Lyme Disease

Brazenly lifted from
[link to health.groups.yahoo.com]

There are MANY tasty little tidbits in this article, so have at it me buckos

BTW, I´m guessing you have to be a member of this Yahoo group in order to read it.
****************************

The more I read about Lyme disease the more I think everyone with
mercury poisoning needs to get tested. For those people, like
myself, who do not seem to get better may actually be dealing with
this bacteria as well.



New Ideas About the Cause, Spread
and Therapy of Lyme Disease
by Dr. James Howenstine

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, July 2004

Lyme Disease was initially regarded as an uncommon illness caused by
the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb). The disease transmission
was thought to be solely by the bite from a tick infected with this
spirochete. The Bb spirochete is able to burrow into tendons, muscle
cells, ligaments, and directly into organs. A classic bulls-eye rash
is often visible in the early stage of the illness. Later in the
illness the disease can afflict the heart, nervous system, joints and
other organs. It is now realized that the disease can mimic
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson´s disease, multiple
sclerosis, Bell´s Palsy, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, neuritis,
psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia, chronic fatigue, heart
failure, angina, irregular heart rhythms, fibromyalgia, dermatitis,
autoimmune diseases such as scleroderma and lupus, eye inflammatory
reactions, sudden deafness, SIDS, ADD and hyperactivity, chronic pain
and many other conditions.

Biology professor, Lida Mattman, author of Cell Wall Deficient Forms:
Stealth Pathogens, has been able to recover live spirochetes of Bb
from mosquitos, fleas, mites, semen, urine, blood, and spinal fluid.
A factor contributing to making Bb so dangerous is that it can
survive and spread without having a cell wall (cell wall-deficient
CWD). Many valuable antibiotics kill bacteria by breaking down the
cell wall. These antibiotics often prove ineffective against Bb.

Lyme Disease is now thought to be the fastest growing infectious
disease in the world. There are believed to be at least 200,000 new
cases each year in the US and some experts think that as many as one
in every 15 Americans is currently infected (20 million persons). Dr.
Robert Rowen knows a family where the mother´s infection spread to 5
of her 6 children1 all of whom recovered with appropriate therapy. It
is difficult to believe that these children were all bitten by ticks
and seems more plausible that person to person spread within the
family caused this problem. Dr. Mattman states "I´m convinced Lyme
disease is transmissible from person to person." In 1995 Dr. Mattman
obtained positive cultures for Bb from 43 of 47 persons with chronic
illness. Only 1 of 23 control patients had a positive Bb culture.
Dr. Mattman has subsequently recovered Bb spirochetes form 8 out of 8
cases of Parkinson´s Disease, 41 cases of multiple sclerosis, 21
cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and all tested cases of
Alzheimer´s Disease. The complete recovery of several patients with
terminal amyotrophic lateral sclerosis after appropriate therapy
shows the great importance of establishing the diagnosis of Lyme
Disease.


Some very important information has recently become available about
the spread and magnitude of the problem with Lyme Disease. The
severity of the Lyme illness is related to the spirochete load in the
patient. Few spirochetes produce mild and asymptomatic infection. A
study from Switzerland in 1998 pointed out that only 12.5% of
patients testing positive for Bb had developed symptoms. A German boy
developed Lyme arthritis 5 years after his tick bite. Often
mycoplasmal infections remain without symptoms until the victim
suffers a traumatic event (stress, injury, accident, etc.). These
stressing events enable the mycoplasma to begin consumption of
cholesterol and symptoms may begin to present. The mechanism of this
deterioration is thought to be suppression of the immune system
secondary to stress.

Many patients with LD have concomitant infections with other
parasites (Ehrlichia in white blood cells and Babesia in red blood
cells). Some patients have all 3 parasites. Each requires a
different therapy with Babesia being particularly difficult to
eradicate. Recently, Artemisinin appears effective in Babesia
infections. All co-infections must be eliminated to obtain a
successful result.

