Lyme Disease Bacterium Came From Europe Before Ice Age

Science Daily ^ | 6-29-2008 | Wellcome Trust

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Lyme Disease Bacterium Came From Europe Before Ice Age

The blacklegged tick Ixodes pacificus, a known vector for Borrelia burgdorferi, the pathogen responsible for Lyme disease. (Credit: CDC/ James Gathany; William Nicholson)

ScienceDaily (June 30, 2008) — Researchers at the University of Bath have discovered that a bacterium that causes Lyme disease originated in Europe, rather than in North America as previously thought.

The bacterium responsible for Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, originated in America, or so researchers thought. Now, however, a team from the University of Bath has shown that this bug in fact came from Europe, originating from before the Ice Age.

By understanding the origins of the bacterium and how it has evolved so far researchers hope to be able to predict how it will continue to develop, and so find ways to prevent its spread.

In the study, researchers from the University of Bath and colleagues from the UK and USA studied the evolutionary history of the bacteria by looking at the sequences of eight so-called 'housekeeping genes', which evolve very slowly. They analysed 64 different samples taken from infected humans and ticks in Europe and America.

[blam]

GGG Ping?

[Nick Danger]

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Lyme disease caused by Global Warming!

[Santino Sonny Corleone]

this is scary disease. If you think you might have it you can go nuts, as many symptoms can be commom and it's hard to detect as well.

[Sacajaweau]

Lived in Va for a year. Felt a bite on my stomach. Yup..It was a tic. I pulled it off...Put it in a bag...looked for the head with a magnifying glass...put a circle around the "wound" with a marker....and waited.

Discovered they were all over my workplace...The guys were bringing them in from the field.

[Dr. Sivana]

If you think you might have it you can go nuts,

If it is a close call, just take the anti-biotics. Much better than letting it fester. It is VERY treatable in the early going. (I contracted it when I lived about 20 miles from Lyme, CT in a heavily wooded area.)

[WVKayaker]

I was tick bit in March 1994. I walked in the woods near Paris, VA. I did not know it until I was bathing and discovered the critter on my belt line, almost posterior. I pulled it off and gave it little thought. I scratched at the site a couple days later, but saw no bullseye. It was a difficult site to self-observe.

In July, I woke up one Wednesday with what I perceived to be a toothache. On Thursday, it hurt enough to make a dental appt. When I woke on Friday, I hurt so much I went to a doc, where I was initially diagnosed with a "sinus" infection. But, another doc was consulted and decided to send a blood sample to Minnesota, since VA didn't test for Lyme at the time. Mayo determined i had the dreaded disease, and another round of antibiotics was prescribed.

In October, while in the woods again, I was struck in the face with a tree branch. My cheek swelled up like a baloon. The docs gave me some stronger stuff.

Dec 21st, they found me incoherent, walking in my woods. I was committed to the state hospital, where they kept me locked up past the holidays. A snow storm had kept the docs from visiting the inmates, so I remained hostage to the little critter until after the New Year. Fortunately, there are doctors who practice real medicine.

The psychiatrist had diagnosed me with a severe cocaine reaction. I admit having smoked a lot of pot, but I never used any white stuff. I figured I would like it too much.

One of the nurses realized I was not only sane and oherent, but needed a proper diagnosis. She called on one of her Docs from "the other side", the physicians. After testing, he placed me on an intravenous regimen similar to chemo. It did the trick.

The moral of this story, is GET ANY TICK BITE CHECKED!

[Santino Sonny Corleone]

I have seen them crawl on me (twice,) but never saw or felt a bite. Lived near a wooded area. What would you do? I heard that they have to stay inside for at least 24 hours to even have a chance, and even then, not all carry it.

[EggsAckley]

You’re right. It IS very treatable in the early stage. But here in California the problem is that just about every MD refuses to admit that it even exists, because the insurance carriers don’t want to cover it. By the time I finally found an MD who would treat it (120 miles away) I was a bit beyond the “early stage.”

A very nasty disease.

[Dr. Sivana]

But here in California the problem is that just about every MD refuses to admit that it even exists, because the insurance carriers don’t want to cover it.

