Health and Human Services
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health
Tick Borne Disease Working Group
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W. Room 715-G
Washington, D.C. 20201
May 6, 2018
Dear Tick Borne Disease Working Group Members,
Please accept my submission listing selected quotes and citations for scientific literature documenting the history of the occurrence of congenital transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease) and other tick and vector borne diseases in humans and other mammals.
Science regarding the congenital transmission of Lyme disease dates back as early as July 1985 and continues through February 2018. Congenital Babesiosis literature includes select publications dated 1975- 2016. Bartonellosis, Anaplasmosis and Tularemia congenital transmission is documented from 1945 and includes a publication dated as recently as 2016.
In the June 1985 MMWR Weekly from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it states: “Transplacental transmission of B. burgdorferi has been documented in a pregnant woman with Lyme disease...” The article continues- “Of the 19 pregnancies evaluated to date, none resulted in a child with a congenital heart defect. However, other adverse outcomes were found, including intrauterine fetal demise in the second trimester, prematurity, and developmental delay with cortical blindness.”
Since that time numerous scientists have documented the presence of spirochetes and other tick borne organisms in fetal tissues, blood and organs. Combined, the literature on various tick borne diseases portrays a solid foundation for Borrelia, Babesia, Bartonella, Anaplasmosis and Tularemia to be congenitally transmitted. This serious situation has been almost totally buried and/or ignored. Very few, if any, notices have been sent by the CDC or our health departments to medical professionals regarding the potential for congenital transmission of Lyme or any other tick borne diseases, even in endemic areas.
Parents and physicians learning about the congenital transmission of Lyme by way of an infant autopsy- well, there must be a better way to educate people that I hope you will explore.
The public and medical professionals should be informed that congenital transmission is a very real possibility and all efforts to prevent transmission from occurring should be considered and discussed by the Working Group. Please review the attached literature and make education and notifications regarding congenital transmission a high priority on the list of “things to do”, as should certainly have originally been done several decades ago.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration. I appreciate your work and efforts.
Sincerely,
Lucy Barnes
613 Railroad Avenue
Centreville, MD 21617
ATTACHMENT
Lucy Barnes- May 6, 2018
Congenital Transmission of Lyme & Tick Borne Diseases
https://sites.google.com/site/marylandlyme/congenital-lyme
Selected Abstracts- Pregnancy & Congenital Lyme Disease
How to Check Babies for Congenital Lyme Disease- Ask The Experts
Deaths- Infants & Children
https://sites.google.com/site/marylandlyme/pregnancy-lyme/deaths--infants-children
Dr. John Drulle- Pregnancy & Lyme
https://sites.google.com/site/marylandlyme/pregnancy-lyme/pregnancy-outcomes
More Reports of Deaths- Infants and Children
https://sites.google.com/site/marylandlyme/memorial-page/infants-and-children
Art Doherty Collection- Pregnancy Complications & Lyme
https://sites.google.com/site/marylandlyme/pregnancy-lyme/art-doherty-s-links-pregnancy
Congenital Lyme Reference- Another Good Reason To Keep Your Pants On
https://sites.google.com/site/marylandlyme/sexual-transmission
Pregnancy Citations/Abstracts 1985-2013
https://sites.google.com/site/marylandlyme/pregnancy-lyme/pregnancy-citations-abstracts
The 700 Citations for Persistent Lyme Disease- Includes A Section On Congenital Lyme
Syphilis & Borreliosis During Pregnancy
https://sites.google.com/site/marylandlyme/pregnancy-lyme/syphilis-lyme-pregnancy
Other Modes of Transmission- Dr. Kroun Collection
Research On Umbilical Cords- "Williams and colleagues conducted a study in a Lyme-endemic area in New York of umbilical cord blood. Of 255 infants tested, 10.2% had detectable antibody to the Lyme spirochete. Of 166 infants born in a non-endemic area, 2.4% had detectable antibodies. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 1995 Jul;9(3):320-30. Maternal Lyme disease and congenital malformations: a cord blood serosurvey in endemic and control areas. Williams CL1, Strobino B, Weinstein A, Spierling P, Medici F. 1Child Health Center, American Health Foundation, Valhalla, New York 10595,USA. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=williams+cord+blood+spirochete https://sites.google.com/site/marylandlyme/sexual-transmission/bibliography
Dr. Harvey/Salvato- "The CDC defines “Lyme disease” exclusively as a zoonotic illness. Congenital and gestational transfer cases have been disregarded for reasons not evident to us."
