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Lyme Disease Epidemic – Finding A Better Test

Lyme Disease, a Silent Epidemic

Lyme disease, often a controversial subject among doctors and sufferers alike is, according to the CDC, diagnosed in approximately 25,000 patients in the United States every year. That number continues to grow. Europe is also a hot bed for Lyme disease, especially in countries such as England, France, Italy, Russia and many other Central and Eastern European countries.

What exactly is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease (LD) is a bacterial illness caused by what is called a “spirochete”. The medical name for LD is Borrelia burgdorferi. Europe has another version called Borrelia afzelii. Lyme is carried by deer ticks, which are small and often unnoticeable. Animals are also susceptible to LD, especially dogs and sometimes horses. Deer ticks can be passed to humans in a variety of ways, most often through an outdoor activity or coming in contact with animals who have deer ticks.

Lyme Disease Symptoms

LD has a variety of symptoms which often mimic other conditions, making it difficult to diagnose and easy to overlook. The most common and easy to recognize symptom is the bull’s eye rash that appears following a tick bite. The bite area develops an expanding ring of un-raised redness. Others symptoms include:

Headaches (migraines)
Joint swelling and pain
Flu-like symptoms
Stiff neck and other sore muscles

Getting tested for Lyme Disease

There are several types of tests that aid doctors in diagnosing LD. One of the most accurate Lime’s tests is performed by Central Florida Research Lab, in Winter Haven, FL. Central Florida Research’s test is called the Lyme Disease Antigen Test by Flow Cytometry. The test is more accurate than traditional tests (like the common Western Blot) because the blood antigen test detect the organism itself and, unlike antibody tests (Western Blot), antigen tests are not dependent upon a ‘sick’ immune system to produce antibodies. The flow cytometer, often used in DNA testing, counts the number of bacteria reacting with the Borrelia burgdorferi fluorescent antibody giving physicians more accurate results. Check out the Lyme Disease Antigen Test by Flow Cytometry and more information about Flow Cytometry on CFR’s website: www.centralfloridaresearch.com

Lyme Disease Treatment

Once a diagnosis is made, treatment for LD should begin as soon as possible. When creating a treatment plan, physicians often take into account how long a patient has had LD, the severity of symptoms and other physical attributes. In addition to homeopathic remedies, most which are not supported by traditional medicine, doctors often prescribe antibiotics such as:

Cefuroxime axetil (Ceftin) Approved by the FDA in 1996 for the treatment of early Lyme disease.
Amoxicillin
Doxycycline (not given to children or pregnant women)
Penicillin
Erythromycin (for people allergic to penicillin)

Acupuncture is sometimes used to relieve joint and muscle pain associated with Lyme disease.

Progress on two fronts

LD continues to plague many individuals and often goes undiagnosed for decades, thankfully the general public is becoming more aware of Lyme disease and persuading physicians to request tests, such as the test available from Central Florida Research to help confirm or refute their concerns. Although LD poses many challenges, they are challenges the medical research community is well equipped to meet. New information is accumulating at a rapid pace, thanks to the scientific research being conducted around the world and the persistence of the LD community.