Helping citizens in Illinois and surrounding areas

- for Together WE Stand -

Please go to the end of the page for local information.

Marion, Clinton, Washington, Bond, Jefferson and other southern Illinois counties.

~ * ~

"Data over Dogma
  Evidence over Egos
    Patients over Politics"

- Dr. Ed Masters 2005 -

Discovered  Masters Disease a/k/a STARI

Tick feeding, as well as
secreting infectious bacteria.

The complete animation runs for 45 seconds and is available in two sizes.

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St. Louis Lyme Foundation Help to Find LLMD

 Click on the above for more Tick pictures

- from the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society ( ILADS)

• Basic Information about Lyme Disease
  
  Updated 4/15/06
  
  Lyme disease is transmitted by the bite of a tick, and the disease is prevalent across the United States and throughout the world. Ticks know no borders and respect no boundaries. A patient's county of residence does not accurately reflect his or her Lyme disease risk because people travel, pets travel, and ticks travel. This creates a dynamic situation with many opportunities for exposure to Lyme disease for each individual.
  
  Lyme disease is a clinical diagnosis. The disease is caused by a spiral-shaped bacteria (spirochete) called Borrelia burgdorferi. The Lyme spirochete can cause infection of multiple organs and produce a wide range of symptoms. Case reports in the medical literature document the protean manifestations of Lyme disease, and familiarity with its varied presentations is key to recognizing disseminated disease..
  
  Fewer than 50% of patients with Lyme disease recall a tick bite. In some studies this number is as low as 15% in culture-proven infection with the Lyme spirochete.
  
  Fewer than 50% of patients with Lyme disease recall any rash. Although the erythema migrans (EM) or “bull’s-eye” rash is considered classic, it is not the most common dermatologic manifestation of early-localized Lyme infection. Atypical forms of this rash are seen far more commonly. It is important to know that the EM rash is pathognomonic of Lyme disease and requires no further verification prior to starting an appropriate course of antibiotic therapy.
  
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveillance criteria for Lyme disease were devised to track a narrow band of cases for epidemiologic purposes. As stated on the CDC website, the surveillance criteria were never intended to be used as diagnostic criteria, nor were they meant to define the entire scope of Lyme disease.
  
  The ELISA screening test is unreliable. The test misses 35% of culture proven Lyme disease (only 65% sensitivity) and is unacceptable as the first step of a two-step screening protocol. By definition, a screening test should have at least 95% sensitivity.
  
  Of patients with acute culture-proven Lyme disease, 20–30% remain seronegative on serial Western Blot sampling. Antibody titers also appear to decline over time; thus while the Western Blot may remain positive for months, it may not always be sensitive enough to detect chronic infection with the Lyme spirochete. For “epidemiological purposes” the CDC eliminated from the Western Blot analysis the reading of bands 31 and 34. These bands are so specific to Borrelia burgdorferi that they were chosen for vaccine development. Since a vaccine for Lyme disease is currently unavailable, however, a positive 31 or 34 band is highly indicative of Borrelia burgdorferi exposure. Yet these bands are not reported in commercial Lyme tests.
  When used as part of a diagnostic evaluation for Lyme disease, the Western Blot should be performed by a laboratory that reads and reports all of the bands related to Borrelia burgdorferi. Laboratories that use FDA approved kits (for instance, the Mardx Marblot®) are restricted from reporting all of the bands, as they must abide by the rules of the manufacturer. These rules are set up in accordance with the CDCs surveillance criteria and increase the risk of false-negative results. The commercial kits may be useful for surveillance purposes, but they offer too little information to be useful in patient management.
  
  There are 5 subspecies of Borrelia burgdorferi, over 100 strains in the US, and 300 strains worldwide. This diversity is thought to contribute to the antigenic variability of the spirochete and its ability to evade the immune system and antibiotic therapy, leading to chronic infection.
  
  Testing for Babesia, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia and Bartonella (other tick-transmitted organisms) should be performed. The presence of co-infection with these organisms points to probable infection with the Lyme spirochete as well. If these coinfections are left untreated, their continued presence increases morbidity and prevents successful treatment of Lyme disease.
  
  A preponderance of evidence indicates that active ongoing spirochetal infection with or without other tick-borne coinfections is the cause of the persistent symptoms in chronic Lyme disease.
  
  There has never been a study demonstrating that 30 days of antibiotic treatment cures chronic Lyme disease. However there is a plethora of documentation in the US and European medical literature demonstrating by histology and culture techniques that short courses of antibiotic treatment fail to eradicate the Lyme spirochete. Short treatment courses have resulted in upwards of a 40% relapse rate, especially if treatment is delayed.
  
