LymeNet Flash: 5,300 year old may have had Lyme disease

This is topic 5,300 year old may have had Lyme disease in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by steve1906 (Member # 16206) on :

died roughly 5,300 years ago, may have had Lyme disease!!!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/11/otzi-iceman-head-blow-death-mummy-brain-tissue_n_3418652.html?vrtrackType=_vrtrack&peppyCount=78

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

Where ya been? [Big Grin]

Unless this is a different Ice Man, this was in National Geographic last year.

Maybe Huff Post is just now waking up.

Posted by steve1906 (Member # 16206) on :

Come on Lymetoo, Don't blame me - It must be my Lyme Brain!

Since "Huff Post" just posted this today...they must be in the same shape as myself!

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

Yeah, I noticed the date and wondered what the deal was.

Hope your daughter is doing well! [Smile]

Posted by CherylSue (Member # 13077) on :

How could they tell he had lyme disease?

Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :

-
Tissue &/or bone testing confirmed borellia b.
-

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

Tissue samples, I think. I read the article in National Geo, but I've slept several times since then!

Posted by steve1906 (Member # 16206) on :

Lymetoo - I found the article>
Perhaps most surprising, researchers found the genetic footprint of bacteria known as Borrelia burgdorferi in his DNA�making the Iceman the earliest known human infected by the bug that causes Lyme disease.

Here it is - http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/11/iceman-autopsy/hall-text

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

Cool! Glad to have that in our files. Not sure we have the full text here.

Thanks!

---"Perhaps most surprising, researchers found the genetic footprint of bacteria known as Borrelia burgdorferi in his DNA�making the Iceman the earliest known human infected by the bug that causes Lyme disease."

Posted by ctone (Member # 38779) on :

Funny about the effort put into testing Iceman for Lyme, but we still can't get definitive tests for the living. What test did they use? They said they found the genetic footprint in the DNA, is there such a test available for the living or does it just work on 5000 year old Icemen?

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

Probably a very expensive test, is my guess.

Most DNA tests are.

Posted by OtterJ (Member # 30701) on :

Not so funny, the reason Steve just heard about it was the 5300 year old IDSA man named Skuzzi who tried to suppress the story. No, I'm SERIOUS, really!!

Posted by Maryinvt2 (Member # 37822) on :

I wouldn't be surprised if the dinosaurs died of Lyme. Give it a thought. [Roll Eyes]

Posted by ctone (Member # 38779) on :

Lyme has been around forever, really. For sure Dinosaurs had it, it's even been found in billion year old meteors, it's always been here, we just never noticed it. All those wierd symptoms that popped up in Lyme Conneticut in the 1970's, that was just a bunch of hysterics, because surely, you know, since Lyme has been around forever, humanity would have long been well aware of such a disease and it would not have made such a dramatic appearance in a small town in Conneticut.

Posted by SusanH (Member # 40582) on :

Did he have 4 or the 5 bands? ;-)

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

BUT WAS HE CDC POSITIVE??? LOL!!

ctone .. I've had it since the 50's... and I'm not alone in that.

Posted by ctone (Member # 38779) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Lymetoo:
BUT WAS HE CDC POSITIVE??? LOL!!

ctone .. I've had it since the 50's... and I'm not alone in that.

If you don't mind me asking, how did you figure
out you had been infected in the 50's? It is known that both the Japanese and Germans (and who knows who else) were experimenting with
tick born diseases during WW2, resulting at some point, presumably, in today's bacterial strains.

Posted by SusanH (Member # 40582) on :

LOL @ Lymetutu. My point exactly.

I bet he only had 4 bands! Probably 41, 23, 28 and 37.

I'm surprised the CDC didn't issue an argument.

Either way, I'm sure he couldn't get insurance.

[bonk]

Posted by luvema (Member # 26650) on :

Hahahahhah, is he CDC positive,
very nice lymetoo.

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

Nope, no insurance for this guy!! No treatment after 4 wks either!! No wonder he died! [Big Grin]

ctone.. I was first exposed to ticks in the late 50's. The first day we went to our wooded land, my brother and I were covered in ticks. Probably way over 100 of them that day.

Over the next 10+ years we got tick bites every single weekend. I have no idea about rashes or even EXACTLY when I got sick.

I was sick A LOT and even had to have a homebound teacher for several months when I was 17.

Posted by MaryMi (Member # 459) on :

In it's original form it may not have been a big

problem, such as anthrax, until it was altered to

make it much more severe & harder to treat.