Dr. Sam Donta- Late & Chronic Lyme Disease- "Rarely as well are congenital and intrautero infection; when this occurs, it appears to be similar to toxoplasmosis and rubella, i.e. a primary infection during the first trimester." https://sites.google.com/site/marylandlyme/lyme/fibromyalgia
Pregnancy- Lyme & TBD
https://sites.google.com/site/marylandlyme/pregnancy-lyme
The Late Dr. John Bleiweiss- "Flawed studies have created the impression that pregnancy outcomes are not influenced by LD. There is substantial documentation to suggest a causal relationship between LD and stillbirths, congenital abnormalities, spontaneous abortion, low birth weight babies, prematurity and intrauterine fetal infection acquired from the mother. An outcome of untreated LD arising from Mg++ deficiency could be pre-eclampsia (hypertension) or eclampsia (hypertension with seizures). Magnesium is often relied on to treat these problems. Women with LD in pregnancy can experience severe morning sickness, gestational diabetes mellitus and prominent flares of Lyme related symptoms. As both LD and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome are attended by sleep apnea, this should impel further research to determine if some babies with SIDS are actually suffering from LD. Bb can appear in the breast milk." https://sites.google.com/site/marylandlyme/patient-stories/dr-john-d-bleiweiss--when-to-suspect-lyme
Sue Faber, RN BScN- Congenital Lyme Disease Documentation
http://www.lymehope.ca/uploads/8/4/2/8/84284900/32_years_of_literature_review_march_25_2018.pdf
Congenital Transmission of Babesiosis
2018- "...2 infants with congenital babesiosis born to mothers with prepartum Lyme disease..."
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28992325
2015- "Four ... of five infants with congenital babesiosis whose neutrophil count was reported were neutropenic." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26071466
2010- "Congenital babesiosis in a four-week-old female infant"
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20118748
2009- "... third congenital case of babesiosis in a 26-day-old infant; transmission was determined on the basis of a blood smear from the infant (15% parasitemia) and serologic results from the infant and mother." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19402971
2006- "Neonatal babesiosis: case report and review of the literature"
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16462298
Babesiosis Transmission in Mammals
2017- Prevalence, genetic identity and vertical transmission of Babesia microti in three naturally infected species of vole, Microtus spp. (Cricetidae)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28166832
2015- Vertical Transmission of Babesia microti in BALB/c Mice: Preliminary Report
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26372043
2005- "This is the first confirmed report of transplacental Babesia infection in any animal species." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15979628
1976- "A case of intra-uterine transmission of Babesia bovis is reported. The calf was born normally but showed signs of intravascular haemolysis and nervous involvement 24 h after birth."
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1018892
1975- Letter: Prenatal Babesia bigemina infection in a calf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1220660
Congenital Transmission of Bartonella
2016- "A putative vertical Bartonella henselae infection was defined on the basis of ultrastructural and molecular analyses in a three-year-old child with anemia, jaundice and hepatosplenomegaly since birth."
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27410916
Congenital Transmission of Anaplasmosis
1987- 2017 Documented in Animals Only
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Anaplasma+congenital
Congenital Transmission of Tularemia
1947- Congenital Tularemia
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20288663
Submission is posted on the Federal TBD Working Group website here: https://www.hhs.gov/ash/advisory-committees/tickbornedisease/meetings/2018-05-10/written-public-comment/index.html