Translated below to English:
http://translate.google.ca/translate?hl ... CG0Q7gEwCQ
Here's a related Norwegian article:Long-term health problems after the tick bite
Randi Eikeland defends Friday, June 2012 for the PhD degree at South Coast Hospital / University of Bergen on:
"European neuroborreliosis-long term follow-up".
Although very few people get sick after a tick bite, there are some who get Borrelia bacteria in the blood and develops borreliosis, or Lyme disease. In approximately 10 percent occur spread to organs, most commonly the nervous system, and the condition neuroborreliosis may develop. Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics, and most are cured, but some are long-term ailments. The scope and significance of such long-term pain is controversial.
In our study, 50 patients examined and treated neuroborreliosis followed up for 30 months and examined by lumbar puncture, neurological examination, neuropsychological assessment and questionnaires regarding quality of life, fatigue and depression. Fifty Southerners without evidence of neuroborreliosis were used as controls.
We found that the first in Europe, that some of the patients had impaired quality of life, fatigue, and minor neurological outcomes after neuroborreliosis, and that a small group had cognitive problems that can cause problems with everyday life. Depression and pain or continued infection of the nervous system does not seem to be able to explain this. More severe signs and symptoms prior to treatment, lack of recovery 4 months after infection, and delayed initiation of therapy increases the risk of long-term ailments.
Personal:
Randi Eikeland (f.1966) grew up in Birkeland in Aust-Agder and took medical degree at the Rhein-Westfälische Technische Hochscule in Aachen, Germany. She is a neurologist specialist since 2002 and has since 1997 worked as a researcher and neurologist at the Southern Hospital in Arendal. Doctoral work emanates from a collaboration between the Clinical Medical Institute at the University of Bergen, the South-East and South Coast Hospitals, neurologic department. Dr. Treat Ljøstad has been the main supervisor, Professor Annie Mygland and Dr. Karen Herlofson has been bi-supervisors.
http://www.dagbladet.no/2012/06/09/nyhe ... /22008018/
Translated below to English:
http://translate.google.ca/translate?hl ... CGEQ7gEwBA
Edited to improve formatting.[Photo] NEW FINDINGS: Neurologist Specialist Randi Eikeland found in his [actually her] doctoral thesis, which is the first in Europe, that some Borrelia patients do not recover, even after being treated with antibiotics for two weeks - a treatment in line with European guidelines.
MORE misdiagnosed: According to Public Health will be between 200 and 300 people seriously ill after being infected with the bacterium Borrelia by ticks each year. They estimate that between 2000 and 3000 have transmitted the disease each year, and they have long warned that the risk of getting sick increases. Ten percent of those who have received treatment for Lyme disease after being bitten by ticks, is disabled as a result of the disease.
(Dagbladet): Ten percent of those who have received treatment for Lyme disease after being bitten by ticks, is disabled as a result of the disease.
These people believe that the disease is the only reason why they can not continue in their jobs, according to neurologist specialist Randi Eikeland (46), which is part of a Borrelia-expert at the Southern Hospital.
As the first in Europe, she has her doctorate demonstrated that some Borrelia patients do not recover, even after being treated with antibiotics for two weeks - a treatment in line with European guidelines.
Read the story of Oddvar Skarbø that after eleven months of "hell pain" and several false tests had proven Lyme disease. Maj-Britt Hovland Grevstad was sick for 14 years before she was diagnosed the same disease, and doctors ticks sick Madeleine thought that something was wrong with the girl mentally , and sent her to therapy in BUP.
Surprised researchers
Half of the 50 southern patients in the study reported that they were still sick 30 months after treatment. They struggled mainly with neuro-cognitive problems such as poor concentration and fatigue, according to Eikeland. 50 Southerners with Lyme disease were used as controls.
- 50 percent said they were not fresh, and 16 percent of them said they were so sick that they had problems in everyday life. There were more than expected. It's okay that we have ascertained that there are long-term ailments, the study is an important piece of the puzzle, she says to Dagbladet.
Patients in the study were on average 53 years when they were diagnosed, and Eikeland think it is typical that the disease affects men in this age group. Ten percent said they were so sick that they are no longer able to work.
She therefore believes that the bacterium must now be taken seriously. The previous studies from the United States demonstrated long-term problems in Borrelia patients, but this is a different type of Borrelia than in Norway.
- Ticks are in progress throughout Europe, and it is clear that the risk of becoming ill increases , said Public Health.
- Do not hypochondriac group
Of the 50 subjects, only seven pieces, which were now afraid to walk in the woods.
- This was not a hypochondriac group, and they were no more depressed or had more psychological distress than the control group, she said.
Eikeland emphasizes that there is no good cure for Lyme patients with long-term ailments, and she believes it is useless to give a longer course of antibiotics.
-Borreliaen is sensitive to antibiotics, and according to four major American studies go further rebehandling greater side effects than efficacy. On this basis, we can not recommend further treatment.
60 percent remembered that they had been bitten by ticks, and 22 percent said they had the characteristic red ring on the skin.
Disagree guidelines
Managing Director of Norwegian Center borreliosis, Rolf Luneng, said Dr. task match his experience with many patients.
He disagrees with the European guidelines for the treatment of Lyme disease, and provide their patients antibiotics up to 6 to 12 months, if necessary to get the patients recover completely.
He is critical of the four American studies, and believes that they are between 40 and 50 studies showing that long-term therapy required to enable more patients to be healthy.
- Research reports may diverge, and if side effects are worse with prolonged antibiotics, my patients were getting worse and worse treatment. Over 50 percent of our patients are much better or completely healthy, he says, and continues:
-Many of these have been long term sick leave and resume work again. But there are a few patients who can not tolerate antibiotics, and these can not carry out such treatment.
At the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, researchers have found that every fourth child in the emergency room with diffuse neurological symptoms had Borrelia or TBE.
Remains of disability
Luneng think the reason why some do not recover from a long-term antibiotics, because they have developed lasting health effects of chronic Borrelia disease, and that they will always have symptoms.
- Tuberculosis is a chronic infection, which is given antibiotics for six months to two years. Even those who have a positive tuberculin skin test, but who are healthy and symptom free, have in case automatic three to six months of antibiotic treatment to avoid getting sick. Why do you do it, if it is as dangerous to long-term treatment?
He tells of patients who for years has been work disability, and who can not get back to work despite the fact that they have been cured with prolonged antibiotic therapy.
- They are too old to work after many years of illness and is no longer competitive in today's professional life. This is a great paradox.
Difficult Disease
Director Ingeborg Aaberge of Public Health emphasizes the importance of good studies because Lyme disease in some cases difficult to diagnose.
- Clinical picture is different, and it is important to study to gain insight into the problems of Lyme disease.
Preben Ottesen of Public Health report that normal ticks summer so far this year. He has already collected ticks at three sites, and believes that the number of ticks is "almost stable".
- It is early summer, and most cases of Lyme are enrolled in September and October. It is only the most serious cases are reported to us.
In Norway, researchers at Bioforsk looking at Hillsborough to set out the fungus to combat ticks . On the South Coast, scientists have started a project in which they will determine if the sheep tick, cleanse the Borrelia, such as the blood of elk and deer are doing.