Modes of Transmission

Lyme Disease Education & Support Groups of Maryland

www.MarylandLyme.org

Press Release

Another Good Reason To Keep Your Pants On!

January 27, 2014- Five hundred years after syphilis was first recognized in Europe, an international team of scientists reported in the Journal of Investigative Medicine that Lyme disease, like its close relative syphilis, can be sexually transmitted. Experts confirmed the possibility of person-to-person transmission, a disturbing aspect of the disease that until now has been dismissed by some for lack of evidence.

In the study, Isolation and Detection of Borrelia Burdorferi from Human Vaginal and Seminal Secretions, by Middelveen, Bandoski, Burke, Sapi, Mayne and Stricker [see pdf below], it was reported all women tested positive for Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease, in vaginal secretions. Surprisingly, only about 50% of men’s semen samples tested positive. One couple with Lyme disease had identical strains of the Lyme spirochete in their genital secretions. Since Lyme disease can cause complex infections with multiple genetic variants of B. burgdorferi, the identification of identical strains was significant.

Evidence of Lyme disease was found during autopsy in the remains of the “Iceman” who lived over 5,000 years ago. Syphilis was not identified as a separate disease from leprosy before about 1500 A.D. Syphilis has been referred to as “The Great Pretender”, as its symptoms can look like many other diseases. Lyme disease, dubbed “The Great Imitator”, has earned its nick name by having been misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s, heart disease, depression and a host of other maladies, including, most recently in scientific publications, ALS.

The bacterial pathogens that cause Lyme disease and syphilis are highly invasive. Lyme, like syphilis, causes varying skin manifestations at the site of infection and elsewhere, producing either one or more rashes or sores that can be very obvious or so faint that they are not noticed. The two diseases can produce fevers, swollen lymph glands, sore throats, headaches, weight loss, muscle aches, and fatigue.

Without appropriate treatment, both infections can progress. Like Lyme, late stages of syphilis can appear years after initial infection and can produce clinical manifestations that include dermatological and neurological involvement and a chronically infected state. Symptoms of both diseases can disappear with or without treatment and reappear months to years later.

Infection with either organism can cause difficulty coordinating muscle movements, paralysis, memory loss, optic neuritis, numbness, mental illness, blindness, and dementia. Both diseases can damage internal organs, including the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones, and joints. This damage can result in death.

Cases of both congenital syphilis and congenital Lyme have been reported to affect newborns, causing low birth weights, premature deliveries and stillbirths.

As with Lyme, studies on chronic syphilitic infection indicate that bacteria can evade the host’s immune system by one or more mechanisms. Syphilis, like Lyme, can cause chronic long-term complications. The longer one is infected, the more antibiotics are necessary to address the infections and prevent further damage.

Although antibiotics are used, treatment will not repair damage already done and does not always result in a cure. Unfortunately, millions of dollars have been spent over the years trying, yet no one has been able to develop an effective vaccine for either Lyme or syphilis.

The CDC reports the best way to avoid contracting any sexually transmitted disease is to abstain from sexual contact or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and is known to be uninfected. To prevent Lyme disease the same applies, however, you’ll also need to use bug repellents, avoid areas with high tick infestations and regularly do a tick check.

For more information please go to www.MarylandLyme.org

Lucy Barnes, Director

Lyme Disease Education & Support Groups of Maryland

631 Railroad Avenue

Centreville, MD 21617

www.MarylandLyme.org

AfterTheBite@gmail.com

News Article- Published in Maryland

Study Suggests Lyme Disease May Be Sexually Transmitted

Kent County News- 2/8/14

Record Observer- 2/7/14

State of Delmarva News- 3/1/14

Study: See the pdf file attached near the bottom of this page

Science World PR: http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/12429/20140126/lyme-disease-may-be-sexually-transmitted-study.htm

Global Dispatch PR:

http://www.theglobaldispatch.com/is-there-a-risk-of-getting-lyme-disease-in-the-bedroom-yes-according-to-one-study-73842/

