I do have one minor criticism, in that at one point in the film Dr M appears to suggest that European Lymies have a reasonable chance of getting a positive result on our blots, because they include antigens derived from European strains.
The problem is, most of Europe is following the useless two-tier method, so people are eliminated by the useless elisa and never get the blot.
Also the UK blot no longer contains any proteins from Borrelia garinii, the genospecies most known to be associated with neurological Lyme, and there is genetic heterogeneity within each genospecies too, which could possibly affect your chance of being picked up if for example, your strain of afzelli was different to the one on the blot.
That said, it is truly an excellent video which raises many very crucial points never aired before.
Elena
-------------------- Justice will be ours. Posts: 786 | From UK | Registered: Oct 2007
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Keebler
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- Thanks so much, Elena. As always, your sharing is very informative. I just started it but will have to wait for the full 26 minutes until later.
In the post above, there is one defining word used for those with lyme (not sure if you are referring to Dr. M using it - or if it's your use of the term). And, I know that some may use it as an endearment. I know no ill-will - usually (other than from the IDSA who like to use that term in negative ways).
Though, for those new (or not) who are reading this and may also use that term, as we try to gain respect in the world, just some food for thought:
Please do not call me �Lymie� -
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Keebler
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- Also just want to thank you again for this. He sure is looking good - so glad he's back at work after some challenges a couple years ago. -
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TX Lyme Mom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
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posted
Excellent video. It would make a good program for Lyme support group meetings. Is the complete DVD available for purchase for this purpose, and if so, then how can one obtain one of the DVDs?
I've posted a comment about it in our Texas Lyme Yahoo forum. Others may want to do the same in their own state Lyme forums, if such forums exist in their states.
Note to Moderators: The link to this topic doesn't work when the moderator closed the other topic which was posted by ColdFeet after this topic had already been posted first on the same subject. Please fix it for us, if possible.
Posts: 4563 | From TX | Registered: Sep 2002
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One of the most fascinating points Dr Macdonald makes in the video is that all Lyme testing is based not only on just one strain of one species of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (BB sensu stricto B31 strain), but is actually all based on ONE borrelia cell.
This is because Dr Alan Barbour, leading Denialist, Epidemic Intelligence Service officer and head of a major biowarfare complex at UCI, decided to develop the cell line that was to be used for future testing (and identification of Bb in the wild) by the process of cloning by limiting dilution. Dr Macdonald explains this admirably.
As its name suggests, this procedure involves serial steps of diluting a sample of spirochetes until you have only one cell left. This one cell is then cloned so that you have a population of borrelia all with the identical DNA (and therefore capable of producing proteins identical to the original "parent" cell, and no other.)
The result is, even though there are hundreds of strains of Borrelia worldwide (and we know now they don't have to be Burgdorferi to cause Lyme-like illness), every antibody test (even those run by labs on our side) is ultimately based on the profile on this ONE single cell of Borrelia which Barbour isolated, and the particular proteins it produced.
We know that different borrelia strains can be very highly variable in their proteins indeed. A good example is the fact that when the Lymerix vaccine was produced, they did not even attempt to market it in Europe as it was crystal clear that ospA protein from European strains was so different to sensu stricto, that no one was likely to make antibodies to it that would be any use against ospA in local strains.
Further, as Dr M points out, the single borrelial cell which Barbour cloned never saw a human body. It came from a tick. Dr M makes the crucial point that we do not even know for sure if the spirochete on which the whole of mainstream Lyme testing around the world is based, was even pathogenic for humans!
Barbour's lonely spirochete may have had almost nothing whatsoever, gene-wise and protein-wise, to do with the Borreliae which are inside our bodies.
Elena ps Keebler,I did not know that the IDSA committee use the word "Lymie" in an abusive way about us - anyway, point taken - I wont use it anymore.
-------------------- Justice will be ours. Posts: 786 | From UK | Registered: Oct 2007
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sutherngrl
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posted
In other words the test kit sucks, and Dr. M explains it so beautifully here. This man is brilliant, yet able to explain something complex so that anyone can understand it, except of course those that wish not to understand it......the IDSA.
What a crying shame that so many have to suffer because of a few.
There is a Dr. here in MS that treats Alzheimer's with antibiotics and says he has good success; but no other doctors will put any stock in his research.
posted
great video.. thanks so much for posting.. and great idea for showing at support group meetings too.
-------------------- KentuckyWoman tired of medical run-arounds
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. ~ ~ Robert Frost Posts: 221 | From Kentucky | Registered: Sep 2012
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TxLymeMom, there are contact details for Richard Longland, the videographer, at the very end of the video, which states that you can get the DVD from him. We should thank him as well, he's done a very professional job IMO. Elena
quote:Originally posted by TX Lyme Mom: Excellent video. It would make a good program for Lyme support group meetings. Is the complete DVD available for purchase for this purpose, and if so, then how can one obtain one of the DVDs?
I've posted a comment about it in our Texas Lyme Yahoo forum. Others may want to do the same in their own state Lyme forums, if such forums exist in their states.
Note to Moderators: The link to this topic doesn't work when the moderator closed the other topic which was posted by ColdFeet after this topic had already been posted first on the same subject. Please fix it for us, if possible.