Dr. Joanne Whitaker relates that nearly every patient with
Parkinson´s Disease (PD) has tested positive for Bb. Dr. Luis Romero
reports that 3 patients with PD are 99% better after TOA-free cat´s
claw (Uncaria tomentosa) therapy. When Dr. Mattman cultures 25
patients with fibromyalgia all subjects had positive cultures of the
CWD Bb, which causes LD. She relates that Bb can be found in tears
and could thus easily appear on the hands where touching could spread
LD. Several families are now documented where nearly every family
member is infected. How sick the individual patient becomes probably
relates to their initial spirochete dose, immune system,
detoxification capability and stress levels.

Transmission of the disease has been clearly documented after bites
by fleas, mites, mosquitos and ticks. There is compelling evidence
that Lyme disease (LD) can be spread by sexual and congenital
transfer. One physician has cared for 5000 children with LD: 240 of
these children were born with the disease. Dr. Charles Ray Jones,
the leading pediatric specialist on Lyme Disease, has found 12
breastfed children who have developed LD. Miscarriage, premature
births, stillbirths, birth defects, and transplacental infection of
the fetus have all been reported. Studies at the University of Vienna
have found Bb in urine and breast milk of LD mothers.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin have reported that dairy
cattle can be infected with Bb, hence milk could be contaminated. Bb
can also be transmitted to lab animals by oral intake such as food.

The Sacramento, California blood bank thinks that LD can be spread by
blood transfusions. The CDC (Center of Disease Control) in Atlanta,
Georgia states that their data indicates that Bb can survive the
blood processing techniques used for transfusions in the US.

Lyme Disease is the fastest growing epidemic in the world. LD is
grossly under-reported so there may be far more than the 200,000
cases reported annually in the US. Drs. Harvey and Salvato estimate
that 1 billion persons in the world may be infected with LD. LD is
thought to be a contributing factor in 50% of patients who have
chronic illness.

Dr. Joanne Whitaker, a Lyme disease victim from childhood, has
developed a reliable test for the presence of Lyme disease. This
test looks for the Bb organism, not antibodies, and is able to
identify the cell wall deficient (CWD) form of the spirochete as well
as the actual Bb organism. The test is called Q-RIBb which stands
for quantitative rapid identification of Bb. Dr. Lida Mattman has
confirmed that Dr. Whitaker´s test is sensitive because there has
been a 100% correlation between a positive culture of Bb by Dr.
Mattman´s lab and a positive Q-RIBb test from Dr. Whitaker´s
Laboratory.

Case Reports Illustrating the Critical Importance of
Establishing the Diagnosis of Lyme Disease.

Case 1: Larry Powers, a former Mr. America in 1962, became ill with
the symptoms of Parkinson´s Disease in 1990. Sinemet therapy was
taken for eight years but he gradually became worse. He became
confined to a wheel chair and required help with eating. After
learning that Lyme Disease might be causing his symptoms of PD he
started taking TOA-free cat´s claw (Uncaria tomentosa). Within three
weeks he was out of his wheelchair and fishing for 100 pound tarpon.

Case 2: Tom Coffey at age 34 developed diplopia, severe hypertension
uncontrolled by drugs, and impaired balance. A diagnosis of
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis was made. Surgery was performed to
correct the diplopia. By June 2001 he was unable to swallow saliva
and feeding tube nutrition was begun. His weight had fallen by 100
pounds. Nutritional support from the tube feedings produced slow
resolution of the swallowing problem. Consultation with a Lyme expert
uncovered the history of a bulls-eye rash after a tick bite. Therapy
with Rocephin led to complete recovery.

Case 3: A young male college student developed such sever cognitive
difficulties he was forced to drop out of school. A Q-RIBb test was
positive for LD and he resumed a normal life after receiving 4 months
of antibiotic therapy.

What Causes Neurone Death in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)?

One of the most insidious mimics for Lyme Disease is ALS. The
neurotoxins released by the Bb organism are capable of causing
neurologic dysfunction in the central nervous system that produces
symptoms typical of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The pathological
hallmark of ALS is motor neurone degeneration and death.

