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Robert M. Myers, N.D.
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THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT BORRELIA

Borrelia b. (Bb) is unique among pathogenic bacteria. Firstly; and most importantly with regards to its ability to evade therapeutic agents and our immune system, it has one of the most advanced and complex DNA structures of any bacteria known. This allows it to assess its surrounding chemistry and alter its cell membrane in an effort to ensure its survival.

Secondly; it has the ability to move through tissue. Being a spirochete, an organism more or less in the shape of a spiral, it can 'bore' deeply into our cells where it can hide form our immune system. This is also one of the reasons the organism can have such a devastating affect on the tissues of the heart, the nervous system and the joints. Once there it has another nasty little trick. If the situation looks dire for the bacteria it can form a cyst and remain encapsulated for 2-4 months then revert back to an active bacteria.

Thirdly; while most human bacterial pathogens utilize the element iron in its cell, Bb uses magnesium. This can result in a tissue deficiency of magnesium. Depending on the cells of our body that become deficient the resulting symptoms could be muscle twitches and spasms, irregular heart rhythm, high blood pressure or any one of a number of neurological or digestive symptoms. It is more than interesting that magnesium is a necessary ion in hundreds of reactions in the human body and that up to 50% of the American population is deficient in this essential nutrient. You may have found that some practitioners may recommend limiting ones intake of magnesium in an effort to "starve out the Bb". This is not a good idea and I, along with many others, recommend an increased intake of magnesium to avoid the above mentioned symptoms. The only caution here is if there is a complete atrioventricular block magnesium should be used with extreme care. See a physician if you have heart palpitations.

Fourth; the cell membrane of Bb is, no surprise, quite a bit different than other bacteria. Its membrane composition is more like that of the cells of mammals in that it contains phosphatidylcholine (PC). The other major component of its membrane is phosphatidylglycerol (PG). And, it doesn't appear to contain any phosphatidylserine (PS) in the cell membrane. Bb does not synthesize its PC via the more common pathway other cells utilize though it does appear to be able to manufacture its own. It is important to understand that all cells need to increase their cell membranes in order to divide and therefore reproduce. This leaves me considering that Bb's tendency to associate itself with our nervous system is possibly in part because our nerves are loaded with PC and what a nice source to tap into. It has also been suggested that having a cell membrane high in PC, and therefore "looking" like one of our own cells, may aid Bb in its effort to avoid our immune system.

Cinco; Borrelia b. produces and releases toxins into our bloodstream or directly into tissue. One toxin that has thus far been identified (Bbtox1) is considered to be a neurotoxin. It is not uncommon for pathogens to produce and release chemicals which negatively impact humans. The organisms associated with tick bites, however, are particularly notorious for producing neurotoxins. I am sure more Bb neurotoxins will be discovered as this is the only way that makes physiologic sense out of the myriad of seemingly random and migrating neurological symptoms associated with Lyme disease. Richie Shoemaker, MD, in his research regarding the neurological symptoms associated with estuary syndrome, discovered some interesting facts about pathogenic organisms and neurotoxins.

Sixth; Tryptophan is an essential amino acid. In our bodies it is necessary for the formation of serotonin and melatonin. It is also an important nutrient to our immune system, as is melatonin. The Lyme spirochete alters tryptophan metabolism which may result in a decrease serum tryptophan level. A decrease in tryptophan availability results in a lowered immune response to Bb and may lower the levels of serotonin and melatonin in our tissues.

Some of this information, and more, is in Stephen Harrod Buhner's book Healing Lyme. This is a very good book and highly recommended. Most of the information here is from research journal articles which are referenced in the bibliography to this site. Keep the above in mind as the uniqueness of Bb will come up again in the discussions about treatments and prevention of tissue damage.

CO-INFECTIONS

After reading the following you may think, "There must be an easier way". There are many. Unfortunately most may not give the results you desire. Divine intervention is good if you can work that one out. I have worked with many patients with you-name-it chronic disease and addressing the following issues is a must. It is also beneficial to deal with any chronic stressors you may have, infectious or not, if you are wanting to prevent diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, dementia and many more. Anything can be a stressor and keep in mind:

STRESS=IRRITATION=INFLAMMATION=DISEASE

You needn't look far to confirm this analogy. Time, Newsweek, The Walls Street Journal and other periodicals have recently published articles on the relationship of inflammation to disease.

Remove the stressors from your life. Think only positively about your outcome. If you are in a support group where others, and yourself, focus on the limitations of Lyme disease, change that focus to one of getting well or leave the group. Use your mind to gather information about the best course of action and to heal yourself not to support your disease and present limitations.

As stated earlier, a co-infection can be any infection your body is dealing with in conjunction with Lyme disease. Although not caused by infectious agents, heavy metal toxicity, food allergies, chronic emotional stress, negative cellular patterning and many other co-conditions will compromise your ability to recover from Lyme disease. Again, see Dr. Klinghardt's article. To give your body the best chance of resolving Lyme it must have a properly functioning immune system and the ability to detoxify and eliminate the debris of infection and inflammation. Making Borrelia b. your body's priority is paramount and it will have a difficult time of it with any of the mentioned obstacles.

I am not going to go into length about the symptoms of all of the possible co-infectious agents. Basically, if you suffer from chronic symptoms in any system of your body, you probably have one or more co-infection. And, it is safe to state that we all need to better manage stress and deal with old psychological baggage. The most common problematic co-infections are those in the intestinal tract, including the gallbladder, and the mouth. Other chronic infections i.e. the skin or urinary tract are often secondary to these. As such, I recommend getting a thorough dental exam and dealing with any abscesses or other problems. In terms of the intestinal tract, most M.D.s and local labs do not think beyond the common pathogens. Also local labs do not run enough stool analysis's to be good at the culturing and staining techniques required to adequately detect parasites and yeast/fungi. It is important to have a stool analysis if you have present intestinal symptoms or a history of a parasitic infection. Have your doctor order a test from one of the labs listed in the Diagnostic labs link. Some of these labs will let you order your tests directly.

Heavy metal toxicity can be a major complicating condition and a common problem in the world today. Check out the labs for those testing for heavy metals.

BUGS THAT MAY HAVE COME WITH THE BITE

The most common co-infection organism associated with Lyme disease is Babesia. Others are not nearly as prevalent and include; Erlichia and Bartonella. Testing for these organisms is often done at the same labs that test for Borrelia b. Again, Igenex is a comprehensive lab for the testing of all of these organisms.

Being the most common, and the one I have dealt with, I will go into a little detail about Babesia. This is a protozoa similar to the one associated with malaria in the way it acts in our bodies and the symptoms those of us diseased with it express. See any of the Lyme sites for a description of the possible symptoms of a Babesia infection. Given that this protozoa infects our red blood cells (RBCs) and can destroy them it is understandable that many of the symptoms associated with babesiosis are a result of this situation. Loss of RBCs leads to anemia and the fragments of RBC destruction can compromise microcirculation as well a create enlargement of the spleen. An infection with Babesia and Borrelia tends to result in a much worse presentation of both diseases.

The allopathic treatment for babesiosis, at this time, is a combination of an anti-malarial drug and azythromycin. Fortunately the organism is, like the malaria protozoa, susceptible to the constituents of the herb Artemisia annua, mainly artemisinin (supplements). An interesting point is that artemisinin is now the most promising substance being used to treat the very drug resistant malaria protozoa.