Lyme Disease, A Growing Cause of Illness
By Trevor Chetcuti on 20 Jun 2014
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The lack of education on Lyme disease is a growing concern for individuals who work with chronically fatigued and ill people.
Chances are you’ve heard of conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome but you probably aren’t as familiar with a condition known as Lyme disease. But that doesn’t come as a surprise as neither have many practitioners involved in the health care system.
Driving this concern is the notion that the Australian Government refuses to acknowledge that Lyme disease is here in Australia. Despite this, many Chronic Fatigue centres, Applied Kinesiologists, Naturopaths, Homeopaths and Medical practitioners continue to tirelessly work with patients here who suffer from this awful condition.
“Whilst Lyme disease can be caused by several different pathogens, the most common pathogen goes by the name of Borrelia Burgdorferi.”
Lyme disease is characterized by a myriad of symptoms, including; significant fatigue often rendering people bedridden for large parts of the day, joint pain, various neurological problems, adrenal fatigue, carditis, kidney problems and often significant immune dysfunction.
The Common Traits
The one thing that is common amongst severe Lyme disease sufferers, is that practitioners and medical scientists have searched, often for years, for a solution to this illness, but with no avail.
Whilst Lyme disease can be caused by several different pathogens, the most common pathogen goes by the name of Borrelia Burgdorferi. This bacterial agent is part of a group of pathogens known as spirochetes that have the amazing ability to propel themselves around the human body unassisted. In fact Borelia Burgdorferi’s attack on the immune system is significant and extremely intelligent.
Although no one really knows where Lyme disease came from, Michael Christopher-Carroll launched a 7 year research project into the condition. In his book “Lab 257” he outlines the potential of the pathogen to have escaped from a US germ warfare centre located on Plum Island.
“Unfortunately, despite several papers highlighting that sufferers of Lyme are in fact here in our country, the official word is that Lyme disease is still not present.”
His theories have raised a lot of questions given the first outbreak of Lyme disease occurred in ‘Old Lyme’ Connecticut –a town located just a few kilometres from Plum Island. Within a very short period of time a large number of children and adults began to display an unusual group of disabling neurological symptoms. This group of symptoms eventually became known as Lyme disease after the town it was first seen in.
It’s Here and it’s Spreading
While it is recognised that ticks spread the bacteria through biting a host, it is now believed that up to 20 per cent of mosquito’s in the USA may be carrying the infective agent and its coinfections.
Unfortunately, despite several papers highlighting that sufferers of Lyme are in fact here in our country, the official word is that Lyme disease is still not present. Accordingly lab testing for Lyme disease is quite limited here in Australia with many who specialize in the field insisting that quality testing for Lyme disease needs to be carried out in specific overseas laboratories.
Lyme disease is debilitating for some who contract the Borrelia bacteria resulting in a major change in lifestyle.
For more information on Lyme see:
Lyme Disease Association of Australia – http://www.lymedisease.org.au/
Lyme Disease Network – http://www.lymenet.org/SupportGroups/UnitedStates/
CDC – Lyme Disease – http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/
