Project Lyme

Luís Anholeto and his colleagues at Acadia University’s tick research lab have received a grant to study a type of fungus called Clonostachys rosea that occurs naturally in the soil and may prove lethal to blacklegged and American dog ticks. These ticks can carry Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, and other dangerous infections. If the fungus proves effective, it could be a more sustainable and less harsh form of tick control than other methods, like synthetic acaricide sprays. However, more research is needed to understand its effectiveness and whether it might have any negative effects on other natural species as well.

Learn more in this article by CBC: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/tick-killing-fungus-research-acadia-university-1.7237555

We are sad to hear of the passing of Thomas Grier, an active Lyme advocate who helped many in our community. Thomas was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 1995 after checking himself into the hospital for severe neurological problems, including heart arrhythmia. He continued to suffer from chronic symptoms: bad sweats, fatigue, lack of concentration, severe brain fog, and more. But Thomas took his pain and transformed it into purpose — he founded a support group for Lyme patients in Duluth and continued to fight for better diagnostics and treatment until his death.

Thomas will be missed. Our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and everyone whose life he touched.

Read more in his obituary in Duluth News Tribune: https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/obituaries/obits/thomas-m-grier-5d0135ff67a60618cb3bf3a9-667dcffb422f79000e9063cb

Project Lyme Project Lyme’s mission is to eradicate the epidemic of tick-borne diseases through awareness and e

As summer arrives, many families are planning vacations and trips abroad. But along with exciting new destinations come different types of ticks—and an array of novel diseases. In our blog post, Alexis Chesney, a naturopathic physician and acupuncturist, shares what you need to know if you're traveling to Europe and how to prevent tick bites so that you have a fun and safe time.

Read it now:
https://projectlyme.org/tick-safety-abroad-tips-for-lyme-and-tick-borne-disease-prevention-in-europe/

Tick Safety Abroad: Tips for Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Prevention in Europe - Project Lyme As summer arrives, many families are planning vacations and trips. This blog highlights the importance of being aware of the different types of ticks and the diseases they can transmit when traveling abroad. By understanding these risks and taking preventive measures, you can ensure a safer and more...

As children growing up on Martha’s Vineyard, Sam and Tessa both contracted Lyme disease. While Sam got a bull’s-eye rash and was promptly treated with antibiotics, Tessa’s illness went undetected and undiagnosed, and she still struggles with chronic Lyme symptoms to this day. Their experiences led Sam, a film school student at Emerson University, to write and direct an original short horror-comedy called ‘Tick’ with Tessa’s help and collaboration. The siblings filmed the short at home on the Island, and Tessa explained that the film is not just art but a way of raising awareness about a very real danger.

Read more on the The Vineyard Gazette: https://vineyardgazette.com/news/2024/06/20/tick-movie-steeped-horror-much-real-life

Photo by Ray Ewing

Since 2010, cases of spotted fever group rickettsioses in the U.S. have tripled. By studying two severe cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever-like illnesses in Northern California, researchers working with the California Department of Public Health have identified a new species of rickettsial bacteria called Rickettsia sp. CA6269 in West Coast ticks.

Both patients engaged in outdoor activities—golf and camping—although they could not recall a tick bite. Originally found in rabbit ticks, CA6269 can cause life-threatening symptoms such as a high fever, nausea or vomiting, severe headache, diarrhea, or abdominal pain. The CDC recommends prompt treatment with doxycycline for any Rocky Mountain spotted fever-like illness.

Learn more about the science: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/30/7/23-1771_article

New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who in 2019 secured passage of the Kay Hagan Tick Act, is fighting to get 200 million dollars in additional funding in the upcoming 2025 federal budget for research into Lyme Disease and other tick-borne illnesses, Gillibrand announced on a video press conference.

“Lyme disease, other tick-borne illnesses, and the sometimes lifelong complications they cause are poorly studied. Additional research can help us find better treatments and preventative measures for the thousands of Americans who suffer from Lyme and the millions more who live in high-risk areas,” Gillibrand added.

