Jordana
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 45305
posted
It's turned out to be kind of a pain in the butt to kill filiaral worms and microfilaria because standard treatment ( Ivermectin) is becoming resistant, but also because it doesn't kill the adults, so people have to take ivermectin once a year to kill of off the new crop of larva.
So what they figured out is that filarial worms have a symbiont, named Wolbachia. Wolbachia can be killed with antibiotics, and, over time, killing the symbiont kills the host - thus leapfrogging over ivermectin as a strategy to kill nematodes.
The "gold standard" antibiotic for killing Wolbachia is doxycycline.
In this Nature article researchers predict that minocycline can probably do a better job of killing Wolbachia and eventually clearing the host of microfilaria AND filaria.
What does that mean for you? Well, if you were worried about Dr. MacDonald's brainworms, this might be a strategy for you. Considering that Lyme ALSO might be a symbiont like Wolbachia for these worms and mino crosses the BBB...could be an elegant solution.
Jordana
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 45305
posted
It kills the bacteria in the worms -- they're symbionts. Kill the bacteria, kill the worm.
Posts: 2057 | From Florida | Registered: Feb 2015
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Jordana
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 45305
posted
Yeah I think mino is fine. Doycycline gives me a raging headache, which might be because it's got more action against babs, but mino also has a really strong anti-inflammatory action.
I'm not convinced all Lyme people have brain worms. But if you did, this is the the current thinking.
minocycline may cause your skin to be more sensitive to sunlight than it is normally. Exposure to sunlight, even for brief periods of time, may cause a skin rash, itching, redness or other discoloration of the skin, or a severe sunburn. When you begin taking this medicine:
Stay out of direct sunlight, especially between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., if possible. Wear protective clothing, including a hat. Also, wear sunglasses. Apply a sunblock product that has a sun protection factor (SPF) number of at least 15. Some patients may require a product with a higher SPF number, especially if they have a fair complexion. If you have any questions about this, check with your doctor. Apply a sunblock lipstick that has an SPF of at least 15 to protect your lips. Do not use a sun lamp or tanning bed or booth.
If you have a severe reaction from the sun, check with your doctor.
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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Jordana
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 45305
posted
I can't really speak to the sun issue. I never had a sun reaction to either doxy or mino.
Posts: 2057 | From Florida | Registered: Feb 2015
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