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| NATIONAL NEWS |
| IOWA NEWS |
2007. For more information see this CDC website: CDC Lyme disease cases
Iowans and anyone else interested in discussing Lyme issues. Want to find out how others are being treated? Is someone else afflicted with the same symptom? You are not alone, dealing with this disease. Let's help each other! Iowa Lyme Chat Group
a good time to educate Iowan's. Contact us for more information.
for a friend in another state? Does your local physician need to consult with a more knowledgeable doctor? Check out this link.
us( ILDA -ED), an email for this list. |
| ***Disclaimer: The information provided on this web site should not take the place of any quality medical care. It is provided for patient information only. ILDA does not engage in rendering medical services. |
| LYME NEWS National - State - Midwest |
| Iowa lyme Disease Association - Education P.O. Box 221 Brighton, IA 52540 Email: iowalymedisease@yahoo.com |
New Midwest Lyme Literate Physician Guide If you are looking for a knowledgeable doctor in the Midwest, send us an email for this list. Outdoor Lovers BEWARE Ticks are active this summer with all of the rainfall. Be sure to take precautions. Where light colored long pants and long sleeved clothing. Stop and check every so often for ticks crawling on your clothes. Spray clothes with an approved repellent. Do not let outdoor clothes lie around. Wash and dry in a high heat cycle for at least 30 min. to eliminate ticks and the bacteria. |
| LYME DISEASE HIGHLIGHTS |
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| MIDWEST NEWS |
IS A DEFINITIVE LYME TEST ON THE HORIZON?
Columbia) has completed extensive research which shows there is a different borrelia in the Midwest. He created a PCR primer that amplified any strain of borrelia. Positives were obtained from skin cultures of bulls eye rashes caused by tick bites from Missouri patients and nearby states. But when Dr. McDonald narrowed the PCR primers to amplify only Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia lonestari or Borrelia andersoni, the results were negative. In other words, the Midwest has a different borrelia. This Midwestern borrelia will probably be known as Borrelia mastersi, in honor of Edwin Jordan Masters, M.D. and his extensive research especially with patients. But perhaps the term used in Europe, Borreliosis is a much better term for this disease. Another feature of Midwestern borreliosis is the inability to grow Borrelia burgdorferi from patients with Lyme borreliosis. In New England about five percent of cultures grow Borrelia burgdorferi from borreliosis patients. There are other borrelia that cannot be grown in culture media. The bacteria that causes syphilis has never been grown in culture media, even though this infection has been known and studied for several generations. It should not be surprising that the Midwestern borrelia cannot be grown in culture media yet. When it is, knowledge of this infection will increase tremendously. Entomologist, Dr. James Oliver, Institute of Arthropodology and Parasitology, Georgia Southern University, has successfully cultured Borrelia burgdorferi from over 60 ticks collected in Missouri. Why human cultures are negative and tick cultures are positive remains a mystery. Still, there is no question but that there is a Midwestern borreliosis. Biopsy specimens from rashes of Midwestern Lyme patients appear significantly and consistently different compared to rash biopsies from New England patients. Pathologists who use a microscope to examine bulls-eye rash biopsy specimens from Midwestern patients observe significant and consistent differences when compared to biopsies from New England patients. The diseases and their rashes are similar, but there are definite differences. Another difference with Midwest borrelia is the inability to grow them in a lab, when taken from Boreliosis patients. In New England, about 5% of cultures grow Borrelia burgdorferi from Boreliosis patients. Since the similar spirochetal bacteria that causes syphilis has NEVER been grown in culture media, even though this infection has been studied for several decades, it’s not surprising the Midwestern borrelia cannot be grown in culture media – yet. When it is, our knowledge of this bacteria and how to treat it, will greatly increase! |
June 21, 2009 Connecticut Governor signs bill, shielding doctors in treatment of Lyme disease Governor M. Jodi Rell said Sunday she has signed a bill allowing doctors to prescribe long-term antibiotics in the treatment of persistent Lyme disease – outside of standard guidelines – without fear of sanctions from state health regulators if the patient’s clinical diagnosis of the tick-borne disease and treatment have been documented by a licensed physician.
can continue to do what is best for their patients suffering from this complex illness. I think most people know someone who has been infected,” Governor Rell said. “The bill also recognizes that Lyme disease patients must have the freedom to choose which remedy or regimen best meets their needs.” SUPPORT CURRENT LYME BILL NOW! HISTORY • At the end of 2008, the 110th Congress ended. In spite of our best efforts during the last Congress and redoubled efforts in the last three months of 2008 to pursue other avenues, all bills not acted upon died, including the Lyme bills. The sponsors agreed to reintroduce in the next Congress. • 116 House Members from 30 states signed on to cosponsor the House bill during the last session. CURRENT STATUS • The 111th Congress convened in January 2009, and the new version of the Lyme bill, HR 1179, was introduced Feb. 25, 2009 by US Representative Christopher Smith of New Jersey [for himself, Mr. Tim Holden (PA), Mr. Bart Stupak (MI), and Mr. Frank Wolfe (VA)]. • To see the bill wording, go to the Lyme Disease Association's newly designed Legislative web site http://cwork.com/ and click on the link marked BILL TEXT • The bill provides $100 million over 5 years for Lyme disease research, prevention, physician education and the formation of a federal Advisory Committee. • Congressman Chris Smith carefully reviewed all the past bill language, including committee structure and function, for clarifications, updates, and added a few new additions to make the bill stronger. He took into consideration input from other congressmen and their constituents. • The Senate Bill is expected to be introduced shortly. NEW STRATEGY • In the fall of 2008, we worked with a lobbyist to develop strategies consisting of a multi-prong initiative which will engage congressmen in additional efforts to get recognition and monies for Lyme disease. In 2009, the Lyme Disease Association, Time for Lyme, and the California Lyme Disease Association hired a lobbyist to lead the efforts for bill passage and for other avenues in DC. The firm is the largest independent government affairs firm in Washington, DC. TAKE ACTION NOW Go to LDA's LEGISLATION PAGE http://cwork.com/ for a listing of US House Members and contact information listed by state. A link for sample blurbs and letters is located at the top of the page. • Please contact your own US House Member (not Senators). • Tell him/her to sign onto the bill as a co-sponsor. GOALS To add cosponsors and have a hearing on the bill, so it can move to the House floor for a vote. Thanks to everyone's efforts last year, many more officials became educated about Lyme & tick-borne diseases. We thank you for your actions and continuing support. Together, we will get government to focus attention & resources on this disease. For more information, go to www.LymeDiseaseAssociation.org *** COURTESY OF LYME DISEASE ASSOCIATION |