Gillibrand is asking for:

— 30 million dollars for the Department of Health and Human Services to implement a national vector-borne disease strategy

— 30 million for the CDC to continue their Lyme and tick-borne illness research

— 9 million for the Department of Defense’s tick-borne disease research program

— 130 million for the NIH’s Lyme and tick-borne disease research program

This funding is crucial for enhancing preventative measures and finding new treatment options to provide relief to the thousands of Americans suffering from Lyme and its tick-borne co-infections.

Learn more: https://www.gillibrand.senate.gov/news/press/release/in-the-midst-of-tick-season-gillibrand-calls-for-federal-funding-for-lyme-disease-research/

At Project Lyme, we are glad to see chronic Lyme disease being recognized by the mainstream media. A recent article by USA TODAY — which includes interviews with Lyme experts Dr. John Aucott, the director of the Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Clinical Research Center, and Dr. Brit Adler — highlights the differences between acute and chronic Lyme infection. It lays out how many different systems of the body are negatively affected in the long term. The piece also explores why it took the COVID-19 pandemic for people to begin accepting the realities of chronic Lyme.

Please note: While a bull's-eye rash can be a telltale sign of early infection, it's very common to get different types of rashes or no rash at all. So, if you find yourself experiencing a wide range of mysterious symptoms, it's good to consider Lyme and tick-borne diseases as a possible cause.

Read the article now: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2024/06/18/what-are-the-symptoms-of-lyme-disease/73766171007/

Don’t miss this — Project Lyme and advocate James Stanford are excited to offer a free screening of The Quiet Epidemic, an award-winning Lyme disease documentary, at the King David’s Masonic Lodge of San Luis Obispo on Thursday, June 27th, at 5:30 p.m. PT. Part exploration of patient stories and part investigation into the history and science of vector-borne diseases, this film aims to show the world the true impact of a long-ignored epidemic. If you’re in the area, be sure to check it out!

Learn more or register today: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-quiet-epidemic-tickets-912207756957?aff=oddtdtcreator

And a thank you to all of our sponsors for helping us put on this worthwhile event!

58-year-old Bob Weymouth, a well-known race car enthusiast, was the first Powassan virus death of 2023. His wife Annemarie says that her husband didn’t find a tick bite before developing life-threatening symptoms, including brain swelling and paralysis. In his honor, Annemarie is raising awareness by warning people around the world to be diligent about preventing tick bites to help keep their loved ones safe.

This is Bob and Annemarie’s story.

Do you have a story to share? Connect with us at projectlyme.org/share-your-story/

Abbey Hope was 18 when she was diagnosed with Lyme disease and Babesia after 9 months of watching her health deteriorate, but that was only the beginning of her journey. Over the next seven years, while her friends were starting careers, getting married, and having children, Abbey tried countless treatments without success. Despite everything, she is holding on to hope and will keep fighting to achieve remission.

Discover Abbey’s story and what she wants everyone to know about Lyme disease and the toll it takes on warriors like her in this guest column by Curry Coastal Pilot: https://www.currypilot.com/opinion/guest-column-hope-is-a-four-letter-word/article_6e184132-283d-11ef-8977-178cc1c212d5.html

In April, Debra Nagler, a healthy and active resident of Concord, MA, found herself suddenly unable to walk. Then, she developed severe headaches, extreme fatigue, and a host of other alarming symptoms. Doctors initially dismissed her symptoms as caused by COVID-19 until she was rushed to the ER with encephalitis or severe brain inflammation. Extensive testing revealed that Debra had been infected with the Powassan virus, a dangerous tick-borne disease.

Read more about Debra’s story on The Concord Bridge: https://concordbridge.org/index.php/2024/06/15/a-life-threatening-illness-a-tiny-culprit-and-an-uncertain-recovery/

Photo by Chris Randall

In 2022, the CDC changed the rules so that states labeled “high incidence” only required a positive test to count someone as a Lyme disease case. Yet in states considered “low incidence” — including California, one of the largest and most ecologically diverse states in the U.S. — a person needs not only a positive blood test but also detailed clinical data to be officially considered to have Lyme disease.

