Late Disseminated Lyme Disease: Associated Pathology and Spirochete Persistence Post-Treatment in Rhesus Macaques

[Psilociraptor]

M. Embers 2017

Abstract
Non-human primates currently serve as the best experimental model for Lyme disease due to their close genetic homology with humans and demonstration of all three phases of disease following infection with Borreliella (Borrelia) burgdorferi (Bb). We investigated the pathology associated with late disseminated Lyme disease (12 to 13 months following tick inoculation) in doxycycline-treated (28 days; 5mg/kg, oral, 2x/day) and untreated rhesus macaques (Rm). Minimal to moderate lymphoplasmacytic inflammation, with a predilection for perivascular spaces and collagenous tissues, was observed in multiple tissues including the cerebral leptomeninges, brainstem, peripheral nerves from both fore and hind limbs, stifle synovium and perisynovial adipose tissue, urinary bladder, skeletal muscle, myocardium, and visceral pericardium. Indirect immunofluorescence assays (IFA) combining monoclonal (outer surface protein A) and polyclonal antibodies were performed on all tissue sections containing inflammation. Rare morphologically intact spirochetes were observed in the brains of two treated Rm, the heart of one treated Rm, and adjacent to a peripheral nerve of an untreated animal. Borrelia antigen staining of probable spirochete cross-sections was also observed in heart, skeletal muscle, and near peripheral nerves of both treated and untreated animals. These findings support the notion that chronic Lyme disease symptoms can be attributable to residual inflammation in and around tissues that harbor a low burden of persistent host-adapted spirochetes and/or residual antigen.

http://ajp.amjpathol.org/article/S0002- ... 5/fulltext

[migs]

I am having trouble finding the full article. Link to Am Journal of Pathology not working and I can't find the full text online. Can anyone help?

[RitaA]

http://ajp.amjpathol.org/article/S0002- ... 5/fulltext

[migs]

Thanks Rita. I am only about half done reading this and getting too drowsy so I will finish tomorrow. Wow Embers et all were very thorough. Learned from previous experience...those on the wrong side of science have an even tougher path to discredit this great work.

Must be a tough read for some. Wonder how the science is unfolding for the auto-immune theory...will be proven soon no doubt.

5mg/Kg much more than human patients get too. An adult male is closer to dosing 1mg per Kg. So that should definitely do the trick in humans.

[Psilociraptor]

The autoimmune theory is ridiculous. "Proof of cure" is often based on informal fallacy. Ie conflating absence of evidence with evidence of absence. As detection techniques improve more and more of the scientific field is moving away from conventional theories of autoimmunity and towards an interest in persistent infections as the underlying causes. Wormser et al are portraying cracks in our understanding as if they were canyons. If they've done one good thing it's pushing people like Embers to leave no detail unattended.