MSIDS is a term put forward by Dr Horowitz to describe the multiple co-infections commonly experienced by patients with Lyme disease. He defines MSIDS as Multi Systemic Infectious Disease Syndrome. The symptoms associated with MSIDS are so variable and mimic so many other diseases that it is difficult to diagnose. It is difficult to determine exactly which infectious agent(s) are responsible for the symptoms.
MSIDS is often misdiagnosed as chronic inflammatory diseases such as Fibromyalgia, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or Polymyalgia Rheumatica. Because the symptoms of these chronic nonspecific illnesses are shared with many other diseases—and because many of these conditions lack a diagnostic test or bio-marker—unraveling which diseases are present can be difficult. Some patients actually receive diagnoses for multiple conditions.
But all these illnesses have one thing in common. They all cause chronic pain and fatigue; they all affect multi-organs and they all can be triggered by an infection. Each of these disease has the same inflammatory cytokines processes and inflammation is the number one cause of these chronic illness. Dr Horowitz talks about the THREE I's – Infection, Inflammation and Immune dysfunction as the trigger for the symptoms associated with MSIDS as well as these other chronic diseases.
Or does the initial infection cause an abnormal immune response which sets up an auto-immune like reaction and/or allows opportunistic infections to establish and cause the symptoms described as MSIDS? Persisting Lyme disease and co-infections suppress the immune system and leave the body vulnerable to infection with opportunistic pathogens. Other factors can also play a role in suppressing our immune response.
It has been suggested by some that the name MSIDS be attributed to all of these related diseases. Some researchers have shown that long term antibiotic therapy for Lyme disease has significantly improved the symptoms of people suffering from these chronic diseases and the question therefore has to be asked is: "are these diseases related and do they have a root cause such as Borrelia which are then complicated by co-infections such as described in Lyme disease?"
So how are all these diseases similar? Below is a description of each of the chronic diseases. You can see that they all seem to have very similar and related symptoms which definitely makes you think that perhaps they are all related to MSIDS – perhaps in time a common denominator will be found as suggested above and the root cause can then be treated and/or controlled to bring relief to the sufferers of these very debilitating chronic diseases?
- Fibromyalgia
- Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
- Polymyalgia Rheumatica
- MSIDS - Co-Infections with Lyme Disease
Fibromyalgia is a condition in which people describe symptoms that include widespread pain and tenderness in the body, often accompanied by extreme fatigue, cognitive disturbance, increased responsiveness to sensory stimuli such as cold, heat and light, problems with sleep and emotional distress. The symptoms of fibromyalgia can vary from mild to severe. The cause is unknown but like the other diseases in this group it is thought that among other things it could be triggered by an initial infection, injury, allergy, stress or substance abuse. Fibromyalgia can be very difficult to diagnose as it does not cause any inflammation or damage, but testing can eliminate other causes.
Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), also known chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS), is a complex and debilitating chronic disease with a serious impact on one’s quality of life. On Feb. 10, 2015, the Institute of Medicine released a landmark report that contained a series of recommendations for ME/CFS, one of which called for the name to be changed to Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease (SEID). This name has not yet been formally adopted by world and federal health agencies yet.
M.E. is a neurological disease which is a debilitating and complex disorder characterized by intense fatigue that is not improved by bed rest and that may be worsened by physical or mental activity. It results from an injury to the Central Nervous System and may be triggered by an infectious disease such as a viral infection, or by chemicals which over stimulate the immune system. M.E. is a multi-system disease, affecting not only the neurological system but also the immune, musculoskeletal, endocrine (hormonal) and cardiovascular systems.
It causes a range of symptoms including post exertional malaise, unrefreshing sleep, concentration problems and pain in muscles, joints and headaches.
M.E. may or may not be the same as CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). This is because there are currently 10 different interpretative criteria for CFS, some with a psychiatric and others with an immunological specification. If the CFS criteria used involves damage to the Central Nervous System, then it could well be the same disease as M.E. Other CFS criteria used, especially the Oxford criteria, focus on patients whose fatigue could be of psychiatric origin and this is not M.E.
The term CFS can be harmful as a label to M.E. sufferers because it can exclude pathological findings. Sometimes, however, researchers and medical staff use the term CFS to mean M.E. So the situation is unacceptably confusing. M.E. is a more specific name implying the pathology which has been found in association with the disorder.
Polymyalgia rheumatica is a rheumatic disorder associated with moderate-to-severe musculo-skeletal pain and stiffness in the neck, shoulder, and hip area.. Stiffness is most noticeable in the morning or after a period of inactivity. This disorder may develop rapidly; in some people it comes on literally overnight. But for most people, polymyalgia rheumatica develops more gradually.
The cause of polymyalgia rheumatica is not known. But it is associated with immune system problems, genetic factors, and an event, such as an infection, that triggers symptoms. The fact that polymyalgia rheumatica is rare in people under the age of 50 and becomes more common as age increases, suggests that it may be linked to the aging process. Polymyalgia rheumatica usually resolves within 1 to several years.
Like the other diseases described above, Lyme disease can affect any part of the body and cause many different symptoms. The commonest symptoms relate to the person feeling unwell, having flu-like symptoms, extreme tiredness, muscle pain, muscle weakness, joint pain, upset digestive system, headache, disturbances of the central nervous system and a poor sleep pattern. In some cases a characteristically shaped, expanding ‘bull’s eye’ rash appears on the skin.
Many patients who suffer from Lyme disease, are also infected with a host of associated tick-borne infections, such as Borrelia hermsii (relapsing fever), Babesia, Bartonella, Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Q-fever, Ehrlichia or Anaplasma. Rarely, patients also have Tularemia and Brucellosis. To see Borrelia burgdorferi by itself is unusual.
This collection of bugs and associated illness explains why the standard treatment protocol (consisting of 30 days antibiotic therapy) doesn't offer the cure for most sufferers. Detoxification, hormone balancing, heavy metal removal and ramping up immune function are equally important.
Dr. Horowitz has come up with holistic approach, a 16 step road map, for treating Lyme disease, other tick borne illness, related co-infections and offers insight into the root causes for the chronic illnesses described above. I will discuss his road map to recovery in my next blog.
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