Lyme Information on Persistent Chronic Lyme Disease

Lyme Disease: Myths and Denail

The poignant August 24 article by Mr. Juskalian regarding Lyme disease (borreliosis) depends on authoritative opinion and perpetuates erroneous myths and untruths that some "experts" have been desperate to publicize.

Contrary to Dr. Shapiro's assertion, viable circulating borrelia DNA has been isolated from both humans and mice that have received inadequate antibiotic therapy for their acute borrelia infection. Indeed, the tick bite regimen advocated by the IDSA leaves 80% of newly infected mice with persistent borreliosis.

These data were published in reputable peer-reviewed scientific journals and the Lyme community is well aware of these studies. More problematic, if inadequate antibiotics are used to treat the initial infection an effective anti-body response is blocked and the persistently infected individual will be consistently seronegative (a negative Lyme test).

These seronegative, infected sufferers are demonized as not having real disease. Several of these Lyme "experts" receive consultant fees from insurance companies denying treatment for chronic Lyme disease symptoms and benefit from their denial that persistent Lyme disease may need to be treated.

David Volkman, Ph.D., M.D.
Emeritus Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics
SUNY, Stony Brook, NY

SOURCE: NEWSWEEK