Lyme Disease News and Research

RSS

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (e.g., rash), and the possibility of exposure to infected ticks; laboratory testing is helpful in the later stages of disease. Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with a few weeks of antibiotics. Steps to prevent Lyme disease include using insect repellent, removing ticks promptly, landscaping, and integrated pest management. The ticks that transmit Lyme disease can occasionally transmit other tick-borne diseases as well.

Viral Genetics enters binding Release and Settlement Agreement with T&T

Viral Genetics, and its President, Haig Keledjian, have entered into a binding Release and Settlement Agreement with Timothy and Thomas LLC and its principals that was approved by the court.

29 Jan 2011

Researchers adapt gene chip microarray technology to study glycans

Sugar molecules coat every cell in our bodies and play critical roles in development and disease, yet the components of these "glycans" have been difficult for scientists to study, because of their complexity.

6 Dec 2010

Study of proteins under jam-packed conditions may open new treatment for diseases

People in a jetliner act and feel one way when crammed together like sardines in a can. But they have quite a different mindset when the middle seat is empty and they have more personal space. Scientists are pursuing a remarkable parallel that exists among the proteins involved in health and disease inside living cells.

3 Dec 2010

Biodiversity degradation may have perverse consequences for emerging pathogens

Habitat destruction and species extinction may lead to an increase in diseases that infect humans and other species, according to a paper in the journal Nature co-authored by a University of Florida ecologist.

2 Dec 2010

Nutech Mediworld founder presents clinical study results of hESC therapy in patients with spinal cord injury

Dr. Geeta Shroff, founder & medical director of Nutech Mediworld, presented today the summary results of a retrospective clinical study of human embryonic stem cell (hESC) therapy in patients with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI).

11 Nov 2010

Halting mosquito surveillance can increase management costs of epidemics 300 times

Cutting surveillance for mosquito-borne diseases would likely translate into an exponential increase in both the number of human cases and the health costs when a disease outbreak occurs, according to an analysis by Emory University.

27 Oct 2010

Scientists complete genetic blueprints for 13 different strains of Lyme disease bacteria

Scientists supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have determined the complete genetic blueprints for 13 different strains of Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. The achievement should lead to a better understanding of how genetic variations among strains may result in different courses of illness in people with Lyme disease, the most common tickborne disease in North America. The wealth of new genetic data will also help scientists develop improved ways to diagnose, treat and prevent Lyme disease.

19 Oct 2010

A new therapeutic approach for cancer

Trials are being organized for a new therapeutic approach to treating cancer, under exclusive license by Viral Genetics, Inc. According to Scott & White Healthcare Senior Vice President for Research Richard E. Beswick, M.D., who is also assistant dean of research at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, the trials will be conducted at the Glenda Tanner Vasicek Cancer Treatment Center, located at Scott & White in Temple, Texas.

15 Oct 2010

Researchers determine genetic blueprint of 13 strains of Lyme disease causing bacteria

Benjamin Luft, M.D., Professor of Medicine, Stony Brook University Medical Center, and a team of medical researchers have determined the genetic blueprint of 13 strains of the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. The finding is crucial to advancing research on Lyme disease, the most frequent tick-borne infection in North America and Europe, and may lead to better diagnostics and a vaccine.

14 Oct 2010

Researchers determine genetic structures of bacteria that cause Lyme disease

Researchers Dr. Steven E. Schutzer of UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School and Dr. Claire M. Fraser-Liggett of the Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland, and their collaborators have made a major achievement toward better understanding Lyme disease, by determining the complete genetic structures of 13 strains of the bacteria that cause the disease.

11 Oct 2010

Scientific update conference on Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases

Lyme disease is a growing threat in the U.S., with numbers that continue to rise despite increased awareness about the disease. "Little is being done to stop the spread of Lyme disease and to help those who are suffering from chronic Lyme," says Pat Smith, president of the all-volunteer national Lyme Disease Association, which funds research, educates the public, and provides scientific conferences for doctors.

20 Sep 2010

Study to determine how often chronic Lyme disease is diagnosed and treated

A study soon to be published in The Journal of Pediatrics attempts to determine how often chronic Lyme disease is actually being diagnosed and treated.

2 Sep 2010

Experts unveil preventive measures for Lyme disease

Lyme disease is not only a potentially serious disease, but one that often is missed by physicians, which makes prevention more important. The only way to get Lyme disease is from the bite of an infected deer tick. The best prevention, then, is to avoid deer and their ticks.

25 Aug 2010

Dengue fever emerges as major health threat in Gulf coast cities

Several cases of dengue fever, a potentially fatal viral disease transmitted by the bite of urban dwelling Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, have recently been reported in the continental United States. Prevalent in Central America and the Caribbean, dengue fever's most common symptoms include fever, chills, headache, and body aches lasting several days. The disease's more threatening form, dengue hemorrhagic fever, can cause internal bleeding, loss of blood pressure, and death. Over the past five years, outbreaks of both forms of the disease have been reported in Texas and Florida.

28 Jul 2010

Babesiosis disease on the rise in Lower Hudson Valley: NYS DOH

Babesiosis, a rare and occasionally fatal tick-borne disease caused by microscopic parasites known as Babesia which infect red blood cells, is on the rise in the Lower Hudson Valley according to the NYS DOH, including the counties of Westchester, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, Sullivan and Rockland.

23 Jul 2010

Preventative measures to avoid Lyme disease

Research on the population of black-legged ticks, which can transmit Lyme disease from host animals to humans, reinforces that it is important to take preventative measures when spending time outdoors.

21 Jul 2010

PCA-Rx represents next generation of chelation technology for ASD patients

According to the Center for Disease Control, autism has risen to an epidemic rate of 1 in 100 in the U.S., up from 1 in 150 in 2007. While controversy looms regarding its cause, many parents of autistic children believe a correlation exists with toxin accumulation. To give autism spectrum disorder sufferers a natural alternative to chelation therapy, Maxam Nutraceutics has introduced PCA-Rx.

28 May 2010

Patients Medical provides patients with valuable tips to prevent Lyme disease

Patients Medical, a leading integrative and holistic medical center in New York City, is supporting National Lyme Disease Awareness month by providing patients with valuable tips to prevent the disease, as well as education on the best treatment options available.

6 May 2010

Viral Genetics relocates research facilities to Georgetown

Biotech company Viral Genetics, Inc.,, is relocating its research facilities to the life science cluster in Georgetown, Texas. Lead scientist Dr. Karen Newell has joined the faculty of Texas A&M University's College of Medicine and has received a $750,000 grant to research bio-fuels from the Texas Emerging Technology Fund.

20 Apr 2010

International experts discuss threats posed by ticks and fleas

As experts from around the world met in New York this week they discussed the need for greater understanding of the threat posed by ticks, fleas and sand flies. Leading scientists called on veterinarians and dog-owners around the world to take action to protect dogs and humans from potentially lethal diseases.

16 Apr 2010