treat it?
Jarmo: If you mean chronic infection, I think that this entity after standard antibiotic therapy is very very seldom (I see about one case in five years). However, if detected –e.g. with cultivation or PCR (the most specific way to detect), the treatment I give is individual antibiotic treatment — maybe double the length compared to the initial treatment.
What do you believe is the most effective way to treat symptoms triggered by the infection, e.g. chronic auto-immune reaction?
Jarmo: During the first months I wait for gradual improvement. If there is no improvement after six to 12 months, I then start low-dose corticosteroid treatment for a certain subset of patients. Some other subsets may get help from, for example, amitriptyline, which raises the threshold for pain sensation.
What tests currently available to the general public, other than the Western Blot test, do you believe provide a better degree of certainty?
Jarmo: PCR (and culture) are useful in some situations (culture only in research settings), but even PCR is not sensitive enough to detect all cases — e.g. in CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) of neuroborreliosis cases. Besides Western Blots, ELISA tests based on C6 peptide are generally good as confirmatory tests.
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“We are currently enrolling patients into a study on neuroborreliosis: comparison of IV Ceftriaxone for 3 weeks vs. oral Doximycin for 4 weeks. Hopefully this study will give us new knowledge on markers of how to identify patients with reactive symptomatology triggered by Lyme neuroborreliosis.”
– Jarmo Oksi

Are you aware of any other promising tests in development?
Markku: Last year, a Finnish group reviewed the diagnostic tests in our country. It is my understanding that right now there are not unfortunately any new reliable tests available. So we shall have to wait awhile for them.
To what research do you believe scientists around the world must give priority in order to overcome the challenges the public faces with finding a cure for Lyme disease?
Markku: I think it is important to better understand the mechanism behind the sequelae of acute borreliosis. Therefore, we need more research on the immunology of the disease. In other words, how does the bacteria actually cause joint symptoms or neurologic symptoms. I think this will help us to develop better diagnostic tests and hopefully better drugs. I believe antibiotics are not the only solution.
What is the focus of your research and how does it relate to the challenges of identification and cure of Lyme disease and diseases triggered by Lyme?
Jarmo: We are currently enrolling patients into a study on neuroborreliosis: comparison of IV Ceftriaxone for three weeks vs. oral Doximycin for four weeks. Hopefully this study (with control CSF specimens) and long follow-ups of patients also will give us new knowledge on markers of how to identify patients with reactive symptomatology triggered by Lyme neuroborreliosis.
How can technology help us find a cure for Lyme disease faster?
Markku: This is not really a field in which I am knowledgeable, but I believe that better molecular and immunological methods may give possibilities for new diagnostics and for the development of new drugs. What I really hope is that there will be better and more specific laboratory tests for Lyme Borreliosis in the future. I think that one of the key issues is to harmonize the laboratory methods so that we can get a better understanding of the epidemiology of Lyme disease in Finland.
C M Rubin is a child and family health and education advocate.  She is the author of a number of award winning books as well as the widely read online series THE GLOBAL SEARCH FOR EDUCATION.
Follow C. M. Rubin on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@cmrubinworld

a more aggressive approach to eradication of LYME disease ...

Conclusions

Like most aspects of Lyme disease, the role of cysts and biofilms in persistent B. burgdorferi infection has 

been controversial [1,27,29]. However, the study by Bockenstedt et al., and the open-minded commentary by 

Barbour may open up new vistas on this fascinating aspect of bacterial persistence. Whether chronic Lyme 

disease arises from persisting spirochetal forms hidden in biofilms (as suggested by the monkey study of 

Embers et al., and the experimental work of Sapi et al.) or from cell wall-deficient cysts (L-forms) of B. 

burgdorferi (as suggested by the mouse study observations of Bockenstedt et al., and the interpretation of 

Barbour), persisting forms of bacteria require treatment. To date the treatment options for these bacterial 

persisters are extremely limited, but their recognition dictates a more aggressive approach to eradication of 

