Topic: Western Fence Lizard - Update on new research
Truthfinder
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8512
posted
There have been a number of discussions on this board about the unique properties of Western Fence Lizard blood, which basically ``cures'' infected ticks of Lyme Disease after they bite this lizard. (Do a search using the word "lizard'' and I'm sure you will get plenty of results.)
I wrote to Professor Robert Lane at UC Berkeley who appears to be in charge of the Western Fence Lizard research project there. I simply asked if the research was continuing, and if there were any new articles or papers regarding the research.
Professor Lane was kind enough to write me back immediately. This is what he said:
quote:Dear Tracy:
Yes, the research is continuing in my laboratory. A paper will be published in the August 2006 issue of the Journal of Parasitology entitled "Refractoriness of the western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) to the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia bissettii." It should be available online within a few weeks. I hope you and your support group members find it of interest.
Sincerely,
Robert Lane
Please note that the title of the paper refers to ``Borrelia bissettii '', NOT B. burgdorferi. B. bissettii has been found in several states here in the U.S. including northern California, northern Colorado, New York, Georgia, and Florida, and is found in many European countries, as well. It is one of the additional strains of Borrelia known to cause Lyme Disease.
It might be interesting to find out what this new paper reveals, if we only had someone who could interpret it for us, LOL. Any volunteers?
Perhaps an ``overview'' news article of the paper will be published for us laypeople after the Journal of Parasitology comes out this month.
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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luvs2ride
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8090
posted
Tracy,
That's interesting. I don't even know how to begin tracking the Journal of Parasitology.
Do you subscribe to it? Can you let us know when the article comes out?
Thanks for your work on this.
Luvs
-------------------- When the Power of Love overcomes the Love of Power, there will be Peace. Posts: 3038 | From america | Registered: Oct 2005
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Truthfinder
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8512
posted
Sorry, Luvs, I'm no help with that.
The Journal of Parasitology is the official publication of the American Society of Parasitologists. As a member of the Society, you receive the Journal 6 times a year.
I've tried to access or search prior journals online, but I don't have "access".
I checked, and I don't have any parasitologists listed in my address book, LOL.
As I stated before, perhaps there will be some news article that comes out about this new Paper.
If anyone out there lives close to a large university or a university-affiliated hospital, that may be a source for this Journal. That's all I can think of.
Tracy
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
Perhaps, since most of us can't access this journal, the professor would be kind enough to email you the article? Academics are generally pleased as punch when someone wants to read their papers?
Also, maybe someone here has university access to a database or library??? Often a university database access code will allow one to pull up articles that others can't-- or perhaps the university might subscribe to the journal, and someone would be kind enough to read it and write a layman's synopsis????
I miss my grad-student days -- largely because I miss my university library access.... boohoo.
-------------------- "Looks like freedom but it feels like death.. It's something in between, I guess"
Leonard Cohen, from the song "Closing Time" Posts: 822 | From California | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
My sister is an Entomologist from Berkely,has talked to Bob Lane before and says he's a realy nice guy.
Shes part of the mesqueto abatment program in Napa and they have been sending dead squirel-ears to him to test for west nile vector.
She just sent me a new article(Napa Valley Register) with a picture of her holding a "Tester chicken" used in her studies.I'll ask about that journal next time I e~mail her. Alan
-------------------- Charter member of the ~ Delux Toasting Club ~ Our Moto: "Take No Prisoners" Posts: 95 | From San Diego | Registered: Nov 2005
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Truthfinder
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8512
posted
Thanks, Minimonkey - I just dropped another note to Prof. Lane and asked if his department could forward a copy of this to me, either via e-mail or a hard copy to my mailing address.
Oh, that is interesting, Alan, and that might be an option. Let's see how Prof. Lane responds to my e-mail.
Tracy
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
I have access to this journal through a university library affiliation. I should be able to download a pdf once it's published on-line. Just checked, and so far the June issue is the most current.
I'll keep checking, and will be happy to post it when it comes out.
Aviva
Posts: 532 | From southeast US | Registered: Oct 2005
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Truthfinder
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8512
posted
That would be wonderful, Aviva - thanks very much for taking the time to do this.
Perhaps I will get something from Prof. Lane, too, so that we have a back-up plan.
Tracy
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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Ann-OH
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2020
posted
I have one word for all of you
Google.
They do not have the August issue on line yet, but when it is you should be able to get the abstract for Dr. Lane's paper.
Here is where you will find it. They will probably have it up by the middle of the month, at least.
treepatrol
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 4117
posted
Good Job Ann!
