“Our study using multiple detection methods confirms that MD is a true somatic illness associated with Borrelia spirochetes that cause Lyme disease. Further studies are needed to determine the optimal treatment for this spirochete-associated dermopathy.”
"It should be noted that only two of the patients in our study group were positive for Lyme disease based on the CDC Lyme surveillance criteria and yet Borrelia spirochetes were readily detectable in this group of 25 MD patients."
KarlaL
Research article Exploring the association between Morgellons disease and Lyme disease: identification of Borrelia burgdorferi in Morgellons disease patients
Marianne J Middelveen, Cheryl Bandoski, Jennie Burke, Eva Sapi, Katherine R Filush, Yean Wang, Agustin Franco, Peter J Mayne and Raphael B Stricker
Abstract (provisional) BackgroundMorgellons disease (MD) is a complex skin disorder characterized by ulcerating lesions that have protruding or embedded filaments.
Many clinicians refer to this condition as delusional parasitosis or delusional infestation and consider the filaments to be introduced textile fibers.
In contrast, recent studies indicate that MD is a true somatic illness associated with tickborne infection, that the filaments are keratin and collagen in composition and that they result from proliferation and activation of keratinocytes and fibroblasts in the skin.
Previously, spirochetes have been detected in the dermatological specimens from four MD patients, thus providing evidence of an infectious process.
Methods & ResultsBased on culture, histology, immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy and molecular testing, we present corroborating evidence of spirochetal infection in a larger group of 25 MD patients. Irrespective of Lyme serological reactivity, all patients in our study group demonstrated histological evidence of epithelial spirochetal infection.
Strength of evidence based on other testing varied among patients. Spirochetes identified as Borrelia strains by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and/or in-situ DNA hybridization were detected in 24/25 of our study patients.
Skin cultures containing Borrelia spirochetes were obtained from four patients, thus demonstrating that the organisms present in dermatological specimens were viable.
Spirochetes identified by PCR as Borrelia burgdorferi were cultured from blood in seven patients and from vaginal secretions in three patients, demonstrating systemic infection. Based on these observations, a clinical classification system for MD is proposed.
Conclusions - Our study using multiple detection methods confirms that MD is a true somatic illness associated with Borrelia spirochetes that cause Lyme disease. Further studies are needed to determine the optimal treatment for this spirochete-associated dermopathy.
The complete article is available as a provisional PDF. The fully formatted PDF and HTML versions are in production.
Breaking up the post for easier reading for many here -
[ 02-12-2015, 05:17 PM: Message edited by: Robin123 ]
Posted by Catgirl (Member # 31149) on :
Not surprised about this at all.
Off topic, but noticed that spirochetes were found in vaginal secretions.
Posted by poppy (Member # 5355) on :
I wonder why some people get this skin manifestation and others do not (lyme patients). Or is it just another one of the many faces of lyme?
Posted by Catgirl (Member # 31149) on :
I think it is just another one of the many faces of lyme. I've had it pop up on ondamed, but never had the lesions.
Posted by SacredHeart (Member # 44733) on :
I bet it is the particular species of Borrelia.
Posted by paulieinct (Member # 17514) on :
Fascinating study. What sayeth the IDSA/CDC/ALDF cabal now?
The fact that CDC has been so dismissive of Morgellons, claiming that they're all crazy and delusional, is tragic. Why do they despise suffering patients so??
My sister has the crawling sensations, but without the lesions and fibers. She is convinced that there are worms crawling around in her. I've tried to steer her in the right direction, and even had her tested at IGENEX - IGENEX positive, but CDC negative. She was on doxy for awhile, but is now back on the road to nowhere.
I myself have on a few rare occasions felt some crawling sensations that did in fact feel just like a worm under the skin, but no Morgellons lesions.
Posted by KarlaL (Member # 29631) on :
One thing that I find really satisfying about this paper is that several newly developed diagnostic methods such as Kerry Clark's PCRs (DNA evidence) and Eva Sapi's and Alan McDonald's culture methods are not only confirming active Borrelia infections in patients that have been previously dismissed, but they are giving even more evidence that the CDC criteria for serology is grossly insensitive in late stage Lyme disease.