Lyme disease using combination antibiotic therapy modelled on treatment regimens for tuberculosis and HIV 

disease [2]. The fact that B. burgdorferi shares resistance genes with pathogenic mycobacteria supports the 

need for this therapeutic approach [30,31]. It remains to be seen which form of B. burgdorferi is the true 

culprit in chronic Lyme disease and which form of treatment is most efficacious in clearing both forms of 

bacteria from patients 

http://www.hoajonline.com/infectdis/2052-5958/1/2



Maladie de Lyme et Samento



http://www.cancersortezdelaboite.com/maladie-de-lyme-et-samento%C2%AE/

Maladie de Lyme et Samento®

Une grande partie de l’article suivant est l’extrait (avec permission) d’un article intitulé  »La cure de la maladie de Lyme avec Samento », écrit par mon grand ami et collègue, le Dr. Jim Howenstine.
La maladie de Lyme fut initialement considérée comme une maladie rare, causée par le spirochète Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb). On pense que la transmission de la maladie se fait uniquement par la piqûre d’une tique infectée par ce spirochète. Le spirochète Bb est capable de creuser dans les tendons, les cellules musculaires, les ligaments, et directement dans les organes. Une éruption cutanée classique est parfois visible dans le stade précoce de la maladie. Plus tard, après l’évolution de l’affection, la maladie peut frapper le cœur, le système nerveux, les articulations et bien d’autres organes. On sait maintenant que la maladie peut imiter la sclérose latérale amyotrophique (maladie de la SLA alias Lou Gehrig), la maladie de Parkinson, la sclérose en plaques (MS), la paralysie de Bell, une dystrophie sympathique réflexe, une névrite, des maladies psychiatriques comme la schizophrénie, la fatigue chronique, l’insuffisance cardiaque, l’angine de poitrine, provoquer un rythme cardiaque irrégulier (arythmie), la fibromyalgie, la dermatite, les maladies auto-immunes comme la sclérodermie et le lupus, les réactions inflammatoires des yeux, la surdité subite, les PEID, ADD et l’hyperactivité, la douleur chronique et de nombreuses autres affections.
La maladie de Lyme est maintenant considérée comme la plus rapide des maladies infectieuses du monde, de par son rythme de progression. Au moins 200.000 nouveaux cas sont constatés chaque année aux États-Unis, et certains experts pensent qu’un grand nombre d’Américains, environ un sur 15 sont actuellement infectés (soit 20 millions de personnes). Le Dr. Robert Rowen connait une famille où la propagation de l’infection s’est faite de la mère à 5 de ses 6 enfants, qui ont tous guéri avec un traitement approprié. Il est difficile de croire que ces enfants ont tous été mordus par des tiques, et il semble plus plausible qu’au sein de la famille, ce soit la transmision d’individu à individu qui ait causé ce problème. Le Dr. Lida Mattman, bactériologiste, déclare : « Je suis convaincu que la maladie de Lyme est transmissible de personne à personne« . Le Dr. Mattman a été en mesure de récupérer des spirochètes encore en vie, issus des Bb de moustiques, de puces, d’acariens, de semence, d’urine, de sang et de liquide céphalorachidien.
Le Dr. Paul Fink, ancien président de l’American Psychiatric Association, a reconnu que la maladie de Lyme peut imiter tous les troubles psychiatriques dans le manuel IV du diagnostic des symptômes. Cela inclue l’ADD, la personnalité antisociale, les attaques de panique, l’anorexie mentale, l’autisme et le syndrome de Ausperger. Il pourrait être prudent, pour toute personne qui est soudainement diagnostiquée à avoir des symptômes psychiatriques, d’effectuer un test sanguin Q-RIBB, afin d’exclure la maladie de Lyme, au besoin. Un facteur qui contribue à faire du Bb, des affections si dangereuses, c’est qu’il peut survivre et se répandre sans qu’il y ait une paroi cellulaire. Beaucoup d’antibiotiques tuent les bactéries utiles en décomposant la paroi cellulaire. Ces antibiotiques se révèlent souvent inefficaces contre le Bb.
L’une des pathologies les plus insidieuses, qui imite la maladie de Lyme, est la maladie de Lou Gehrig ou apelée aussi sclérose latérale amyotrophique (SLA) et maladie de Charcot. Les neurotoxines relâchées par l’organisme Bb sont capables de provoquer un dysfonctionnement neurologique du système nerveux central, ce qui provoque des symptômes typiques de la SLA. La caractéristique pathologique de la SLA est une dégénérescence des neurones moteurs et la mort. Certains patients atteints de maladies d’une durée pouvant atteindre plusieurs années, faisant suite à un diagnostic érroné, comme la SLA, la sclérose en plaques et la maladie de Parkinson ont réalisé des recouvrements incroyables dans des délais aussi courts que 24 à 72 heures, lorsqu’ils sont placés sur tormentosa uncaria sans TOA (Griffe de chat) pour la maladie de Lyme.