  Most cases of chronic Lyme disease require an extended course of antibiotic therapy to achieve symptomatic relief. The return of symptoms and evidence of the continued presence of Borrelia burgdorferi indicates the need for further treatment. The very real consequences of untreated chronic persistent Lyme infection far outweigh the potential consequences of long-term antibiotic therapy.
  
  Many patients with chronic Lyme disease require treatment for 1–4 years, or until the patient is symptom-free. Relapses occur and maintenance antibiotics may be required. There are no tests currently available to prove that the organism is eradicated or that the patient with chronic Lyme disease is cured.
  
  Like syphilis in the 19th century, Lyme disease has been called the great imitator and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of rheumatologic and neurologic conditions, as well as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, somatization disorder and any difficult-to-diagnose multi-system illness.

Disclaimer: The foregoing information is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace or supersede patient care by a healthcare provider. If an individual suspects the presence of a tick-borne illness, that individual should consult a healthcare provider who is familiar with the diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne diseases.

 

Signs and/or Symptoms

1. Rash at bite site or other sites
2. Muscle twitching of the face or other areas
3. Unexplained fevers, sweats, chills
4. Headache 
5. Fatigue
6. Neck creaks and cracks, neck stiffness
7. Unexplained weight change (loss or gain)
8. Tingling, numbness, burning, stabbing sensations
9. Unexplained hair loss
10 Facial paralysis
11. Swollen glands
12. Eyes/vision: loss of vision, double, blurry, pain, increased floaters
13. Sore throat
14. Ears/hearing: buzzing, ringing, ear pain
15. Testicular pain/pelvic pain
16. Dizziness, poor balance
17. Increased motion sickness
18. Unexplained menstrual irregularity light-headedness, wooziness, difficulty walking
19. Unexplained milk production (lactation)
20. Tremors
21. Irritable bladder or bladder dysfunction
22. Disturbed sleep
23. Sexual dysfunction or loss of libido
24. Confusion, difficulty in thinking
25. Upset stomach or change in bowel function
26. Difficulty with concentration or reading
27. Chest pain or rib soreness
28. Forgetfulness, poor short-term memory
29. Shortness of breath, cough
30. Difficulty with speech
31. Heart palpitations, pulse skips, heart block
32. Joint pain or swelling
33. Mood swings, irritability, depression
34. Stiffness of the joints, neck or back
35. Heart murmur or valve prolepses
36. Muscle pain or cramps
37. Exaggerated or worse hangover from alcohol
38. Rash at bite site or other site

*If you have 5 or more of these symptoms, I would want testing for Lyme.

This is just MY opinion - I am NOT a Lyme Literate doctor.

Go to youtube.com and type Lyme Disease in the search.

Watch the movies you will be amazed.

Southern Illinois Facts and Help

I obtained this map last week from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

They are saying we don't even have "deer ticks" in most of the counties in Southern Illinois, that is FAR from the truth.

I will be going "tick hunting" with my boys this fall, and i will collect 2 sets of specimens in 5 counties around Marion County. One set

will be sent to the Illinois Department of Public Health, Infectious Diseases Lab and another set will be sent to

and Independent lab in Iowa, so the IDPH can not discredit me.

I am so OUTRAGED by this, i must take action. You should be too.

Ticks carry more than just
Lyme disease:

 Including:
Ehrlichia
Bartonella
Babesia
Masters Disease
Tularemia
Tick-borne Encephalitis
Mycoplasma
Relapsing Fever & Q- Fever
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

If you are getting the doctor shuffle, and they are telling you, you have this or that and

they really don't know what you have...and all your testing is fine...then run

don't walk to a Lyme Literate MD!

Lyme and associated diseases are often MISTAKEN FOR OTHER ILLNESSES, Including:

Chronic Fatigue
Fibromyalgia
Hypochondria
Multiple Sclerosis
Lupus
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS) < 46% of people diagnosed with this, actually have Lyme
Alzheimer's
Parkinson's disease

Question your doctor...How many patients have you treated for Lyme Disease?

Unless he lies, his answer for this area, will be NONE.

Only 110 documented cases were reported in 2006 in the whole state of Illinois.

(this means by the CDC- ELISA testing standard, which is NOT testing all bands)

2006 Exposure Locales

I urge you to write via email or phone :

Linn Harrimus

Illinois Department of Public Health

Infectious Diseases

525 West Jefferson

Springfield, IL 62761

or phone: 217-782-5830

Click here and look at the ENDLESS list of contacts for the Public Health Department!

Tell them we HAVE DEER TICKS down here!

WHERE IS ALL THE CURRENT DATA ILLINOIS HEALTH DEPARTMENT and ELECTED OFFICIALS????

To find a Lyme Literate MD,  that took his oath and meant it,

 please contact us.

You can always contact us in writing or by email

admin@LymeDiseaseNetwork.com

admin@DontTickMeOff.info

P.O. Box 1824

Centralia, IL 62801