Not only do these different reporting rules result in systemic underreporting of Lyme cases in many states, such as California, but they also leave many patients undiagnosed and without proper care, as Dorothy Leland, President of Lymedisease.org, explains in a new blog post.

Read more: https://www.lymedisease.org/different-lyme-reporting-rules/

This June, one of the warmer summer months when tick activity hits its peak, researchers from Columbia University are heading to local parks in New York City and western Long Island to collect ticks for testing. They also intend to survey 60,000 residents of NYC and Boston about their travel habits, behavior, and attitudes about ticks. Their goals are to educate people about tick safety and track their exposure so they learn more about what urban dwellers do—or don’t do—to keep safe from Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.

Learn more in this release from Columbia University: https://news.columbia.edu/news/researchers-head-new-york-city-parks-gather-data-tick-exposure

The CDC and NIH both acknowledge that Lyme bacteria can cross the placenta and infect an unborn baby, yet many healthcare providers are unaware that congenital Lyme disease even exists. Phyllis Bedford—the Co-founder and Executive Director of the LymeLight Foundation, which provides medical treatment grants of up to $10,000 to children and young adults—estimates that half of all their grant recipients were born with Lyme disease. Phyllis recently gave a public comment stressing the urgency of developing evidence-based clinical guidelines to diagnose, monitor, and treat pregnant women and their babies.

Read more on Lymedisease.org: https://www.lymedisease.org/bedford-congenital-lyme-disease/

When Kansas man Nate Davis began experiencing a wide range of symptoms, including nausea and a surprising 100-pound weight loss, he sought answers right away. But despite seeing many doctors, from family practitioners to specialists in neurology and endocrinology, he couldn’t get a diagnosis. Some of the doctors even suggested that the symptoms were in his head and that he really needed mental health help.

Finally, Nate saw a doctor who was familiar with tick-borne diseases and diagnosed him with Lyme disease. Today, Nate is an advocate with the Center for Lyme Action and urges everyone to wear a good repellent and take other precautions to prevent a tick bite.

Explore his story, published on KSN TV: https://www.ksn.com/news/health/local-lyme-disease-victim-fights-to-raise-awareness/

Babesiosis, a tick-borne disease that infects red blood cells, can be tough to overcome, especially for those with weakened immune systems. It is usually treated with a standard two-drug combination of atovaquone and azithromycin, but some patients may not respond well and can suffer relapses, sometimes due to the parasite’s resistance to antibiotics. New research on five patients with relapsing Babesiosis suggests that tafenoquine, a malaria drug, could be the answer.

Learn more about the science in this article by Medical Xpress: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-06-malaria-drug-combat-borne-babesiosis.html

The risk of Lyme disease in Canada is increasing. Researchers recently set out to determine which geographical areas pose the greatest risk of tick encounters to residents by collecting tick samples from 12 grouped neighborhood zones.

Compared to residential areas, there were 4 times as many nymphal ticks in interface areas (where homes meet forests) and 15 times as many nymphal ticks in woodland zones. The ticks found in interface and wooded zones were 15 to 24 times more likely to carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. Certain ecological features—like soil moisture, leaf litter depth, and denser understory (the vegetation beneath the forest canopy)—were also linked to higher tick densities and infection rates.

The proximity of homes to these high-risk zones means more chances for people to come into contact with infected ticks and develop Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses. Check out the science published in Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-64085-6

Maine students are becoming tick experts, thanks to the University of Maine 4-H Tick Project, a free science program that teaches children how to protect themselves from tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease. By going dragging for ticks, the young students are getting hands-on experience and learning about tick lifecycles, habitats, and the diseases they carry.

Many of the students already have personal experience with Lyme disease, whether that means they have a family member who has been infected or they have gotten sick themselves. The 4-H Tick Project is designed to equip them with the tools and knowledge they need to enjoy the outdoors while still protecting themselves from the threat posed by ticks.

Learn more in this article by NEWS CENTER Maine: https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/health/tick-and-lyme/tick-education-maine-swans-island-umaine-4h-tick-project/97-0edbfd66-be94-4ee3-a081-1cb05cd5cb81

A new study has found evidence that Bartonella, a disease spread by ticks and fleas, may be linked to psychosis, a serious mental health condition.

