NEWSGROUP FAQS- Tranmission Myths
- From: "georgia" <Jwismille@xxxxxxx>
- Date: 17 Jul 2005 16:01:02 -0700
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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