Re: [at-l] Update on Lyme Disease study

As a caution, let's wait on the report to get too aggressive on
treating Lyme. The preliminary results suggest that often us doctors
miss the diagnosis and may overtreat for the disease with useless
chronic antibiotics. I'll be very interested which HLA subtypes are
those most at risk, and if this study suggests that HLA typing should
be part of the diagnostic workup. We know that certain HLA subgroups
are at increased risk with the vaccine.

The pearl to keep is to obsessively do tick checks daily. Find a
partner to help check where you cannot see. They like dark private
little crevices, such as behind your ears and under your arms. Assure
that this is done on a daily basis. The only definite preventative
measure appears to be keeping the deer tick off of you for more than 24
hours (preferably less).

I am sorry that Furtrapper had the opportunity to contribute to medical
research. I am glad that the side of his study was not a treatment
option that further injured him (although it is usually a bit
frustrating to learn you were on placebo). At least we are probably out
of the high risk season until next Spring.

Bill...

(and just wait, there appears to be a few more tick borne and mosquitoe
borne bugs in our near future.)

--- FLATers@webtv.net wrote:
> Well, Friday we received a call from Dr. Linden Hu, lead clinition
> for
> the study there. He wanted to inform us of the findings before it
> went
> public. They determined from the data quite a bit including...
> 1) Continual antibiotic treatment on these patients does NOT help,
> and may in fact cause more problems.
> 2) Chronic Lyme is being documented as being very dibilitating, very
> much like congestive heart failure! (wow!, this is one of the first
> times that I've seen that stated anywhere!)
> 3) One common test for Lyme is of no use at all...might as well flip
> a coin. More accurate testing must be developed.
> 4) The genetic makeup of the auto-immune system of the individual
> prior
> to contracting lyme, seems to be a very large link as to why some
> patients end up chronically ill. This may eventually lead to
> different treatments for different folks.
> 5).....much more too I'm sure.....
> 


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To:            "Gary Ticknor" <garyticknor@starpower.net>
Cc:            <at-l@backcountry.net>