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The Role of Infections in Mental Illness by Frank Strick, Clinical Research Director THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR INFECTIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS (The Research Institute for Infectious Mental Illness is no longer open.). In considering an infectious etiology to any chronic mental illness there are at least four categories to consider. First are those infections already recognized to induce psychiatric symptoms. These include pneumonia, urinary tract infection, sepsis, malaria, Legionnaire’s disease, syphilis, typhoid, diphtheria, HIV, rheumatic fever and herpes. (Ref: Chuang) While the psychiatric effects of these infections are known to the medical field, they are rarely screened for if the initial presentation is made to a mental health professional. Moreover, the significance of some of these infections may date back to prenatal development. Research done at the John Hopkins Children’s Center and published in the Archives of General Psychiatry in 2001 found that mothers with evidence of Herpes Simplex Type 2 infection at the time of pregnancy had children almost six times more likely to later develop schizophrenia. And in the US, Europe and Japan, birth clusters of individuals who develop schizophrenia later in life closely mirror the seasonal distribution of Ixodes ticks at the time of conception (Lyme disease). Second are those parasitic infections such as neurocysticercosis where the brain is directly invaded by the infective agent through a well-established, imageable (visible on brain scan) mechanism (cysts, lesions, cerebral swelling etc.) Signs of psychiatric disease (depression and psychosis) were found in over 65% of neurocysticercosis cases (caused by a tapeworm whose incidence in the US is rising due to demographic increases in foreign immigrant populations.) [Ref: Forlenza] While the mechanisms for psychiatric manifestations are easy to demonstrate when brain tissue is directly affected, there are also multiple documented reports in the literature of psychiatric symptoms associated with other parasites like giardiasis, ascaris (roundworm), trichinae (cause of trichinosis), and Lyme borrelia and viruses like borna virus. Documentation also exists of these psychiatric symptoms resolving when the underlying hidden infection is treated. Dr. J. Packman of Yale University wrote over ten years ago that “Patients with parasitic loads are more likely to exhibit mental status changes and there is an improvement in mental status of a subset of psychiatric patients following treatment for parasites.” In fact, a review of 1300 human cases of trichinosis in Germany found CNS (central nervous system) involvement in up to 24% of the cases (Menningeal inflamation or encephalitis). [Ref: Froscher] Clinically, in cases like neurocysticercosis, the problem is not the lack of a well-defined mechanism but the lack of mental health practitioners qualified to make such a diagnosis or even suspect it. Even infectious disease specialists tend to underestimate the scope of the problem, in part due to underreporting (neurocysticercosis is not a reportable condition in most states and the incidence of trichinosis is, we believe, vastly underestimated according to newly developed antibody assays only made available in 2003). Next are those parasitic, bacterial and viral infections like toxoplasmosis and strep where a strong statistical link to mental illness has been demonstrated but research is underway to establish a causal connection. In humans acute infection with toxoplasmosis gondii can cause brain lesions, changes in personality and symptoms of psychosis including delusions and auditory hallucinations. Researchers at Rockefeller University and NIMH have suggested that after streptococcal infection some children may be at increased risk for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Toxoplasma gondii can alter behavior and neurotransmitter function. Since 1953, eighteen out of nineteen studies of T. gondii antibodies in persons with schizophrenia and other severe psychiatric disorders have reported a higher percentage of T. gondii antibodies in the affected persons. (For example, in one large study toxoplasmosis infection was twice as common in mentally handicapped patients as in healthy controls and in a recent German study of “individuals with first episode schizophrenia compared to matched controls, 42% of the former compared to just 11% of the latter had antibodies to toxoplasma”). Two other studies found that exposure to cats (the primary carrier for toxoplasmosis transmission) in childhood is a risk factor for the development of schizophrenia. Furthermore, certain antipsychotic and mood-stabilizer drugs such as Halperidol and Valproic acid inhibited this parasite in vitro at a concentration below that found in the cerebrospinal fluid and blood of individuals being treated