Researchers from Columbia University and North Carolina State University examined 116 people: 51 were children, teenagers, or adults diagnosed with psychosis; 16 had symptoms but were not diagnosed; 20 were close relatives of individuals diagnosed with psychosis, and 29 were in the control group.

Out of all participants, adults with psychosis were three times as likely to have Bartonella DNA in their blood compared to adults without psychosis (43% versus 14%). In a previous study, those same patients with psychosis were also more likely to have increased inflammatory markers than those without it. While more research is needed, these discoveries suggest that infections like Bartonella could be a hidden factor in mental health disorders.

This research was funded in part by the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation.

Learn more about the science in this release: https://news.ncsu.edu/2024/06/bartonella-dna-found-in-blood-of-patients-with-psychosis/

Despite clear evidence, chronic Lyme disease remains controversial. Don't miss our webinar on June 13th, where Dr. Embers, an Associate Professor in the Division of Immunology and the Director of Vector-borne Disease Research at the Tulane National Primate Research Center, will discuss why Lyme persists and how her recent research may help to address it.

More about the research: Dr. Embers and a team of researchers from Tulane University have found that a combination of antibiotics is more effective in treating Lyme disease than the commonly prescribed course of one single antibiotic. Their results could pave the way for improved Lyme disease treatments, particularly in persistent cases that have not responded to standard treatment with a single antibiotic.

Learn more or sign up now for this free event: https://projectlyme.org/event/lyme-persistence-and-use-of-combination-therapies/

Did you know that Lyme disease can affect multiple bodily systems, including the cardiovascular? It can lead to varying levels of atrioventricular (AV) blocks and Lyme carditis, a condition that can disrupt the heart's electrical signals, causing symptoms like fainting, chest pain, and shortness of breath.

Additional symptoms can include irregular heartbeat, poor blood flow, and bundle branch blocks. If left untreated, Lyme disease in the heart can lead to severe complications, so recognizing the many ways it can manifest is crucial.

Learn more about what to look for and how to prevent long-term effects in this comprehensive review published by Cureus, Inc.: https://www.cureus.com/articles/247207 #!/

After going on a hike in the summer of 2013, Catherine Kinsella got flu-like symptoms and didn’t think much of it. But then the registered nurse developed fatigue, brain fog, cognitive problems, Bell's palsy, vision and hearing issues, and much more. After several months, Catherine tested positive and was diagnosed with neurological Lyme disease. While she feels better these days, she must remain vigilant about making healthy lifestyle choices to avoid a relapse, and she often wonders what would have happened if she had been able to get extended antibiotic treatment in the early stages of her disease.

Learn more about Catherine’s story and the advice she has to help others avoid getting infected with tick-borne diseases via Yahoo Style: https://ca.style.yahoo.com/womans-summer-flu-turned-out-to-be-a-2-year-battle-with-lyme-disease-i-was-very-debilitated-170029492.html

30-year-old Stéphanie Lavoie chose a medically assisted death after years of escalating symptoms and intense pain that left her bedridden and unable to eat. Lavoie had Lyme disease, but the Canadian medical system failed to acknowledge her diagnosis because she did not meet all the markers they required. As a result, her requests for support were denied.

Lavoie declared, “After eight years of fighting, of being strong with fantastic people around me, I am at peace with laying down my arms.” Her loss is prompting advocates to question the lack of belief and adequate resources available for Lyme disease patients.

Learn more in this story from Global News: https://globalnews.ca/news/10529000/lyme-disease-assisted-death-canada/

Are you living with Lyme disease? You are invited to participate in a new study. Researchers from Trent University are exploring the daily challenges faced by individuals with Lyme disease and the strategies they use to manage their symptoms.

By collecting and analyzing patient experiences, the researchers aim to identify effective adaptive practices that can inform healthcare providers and support systems. Ultimately, they hope their findings will lead to improved care and resources for those affected by Lyme disease.

Check out the study guidelines for eligibility and contact Naina Sirohi if interested at [email protected] or 647-746-6246.