-------------------- Justice will be ours. Posts: 786 | From UK | Registered: Oct 2007
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posted
I'm re-copying here below a post by Richard Longland, the videographer who made this video, which appeared in another thread, as he has summarised some of the important themes Dr Macdonald discusses in his video.
Elena
"Cold Feet LymeNet Contributor Member # 9882
Icon 3 posted 07-21-2013 08:18 PM Profile for Cold Feet Author's Homepage Send New Private Message Edit/Delete Post
I am honored to share a recent interview with Dr. Alan MacDonald, a gifted researcher, passionate educator and all-around good guy. His wealth of knowledge in the biology of Lyme disease will knock your socks off!
A few excerpts:
"...And I was able to grow the Lyme spirochete from four of four Alzheimer�s brains from George Glenner�s Alzheimer�s Brain Bank at the University of California at San Diego..."
"...the work continues and we are finishing a case study from a German physician who had Alzheimer�s disease; had high levels of antibodies to the Lyme spirochetes, actually three different strains in his spinal fluid..."
"...finding the spirochete at the site of the Alzheimer injury is not any different from finding the strep at the site of the strep throat, or finding the bacteria at the site of the ruptured appendix, or finding the syphilis spirochete at the site of the general paresis. There is no difference..."
"...Now think about it. One spirochete and one lineage, one set of proteins, one DNA, is going to be the ruler for diagnosing any and all of the bacterial spirochetal and Borrelia infections in the United States. We now know there are at least 100 different genotypes of Borrelia burgdorferi for our USA type..."
"...the syphilis spirochete could outwit the immune system in many, man ways. And it could do inside of cells and hide inside of cells. It could hide in areas of the body which we call sanctuary sites where the immune system does not get to very easily; like it hides in brain because brain is a sanctuary site. It hides in the eye because the eye is a protected site and the immune system does not get into the eye.."
"...The ultimate survival mechanism is the biofilm. And what is a biofilm? Biofilm is different from a single microbe. It is a community of microbes. And the community of microbes are specialized. So you have the equivalent of carpenters, electricians, accountants, you know, sanitary engineers. And all these specialized members of the community have specialized functions which are different from the single microbe, which started the community growing. And, they surround this community with a protective layer of what is called extracellular matrix. It is a protective layer of material that includes DNA from the bug, proteins that came from the bugs that are once living but are now dead, and they form a glue that holds the community together. The community is serviced by it�s own waste removal system. It has canals, water canals. So, nutrients can flow in and waste can flow out. It has its own communication system. It has both nano wires like electrical wires or telephone wires. It has nano tubes..."
-------------------- My biofilm film: www.whyamistillsick.com 2004 Mycoplasma Pneumonia 2006 Positive after 2 years of hell 2006-08 Marshall Protocol. Killed many bug species 2009 - Beating candida, doing better Lahey Clinic in Mass: what a racquet! Posts: 803 | From Mass. | Registered: Aug 2006 | IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator "
-------------------- Justice will be ours. Posts: 786 | From UK | Registered: Oct 2007
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Thank you for your kind words everyone. Elena, that was an especially insightful post. The excerpts you kindly reposted are verbatim from my interview transcript from Dr. MacDondald, not my words or interpretation.
More soon.
-------------------- My biofilm film: www.whyamistillsick.com 2004 Mycoplasma Pneumonia 2006 Positive after 2 years of hell 2006-08 Marshall Protocol. Killed many bug species 2009 - Beating candida, doing better Lahey Clinic in Mass: what a racquet! Posts: 830 | From Mass. | Registered: Aug 2006
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Why at the end of the under our skin documentary it stated that Dr. Alan was diagnosed with a form of Alizheimer disease and that he forgot his research?
It sure doesn't seem like it in the video.
-------------------- Ema Posts: 394 | From Southern California | Registered: Jun 2010
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Catgirl
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 31149
posted
Awesome video! Thanks for posting Eight Legs!
Thank you for your hard work Cold Feet!
-------------------- --Keep an open mind about everything. Also, remember to visit ACTIVISM (we can change things together). Posts: 5418 | From earth | Registered: Mar 2011
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Ema, I am not sure. But as you said, he sure is with it. He's passionate and super-smart. A lot of people have asked that same question, I'll speak with him to see if he's comfortable commenting.
Whatever the case, I am glad he's still working his tail off researching such critical health matters!
And thanks Catgirl. I loved you in the original Batman show...my first love!
-------------------- My biofilm film: www.whyamistillsick.com 2004 Mycoplasma Pneumonia 2006 Positive after 2 years of hell 2006-08 Marshall Protocol. Killed many bug species 2009 - Beating candida, doing better Lahey Clinic in Mass: what a racquet! Posts: 830 | From Mass. | Registered: Aug 2006
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
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posted
- Ema, Cold Feet,
Last autumn when I saw he was to present at the ILADS conference I called and asked about it. Simple answer:
He was said to be doing quite well. [He had been very, very ill for a while.]
Glad to see him back, even if part-time(?) or in whatever time he can take to further explore. So glad, mostly for him, his family - and also for those of us who so need his brilliant mind, eager spirit & kind heart. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Posted this in another thread, but it seems to have faded into the archive...
Below are two additional videos Dr Macdonald has just posted to Youtube, in which he explains in intimate detail the various nonspiral forms of Borrelia which cause such devastation in the human body, and of which the Denialists love to deny the existence:
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