About 5 weeks ago, we were outside moving my daughters crap into a shed. The blackflies were really thick.
She got bit 3 times on her stomach. About an hour after one of the bites had a rash around it the side of my fist. It was warm. Thinking she was just having a reaction to the bite, we let it be for a couple of days, then it started spreading, the rash went from her belly button to her spine. After 2 doctors visits we finally got them to test for Lyme.
Got word a few days ago that she tested positive for lyme.
I called my LLMD and asked him about it. I told him that it had to be from the black fly. She showers twice a day (you know the 24 year old girl!)and would have found a tick. LLMD said that it has been documented in rare cases that LD is carried by biting flies such as the black fly and deer fly.
If that is the case this LD is getting scarier and scarier
Cora
My son-in-law's uncle was a lobsterer(sp) for a living, but he ended up really sick, and moved to Vermont because he was so ill.
They went last year, and told me how bad they get in Me.
They hurt don't they?
I wonder whether there are a special breed of black flies in that area that are good at spreading Lyme. You don't hear this too much from other areas although there sure have been studies saying lots of other insects can be found to be carrying Bb, the articles say they don't usually spread it to people although some cases have been reported or suspected with lots of different bugs other than ticks.
But that doctor said she saw it a LOT in maine and with full bullseyes. So I wonder if that means that there is a special kind of black fly that bites infected animals and then humans in Maine?
Should be reported to entymologysts and studied.
Unfortunately a lot of links here don't work but there's still some good ones that do FYI:
Insects or Vectors, Other Than Ticks, and Lyme Disease - An Annotated Bibliography http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Oasis/6455/insects-biblio.html
Links only:
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Oasis/6455/insects-links.html
quote:
Originally posted by LymeinME:
Thought I'd add my comments to your research project.About 5 weeks ago, we were outside moving my daughters crap into a shed. The blackflies were really thick.
She got bit 3 times on her stomach. About an hour after one of the bites had a rash around it the side of my fist. It was warm. Thinking she was just having a reaction to the bite, we let it be for a couple of days, then it started spreading, the rash went from her belly button to her spine. After 2 doctors visits we finally got them to test for Lyme.
Got word a few days ago that she tested positive for lyme.
I called my LLMD and asked him about it. I told him that it had to be from the black fly. She showers twice a day (you know the 24 year old girl!)and would have found a tick. LLMD said that it has been documented in rare cases that LD is carried by biting flies such as the black fly and deer fly.
If that is the case this LD is getting scarier and scarier
Cora
I'll check out those links. Thanks.
Hope some of those links still work for you.
quote:
Originally posted by LymeinME:
Our "black fly" season is May and about half of June. That's when they swarm, and it is sometimes hard to even be outside. They are small flies, smaller than a housefly and bigger than the knats. For the rest of the summer, they are around a bit, but tend to bite less.I'll check out those links. Thanks.
These are little black things. I think they are in New England.
A few weeks ago Thomas Parkman posted about the bugs when he was up here.
In 1972 I was living in Pittsfield NH and in the beginning of June was gardening in my backyard. For a whole weekend I was bit everywhere and got sores from them and they hurt. About a week or so later is when the fun began...swollen ankles, crutches, extreme fatigue, fever, swollen elbows, neck, knees and the famous bullseye rash on both shins.
That was when my family doctor put me in the hospital..he ran every test there was at the time and could not figure it out. But, at least he put a diagnosis of black fly reactions. Lyme disease was not known then;
Then my journey of ups and downs of Lyme continued with ducks taking care of me and telling me I have fibro, chronic fatigue, the flu and myalgias. Oye I have heard it all.
I truly believe that those nasty little black flies that come out in May until the middle of June...when the mosquitoes come out and eat them...are the culprits of my diagnosed lyme disease in 2001.
I am going to an LLMD, finally..in MO next month and will find out for sure. I am so sick now I could cry and my social life is down to my computer and cat..not very good.
At least living in KY now there are no black flies...seems to be a Maine, NH and Vermont thing. My ex husband used to watch them suck the blood out of him...ugh...but he never got sick nor my 4 kids. I just do not get it. But, I was and still am one sick lady..
Just wanted to share,
Hugs Jean 
I KNOW I re-contracted lyme in 2001 from black flies in ME and with that came NASTY babs and other TBDs. I have yet to find a study that documents it though. I was sooooo sick the next day and commented that I thought the black flies had put poison in my blood. Turns out they DID!
My friends all went canoeing and I had to stay in the cabin with what seemed like the flu. It went away and then 4 months later the neuro sx started and the neuropathy and pain and headaches.
I was symptom free from Lyme for 10 years prior to this black fly exposure.
I wish there was more about this written and studied. Will check out the sites when my head doesnt hurt so much. Thanks for this post.
Count me in for getting Lyme from black flies. I am CDC positive and IgM positive since 2001. Also have babs, bart, hme. (no rash that time, only rash from first exposure with tick in the center 1991)
Trails
Can you imagine trying to get the State to report Lyme transmitted by black flies. They would never do it. Tourism thing you know.