Cette réaction rapide ne peut rationnellement être attribuée à la fonction immunitaire améliorée ou à des effets bactéricides sur les spirochètes. Le Bb est connu pour produire un groupe de neurotoxines. L’explication la plus sensible de cette reprise réside dans la désactivation ou le blocage des effets neurotoxiques du Bb sur les structures contenant des lipides (système nerveux, muscles, articulations) qui attirent les neurotoxines du Bb. Cette amélioration soudaine semble être le résultat d’une obstruction et d’une inhibition des neurotoxines.
La formule sans TOA de la griffe de chat (Samento®) est dépourvue d’alcaloïdes tétracycliques oxindole (TOA). La griffe du chat dépourvue de ces TOA est une plante complètement différente de la griffe de chat commune et a été reconnue comme ayant une efficacité étonnante, pourvue de qualités antibiotiques ainsi que de plusieurs autres propriétés de guérison très importantes. Les chercheurs croient que Samento® peut être jusqu’à 1000 fois plus efficace que la griffe de chat. Une différence entre Samento® et la griffe de chat est que cette dernière est un stimulant du système immunitaire, et Samento® est un modulateur du système immunitaire. En outre, Samento® peut être utilisé pour traiter toutes les maladies auto-immunes, ce qui n’est pas le cas avec la griffe de chat ordinaire.
Samento® apparaît cliniquement à franchir la barrière hémato-encéphalique dans les 2 minutes, et il peut avoir 3 effets bénéfiques directs chez l’homme, avec la maladie de Lyme :
  1. La modulation du système immunitaire (correction de la dysfonction immunitaire)
  2. Effet direct à large spectre anti-microbien sur les spirochètes. L’acide quinovique et les glycosides contenus dans la griffe de chat sans TAO, sont similaires aux quinilones largement utilisés avec les antibiotiques.
  3. Blocage des effets indésirables neurotoxiques sur les cellules, les enzymes et les hormones
Une étude pilote effectuée chez 28 patients à un stade avancé avec la maladie de Lyme, a administré du Samento®. A un groupe témoin de 14 autres personnes, il a été donné un traitement antibiotique. À l’issue de l’étude, 85% de ceux ayant reçu la préparation à base de griffe de chat n’avaient plus de sang positif au Bb. Les 28 personnes avaient connu une amélioration spectaculaire de leur état clinique. Aucun changement significatif n’a été observé dans le groupe témoin.
Actuellement, il est estimé que presque tous les adultes sont infectés par des organismes furtifs et ont amassé des métaux lourds toxiques, qui tous deux ont des effets néfastes sur la santé. Samento® peut être d’une grande valeur dans l’élimination de certains de ces agents infectieux (comme certainement le Bb), et s’est également avéré être très efficace dans le traitement du cancer. Il existe des preuves convaincantes que l’épidémie de la maladie de Lyme peut avoir comme origine le laboratoire de biologie de guerre à Plum Island, au large de la côte de Lyme, dans le Connecticut. Ceci, cependant, exigerait une longue discussion sans rapport avec cet article
Une grande partie de cette information a été obtenue à partir de la publication : La maladie de Lyme: Utilisation Avancée de Nutraceutiques Griffe de Chat Sans TOA, parue dans Focus par Allergy Research Group (Octobre 2003) ainsi qu’en Novembre et en Décembre 2003, dans ‘Questions du Deuxième Avis’ du Dr. Robert Rowen. Si vous êtes intéressé par l’achat de Samento®, visitez, s’il vous plaît, le site www.nutramedix.com.
Ty Bollinger
Remarque importante: Je ne suis pas un médecin. Tout le contenu de cette lettre d’information est un commentaire ou une opinion et est protégé en vertu des lois sur la liberté d’expression dans tout le monde civilisé. Les informations contenues dans ce document sont destinées à des fins éducatives seulement. Il n’est pas conçu comme un substitut pour le diagnostic, le traitement ou les conseils d’un professionnel agréé qualifié. Les faits présentés sur ce site et dans le livre sont offerts à titre d’information uniquement, ce ne sont pas des conseils médicaux, et en aucune façon on ne devrait considérer que je suis pratiquant en médecine. Un effort délibéré a été fait pour que les informations présentes soient à la fois exactes et véridiques. Cependant, je n’assume aucune responsabilité pour les éventuelles inexactitudes dans mon matériel de source, pas plus que je assume la responsabilité de la façon dont ce matériel est utilisé. Toute déclaration concernant les traitements alternatifs pour le cancer n’a pas été évaluée par la FDA.

