WHAT CAUSES LYME DISEASE?
WHAT IS LYME DISEASE? WHAT CAUSES LYME DISEASE?
These questions are being asked more frequently than before.
Lyme is the fastest growing multiple infection syndrome threatening the health of North Americans. More and more cases are reported throughout United States and Canada.
Image source: here
Initially it was believed that one could get bitten by a tick only within the wilderness. More recent studies have revealed that ticks are much closer to us than we thought. They can be found in patchy woods in the suburbs, in the parks and on our pets.
Some consider that global warming is responsible for the ticks’ accelerated developmental cycle and their abundant presence within new habitats. The extended summer temperatures and the decline of harsh cold winter days has increased the feeding period of the ticks, enabling the bacteria strains to become stronger and more persistent.
Others believe that deforestation increased the spread of the disease, as the gap between humans and animals got shorter. However, by now specialists know that the black-legged tick pick up the bacteria not only from deers, but also from mice, birds and other small animals they feed upon.
Whatever the cause, the truth is that the threat is out there. And it is not only ticks that you need to be aware of! The black-legged tick (also called “deer tick”) is just the most common Lyme-carrier.
Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still maintain their statement that only ticks can transmit Lyme Disease, more and more people recall been bitten by other insects.
There are theories suggesting that the mosquitoes, fleas, bedbugs, deer flies, sand flies, sand fleas, horse flies and mites can also carry the Borrelia burgdorferi and/or other co-infections such as Borrelia, Babesia, Bartonella, Ehrlichia, etc. The term “Lyme” has been inaccurately used to describe a bucketload of infections.
Lyme Disease Association of Australia made available on their website a short overview of scientific research regarding the transmission of Lyme Disease. Some of the studies published there present new evidence that Borrelia can be contracted in utero, and that it can be sexually transmitted through vaginal secretions and seminal fluid. It is also suggested that Borrelia can be passed on from animals to humans via exposure to their urine, blood, semen, colostrums or synovial fluid.
Research studies raised concerns of the possibility of Lyme transmission through blood transfusion and one study indicated that the blood recipients contracted Babesios via donated blood supply.
According to an article published on The Annals of Internal Medicine, “Transfusion-Associated Babesiosis: Shouldn’t We Be Ticked Off?” the number and frequency of transfusion-associated babesiosis cases are rapidly increasing.
Here are other Lyme-related posts:
CHRONIC LYME DISEASE IS A REAL THING
TOP 10 WORST SYMPTOMS OF LYME DISEASE
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF LYME DISEASE?
WHY IS LYME DISEASE TOUGH TO DIAGNOSE?
HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST TICK BITES?
JOURNEY TO SELF-DISCOVERY
HOW I FOUND THE SILVER LINING OF LYME DISEASE?
9 WAYS TO KEEP A RELATIONSHIP GOING WHEN BOTH PARTNERS ARE ILL?
All of the above posts were written by me, as part of my Lyme Disease awareness campaign. They were originally published on my personal website. If you would like to learn more about Lyme disease, visit A-ZLYME.COM, where I post weekly Lyme-related articles which I might re-post on Steemit, in order to increase the awareness about this infamous illness.
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! Feel free to resteemit or upvote it!
Please leave your feedback in the comments, I would love to hear your thoughts!
@2018 LaviPicu aka The Lyme Poet. All rights reserved.
art and flair courtesy of @PegasusPhysics
I checked out your website. Well done for raising awareness of this condition. Good luck.
Thank you for taking the time to go visit A-ZLYME.COM and for your kind words.
I have ankylosing spondylitis (arthritis of the spine), so I understand a little bit how you feel. I'd really like to be more active in the AS community. There isn't a lot of information on the internet about it.
Sorry to hear you struggle with health issues as well. When I got sick there was not much I information online about Lyme. That's what determined me to create A-ZLYME, offering for free some of the information that I learnt along the way by seeing specialists. Not everyone affords to pay couple of hundreds to be seen by a specialist. Not to mention the insurance won't cover their bills.
I'm sure your website helps people a lot with your condition.
You never stop to surprise me, :) didn't know that you were active in Lyme Disease awareness campaign.
Very nice!
Lyme affects more and more people. Since it's so hard to diagnose and there is no cure for it, prevention is key.
It's my first time on your blog. Seeing the topic, I expected the post to be difficult to follow and l-o-n-g. Not so!
Well done and thanks indeed for the education. But what makes lyme prevalent in North America? is it largely a forest region?
A lot of people don't like to read more than 300/400 words articles. Lengthy articles deter the readers, unless they really have an keen interest in the topic. Lyme started in Lyme Connecticut. Some studies say that the black-legged ticks are more efficient hosts for Lyme disease in the North than in the South. Climate change helped it spread faster.
I have several friends with chronic lyme disease.
Do you think we are being told the truth on this? I mean, did we (as a society) always get lyme disease or has something changed?
A recent study showed that Lyme existed from longtime ago. An mummy that was discovered in Europe, in the Alpes, who lived around 3,300 BCE had strains of Borrelia Burgdorferi in his bones.
Also if you believe in conspiracy theories, you may have heard that chronic Lyme was artifically created on Plum Island.
Whatever the truth is, so many people are getting sick and fail to have a proper diagnosis until they reached a chronic stage of the illness.
Even if the disease existed many years ago, something has made us more prone to it now. Whether it's a dietary factor or some greater conspiracy (remember that some conspiracy theories have been shown to be true), it's hard to tell, but I think something changed.
BTW, Orajel (for teething babies) is a great tool to make a tick let go... I had to use it on my dog a couple years ago when we were out woodcutting. Unfortunately, it's not available in many places.
Thanks for the Orajel tip! I did nit know that! Yes, I agree with you that the conspiracies theories are true. I think it's a combination of everything: dietary factor, lifestyle, global warming, modified strains of Borrelia - they all need to be considered. You can add here other conspiracy theories about the educational system and Big Pharma's tentacles.
Don't get me started, lol!
I don't think all conspiracy theories are true but more and more, I see that there is much truth to be found in theory. :-p
And yes, definitely include the educational system (which is why I am homeschooling) and Big Pharma (why I'm into alternative medicines and herbals.)
Oh, strangely, the first conspiracy that got me thinking???
Titanic! When you have ex-workers talking about it and how she was switched with her sister ship so that she would founder and be eligible for the insurance money... how she wasn't meant to sink, just be disabled... Just WOW!
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Global warming has resulted in many changes to our lives, lifestyle, health and so on, so I wouldn't be surprised at the rate at which lyme disease is being spread and transmitted. Nice compilation.
Global warming plays a big role in the ticks' migration.
As any measure been set up to reduce or eradicate the spread of that disease yet? Have been trying to look around to see possible solution and prevention.
As far as I know, except for some awareness campaigns informing people of its existance, nothing has been done. The prevention is left to the individual.
The other day I was plesantly surprised to see that there was a warning message about the dangers of Lyme disease displayed in one of the offices of Service Canada. That was the first time when I saw something like this at a national level. It is a big step!
Yeah, everyone needs to be careful
Great article and very much needed for awareness. My husband got Lyme from a bite and we might possibly be looking at my youngest son having it. It really does havoc on the immune system and inflammatory process. Luckily we found a really good 'functional medical doctor' that has had great success in treating Lyme patients. Good luck and thank you for sharing such an important topic.
I hope that doctor will be able to help your husband and son. Thank you for your kind words!
Me too, @lymepoet It's not a quick process as you know. Have you tried monolaurin? Just curious
I did not try it. I have heard of it though, but did not give it a try. yet.
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Wow, this is really good info to know, thanks for posting this!
Thank you for reading!