Research performed by Dr. Harold Clark and Dr. Garth Nicholson and
coordinated by Donald W. Scott2 has resulted in a breakthrough in our
understanding of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Mycoplasma was discovered in 1898. These are living particles of
bacterial nucleic acid which do not have a cell wall. In 1971 Rottem
et al.3 learned that most species of mycoplasma were absolutely
dependent for their growth on the consumption of pre-formed sterols
including cholesterol obtained from animal and human host cells.
These mycoplasmas live harmlessly in host cells until they are
stimulated to activity by a stressing traumatic event (bullet wound,
bad fall, injury from accident etc.). The growth of the mycoplasma
consumes the cell´s cholesterol resulting in death of the affected
cell. Mycoplasmas have been identified in ALS using high resolution
blood morphology. In the November 9, 2001 issue of Science Dr.
Daniel Mauch4 et al. revealed that the glial cells surrounding the
motor neurone sully the extra cholesterol needed to repair and
replace aging synapses. If the repair does not properly occur, the
motor neurone cells proceed to die form overwork. Glial cells are
also heavily involved in gathering, processing and storing glutamate.
Elevations in glutamate have been found in brain tissue in ALS.

A mycoplasma species, probably fermentans, which was harmlessly
sequestered in a glial cell, becomes aroused by some traumatic
stressful event. This mycoplasma then consumes the glial cholesterol
which makes up 40% of the glial cell membrane, causing rupture and
death of the glial dell. The death of these glial cells releases
large amounts of glutamate which becomes elevated in brain tissue.
Within the neurone some of the excess glutamate accesses a urea
molecule. The urea molecule gives up an ammonia ion which converts a
glutamate molecule into less dangerous glutamine. This leaves the
former urea molecule as a cyanate ion which damages the motor
neurone´s mitochondria. One of the consequences of the damaged
mitochondria is a decrease in the energy output available to the
neurone. This produces the severe weakness and fatigue seen in
patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. If the mitochondrial injury
is severe the neurone dies. The death of motor neurone stops message
delivery to muscle tissue – a universal finding in ALS.

This avid consumption of cholesterol may also contribute to the
endocrine dysfunction seen in ALS because it decreases the amount of
cholesterol available to produce estrogen, testosterone,
progesterone, hydrocortisone, and aldosterone. Patients with ALS,
fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome often have hypothalamic
dysfunction which may result in adrenal insufficiency,
hypothyroidism, and gonadal failure.

Lyme disease frequently exhibits neurologic abnormalities because the
Bb neurotoxins are drawn to the fatty tissue found in the brain and
peripheral nerves. As a consequence sudden deafness, Bells palsy,
Parkinson´s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, reflex sympathetic
dystrophy, peripheral neuritis, and chronic pain may appear.

The Influence of Toxins from Bb on the Symptoms and Course of Lyme
Disease

Autopsy examinations of young persons (30s) dying from what appeared
to be Parkinson´s disease (PD) have frequently failed to confirm the
basal ganglion damage that would be expected in classic PD seen in
the elderly. Some patients with illnesses of many years´ duration
misdiagnosed as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Multiple Scleroris,
and Parkinson´s Disease have made incredible recoveries within
periods as short as 24 to 72 hours when placed on TOA-free Uncaria
tomentosa (cat´s claw) for LD. This rapid response could not
rationally be attributed to improved immune function or bacteriocidal
effects on spirochetes. Bb is known to produce a group of
neurotoxins. The most sensible explanation for this recovery lies in
turning off or blocking the neurotoxins effects of Bb on the lipid
containing structures that the Bb neurotoxins are attracted to
(central nervous system, peripheral nerves, muscles, joints, etc.).
This sudden improvement appears to be the result of blockage and
inhibition of the neurotoxins.5 The most important example of
a "Biotoxin Illness" appears to be Lyme Disease.6 Patients with
symptoms of Parkinson´s Disease at a young age caused by neurotoxins
would not be expected to show permanent structural destruction in the
basal ganglia. These neurotoxins probably act at specific sites such
as neuro-transmitters-pre and post synaptic membranes, altering
dopamine, serotonin, GABA, and acetylcholine molecules, thereby
blocking surface membrane receptors of various kinds which would
interfere with the proper action of enzymes, coenzymes and hormones.
This is only one of the damaging mechanisms of action of the
neurotoxins.