LYMEDISEASE.ORG PATIENT SURVEYS


http://lymedisease.org/research/survey-thankyou.html




LYMEDISEASE.ORG PATIENT SURVEYS

    
Thank you for your interest in LymeDisease.org Surveys. We will send you the results of surveys when they are compiled.
Communicating the costs of Lyme disease to the patient, the immediate family, the community and, ultimately, the nation increases the pressure for Lyme disease healthcare reform. To accomplish this, we conduct nationwide surveys to provide policy makers information vital to healthcare policy in Lyme disease. Our goal is to open the space for conversations in the public health arena about what is really going on with Lyme patients from their perspective. We are trying to give voice to the patient community, which is all too often completely ignored in conversations about Lyme disease.
Our last survey of over 4,000 patients revealed that 65% have had to cut back or quit work or school and 25% have been on disability. We believe this is the largest survey of Lyme patients ever conducted in the United States. The survey was published in a major peer-reviewed journal, Health Policy. (Johnson, L., A. Aylward, Stricker, R. (2011). "Healthcare access and burden of care for patients with Lyme disease: a large United States survey." Health Policy 102(1): 64-71.) We have just launched a new survey focusing on the impact and cost of Lyme disease.

>http://lymedisease.org/research/survey-thankyou.html
(its a little lengthy but worth it)

Communicating the costs of Lyme disease to the patient, the immediate family, the community and, ultimately, the nation increases the pressure for Lyme disease healthcare reform. To accomplish this, we conduct nationwide surveys to provide policy makers information vital to healthcare policy in Lyme disease. Our goal is to open the space for conversations in the public health arena about what is really going on with Lyme patients from their perspective. We are trying to give voice to the patient community, which is all too often completely ignored in conversations about Lyme disease.
Our last survey of over 4,000 patients revealed that 65% have had to cut back or quit work or school and 25% have been on disability. We believe this is the largest survey of Lyme patients ever conducted in the United States. The survey was published in a major peer-reviewed journal, Health Policy. (Johnson, L., A. Aylward, Stricker, R. (2011). "Healthcare access and burden of care for patients with Lyme disease: a large United States survey." Health Policy 102(1): 64-71.) We have just launched a new survey focusing on the impact and cost of Lyme disease.

Lyme disease seminar May 14






9 TIPS FOR AVOIDING AND TREATING TICK BITES


http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/outdoor-skills/first-aid/Ticked-Off.html


From Outside Magazine:



TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013

9 TIPS FOR AVOIDING AND TREATING TICK BITES

Keep ticks (and Lyme Disease) away this summer with a few simple guidelines.
By: 
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The Lyme bull's-eye Photo: Getty Images/Kallista Images
If you live in Virginia or Maine (or somewhere in between), or in the Upper Midwest, especially Wisconsin or Minnesota, you’re in Lyme disease country. Infections also occur on the West Coast, primarily in Northern California. How to avoid getting hit with it this summer? Heed the advice of entomologist Kirby Stafford, author of The Tick Management Handbook.
1. When recreating outdoors, wear long sleeves and pants, and tuck your pants into your socks.
2. Stick to the middle of trails when hiking. Tick nymphs, the most common form to infect humans, are found in leaf litter, close to the ground.
3. Insect repellent is effective. Try permethrin-based clothing or mosquito repellents with at least 30 percent deet.
4. Once home, check your skin immediately. Ticks like every part of the body, especially the hairline, ears, belly button, and groin area. Nymphs are very small, about the size of a sesame seed. They often look like a tiny dark freckle.
5. Bathe within two hours of having been outside, and check your clothing and gear for ticks, too. Tumbling clothes in a dryer on high heat for an hour will kill any ticks you collected.
6. Early prevention is key. If you remove a tick within the first 24 hours, the transmission rate is zero, because it takes time for the bacteria to move from the gut of the tick into your bloodstream.
7. The best way to remove a tick is with fine-tip tweezers. Grasp the skin and pull off the tick intact. Disinfect the site and watch for symptoms of infection.
8. If infected, most people develop a rash around the site of the tick bite. “Bull’s-eye” is a bit of a misnomer, because rashes can look different on different parts of the body. Regardless, it will be red, will expand slowly, and will likely appear within a few days to a month after a bite. Fatigue, muscle and joint pain, and general flu-like symptoms are also good indicators.
9. If you suspect you have Lyme, see your physician immediately. It can take a few weeks for your body to build up detectable levels of antibodies, so early Lyme tests may come back negative. If you’re infected, your physician will prescribe a round of doxycycline, which should quickly knock the Lyme out.

