ALS/BORRELIOOSI

[Bb]

Lähettäjä: Soijuv Lähetetty: 14.6.2004 18:12

11 POTILASTA JOILLA OLI ALS-DIAGNOOSI TUTKITTIIN JA 9:LLÄ TODETTIIN BORRELIOOSI, MYKOPLASMA YM. INFEKTIOITA:


MOTOR NEURON DISEASE AND TICK-BORNE INFECTIONS

J.J. Burrascano Jr., M.D. East Hampton, NY

Poster presentation, International Lyme Congress, Lyme Disease Foundation. June, 2003

Eleven patients with neurologist-diagnosed Amyotropic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) were evaluated for Lyme Disease and associated co-infections. Of the eleven, nine had serological or PCR evidence of Lyme Disease. Seven were PCR positive for Mycoplasma fermentans, seven for Babesia microti by PCR and/or smear, six were PCR positive for CMV, five were positive for Bartonella species by PCR and/or serology, four were PCR positive for HHV-6, and four were PCR positive for EBV. Five of the eleven displayed depressed natural killer cell function; all of these patients tested positive for Lyme, but not consistently positive for any other pathogen tested.

NOTES: Western blots for Borrelia were performed by Igenex Labs; Borrelia PCRs were performed at MDL and Igenex. Bartonella serologies were performed at sunrise laboratories. PCRs for Bartonella, Mycoplasma, and the viruses were performed at MDL. NK cell functions were performed by Focus technologies and Labcorp.

DISCUSSION: All patients had evidence for tick-borne infections, yet there was no universally associated pathogen or consistent pattern of infectious agent. Does ALS result from multiple infections, which together result in motor neuron death? Does the lack of consistency imply the presence of another, yet to be identified tick-borne pathogen? Or does this perhaps indicate that some tick bites also introduce a slowly acting, non-infectious neurotoxin? Further study is warranted.