Saturday 19 February 2011

A follow on to Plum Island....

What sounds like the stuff of futuristic science fiction is already a quiet reality. The recent announcement of the new site for the National Bio and Agro Defense Facility brings this reality to light, particularly as this site will house level 4 pathogens, some of which are zoonotic, meaning they can jump the species barrier and infect humans.

As a matter of interest, from the 1960s to the 1980s, South Africa pursued research into weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa_and_weapons_of_mass_destruction

Winning Lyme/co-infection lawsuits in court

Here is a report of a lawsuit from 1999 from one of the Lyme forums.   In South Africa the Department of Health still tell me that a person cannot get Lyme disease in South Africa...  I did !!  and I wonder how many more people have been bitten by a tick in this beautiful country and are walking aorund with a mis-diagnosis as a result of this attitude.  The Department will not even engage with with to consider the possibility / consequences.

I 'knew' in 1996 that I had Lyme disease as a result of personal research on the intenet.  I told my GP this and he said IMPOSSIBLE - Lyme is ONLY in the US... !!  I recall saying to him well maybe it goes by another name here - to which I got a blank stare.  No blood tests were ever done and I started the downward spiral to ill health from then until February 2010 when I was diagnosed with Ricketsia, Mycoplasma, Q Fever and Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi).

I wonder if I could lay claim to sonthing like this?  Not likely!! since the mighty Department of Heath in South Africa deny the existence of Lyme on our land... !!

Monday 14 February 2011

Learn about Lyme disease and Never say Never !!

Learn to recognise the symptoms of Lyme disease and don't for one minute believe because you don't live in the USA or Europe, you can't get Lyme disease.  First Big Mistake !!

If Lyme is identified in this early stage and treated with an appropriate course of antibiotics, it can go away. However, doesn’t  be trapped into believing that because you have been treated, that you can't get Lyme again.

If another infected tick bites you, you can get Lyme again.  Remember,  there is NO Lyme vaccine.  One was created in the late 90's and pulled from the market a few years later when it was discovered it set-off Lyme like symptoms.  The bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, can lie dormant in your body for years, until a trauma in your life happens.  A bad fall, a motor accident, stress... !

To re-iterate... The is NO Lyme vaccine, there is No cure for Lyme disease and people have been known to die a horrible debilitiating death from it.

Why are we experiencing an Epidemic of Lyme disease around the world... ?

Could it be that Lyme disease can be passed from person to person, or from blood transfusions where the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi is immune to the 'cleanin process' donated blood undergoes...  See the link above for some interesting comment.