Some Visible Signs of Lyme Disease Are Easily Missed or Mistaken

Not all patients with Lyme disease will have a bulls eye or rash....Doctors should search carefully for other signs that might suggest Lyme disease. Early diagnosis of most diseases gives the best chance for a cure.....

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130422132507.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Fhealth_medicine%2Flyme_disease+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Health+%26+Medicine+News+--+Lyme+Disease%29




Some Visible Signs of Lyme Disease Are Easily Missed or Mistaken

Apr. 22, 2013 — When a person contracts Lyme disease, quick diagnosis and treatment are essential to avoiding long term complications. But the diagnostic process may be delayed if a physician does not recognize a skin rash caused by Lyme disease because it does not have the bull's-eye appearance that is best known to physicians and the public. In a Research Letter just published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, a prominent research team led by Steven E, Schutzer, MD, Professor of Medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, confirms findings of Lyme disease in patients with skin lesions that more closely resemble the classic signs of conditions such as contact dermatitis, lupus, common skin infections, or insect or spider bites. Based on these findings they urge doctors to consider Lyme disease as the cause when presented with such lesions, particularly when the patient was in an area where Lyme disease is endemic.















The team describes 14 patients enrolled in an ongoing prospective trial which includes an advanced diagnostic technique that employs a selective "molecular culture-like" amplification of DNA from Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, followed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, all designed to detect even small numbers of multiple strains of the Lyme agent. The technique was first described in May 2012 in an article published in the journal PLoS One by a team that included several of the same researchers, including Schutzer. Unlike existing methods used to diagnose Lyme disease, the new experimental technique is able to detect evidence of B. burgdorferiearly, even in cases where the bacterium is still at low levels in the bloodstream, and sooner than traditional antibody tests, which may require several weeks before becoming positive. It also is able to distinguish between new infections and prior exposure to B. burgdorferi.
Of the patients analyzed, ten found by the experimental technique to have strong microbiologic evidence of Lyme disease had presented with skin lesions that differed markedly from the classic bull's-eye pattern. The researchers note that multiple textbooks and websites prominently feature the bull's-eye image as a visual representation of Lyme disease. They write, "This emphasis on target-like lesions may have inadvertently contributed to an underappreciation for atypical skin lesions caused by Lyme disease."
Not all patients with Lyme disease will have a rash. Schutzer cautioned that "these studies are preliminary and the impetus for further investigation." However, based on this finding, Schutzer adds, "Doctors who see a rash in a patient who has been in an area where Lyme disease frequently occurs should be alert to the fact that the Lyme disease rash does not have to look like a bull's-eye, ring-within-a ring. The rash may look different. Doctors should search carefully both for other signs that might suggest Lyme disease, such as flu-like symptoms, and equally for signs that may point towards other conditions. Early diagnosis of most diseases gives the best chance for a cure. This is especially true for Lyme disease." Schutzer said.
"The ongoing work has the potential to improve clinical research in Lyme disease by objectively defining a group of patients who assuredly were infected with the Lyme disease bacterium," said Dr. James G. Krueger, Head of the Laboratory for Investigative Dermatology at The Rockefeller University and co-investigator.
In addition to Schutzer and Krueger, investigators are: Bernard W. Berger a prominent dermatologist in private practice in Southampton, N.Y.; Mark W. Eshoo and David J. Ecker of Ibis Biosciences, Inc., Carlsbad, Calif.; and John N. Aucott of Johns Hopkins University.
Funding for the cited study was provided in part by a grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health.
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