with this medication, suggesting that some medications used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder may actually work by inhibiting the replication of toxoplasmosis gondii. (Ref: Jones-Brando, Torrey, Yolken) Other studies have shown that antipsychotic drugs like Thorazine, Haldol and Clozapine inhibit viral replication and that the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with recent-onset schizophrenia shows a significant increase in reverse transcriptase (an enzyme) activity – which is an important component of infectious retroviruses (a type of virus). Furthermore, when the CSF (cerebral spinal fluid) from these patients was used to inoculate a New World monkey cell line there was a tenfold increase in reverse transcriptase activity which suggests the presence of a replicating virus. Malhotra has demonstrated the absence of CCR5-32 homozygotes (specific matching genetic codes) in over 200 schizophrenic patients – which dramatically increases susceptibility to retroviral infection. (Ref: F.Yee). It is research like this that has led Johns Hopkins virologist Robert Yolken and psychiatry professor and former special assistant to the Director of the National Institute for Mental Health Dr. E. Fuller Torrey to believe that toxoplasmosis is one of several infectious agents that causes most cases of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The idea is not new. In fact, as far back as 1922 the famous psychiatrist Karl Menninger hypothesized that schizophrenia was “in most instances the byproduct of viral encephalitis.” Torrey notes that in the late nineteenth century schizophrenia and bipolar disorder went from being rare diseases to relatively common ones at the same time that cat ownership became popular. And Yolken designed a retrospective study of twenty-five hundred families showing that mothers of children who later developed psychoses were 4.5 times more likely to have antibodies to toxoplasmosis than the mothers of healthy controls. Due to the frequency of cat ownership, a large percentage of the US population (up to 50%) has been exposed to toxoplasmosis but most immunocompetent carriers remain asymptomatic until another immunological burden such as HIV or a separate parasite weakens the host defenses and precipitates pathogenic expression. That is what makes interpretation of the chronic state so tricky and at the Research Institute for Infectious Mental Illness we make sure to try to identify any parasitic coinfections before deciding on an appropriate course of treatment. Finally, while toxoplasmosis gets a lot of attention due to Torrey’s and Yolken’s pioneering studies and the known mechanism of brain lesions, there are many other infective agents that may not target the brain specifically but can severely affect mental function through the cumulative downstream consequences of chronic infection. While the importance of this link in the etiopathogenesis of mental illness is rarely recognized, these focal and systemic infections are very common and their psychiatric effects often severe. (Parasites are the most common causes of mortality and morbidity in the world.) In this nonspecific category are scores of parasites, protozoa, helminths, bacteria, fungi and viruses which, if not directly invading and disabling brain tissue and neurotransmitter function, do so indirectly by depleting the host of essential nutrients, interfering with enzyme functions, and releasing a massive load of waste products – enteric poisons and toxins which disrupt brain metabolism. (A single mature adult tapeworm can lay a million eggs a day and roundworms, which infect about twenty-five per cent of the world’s population, lay 200,000 daily). Remember, the brain is your body’s most energy-intensive organ. It represents only three percent of your body weight but utilizes twenty-five percent of your body’s oxygen, nutrients and circulating glucose. Therefore any significant metabolic disruptions can impact brain function first. This link is borne out statistically. Mental patients have much higher rates of parasitic infection than the general population. Between 1995 and 1996 researchers at the University of Ancona did stool tests on 238 residents of four Italian psychiatric institutions and found parasites in 53.8 percent of the residents including all of those residents with behavioral aberrations(Ref: Giacometti). In our experience parasites are often implicated in cognitive dysfunction and chronic emotional stress disorders and, to the untrained eye, classic symptoms like apathy, exhaustion, confusion, appetite and memory loss, “nervous stomach,” social withdrawal, lethargy and loss of sex drive and motivation are frequently assumed to signal a depressive disorder without an adequate differential diagnosis being made or even attempted. Adding to the confusion, classic indicators of acute infection such as fever or elevated antibodies often reverse themselves in