The Uncaria tomentosa may have three direct beneficial effects in
humans with LD:

* Immune modulation (correcting immune dysfunction).
* Direct broad spectrum anti-microbial effect on spirochetes.
Quinovic acid glycosides found in TOA-free cat´s claw are similar to
the quinilones widely used as antibiotics.
* Blocking the adverse neurotoxic effects on cells, enzymes, and
hormones.

Whether the serious lack of energy and fatigue seen in LD are similar
to the cyanate7 induced damage to the mitochondria´s ability to
produce energy in the motor neurone found in amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis, or is due to failure of proper calcium channel function is
not clear.

Favorable Therapeutic Results with TOA-Free Cat´s Claw in Lyme Disease

A pilot study treated 28 patients with Advanced Chronic Lyme Disease
with TOA-Free Uncaria tomentosa. Conventional cat´s claw contains
TOA alkaloids that interfere with the desired immune modulation. The
14 person control group was given antibiotic therapy. At the study´s
termination 85% of those receiving the cat´s claw preparation no
longer had positive blood tests for Bb. All 28 persons had
experienced a dramatic improvement in their clinical condition. No
significant changes were seen in the control group. The Prima Uña de
Gato can be obtained from Allergy Research Group 800-545-9960,
Nutramedix (product name Samento Plus) 561-745-2917, and from
Farmacopia at 800-896-1484. Dr. Whitaker´s lab can be reached by
Internet at www.Bowen.org or by calling 727-937-9077 to arrange blood
Bb testing. Improving nutrition, detoxifying and improving mental
health all contribute to good results. Removal of mercury amalgams
and treatment of heavy metals may be needed.

Much of this information about LD was obtained from "Lyme disease:
Nutraceutical Breakthrough Using TOA-Free Cat´s Claw" published in
Focus by Allergy Research Group (October 2003) and from the November
and December 2003 issues of Dr. Robert Rowen´s Second Opinion.

Why Are We Experiencing an Epidemic of Lyme Disease?

I do not have a certain answer to this question. There are some facts
that may be relevant. Several US government scientists including Dr.
Shuy-Ching Lo, of the American Institute of Pathology, hold a patent
on a Pathogenic Mycoplasma (mycoplasma fermentans) which has been
converted into a crystalline form. In the patent application the
diseases AIDS, chronic fatigue syndrome, Wegener´s Granulomatosis,
Sarcoidosis, lupus and Alzheimer´s Disease were mentioned as related
to this patented form of mycoplasma fermentens. The crystalline form
of mycoplasma fermentens contains the part of the brucella bacteria
that causes disease in patients. In its crystalline form this
mycoplasma can be transmitted into subjects by intravenous
administration or injections, spread as an aerosol, implanted by the
bite of an insect, or placed into food or water. There is no
laboratory evidence for infection by brucella in subjects who have
received the "crystalline pathogenic mycoplasma."

When a nation is developing biologic warfare agents it is imperative
that these agents be tested on humans to evaluate the results. If an
infectious biologic warfare agent was able to produce person to
person transfer it would have to be regarded as a gigantic success.

In the Faroe Islands in 1943 British biowar researchers ran tests to
see if sheep could be infected by air-borne brucella. The brucella
spread into sheep dogs as brucella canis and then appeared to cause
several humans to develop multiple sclerosis.