Sources:

http://journals.lww.com/jinvestigativemed/pages/default.aspx

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2978052/

http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/syphilis/understanding/Pages/symptoms.aspx

http://www.aldf.com/pdf/Sigal_Misconceptions.pdf

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131119131254.htm

http://www.jci.org/articles/view/12484

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr61/nvsr61_04.pdf

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5853a1.htm?s_cid=mm5853a1_w

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syphilis#Signs_and_symptoms

http://archive.archaeology.org/9701/newsbriefs/syphilis.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirochaete

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16451109

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14711329

Excellent article by Dr. Stricker…

"In this article, I’m going to address the new research showing Lyme may be the newest STD. I’m also going to touch upon how you may have Lyme and not even know it, as well as the best way for your doctor to test you for the disease to avoid false negatives."

Link Here- http://www.wholehealthinsider.com/newsletter/lyme-next-aids/

Treating Lyme as you would any other sexual transmitted disease could be advantageous to your health.

Please Protect Yourself!

FAR Clinic Spirochete Photo

Lyme Disease

When Your Happy Place Isn't So Happy!

Sequel To: Another Good Reason To Keep Your Pants On!

Press Release

January 30, 2019- A recent study by MC Fesler, MJ Middelveen, JM Burke and RB Stricker titled, Erosive Vulvovaginitis Associated With Borrelia Burgdorferi Infection, confirms live Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes were cultured from a genital lesion (similar to lesions caused by syphilis). This latest finding provides additional evidence that Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) can be sexually transmitted.

Although the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) continues to claim Lyme disease can not be sexually transmitted, after 40 years their well-funded researchers continue to ignore this topic and have yet to provide any human studies or scientific evidence to support their theory. This has put many Lyme patients and their partners at risk of contracting Lyme sexually without being aware this could even happen.

At the state and local levels, back in 1992 when asked if Lyme disease could be sexually transmitted, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's (DHMH) infectious disease representative in Queen Anne County stated "no". When asked why it couldn't be transmitted sexually that same representative said, "because we have never had a documented case".

Twenty-seven years have passed since then and the health departments have yet to show any interest in performing any studies on Lyme disease and the risk of sexual transmission. (If you don't look you won't find it.)

On the flip side, there have been multiple studies, clinical observations by experienced Lyme treating doctors and patient reports supporting the fact Lyme patients are at risk of sexual transmission and therefore, infected patients should use "protective gear" when engaging in sexual activities.

For this particular ground-breaking study researchers performed multiple tests and were also able to culture spirochetes from a painful vaginal lesion to confirm the Lyme disease diagnosis. They also performed a variety of tests to rule out syphilis and infection by oral spirochetes. Thankfully, both systemic and topical antibiotics were administered and the lesion improved.

Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme) has been previously cultured from the vaginal secretions and semen of multiple Lyme patients. Lyme DNA has also been detected in breast milk and urine. Over the last few decades a growing number of cases of congenital Lyme have been reported to negatively affect newborns causing low birth weights, premature deliveries, acute to severe illness, chronic disease and stillbirths.

In light of the mounting evidence proving sexual and congenital transmission of Lyme disease is possible, individuals need to be aware that Lyme disease is much more than just a rash and swollen knee acquired by a tick bite, and prevention measures to keep them from being infected and then transmitting the infection to others must be taken seriously.

STUDY- Erosive Vulvovaginitis Associated With Borrelia Burgdorferi Infection- see document attached to the bottom of this page (Abstract # 194).

For more information please visit www.MarylandLyme.org

Lucy Barnes, Director

Lyme Disease Education & Support Groups of Maryland

631 Railroad Avenue

Centreville, MD 21617

www.MarylandLyme.org

AfterTheBite@gmail.com

QUOTE- “There is always some risk of getting Lyme disease from a tickbite in the woods,” he said. “But there may be a bigger risk of getting Lyme disease in the bedroom." (Dr. R. Stricker)