chronic cases due to secondary hypothyroidism and immunodepression. Unfortunately, until Western psychiatry further recognizes that the mind/body connection goes in both directions patients will continue to suffer from a de facto lack of differential diagnostic criteria in clinically identical syndromes. Even for those clinicians who recognize the devastating psychological effects that chronic intestinal, focal and even dental infections can have on normal brain function, accurate diagnosis presents formidable challenges. In fact some standard parasite stool test procedures identify less than ten percent of active infections and even the “politically correct” holistic specialty labs miss many infections that are nondetectable in fecal specimens, have inconsistent shedding patterns, are extra intestinal or otherwise hard to identify. For example, according to the World Health Organization, over two billion people are infected with worms, yet rarely will they show up in stool assays. (These numbers are not surprising once you realize that the exposure vectors are potentially everything you eat, drink, breathe and touch. If you think you have to leave the country to be exposed to exotic parasites, think again. In fact, try walking into the kitchen of your favorite restaurant and see if the cook speaks English.) At the Research Institute for Infectious Mental Illness we use multiple labs with complementary strengths and a combination of advanced scientific diagnostic procedures including O & P microscopy, multifluid antigen and antibody detection, stool cultures, enzyme immunoassay, mucosal markers, inflammation assays, imaging techniques and other indirect laboratory indicators combined with extensive historical and clinical evaluations to identify chronic infectious stressors. (Patients previously diagnosed with “Chronic Candidiasis” often find that Candida was merely a cofactor or consequence of more significant infections and infestations which created obstacles to long-term cure.) “Mental” symptoms often improve dramatically when hidden neuroimmune infections are treated successfully and normal brain metabolism resumes, especially in “sudden-onset” syndromes. After identifying and treating the primary infections we focus on rebuilding the host’s immunological defenses and mucosal integrity to prevent relapse. Premature nutritional supplementation, even in frank anemia, can be counterproductive since some vitamins and minerals (e.g., iron) can be growth factors for microorganisms which the body intentionally downregulates the uptake of during active infection. But individually formulated subsequent nutritional supplementation is usually essential for full recovery. We also screen patients for heavy metals, environmental chemicals, molds and electromagnetic stressors, “Brain allergies,” food sensitivities, hormone disorders, diet and numerous other variables which can influence cognitive and affective function. To speed recovery, our evidence-based Integral Medicine approach may include appropriate treatments from consulting nutritionists, homeopaths, acupuncturists, herbalists and bodyworkers. The erosion or loss of brain function is arguably the most frightening and disabling experience a person can have. Almost by definition, standard psychological or psychiatric intervention postulates a dichotomy between disorders of the body and those of the mind and has a long way to go in recognizing the importance of infectious etiologies in mental health care. The Research Institute for Infectious Mental Illness provides testing, clinical and consulting services to clients from all over the world and educates professionals in this critical area. Long distance phone consultations are also available. This article may be reprinted by anyone if the RIIMI clinic contact info is listed. ConRead more

Post Treatment Lyme Syndrome Debunked A new scientific research paper questions the legitimacy of “Post Treatment Lyme Syndrome” also known as PTLS “In summary, in this pilot study we demonstrated persistent infection despite antibiotic therapy in 12 North American patients with ongoing symptoms of LD. Cultures were positive in all 12 patients in our study, indicating that the Borrelia spirochetes were replicating and therefore alive. The spirochetes were genetically identified as Bb in a blinded fashion using PCR and gene sequencing in three separate laboratories. In contrast, cultures from control subjects without Lyme disease were negative for Borrelia spirochetes. Our findings provide evidence that persistent infection rather than spirochetal “debris” was at least in part responsible for ongoing symptoms in these cases of Lyme disease, and the results mirror recent observations in a non-human primate model of treated Lyme disease [37]. Larger clinical studies using corroborative techniques are needed to confirm the findings in this pilot study.” http://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/6/2/33/htm This is frightening considering the alarming pace of the disease as illustrated in some projections. “1 million people are predicted to get infected with Lyme disease in the USA in 2018. Given the same incidence rate of Lyme disease in Europe as in the USA, then 2.4 million people will get infected with Lyme disease in Europe in 2018. In the USA by 2050, 55.7 million people (12% of the population) will have been infected with Lyme disease. In Europe by 2050, 134.9 million people (17% of the population) will have been infected with Lyme disease. Most of these infections will, unfortunately, become chronic.