In 1947 and 1948, approximately 1,100 school children in remote
northern Icelandic villages (Akureyri) became ill with a new disease
that caused severe burning pain in the limbs, profound muscle
weakness, and severe fatigue. Of these 1,100 teenagers who became
ill, 5 of the students developed an aggressive form of Parkinson´s
disease and proceeded to die (unheard of in teenagers not using
methedrine-like drugs). The United States had effective control of
Iceland during these years and a research scientist trained in plant
and animal virology at the Rockefeller Institute (oriented toward
eugenics), Dr. Bjorn Sigurdson, was installed to start an Institute
of Experimental Pathology at the University of Iceland with $200,000
in grant money from the Rockefeller Institute. In 1950 a group of
American physicians, microbiologists, and biologic researchers
sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation arrived in Iceland to study
the effects of the mystery illness that had struck Northern Iceland.
The appearance of a new disease was of such great interest that
Icelandic Disease was promptly reported in the New England Journal of
Medicine.

The Canadian government set up the Dominion Parasite Laboratory in
Belleville, Ontario in the 1950´s and 60´s to grow one hundred
million mosquitos a month. In late August of 1984, 500 persons in
the St. Lawrence Valley became ill with a mystery illness which had
the profound weakness seen in brucellosis without any laboratory
evidence of brucella infection. One woman was certain her illness
came from a mosquito bite. She recalled being bitten by a mosquito
and woke up the next day with a target skin lesion at the bite site
(same skin lesion as seen in Lyme Disease) and such profound weakness
she was unable to get out of bed. Another woman recalled a target
lesion at the site of a mosquito bite. Both women remain ill 20 years
later.

Citizens in Punta Gorda, Florida woke up one spring morning in 1956
with a cloud of mosquitos in their town. Calls to the Meteorological
Service about the mosquito influx were answered with the information
that there had been a forest fire thirty miles away in the Everglades
and that these mosquitos had fled the fire. The truth is mosquitos
will not move from one side of a barn to the other when a fire breaks
out, let alone fly 30 miles. One week later 5 persons appeared in the
local medical clinic with symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome.

In 1984 mycoplasma may have been transmitted by aerosol into a high
school in Incline Village, Nevada, where many persons suddenly
developed chronic fatigue syndrome. Children became ill with a
similar mysterious illness in 1984 after drinking goat´s milk in
Lyndonville, New York. The cities of Adelaide, Australia 1949, West
Otago, New Zealand 1984, and Royal Free Hospital London, England 1955
have all been visited by mini-epidemics of chronic fatigue syndrome.

These mycoplasmas, when activated by stress, are avid consumers of
sterols including cholesterol. A series of chemical reactions
ensues culminating in the creation of cyanate which causes failure of
normal energy production by the mitochondria of the cells. This could
produce the profound weakness and fatigue characteristics of chronic
fatigue syndrome. A 2 to 3 month trial of 300 to 500 mg. of CoQ10
daily might be able to improve energy output by the mitochondria thus
possibly alleviating the profound fatigue.

When the illness causes painful trigger points, it is best termed
fibromyalgia. These painful sites are located where blood flow is
stagnant. Chronic infections are known to produce high viscosity
blood which tends to clot a flow more slowly than normal.

Profound dysfunction of the hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal, thyroid
glands and gonads is very common in mycoplasmal, fungal, and anerobic
bacterial infections. The avid consumption of cholesterol by
activated mycoplasma could be a contributing factor to these
endocrine disorders because cholesterol is needed to create several
important hormones (estrogen, testosterone, progesterone,
hydrocortisone, aldosterone).

Bacteriologist Dr. Arthur Kendall was able to produce 16 distinct
bacteria8 by simply using different culture media to culture the same
bacteria. Dr. Royal Rife´s Universal Microscope could see organisms
as small as viruses. By using Dr. Rife´s microscope Dr. Kendall
could actually see living organisms change their characteristics as
the culture media were changed. Dr. G.C. Gruner of McGill University
used an asparagus media to grow a fungus found in the blood of
patients with cancer. When this fungus was grown in Kendall´s medium
it converted into the Bx virus which had been proven by Koch´s
postulates to cause cancer. These experiments proved that the fungus
that Dr. Gruner saw in the blood of cancer patients was actually the
same organism as the Bx virus that Dr. Kendall had proven causes
cancer. Obviously, biologic micro-organisms exhibit considerable
pleomorphism which may explain why observers do not find the same
organisms in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia,
and Lyme Disease as those being found by other observers (HHN-G, CMV,
EBV viruses, parasites Bb, ehrlichae, babesia, bartonella,
mycoplasma, Chlamydia, anerobic bacteria, yeast and fungi have all
been implicated).