-------------------- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Remember Iam not a Doctor Just someone struggling like you with Tick Borne Diseases.
posted
Ann, Good point. The abstract will be on Google, but if anyone wants the full text of the article, that requires a subscription (pay per article). I can get it for free.
Posts: 532 | From southeast US | Registered: Oct 2005
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Truthfinder
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8512
posted
I just PMed Marnie and nominated her to be our "interpreter" for the upcoming "Lizard Paper", unless of course there are any volunteers out there......
Thanks, Ann, but I think Aviva may be right... it is hard for me to tell. In any event, we have some options here, it looks like.
Tracy
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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TheCrimeOfLyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4019
posted
This study has been going on for a VERY long time. Three years that I can count. I talked to Dr. Lane in 2003 about this.
Lizards have high intracelluar heat , unlike us. He also proported to me that the ticks were not free of borrelia, but that the lizards just simply ddi not contract it- because of the high intracellular heat. He also said this was not going to be used to help humans.
-------------------- You want your life back? Take it. Posts: 3169 | From Greensburg, Pennsylvania | Registered: Jun 2003
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treepatrol
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 4117
posted
quote:Originally posted by TheCrimeOfLyme: This study has been going on for a VERY long time. Three years that I can count. I talked to Dr. Lane in 2003 about this.
Lizards have high intracelluar heat , unlike us. He also proported to me that the ticks were not free of borrelia, but that the lizards just simply ddi not contract it- because of the high intracellular heat. He also said this was not going to be used to help humans.
Hi Jodie feeling better ?
-------------------- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Remember Iam not a Doctor Just someone struggling like you with Tick Borne Diseases.
posted
I've been checking periodically, and just found the article posted on a university site that I have access to.
If anyone would like the pdf, PM me, and I'll be happy to send it on.
Aviva
Posts: 532 | From southeast US | Registered: Oct 2005
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Truthfinder
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8512
posted
Thanks, Aviva - I had been checking for the article periodically, too.
I would like to take a look at it, so I'll send you a PM.
Thanks again -
Tracy
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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trails
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1620
posted
It was my understanding that the west nile people sent Lane their LEFT OVER squirrels so he could do Bb tests on them. Not the other way around coz Lane doesnt work with west nile. West Nile has the $$$ and the resources. We just got thier left overs.
We dont get our own meds, our own docs, our own research or even our own dead squirrels!
But thank goodness someone thought to let another vector born disease researcher have at these squirrels coz he found that in California the western grey squirrel is a large resoviour for Bb!!!
Posts: 1950 | From New Mexico | Registered: Sep 2001
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posted
hello- looked into this at the beginning of summer because it was so interesting to me...
GO TO GOOGLE...
TYPE IN:
"western fence lizard" "lyme disease"
just like that...
-------------------- well i know a disease that these doctors can't treat, you contract on the day you accept all you see... Posts: 97 | From nor cal | Registered: Oct 2006
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Truthfinder
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8512
posted
Well, I read (most of) the results of the study that appeared in the latest edition of the American Society of Parasitologists magazine. This study involved B. bissettii, and as I stated in my initial post, B. bissettii has been found in several states here in the U.S. including northern California, northern Colorado, New York, Georgia, and Florida, and is found in many European countries, as well. It is one of the additional strains of Borrelia known to cause Lyme Disease (or Lyme-like disease).
I don't have express permission to reprint this article, but as I understand it, what they found in this latest Western Fence Lizard study involving B. bissettii was essentially the same as what they found with B. burgdorferi: When nymph Western black-legged ticks infected with B. bissettii feed on a Western Fence Lizard, the infected nymphs apparently lose their B. bissettii infections within 1-2 weeks after engorgement.
In other words, something about the blood of the lizard has the ability to destroy the spirochetes of Lyme or Lyme-like Borrelia in these nymph ticks within a short period of time. And incidentally, none of the lizards ever developed an infection themselves.
What this means at present, to the extent that nymphal ticks feed preferentially on lizards rather than on other hosts such as the western gray squirrel, humans or other animals bitten subsequently by the Western Black-legged tick adults from the same tick population are less likely to be exposed to B. bissettii (or B. burgdorferi).
The implications of this may be pretty great. For starters, if the Western Fence Lizard can be adapted to live in all parts of the United States, and the populations of these lizards becomes large enough, I can see where it might drastically reduce the number of new Lyme cases from tick bites.
Hopefully, there will be other developments from this research, as well.
Hmmm.... very interesting information, Trails...
Tracy
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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