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29438352 Another question arises concerning the data demonstrating sexual transmission of the bacteria which commonly occurs in syphilis, also a spirochetal infection. If the standard 8 weeks of antibiotics treatment does not clear out the infection, how likely is it the infection can then be sexually transfered to other individuals? “As expected, all of the control subjects tested negative for Borrelia burgdorferi in cultures of semen samples or vaginal secretions. In contrast, twelve of thirteen patients with Lyme disease had positive cultures for Borrelia burgdorferi in their genital secretions. Furthermore, two of the couples with Lyme disease showed identical strains of the Lyme spirochete in their semen and vaginal secretions, while a third couple showed identical strains of a related Borrelia spirochete in their genital secretions. “The presence of live spirochetes in genital secretions and identical strains in sexually active couples strongly suggests that sexual transmission of Lyme disease occurs,” said Dr. Mayne, who recently published the first comprehensive study of Lyme disease in Australia. “We need to do more research to determine the risk of sexual transmission of this syphilis-like organism.”” https://www.morgellonssurvey.org/news/expanded-study-confirms-lyme-disease-may-sexually-transmitted/ Will this evidence be taken seriously and will the projections decline as a result of action taken? We’re not holding our breath but it would be refreshing.Read more

Expanded Study Confirms that Lyme Disease May Be Sexually Transmitted Content Curated from: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/12/prweb12403459.htm An expanded study confirms that Lyme disease may be sexually transmitted.  Lyme disease is a tickborne infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, a type of corkscrew-shaped bacteria known as a spirochete (pronounced spiro’keet). The Lyme spirochete resembles the agent of syphilis, long recognized as the epitome of sexually transmitted diseases. In 2013 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that Lyme disease is much more common than previously thought, with over 300,000 new cases diagnosed each year in the United States. That makes Lyme disease almost twice as common as breast cancer and six times more common than HIV/AIDS. “Our findings will change the way Lyme disease is viewed by doctors and patients,” said Marianne Middelveen, lead author of the published study. “It explains why the disease is more common than one would think if only ticks were involved in transmission.” The current study, which confirms and expands a preliminary report published in The Journal of Investigative Medicine, was a collaborative effort by an international team of scientists. In addition to Middelveen, a veterinary microbiologist from Canada, researchers included molecular biologists Jennie Burke, Agustin Franco and Yean Wang and dermatologist Peter Mayne from Australia working with molecular biologists Eva Sapi, Cheryl Bandoski, Katherine Filush and Arun Timmaraju, nurse-midwife Hilary Schlinger and internist Raphael Stricker from the United States. In the study, researchers tested semen samples and vaginal secretions from three groups of people: control subjects without evidence of Lyme disease, individual patients who tested positive for Lyme disease, and couples engaging in unprotected sex who tested positive for the disease. As expected, all of the control subjects tested negative for Borrelia burgdorferi in cultures of semen samples or vaginal secretions. In contrast, twelve of thirteen patients with Lyme disease had positive cultures for Borrelia burgdorferi in their genital secretions. Furthermore, two of the couples with Lyme disease showed identical strains of the Lyme spirochete in their semen and vaginal secretions, while a third couple showed identical strains of a related Borrelia spirochete in their genital secretions. “The presence of live spirochetes in genital secretions and identical strains in sexually active couples strongly suggests that sexual transmission of Lyme disease occurs,” said Dr. Mayne, who recently published the first comprehensive study of Lyme disease in Australia. “We need to do more research to determine the risk of sexual transmission of this syphilis-like organism.” Dr. Stricker pointed to the implications for Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment raised by the study. “We have taken Lyme disease out of the woods and into the bedroom,” he said. “We need to start fighting this runaway epidemic just like HIV/AIDS.” Reference: F1000Research 2014;3:309 (http://f1000research.com/articles/3-309/v1). Contact information: Jesus Walker Salas, Union Square MedicaRead more

