Abstract Background The long latent stage seen in syphilis, followed by chronic central nervous system infection and inflammation, can be explained by the persistence of atypical cystic and granular forms of Treponema pallidum.
We investigated whether a similar situation may occur in Lyme neuroborreliosis.
Method Atypical forms of Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes were induced exposing cultures of Borrelia burgdorferi (strains B31 and ADB1) to such unfavorable conditions as osmotic and heat shock, and exposure to the binding agents Thioflavin S and Congo red.
We also analyzed whether these forms may be induced in vitro, following infection of primary chicken and rat neurons, as well as rat and human astrocytes.
We further analyzed whether atypical forms similar to those induced in vitro may also occur in vivo, in brains of three patients with Lyme neuroborreliosis.
We used immunohistochemical methods to detect evidence of neuroinflammation in the form of reactive microglia and astrocytes.
Results Under these conditions we observed atypical cystic, rolled and granular forms of these spirochetes.
We characterized these abnormal forms by histochemical, immunohistochemical, dark field and atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods.
The atypical and cystic forms found in the brains of three patients with neuropathologically confirmed Lyme neuroborreliosis were identical to those induced in vitro.
We also observed nuclear fragmentation of the infected astrocytes using the TUNEL method. Abundant HLA-DR positive microglia and GFAP positive reactive astrocytes were present in the cerebral cortex.
Conclusion The results indicate that atypical extra- and intracellular pleomorphic and cystic forms of Borrelia burgdorferi and local neuroinflammation occur in the brain in chronic Lyme neuroborreliosis.
The persistence of these more resistant spirochete forms, and their intracellular location in neurons and glial cells, may explain the long latent stage and persistence of Borrelia infection.
The results also suggest that Borrelia burgdorferi may induce cellular dysfunction and apoptosis.
The detection and recognition of atypical, cystic and granular forms in infected tissues is essential for the diagnosis and the treatment as they can occur in the absence of the typical spiral Borrelia form.
-------------------- "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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Pinelady
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18524
posted
Good Find MM. Don't ya love the use of the "Bb may induce cellular dysfunction and apoptosis."
-------------------- Suspected Lyme 07 Test neg One band migrating in IgG region unable to identify.Igenex Jan.09IFA titer 1:40 IND IgM neg pos 31 +++ 34 IND 39 IND 41 IND 83-93 + DX:Neuroborreliosis Posts: 5850 | From Kentucky | Registered: Dec 2008
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posted
Does the army have LLMDs?
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
robin, NO, they have infectious drs. so they are stuck w/IDSA treatment only.
money, could you break up the article for us neuro lyme folks where we just can't read and comprehend? just click on pencil, to right of your name. huge thanks from folks like me... hugs
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posted
Broken up into sentences for better reading -- thanks for the reminder, Betty.
What blows my mind is that the Army can publish this, and there is STILL a controversy over the science? How many times do we have to reinvent this wheel until someone finally starts rolling it around?
It is absolutely crazy making to think that the IDSA can claim that there is no good science supporting chronic lyme and the damage that it does, when we have studies like this being published by very mainstream sources.
-------------------- "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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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
monkey, thx so much for editing; i got alot out of it now!! was very interesting on how it affects our brains. hugs/kisses to you....
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- minimonkey,
Thanks for pointing that out. Here's a link to the entire article:
Persisting atypical and cystic forms of Borrelia burgdorferi and local inflammation in Lyme neuroborreliosis -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
Well, I know the army rated its military bases for low-medium-high risk for Lymed ticks btn 1983-1996 - that we can google for.
And I believe they have permethrin-impregnated uniforms.
And I know they have satellite communication to the troops about ticks in the area.
So maybe they have some secret LLMDs who know to treat with abx...?
Btw, one out of the six authors is from Ft Detrick. The other five are from Vancouver Canada and Switzerland.
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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