What is Lyme Disease? Chronic Lyme Disease?

According to CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), Lyme Disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. Most cases of Lyme Disease can be treated successfully with a few weeks of antibiotics. 

CDC does not acknowledge Chronic Lyme Disease as a true condition. If symptoms last for more than 6 months, CDC calls it Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome. 

According to International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society, there are 5 subspecies of Borrelia burgdorferi. Testing for Babesia, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia and Bartonella should be performed. The presence of co-infection with these organisms points to probable infection with the Lyme spirochete as well. If these co-infections are left untreated, their continued presence increases morbidity and prevents successful treatment of Lyme Disease. Like Syphilis in the 19th century, Lyme Disease has been called the “great imitator” and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of rheumatologic and neurologic conditions, as well as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Somatization Disorder and any difficult-to-diagnose multi-system illness. 

2 documentaries I recommend - Under Our Skin and Under Our Skin 2. 

"In the fullness of time, the mainstream handling of Chronic Lyme Disease will be viewed as one of the most shameful episodes in the history of medicine..." -Kenneth B. Liegner, MD