My treatment was a test (which cannot be conclusive), two doctors visits, and $10 in anti-biotics. Are these insurance companies crazy? If you think you might have it, pay out of pocket!

I am very sorry that the doctors wouldn't treat yours early. The randomness of symptoms and the possibility of lifelong energy loss and heart damage is awful. (Many doctors EVEN IN CONNECTICUT [in the 80's], thought it was over diagnosed.) Some physicians have to do a cost/benefit analysis. With even a 5% chance, it is worth it to give the treatment (unless there is some likely complication from anti-biotics).

[Dr. Sivana]

. What would you do? I heard that they have to stay inside for at least 24 hours to even have a chance, and even then, not all carry it.

My wife blamed our cat, even though he had front line top spot on. I blame the bushes near our front door at the time, as I was (and am) NOT an out doorsey person. After I had a flu that came and went, and general lethargy, she discovered the bulls-eye rash on the back of my leg. That simplified the diagnosis. I would respond just to symptoms. If you get to it within a few months, you should be okay, so any old tick bite does not need treatment. Deer ticks are MUCH smaller than ordinary ticks, and the regular kind don't carry the disease.

[EggsAckley]

Dr. S,

I searched and searched for an MD who would test me and none would, in my county. Therefore I had to drive three counties away to find one. By then I'd had it for nearly two months. And I did not have insurance; I was self-pay. It's just that the MDs in this stupid leftist county (Santa Cruz) are so brainwashed that they wouldn't even listen. They even were willing to test me for A.I.D.S., Agent Orange, Chronic Fatigue, etc., all things which USED to be on the no-no list. Now they've graduated, but Lyme's is on the no-no list.

Actually, in the past several years, there is suddenly a Lyme's Support Group, and SOME MDs are actually admitting that it might be a real thing.

Mine is under control, by the way, although I still think I have some residual symptoms occurring. Not enough to see the Doc, but enough to remind me.

[hellbender]

Deer ticks are MUCH smaller than ordinary ticks, and the regular kind don't carry the disease.

Regular or large-sized ticks, like the dog tick, may carry other serious diseases, like Rocky Mt. Spotted Fever and Ehrlichiosis.

[Cacique]

btt

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks.

[GingisK]

I just had this imaginary flash of three very tiny boats....

[Citizen Tom Paine]

My input on tics. If you live in an area where there are tics, here are some precautions.
1. Every time you go out where there are tics upon returning to your house take off all your clothes and examine your entire body for tics. You can do this with someone else. Ih a tic os in you, remove it by unscrewing it. Do not pull it off. Then burn the tic.
2. Run your fingers through your hair several times looking for a tic. Someone else may do this also.
3. I always used alcohol on a tic bite after I had removed the tic. Tics don’t bight immediately. They crawl around and then bite.
4. You must do the same thing for your dog. Run your fingers all over its body to feel for tics. Remove all that you find and burn them. Look into their ears also. If you don’t remove tics from your animals, you will get tics in your house. An exterminator is required to get rid of them.
5. Treat any young child just like a dog to find tics.

I hope this helps.

[al baby]

Sounds like fun sorta like conserve water shower with a friend

[9YearLurker]

Thanks, Citizen Tom Paine. Why the burning?

[blam]

"Mine is under control, by the way, although I still think I have some residual symptoms occurring. Not enough to see the Doc, but enough to remind me. "

Me too. The doctor I saw in Dallas in the late 80's sent me to Mexico for Rulid which hadn't yet been approved by the FDA in the US. I was diagnosed last week with Reactive Arthritis and suspect it may be related to the Lyme.

"Lyme Disease:

Roxithromycin (Rulid) has been reported to be of benefit in patients with late-stage symptoms (neuroborreliosis, (1) arthritis (2)) of Lyme disease, given in combination with co-trimoxazole, although the contribution of the latter is uncertain. (3) 1. Gasser R, Dusleag J. Oral treatment of late borreliosis with roxithromycin plus co-trimoxazole. Lancet 1990- 336: 1189-90. 2. Pedersen LM, Friis-Moller A. Late treatment of chronic Lyme arthritis. Lancet 1991- 337: 241. 3. Bowman CA. Oral treatment of late borreliosis with roxithromycin plus co-trimoxazole. Lancet 1990- 336: 1514.