A Model List of Essential Diagnostics Needs to Include Tick-Borne Diseases

Prior to the advent of laboratory testing medical decisions were based on the interpretation of a patient's symptoms. Today the majority of medical decisions are based upon diagnostic tests. Tests have become an essential part of modern healthcare.

"Without diagnostics, medicine is blind." ~ Alain Merieux

Inaccurate Tests for Lyme Disease Are Causing Harm

Faulty Serological Blood Tests for Lyme Disease Are Harming People

While a diagnosis Lyme Disease should be based upon Clinical Symptoms, most Physicians today are requiring a positive blood test before providing treatment. There is significant scientific evidence proving the two-tier blood test for Lyme Disease is inconsistent and inaccurate. Imprecise results are leading to wrongful diagnoses and/or delayed diagnoses, which greatly increases the severity of illness and human suffering. (See: A Negative Lyme Test Doesn't Exclude the Diagnosis of Borreliosis)

#LYME2016 A Call To Action

#LYME2016 A Call To Action

The #LYME2016 "Call-to-Action" is for you to help us get our message all the way to Washington DC. We need The Senate to pass "The Lyme and Tick-borne Disease Prevention, Education and Research Act of 2015" (S. 1503). The House version of this Bill has already passed. The Bill sets up an Advisory Committee composed of Doctors, Scientists, Patients, as well as Patient Advocates. Lyme advocates have been trying to pass Legislation since 1998, and now we have less than a month to achieve this monumental goal. We hope we can count on your support. LymeDisease.org has created a "Voter Voice" link to their website which allows you to send your State Senator a direct message. (Link Here)

Emerging Science In Lyme Disease Testing:

There is some promising news on the horizon for Lyme Disease. Several new tests have been developed within the past year that I will highlight here. (P.S. I will be adding to this page as new information emerges, so please check back)

Lyme is caused by an infection of the Borrelia spirochete (phylum Spirochetaete) and is the most common vector-borne infectious disease in the United States. With over 300,000 Americans being infected annually, Lyme presents a serious public health concern. Unfortunately, the current testing for Lyme does not account for the wide genetic variability or the multiple variant forms of Borrelia. In addition, the level of spirochetes in the blood can run so low that they may be undetectable at the time of testing.

Four Stages of Lyme Disease: Borrelia burgdorferi

Lyme Disease is a vector borne illness caused by Borrelia Burgdorferi(Bb) a spirochete which is passed on to humans primarily by infected ticks. There are 21 known species of Borrelia and 3 genotypes of B.burgdorferi.  Ticks are small arachnids and can carry numerous bacteria, viruses and protozoa such as Rickettsia, Bartonella, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, and Babesia. The tick has a two year life cycle, going from larva to nymph to adult, requiring blood at each stage. Many bites occur during the nymph phase. The typical nymph is about the size of a poppy seed.