Morgellons Test Is Fool Proof To begin with, have you ever heard that you can tell if a person has Morgellons or not by having them swish wine around in their mouth and spitting it into a bowl? Is it factual or fictional? Will the Red Wine Test determine if someone has Morgellons, or not? You and your doctor should be able to save time by avoiding the dead-ends discussed in this short article. Why Not The Spit Test? Initially, some people on the internet proposed the “red wine spit test” as a method of eliciting Morgellons. While this test might reveal evidence of oral biofilms in the mouth, the red wine spit test does not demonstrate if filaments are embedded in skin tissue. Morgellons is a skin condition, and the associated filaments do not appear in teeth. For this reason, the red wine spit test will not demonstrate if someone is actually afflicted with Morgellons or not. Since the spit test is not accurate, what is the Gold Standard Morgellons Test in 2021? Accurate Testing In reality, the characteristic subsurface fibers define Morgellons. The fibers themselves are distinguishable, and always much smaller than a human hair from on top of the head. Knowing what these fibers look like, where do we look for them and what do we use? The Fool Proof Morgellons Test Method will have us looking directly in lesions. Although Morgellons patients can be asymptomatic, usually Morgellons becomes problematic during times when ulcerations are present. For the purpose of looking for fibers, here is a how-to guide for photographing Morgellons fibers. Subsurface Fibers Notice that in the following videos you can see the fibers are obviously growing from under the surface of the skin. At times you will see the gleam of the light passing above fibers, demonstrating they are under the skin. Also, in this video you can again see how the subsurface fibers are revealed with this simple and accurate Morgellons Test. Here’s a guide on how to photograph Morgellons which may help. For certain, the red wine Morgellons test is not an effective way to rule out or diagnose Morgellons disease. Tested Positive, What’s Next? Above all, recent research has allowed us to better understand Morgellons. Watch the following conference presentation, Morgellons Demystified to learn more about what we now know. Finally, finding a good doctor who hasn’t been dissuaded from treating Morgellons is a bit of a process. Additionally, one of the best resources to aid in your healing journey is Dr. Ginger Savely’s “Morgellons: The Legitimization of a Disease”. The information contained in this book allows for a better understanding of the facts versus misinformation. Indeed, at just under ten dollars for the Kindle version, how could you afford not to own such a valuable resource? Listen below to an audio excerpt from that Dr. Ginger Savely’s “Morgellons: The Legitimization of a Disease”. Home | Learn | Find a Doctor | Home Testing | Petitions | Shop |Read more

Find A Morgellons Doctor To begin with, life can be frustrating without a Morgellons doctor on your team. Not knowing what medicine to take or how well it’s working is one benefit you’ll miss without a doctor’s expertise. Though it may seem like no doctors know how to treat Morgellons, the fact is more are learning about the condition every day. This article will help you find a knowledgeable physician in your battle against Morgellons. Don’t Go In Alone Many patients reject the notion of seeing a doctor after several bad experiences. But the fact is, things have gotten better recently! Now that we have a good idea of what Morgellons is, more and more doctors are starting to learn how to treat it. Lyme Disease Training Indeed, it’s often the doctors we currently see and trust that will benefit the most from the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Educational Foundation’s ILADEF PHYSICIAN TRAINING PROGRAM. The International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society, or ILADS, has developed a foundation of understanding through years of experience. With their training materials, your current physician can become knowledgeable about the complexities of tick-borne infections and the current methods of treating them. Lyme Doctor Referral Do you want to see a doctor already practicing the ILADS guidelines? Register on this page to get an email containing a list of ILADS certified physicians in a close radius. Global Lyme Alliance also provides a form for patients to find Lyme literate physicians near your