Thank you!
Yes.. I have several cases I know of that I would LOVE to share with the ducks... and always need more to add to my mental bank when trying to put things together.
Cases:
A child bitten by a mosquito.. next day bull-eye rash. Actually I know of two.. but only have a photo of one of the cases... in two different states.
3 people with West Nile and Lyme after a tick bite.
Bartonella being passed by black flies.. several cases... including my own.
People getting Lyme after known spider bites.
Now.. may I suggest? I would have your daughter tested for Bartonella also.
A rash that is warm and not "typical" MAY suggest co-infections?
Quest.. covered by most insurance.. does an ok job with Bartonella and tests for 2 kinds.
Black flies are wicked.. as mentioned above. They are as far south as Virginia.. that I am aware of.. maybe further?? I haven't checked where the books say they are suppose to be... and not! HA!
In other countries black flies are known to carry other diseases.. but we don't "accept" their research from over seas (for obvious reasons like it would prove OUR ducks wrong).. and it can't happen HERE as we have all heard before.. according to the dope ducks.
DUH!
In other countries Lyme has been shown in mosquitoes, and West Nile in ticks.
But NO.. here in the US.. we are still STUPID about it.. and we are NOT going to find out what has what until the health departments have MONEY to make them care and do something. (That is what I was told recently by them when questioning why they STILL promoted the fact .. spending LOTS of tax money... that people need to eat fruits and veggies).
Anyhow.. I want to see if I can test these critters so I can prove documentation. Boy.. if I had grant money.. some heads would spin.
I recently came across a person in serious condition who has a large rash in several areas (all over the body basically).. who has had it for several years.. and who has multiple Lyme symptoms and possible coinfection symptoms.. which developed after a black fly bite.
I have arranged for testing of the rash (biopsy), photos, blood work, and a LLMD to see them due to the unusual presentation, severity, and source of infection. Thankfully the LLMD and lab are helping this person.. out of the goodness of their heart... cuase I could not afford to pay for it.
I'm waiting for results to come back to the lab... as we speak. If positive.. and MANY ducks have NOT found a cause for the rash/symptoms over the years.. we have a case that is documented that we can use to help others... and for education.
And most importantly, we will have another patient with some answers... who will be able to be treated properly.
I also know of reports from the Appalachian Trail area where folks have gotten Lyme after fly bites.. but I have no "official documentation" for these cases.
So.. PLEASE be careful!!!!
Suspect ANY bug bites!!!
After all.. remember when THEY told us ONLY DEER TICKS could pass on Lyme to humans?
Well, I've said it before.. and I'll say it again...
Puppy poo!
And thanks for sharing!
I have a number of abstracts.. somewhere??.. listing insects/animals that have been found infected with Lyme. But here is an interesting Bartonella one.
Appl Environ Microbiol. 2004 Oct;70(10):6302-5.
Role of Hippoboscidae Flies as Potential Vectors of Bartonella spp.
Infecting Wild and Domestic Ruminants.
Halos L, Jamal T, Maillard R, Girard B, Guillot J, Chomel B, Vayssier-Taussat
M, Boulouis HJ.
UMR 956 INRA/AFSSA/ENVA/UPVM, Microbiologie, Ecole Nationale Veterinaire
d'Alfort, 7 avenue du General de Gaulle, 94 704 Maisons-Alfort, France.
[email protected].
The putative role of biting flies in Bartonella transmission among ruminants was
investigated. Amplification of the Bartonella citrate synthase gene from 83
Hippoboscidae was detected in 94% of 48 adult Lipoptena cervi flies, 71% of 17
adult Hippobosca equina flies, 100% of 20 adult Melophagus ovinus flies, and 100%
of 10 M. ovinus pupae.
Our findings suggest that Hippoboscidae play a role in the
transmission of Bartonella among ruminants. The vertical transmission of Bartonella
in M. ovinus and the presence of Bartonella DNA in all samples suggest a symbiotic
association between Bartonella and M. ovinus.
PMID: 15466580 [PubMed - in process]
I don't think they tested for Bart.
Cora
He said that whatever bit him hurt when it bit. He swatted at it but didn't really see it.
He was bit inside a bathroom stall along the highway.
He is on Doxy and herxing from it. I don't know if he had Lyme previously or not. But he does now.
Lisi
my sister doesn't remember being bitten by a tick, but she does have horses and there are those deer / horse flies around the barn. i wonder...
I tend to think it is the former rather than the latter.
Either way it needs to be studied and documented. I'm particularly interested in the thing about the flys in MAINE and these bullseye rashes.
Sure flys are all over the country and the world. But the frequency of Maine being mentioned in this thread and by that maine family doctor who founded ILADS (Dr TRM) really has me intrigued.
I'd skip the health department. But there are a few entomologists especially interested in Lyme who might be worth a try.
That would be a worthy project.