NEWSGROUP FAQ'S- Tranmission Myths
From: JWismille (jwismille_at_aol.com)
Date: 12/23/04
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Date: 23 Dec 2004 23:55:23 GMT
Fear, ignorance and Internet rumors have also created an environment for
expanding the mythology of Lyme's protean properties far beyond scientific fact
or medical observation. For example, a recent spat of Internet postings has
suggested that Lyme can be acquired through sexual contact.
"I think that Lyme is also a STD [sexual-transmitted disease]," said one
newsgroup poster. Another wrote, "I've talked to many couples who claim they
transmitted to each other through sexual contact. I believe I gave it to my
wife."
At least one "Lyme specialist" appears to be telling patients that Lyme is
sexually transmitted and therefore their family members should be tested. One
person reported to Quackwatch that a family member had been tested and told
that the test was positive and that a 4-5 month course of antibiotics was
necessary.
There is no basis for such advice. The infection is acquired from the bite of
an infected tick. People are "dead end" hosts and do not spread Lyme infections
to others.
The topic of pregnancy and Lyme is also rife with rumor and unnecessary fear.
During a quarter of a century of research and surveillance, there have been no
documented cases of mother-child transmission and no cases of fetal injury
associated with a Lyme infection. Recent attempts to demonstrate venereal,
transplacental and contact transmission of Lyme spirochetes in hamsters have
also failed [25]. In contrast, a case of perinatal transmission of human
granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) was reported in the New England Journal of
Medicine [26]. Like B. burgdorferi, HGE is transmitted by the Ixodes tick, and
simultaneous infections with both have been reported.
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