Lyme Disease Has So Many Similarities To Syphilis

The disease process of Lyme disease has so many similarities to syphilis, and as a microbiologist I cannot help but be fascinated by it. Although one is sexually transmitted disease (STD) and the other a zoonosis ( a disease of animals transmitted to man)  they are both caused by spirochaete bacteria and both have 3 stages of infection exhibiting similar stages. 

Though there is no link between the two infections I believe that we can gain a lot of understanding by comparing the disease process of the very ancient disease of syphilis to the more recently identified Lyme disease.

Some of the similarities and differences are tabulated below:

Feature	Syphilis	Lyme Disease
Causative Organism	Treponema pallidum A spirochete bacteria	Borrelia sp. e.g. B. burgdorferi A spirochete bacteria
Transmission	Human to Human Via Sexual Contact Congenital transmission occurs	Zoonosis Rodent to Tick to Human Congenital transmission debatable
Primary Disease	Occurs 3- 90 days after exposure Local chancre - a firm, painless, non-itchy skin ulceration. Not all patients develop or notice the initial chancre Lasts 3-6 weeks untreated	Occurs 2 days to a few weeks after exposure Local Bulls Eye Rash. Not all patients develop or notice the initial rash Lasts 1 to 4 weeks untreated
Secondary Disease	Occurs about 10 weeks after exposure Becomes disseminated and causes a diffuse rash which frequently involves the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, together with flu-like symptoms Lasts 3-6 weeks untreated	Occurs 2 days to a few weeks after exposure Becomes disseminated and causes flu-like Symptoms. May involve heart, nervous system and joints. Lasts 1 to 4 months untreated
Latent Phase	Early latent is <1 year after exposure Late latent is >1 year after exposure No symptoms are apparent, but there may be relapses in the early latent phase	Though not officially described as the latent phase Lyme disease can resurface months to years after the initial symptoms. During the this period the person may not have symptoms.
Tertiary Disease	Occurs 3 to 46 years after exposure (average 15) Invades various organs of the body and causes damage to the tissues causing gummas which are soft, tumor-like balls of inflammation which may vary considerably in size. They typically affect the skin, bone, and liver, but can occur anywhere. Also causes  neurological, or cardiac symptoms Tissue damage is irreparable	Occurs months to years  after exposure If left untreated or if inadequately treated, Lyme disease disseminates fully throughout the body and can develop into severe and chronic infection with a wide variety of symptoms affecting every organ system, including the joints, heart and brain. Can be cured with extensive log-term antibiotics
Occurs with antibiotic treatment	Occurs with antibiotic treatment	Lyme disease is also a great imitator as the wide variety of symptoms mimic other diseases.
Diagnosis	Clinical history. Early infections difficult to diagnose Serological blood tests	Clinical history early infections difficult to diagnose Serological tests
Treatment	Antibiotics – penicillin, cephalosporins, tetracyclines	Antibiotics – penicillins, cephalosporins, tetracyclines
Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction	Fever, muscle, joint pains, tachycardia etc. may occur with initial antibiotic treatment	Fever, muscle, joint pains, tachycardia etc. may occur with initial antibiotic treatment
Serological Cross Reactivity	You may get a false positive test for Lyme disease if you have syphilis	You may get a false positive test for syphilis if you have Lyme disease

 The following book has all the information you need to fully understand Lyme disease and the controversy surrounding it.

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Lyme Disease is Very Controversial - Why?

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection carried by ticks. Humans can be infected by a tick bite. The disease is a growing epidemic, particularly in North America, Europe and debatably Australia.

Since its discovery in Lyme, Connecticut in 1982 by Willy Burgdorfer, Lyme disease has become the number one tick borne infection in North America but has been the subject of much controversy and debate in the medical world.

This controversy mainly revolves around the accepted diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease, and also the possible existence of chronic Lyme disease. Chronic Lyme disease has caused a fundamental divide between doctors and scientists; (i) those who believe it exists and (ii) those who believe it is a convenient diagnosis for a group of symptoms with no other medical explanation

I believe that anyone who thinks that they have been exposed to Lyme disease through a tick bite, or a person who has been diagnosed with Lyme disease, or a person who thinks they may have chronic Lyme disease has the right to know that there are two conflicting medical opinions about the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease and whether or not long-term chronic Lyme disease even exists.

It is important for these patients to consider the two points of view so that they can make a considered decision about the type of treatment on offer and which is the best treatment plan for them. find out all you need to know from this book - " What Is Lyme Disease?"

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This book  has been written by a microbiologist and educator and puts the facts clearly and succinctly. The book presents the two conflicting points of view presented by: IDSA the Infectious Diseases Society of America and also ILADS, The International Lyme and Associated Disease Society. In this book you will:

·         Understand what causes Lyme Disease

·         How it is Transmitted

·         The life cycle of the tick

·         What the symptoms are

·         How it is diagnosed

·         How it is treated – the two opposing regimens

This book is not intended to be medical advice for self-diagnoses or treatment, and if you think you may have been exposed to Lyme disease or if you have symptoms which resemble Lyme disease it is critical you seek advice from an experienced medical practitioner with a history of diagnosing and treating Lyme disease. There are clearly two schools of thought about the transmission, symptoms and treatment of Lyme disease.

A must read to get clarity on this very controversial topic.  BUY NOW to ensure you and your family and friends are fully informed about Lyme disease.