LymeNet Flash: Tetrad forms of babesia -- darkfield microscopy

This is topic Tetrad forms of babesia -- darkfield microscopy in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by Katydid (Member # 1128) on :

Hi everyone,

When I first got diagnosed with Lyme, I also had positive tests for babesia microti and human monocytic ehrlichia. My treatment has focused primarily on Lyme although I did take doxy in the early stages of treatment. Other than taking Zhang's artemesia for 40 days, the babesia went untreated until recently.

Several months ago, I saw a local naturopath who has one of those darkfield microscopes. He took a tiny sample of blood and viewed it under the microscope. After a few minutes, he said something like "Would you look at this?" and put the image up on the TV screen where I could see it.

Lo and behold, there were little objects inside of my red blood cells. Some were round, one of them looked like four cells joined together to form a sort of cross, and another looked a little like the Race for the Cure pink ribbon, if you know what I mean. After a few seconds, the top of the "ribbon" split and I could see that it was another of the cross forms. The top two arms of the cross had been snuggling, I guess, and it made the cross look sort of like a ribbon.

Well, the naturopath commented that maybe these were mycoplasmas but he didn't really know.

For some reason, I didn't buy the mycoplasma idea. And I recalled that babesia can sometimes take a tetrad or cross form but I couldn't find any pictures to confirm my idea. So I kind of forgot about it.

Time passed and my LLMD recommended that we treat babesia since my progress had plateaued. I started feeling significantly better with the clindamycin quinine protocol, especially when I added in artemesinin (by Nutricology). I'm also doing Rife treatments and taking my supplements with a renewed zeal so it is hard to attribute my improvement to any one thing. But I honestly believe the clindamycin and quinine have helped -- I take these on a rotational basis with amoxicillan and have noticed repeatedly that I feel really good whenever I start the clinda/q.

Given my recent progress, this morning I started thinking about the weird little things we had seen in my blood and I decided to look around for some pictures of babesia. Lo and behold, I found pictures of tetrad forms of babesia that look just like what we saw in my blood cells. It's also called the "maltese cross" form of babesia and it's significant in that it is diagnostic of babesiosis.

So if you see a doc who has one of these darkfield microscopes and you see these in your blood, seek out treatment for babesiosis without delay.
http://www.emersonanimalhospital.com/babelife.html (showing maltese-cross form of piroplasm -- just like what I saw in my blood under dark field microscope.
http://www.icp.ucl.ac.be/~opperd/parasites/human_babesiosis.html
(more tetrad forms)
http://www.med-chem.com/Para/prob%20of%20month/Prob%20of%20Month8%20August.htm (more tetrad forms)

Posted by Katydid (Member # 1128) on :

I forgot to mention that we saw what I believe to be babesia in my blood cells AFTER I took Zhang's artemesia for 40 days. I didn't follow up with a second round of artemesia so maybe that explains why it wasn't effective for me. More recently, I've read that artemesinin is superior to the whole herb.

Posted by Marnie (Member # 773) on :

The beta glucans to help??? (The mushrooms.)

Host Defense by New Chapter or Immunity by Nikken are 2 ones avail.

[This message has been edited by Marnie (edited 26 August 2003).]

Posted by bpeck (Member # 3235) on :

If a large percentage of your RBCs are infected with Babesia to the extent you can see the abnormal parasitzed RBCs under a scope - then
you should also be anemic, have larger than normal RBCs and not enough RBCs.
If you can- I would send that blood sample to a reputable lab for a Babesia Smear. (Like FOCUS or MDL)
It is very rare in humans (other than during the acute onset) to find replicating babesia int the RBCs. You need to document that.!!

Barb

Posted by eugenia (Member # 2685) on :

Katydid,

Thanks dor your interesting info on this.

Lst summer I took 2 courses (I think it was 80 days) of Zhangs artemesia and at first I felt "different" but after that I felt better, but that better didn't last very long and am now planning to do a course of Mepron?Biaxin.

Sounds like you are on the right path with including Rife etc.

Glad you're feeling better.

Posted by Katydid (Member # 1128) on :

Good idea Barb about sending the sample but it's too late. It's been several months since we did the darkfield microscopy and the doctor only took a tiny sample...just enough for the smear. I am going to ask my LLMD for babs testing when I see him next month...including the Geimsa stain (did I spell that right?) and IFA. I'd like to be sure that babs is really gone.

Marnie, thanks for the recommendation of beta glucans. Those are included in the transfer factor plus so I guess I'm covered.

Eugenia, I'm sorry the artemesia didn't help you but hopefully the mepro/biaxin will do the job.

Posted by jen13 on :

Kay, zhang's formula is too weak. Get ARTEMIS (do a google search, artemis/cancer) or ARTHEMOS (barb took it) if you can.

Posted by Katydid (Member # 1128) on :

Hey Jen, yeah I figured out that it's too weak. I'm currently taking Artemesinin by Nutricology. I think I remember reading Barb's posts and have the impression that the artemis is hard to get. Is that true? If you don't have time to reply, I'll do some research. Thanks for your input.

Posted by jen13 on :

Arthemos is hard to get but I have a feeling Artemis (do google search artemis cancer and you'll find the produc) is just as good--it has all 3 forms of artemesia, the same amount of artemisin as arthemos did.

Posted by Katydid (Member # 1128) on :

Thanks for the info! I'll post whatever I find.

Posted by Katydid (Member # 1128) on :

There are two links to information on artemis and how to order.
http://www.altcancer.com/artemis.htm
http://store.yahoo.com/herbhealers/arworex.html

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

Hi Katydid!! I didn't know you hadn't been treated for babs! Yikes! Did it show up on the Bowen testing??

So glad the clinda/Q is working for you. You may need to take it quite awhile. I took it 2 yrs ago for only a few months, and began 'round 2' about 2 months ago. I'm going to stick with it longer this time to make sure I kicked it!

Thanks for the info!! I'm going to go check out the pics next!

------------------
oops!
Lymetutu

Posted by StrengthToStrength (Member # 3721) on :

What dosage of artemisinin should we be taking for babs? I assume a duration of 40 days?

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

I don't think there's anything magic about the number 40. LOTS of people have taken mepron/zith for babs for more than a year. Babs is not easily knocked down.

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oops!
Lymetutu

Posted by Katydid (Member # 1128) on :

Hi ya Lymetoo! I tested positive for Babs (IFA) when I first got diagnosed with Lyme but my Bowen test was negative for Babs last summer. But I definitely saw some creepy critters in my red blood cells a few months ago. Since I seem to be responding positively to clindamycin/quinine/artemesinin, the doc and I think we are on to something.

I'm taking only 100 mg. of artemesinin because I'm a little unsure of the dosage. Nutricology claims that artemesinin is about 300 times stronger than the whole herb, so 100 mg. seems like a significant dose.

Posted by b333 (Member # 2479) on :

Hi,

Are you planning to have the naturopath repeat the testing with the darkfield miscroscope?

It would be very interesting to see what it would show after treatment. If possible, and if this treatment is helping, I wouldn't stop it until I retested and it showed clear on the test.

This was very interesting to read..also a bit creepy to think about those things in your blood. I would guess a lot of people have this and don't know it.

God Bless You,

Pam

Posted by chunga (Member # 3775) on :

Hi,

Does anyone out there actually own one of these microscopes?

I did a little snooping on the Internet last night....there are quite a few varieties to choose from.

If I am good, maybe Santa will get me an early Christmas present.

Posted by Katydid (Member # 1128) on :

Pam, I'm definitely going to re-test with the naturopath at least a couple of times before I stop treatment.

Posted by Beverly (Member # 1271) on :

Up.