location. Be aware that many Lyme and Morgellons patients travel great distances to see a good doctor they can trust for a positive experience. Functional Medicine Functional Medicine is a new way of practicing healthcare. This form will allow you to find a Functional Medicine Practitioner in your area. Be sure to call the office of the doctors you find and ask them if they are familiar with Morgellons disease specifically. Letter to Psychiatrists and Dermatologists This example letter to Psychiatrists and Dermatologists may help you work with your current team of physicians to either rule out or diagnose and treat and get your life back altogether! Financial Assistance Affording responsible treatment can be difficult, especially without health insurance or with an insurer who will not cover the costs. Fortunately, financial assistance is available for those suffering with Lyme disease. Financial Assistance – Global Lyme Alliance. Here are 7 Organizations That Help You Pay for Lyme Treatment & Testing. Morgellons Doctor Several doctors and scientists researching Morgellons work directly with the ILADS organization. Because of this, Morgellons patients will likely have access to the latest information and study results. It is always recommended to have a trained physician on your team rather than fighting alone. Hopefully, this information will help you build the team you need to succeed in your fight against Morgellons. Home | Learn | Find a Doctor | Home Testing | Petitions | Shop | LinksRead more

Morgellons Disease In Dogs This article curated from PRWEB showcases the findings of a recent scientific study proving Morgellons Disease in Dogs. AUSTIN, TX (PRWEB) OCTOBER XX, 2016 (PRWEB) (PRWEB) DECEMBER 07, 2016 Man’s best friend may help solve another mystery. A new study entitled “Canine Filamentous Dermatitis Associated with Borrelia Infection” reveals that a condition similar to human Morgellons disease can occur in dogs. The study was published in the prestigious Journal of Veterinary Science & Medical Diagnosis. Morgellons disease is an unusual skin condition associated with Lyme disease in humans. It is characterized by skin lesions containing unusual multicolored fibers and symptoms such as fatigue, joint and muscle pain and neurological problems that are typical of Lyme disease. Similar skin lesions have previously been reported in bovine digital dermatitis, an infectious disease of cattle. The dog study was partially funded by the Charles E. Holman Morgellons Disease Foundation (CEHMDF) and was conducted by an international team of researchers, including Calgary microbiologist Marianne Middelveen, San Francisco Internist Dr. Raphael Stricker, molecular biologists Dr. Eva Sapi and Dr. Jennie Burke, and Calgary veterinarians Dr. Gheorghe Rotaru and Dr. Jody McMurray. The dogs in the study presented with unusual fiber-containing skin lesions that lacked other explanations and that failed to respond to non-antibiotic treatments. “Generally-speaking, the fibers we have seen are teal and pink,” explains Dr. Rotaru.“Dogs are hairy, so fibers can be hard to see. Fortunately the fibers fluoresce under UV light, so we have used that diagnostic tool to identify dogs with the skin condition.” Analysis performed by five different laboratories detected the corkscrew-shaped agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, in canine skin tissue by special staining and DNA analysis. Culture studies showed that the Lyme bacteria in skin were alive. Further analysis of the canine skin fibers showed that they were made of the same proteins as human Morgellons disease fibers. Most of the owners of the study dogs were healthy and were not familiar with Morgellons disease or Lyme disease; however, two of the owners also had Morgellons disease. “In those cases, we do not have evidence of contact transmission from human to animal or animal to human,” says Dr. Stricker, “it may be that both owner and dog were exposed to the same disease vector.” “The finding of skin lesions similar to Morgellons disease, first in cattle and now in dogs, confirms that the skin disease is not a delusion, as some have maintained,” said Ms. Middelveen. “We need to learn much more about this mysterious skin condition.” About the Charles E. Holman Morgellons Disease Foundation:The Charles E. Holman Morgellons Disease Foundation based in Austin, TX, is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization committed to advocacy and philanthropy in the battle against Morgellons. Director, Cindy Casey-Holman, RN, leads the foundation, named for her husband, Charles E. Holman, a pioneer in the fight against MD. The CEHMDF is the recognized authority and primary funding source for Morgellons Disease medical-scientific research. There are neither grants, nor any other public or private funding to support research for Morgellons. Donations are tax deductible in the US. To learn more about Morgellons disease go to httpRead more