There is considerable evidence that many patients with Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Lyme disease have an infectious
disease. Lyme disease needs to be considered in every patient with a
chronic illness. LD can produce every disease found in the Diagnostic
Symptoms Manual for psychiatric illness (attention deficit disorder
ADD, antisocial personality, panic attacks, anorexia nervosa, autism,
Aspergers syndrome, etc.). Skilled antimicrobial therapy should
permit many of these unfortunate patients to regain their health. TOA-
free cat´s claw will be valuable for many persons with Bb found by
blood tests and culture. Sulfoxime and dioxychlor will relieve the
pain found in fibromyalgia. Dietary changes, correction of pH,
detoxification and stress reduction counseling can all be beneficial.

The United States maintains a biological warfare research laboratory
on Plum Island directly across Long Island Sound from the sites where
Lyme Disease and West Nile Disease were first encountered in Old Lyme
and Madison, Connecticut. Massive deaths of birds are common at the
sites where West Nile viral disease appears, suggesting that the
illness may afflict birds before entering humans. Dr. Warren Levin of
Wilton, Connecticut states that 56% of the families in Wilton have at
least one family member with LD. Could seagulls containing
crystalline mycoplasma fermentens and West Nile Virus have escaped or
been released from Plum Island?

Much of this information about biowarfare agents and crystalline
mycoplasma fermentens is from an article written by biochemist Donald
W. Scott and published in the Winter 2003 edition of The Journal of
Degenerative Diseases Volume 5 Number 1. The publisher is Common
Cause Medical Research Foundation, Box 133, Station B, Sudbury,
Ontario, Canada P3E 4NR Canada.

Dr. James Howenstine is a specialist in internal medicine. He is
author of the book A Physician´s Guide to Natural Health Products
that Work, 328 pg. $17.95. His book can be obtained from Amazon.com,
naturalhealthteam.com and by calling 1-800-416-2806. Dr. Howenstine
can be reached at jimhow@r... and by writing Dr. James
Howenstine c/o Remarsa USA SB 37, P.O. Box 25292, Miami, Florida
33102-5292

References

1. Rowen, Robert. If you have any chronic debilitating disease,
you could be the victim of a Monster Epidemic! Second Opinion Vol
X111 No. 11 November 2003
2. Scott, D.W., Crusader P.O. Box 618205, Orlando, FL 32861-8205
October-November 2002 pg. 26-32. Also see Scott, D.W. and Scott,
W.L.C. Amyotrophic LateralSclerosis: The Probable Cause; A Possible
Cure 233 Government St., Suite 6E, Victoria, B.C. Canada V8T 4P4; 888-
232-444,
ISBN 1-55395-214-6
3. Rottem, Pfend, Hayflick. Sterol Requirements of T-strain
Mycoplasmas Journal of Bacteriology 1971
4. Daniel Daniel H., Nagler, Goritz, Muller, Otto, Pfrieger. CNS
Synaptogenesis Promoted by Glia-Derived Cholesterol. Science Nov. 9,
2001
5. Romero, Luis M.D.,PhD, Neurotoxins Focus, Allergy Research
Group Newsletter pg. 10 Oct. 2003
6. Shoemaker, C. M.D., Hudnall, Kenneth, PhD. Focus, Allergy
Research Group Newsletter pg. 10 Oct. 2003
7. Scott, Donald W. Lou, Gehrig´s Disease is Not a Mistery Anymore
Crusader pg. 31 Oct-November 2002
8. Montgomery, Shawn, The Rise and Fall of a Scientific Genius
(video) Zero Zero Productions, 3 Baldoon Rd., Toronto, Ontario,
Canada M1B 1Vd; www.zerozerotwo.org