Taming the Ticks

If you become infected with a virus, you develop antibodies & your body will develop an immunity to that virus. That is why they can give someone a small dose of a virus, & the person will "fight" it, acquiring the immunity. But Lyme is a bacteria. You can get the same bacterial infection many times over. That is what bothers me so much about all of this - it is a bacterial infection, so why do the antibiotics NOT work well? The basic logic does not work for Lyme disease, which is why it is so dangerous. Sprichetes hide in tissues & organs, & they can also go dormant when in the presence of antibiotics. They then become active once again, when the antibiotics are ceased. It is all so creepy, don't you think? It has developed a way to survive.I have friends who own Guinea hens or chickens - they are quite effective at eradicating the ticks!

Jrush, Creepy yes, but if we all get guinea hens and chickens then do we all start to worry about the Bird flu? Time to stop fretting and get weeding ! And today I realize I've got a good case of poison ivy. Can't beat mother nature, ever. But doesn't she put on a grand show? Patti

Great thread. I have decided to stop gardening, stop hiking and stay inside for the rest of my life. Maybe lemons will help prevent lyme. Hopefully bird flu will negate the effects of lyme disease! Just kidding. Here's a very useful site:

http://www.lymediseaseassociation.org/index.html


Victor

I was curious about our diet - they claim eating garlic wards off mosquitos - perhaps it would repel ticks as well. I can't eat garlic, but I am intrigued.
Bird flu is not a reality - according to half of the scientists in the world. I can't help but to think that it is simply a deliberate diversion - from our current political nightmare. It may be all spin, know what I mean?

Julie, I like the way that you think! Here is another website:
http://www.lyme.org/

JRush,

"Bird flu is not a reality - according to half of the scientists in the world."

I haven't heard anything about scientists saying bird flu isn't real. I have seen several documentary TV programs showing the current state of its spread. And I'm not talking about ABC's recent sensationalized fictional "Deadly Contact" television movie. The United States government's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) certainly recognize bird flu: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/facts.htm

MM

Victor,

The Lyme Disease Association website that you provided a link to is one of those websites specifically identified as providing inaccurate (false) information about Lyme disease. The following link states:

"Unfortunately, a great deal of the available material on the internet and elsewhere, purporting to advance Lyme disease awareness, is inaccurate and/or misleading."

You can find that statement at: http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/boh/Lyme%20Disease%20Update.htm

which references this CDC link: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/resources/LD_Internet.pdf

whose table on page 3 of that document specifically states that the Lyme Disease Association.org website is providing inaccurate information about Tick Bytes, LD Diagnosis, Serology, Other Tests, Chronic LD, Treatment, Pregnancy, and Breast-feeding. Apparently your site is the only one that received an Inaccurate rating in every column of the table. I wouldn't describe it as a "very useful site" unless you are deliberately seeking disinformation or misinformation. You might want to recommend a different site.

MM

Sorry if the link was not so useful. I don't have all the time you seem to have. I had only looked at a few things on that website - the link was sent to me by someone. I believe people are intelligent enough to do their homework and check multiple sources, including talking to their their physician, before taking any action. I was just trying to help. Maybe the 'bad effect of global warming in the Northeast' got the better of me.

Victor

Remember that the net is available to everyone - to post information as well as outright lies. I try to go with the research papers, but they are often too advanced for me to understand, or the papers are only available if you pay a subscription fee. Dr. Barrascano has his Lyme papers on the web, & they are considered the end-all for Lyme diagnosis, stages & treatment. It is very thorough & represents years of his own research. He was one of the first doctors to really focus on Lyme. It is long, but loaded with accurate & useful information, I wish ALL doctors would follow his guidelines!
What is so fascinating about biological threats is that they can go in so many different directions. The Bird Flu may pass to an animal - or another type of bird - & never reach humans. It could endanger an entire animal population, & miss us entirely. I am hoping they will find the key to stopping the further reproduction or mutation of this virus, & ending the cycle for good. That knowledge could be useful for so many other viruses, & perhaps cancers as well. They have had some success with this in labs - now they must hone in on the specific cells - be they cancer or virus. It could change the world of diseases as we know it!

Victor,

"Sorry if the link was not so useful... - the link was sent to me by someone."

I fully understand, and appreciate your reasoned response and good intentions. I wasn't intending to criticize you in any way. I just wanted to set the record straight about that link. Maybe global warming is making all of us a bit daft. (grin)

MM

JRush,

"I am hoping they will find the key to stopping the further reproduction or mutation of this [bird flu] virus..."

It's not too encouraging that they still haven't found a cure or prevention for the common cold virus. And why don't we all have a supply of Tamiflu in our medicine cabinets? Bird flu is not the only flu out there.

MM