Lyme, Strep and Neuropsych Manifestations

[Charlotte Mom]

Dr. T

 

Another interesting study out of Italy..... Madeleine Cunningham has worked with these individuals. 58% show heart abnormalities with sign of streptococcal exposure and TIC disorder.

 

-Wendy

 

What about the MTHFR polymorphism? This puts you at risk for heart disease and inhibits your ability to methylate - right? Could it be that individuals with MTHFR polymorphisms are at higher risk for hear abnormalities and higher risk for immune issues - can't fight lyme, strep, mycoplasma effectively, so these horrible diseases begin to attack the brain and case psychiatric issues?

[trggirl]

SF Mom, do you have a link to that study?

[Suzan]

Dr. T

 

Another interesting study out of Italy..... Madeleine Cunningham has worked with these individuals. 58% show heart abnormalities with sign of streptococcal exposure and TIC disorder.

 

-Wendy

 

My dd7 has a PVC (Premature Ventricular Complex) and so far they are saying it is unrelated but I continue to think it is. Why, with all her other issues would this suddenly appear?!

 

Susan

[sf_mom]

SF Mom, do you have a link to that study?

 

Sorry thought I had posted it earlier...

 

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=A...eab4ca14ff013f7

[nomoz]

I just thought I would post an interesting coincidence from yesterday. I get regular postings via email from a lyme parents group (these are all people whose children are receiving treatment for lyme and/or infections such as myco, bartonella etc.). There was an initial posting from a mom asking parents if their children regularly test positive for strep (strep A in her case), as her children regularly did. Several people posted back that yes, their children also regularly tested positive for strep. Just wondering about the connection… and the possibility (that has been raised here before) that some of our kids are loaded down with multiple infections. (I do not know the details of Dr. Cunningham’s study, but would also be interested on thoughts as to how active lyme (or similar) infection would also affect CamK).

 

Since I am one of the voices here representing non-strep infections causing tics/ocd (known to some as PITAND), I wanted to post some brief information for anyone who is still sorting through the potential triggers (but has likely eliminated allergies/diet/environment/hereditary).

 

Neuropsychiatric manifestations of lyme disease have been well documented, researched and written up for many years now. These symptoms include OCD, rage, cognitive deficits, memory problems, anxiety, sleep disorders and on and on. For all of the doctors out there on the front line treating lyme and these other infections, this is all very commonplace and not at all unusual. Symptoms can resolve or improve with the correct combination of antibiotics, given for the appropriate duration.

 

For anyone out there whose child (or themselves) presented with any of these symptoms – particularly following some sort of initial illness of any kind -- please take a look at the following 2 links. Your symptoms may have had sudden onset, or appeared slowly and increasingly. There may or may not be other physical symptoms in addition to the neurological ones.

 

To see a list and links of just how much literature exists on neuropsych lyme:

http://www.lymeinfo.net/neuropsych.html

 

To see a short, 2 page brochure put out by ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society) for psychiatrists called “Psychiatric Lyme Disease: What psychiatrists should know about lyme/tick-borne diseases”. (A quick diagnostic overview.)

http://www.ilads.org/lyme_disease/Psychiat...chure_08_08.pdf

 

***************************************************************************

Lyme is transmitted via a tick bite, and is the most common and fastest growing vector borne disease in the United States (and Europe). While there are certain endemic areas, it has been documented in 49 states. There are 20,000 newly documented cases each year per the CDC, but this number is probably closer to 200,000 new per year due to faulty reporting standards. Other tick-transmitted infections are mycoplasma, bartonella, babesia, Ehrlichiosis, and rocky mountain spotted fever. (Mycoplasma is also transmitted via other methods). Many people who have lyme disease never remember a tick bite, and a ring rash never appears in over half the cases. Lyme can be transmitted in-utero from mother to child.

Western Blot TESTING IS VERY INCONCLUSIVE – especially if not done at one of the recommended tick-borne disease specialty labs. A clinical evaluation by an experienced practitioner is necessary.