Morgellons Survey | Site-Wide Activity

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Sat, 03 Jan 2026 18:38:18 -0400

Lyme Has a Chaotic Relative: What Everyone Should Know About Syphilis If you saw the wizard-in-a-death-spiral image on this page, you already understand the vibe: a pathogen that doesn’t just “show up,” get labeled, and politely exit. If Lyme disease is the spirochete people argue about at the dinner table, syphilis is the older relative nobody wants to mention—the one with a longer memory, a wider reach, and a talent for going quiet just long enough to be missed. And “missed” is the operative word. Key point (save this): In late/latent syphilis, common screening tests like RPR/VDRL can be negative. In widely cited performance summaries, late/latent sensitivity for VDRL is ~73%—meaning roughly 1 in 4 could be missed if someone relies on that test alone. Want the “official map” for how testing is supposed to work? Start with the CDC Laboratory Recommendations for Syphilis Testing. This matters for any community tracking confusing chronic symptoms—especially when infection stories get muddy, overlap, or become identity-level arguments. If you care about reality over mythology, syphilis deserves a sober look. On this page Why late-stage syphilis can test negative Why “latent” doesn’t mean harmless The testing algorithm (and why one test isn’t enough) Congenital transmission: the missed seed Persistence mechanisms (the non-mystical version) Penicillin: still standard, but watch the in-vitro signals Myth vs Fact Key takeaways The “death spiral” problem: why late-stage syphilis can test negative Most people associate syphilis testing with “get an RPR.” Sometimes it’s VDRL. These are nontreponemal tests—useful, common, and helpful—but they’re not the organism itself, and they’re not a perfect on/off switch. Syphilis diagnosis isn’t designed to rely on only one test type. Modern practice uses both treponemal and nontreponemal tests. Sensitivity varies by stage. Late/latent is where “one negative” can mislead. The prozone effect is real. In some cases, an undiluted sample can mask reactivity—so dilution testing may be needed when suspicion is high. Takeaway: a negative RPR/VDRL does not always mean “no syphilis,” especially with high suspicion, prior infection/treatment history, neuro/ocular/otosyphilis concerns, or pregnancy. Mini-quiz (click to answer): If an RPR is negative, what’s the safest next mindset? A) “No syphilis. End of story.” B) “One test is one datapoint; use the algorithm + context.” C) “Only symptoms matter. Tests are useless.” Answer: B. Syphilis testing is meant to be algorithm-based (treponemal + nontreponemal) and interpreted in context, especially in late/latent scenarios. “Latent” doesn’t mean harmless—it means quiet Syphilis has phases where it’s loud (classic lesions, rashes) and phases where it’s quiet: latent syphilis. Quiet phases are exactly where people get lulled into false reassurance. CDC guidance keeps circling the same principle: interpretation depends on stage, symptoms, and history. That’s why “one negative test” is not the same thing as “case closed.” (CDC Syphilis Treatment Guidelines) If the organism has had time to move into deeper tissues—and immune response patterns shift—the “signal” your screening depends on may fade even as disease continues. That’s not conspiracy; it’s immunology + time. Mini-quiz: What does “latent” mean in practice? A) “Gone.” B) “Quiet, not necessarily harmless.” C) “Only contagious, never damaging.” Answer: B. Latent means symptoms may be absent, but infection history + testing context still matter. After the video: one question that matters If someone only ever got one screen (like an RPR) long after symptoms began… would you feel comfortable calling that definitive? This is why testing is staged, contextual, and algorithm-based—not vibes-based. The testing algorithm: why one test isn’t enough There are two common approaches: the traditional algorithm (start with RPR/VDRL) and the reverse sequence algorithm (start with a treponemal immunoassay). The key idea: discordant results happen. That doesn’t automatically mean “false” or “no.” It often means: “do the next confirmatory step,” which the CDC lays out in their laboratory recommendations. Mini-quiz: Which approach helps reduce “single-test certainty” errors? A) Rely on RPR only. B) Use a treponemal + nontreponemal combination per algorithm. C) Skip testing and treat based on internet consensus. Answer: B. The whole point of the algorithm is to reduce false certainty. Congenital transmission: the missed “seed” that can show up later If late-stage false negatives are the under-discussed testing flaw, congenital syphilis is the under-discussed systems failure. CDC surveillance is blunt: missed opportunities for timely testing and treatment during pregnancy drive a large share of congenital cases. A strong reference point is the CDC’s discussion of missed prevention opportunities. Why this matters beyond infancy: when infection is missed, inadequately documented, or never recognized as “syphilis” later, you don’t just get an individual tragedy—you get ongoing, undercounted transmission networks and a larger pool of latent infection. Mini-quiz: What’s the biggest preventable failure mode in congenital syphilis? A) “Syphilis is impossible to screen for.” B) Delayed/no prenatal care + delayed/no treatment after testing. C) “Nothing can be done.” Answer: B. Prevention hinges on timely screening and timely treatment—miss either, and prevention fails. Persistence isn’t mystical—it’s strategy Syphilis doesn’t need paranormal explanations to persist. It has biology. If you want a deeper mechanism playbook, here’s the companion explainer: The Molecular Mimic: Decoding Syphilis’s Glycan Cloak. For this article, here are three persistence concepts that keep coming up: 1) Antigenic variation: the “endless costume change” Syphilis can shift key targets the immune system recognizes over time—often discussed in relation to TprK variation. Translation: immunity “locks on,” and the target changes outfits. 2) Tissue invasion and dissemination: “go where surveillance is weaker” Syphilis is invasive and can spread into niches that are harder to police—especially when time is on its side. 3) Stealth biology: low surface “signal” A long-standing theme in syphilis biology is stealth: a surface that’s difficult for immune recognition to “see” clearly, complicating clearance. Mini-quiz: Why do persistence mechanisms matter for testing? Because many routine tests measure immune footprints, not the organism directly. When the footprint changes over time, interpretation gets trickier—especially in late/latent disease. Penicillin: still the standard—but watch the in-vitro signals Here’s the truth that avoids both panic and complacency: Penicillin remains the first-line recommended treatment in current CDC guidance. At the same time, modern research is probing whether certain genetic changes could reduce susceptibility in vitro. That does not mean “penicillin is obsolete”—it means surveillance science is doing its job. Mini-quiz: What’s the most responsible way to interpret “in-vitro reduced susceptibility”? A) “Penicillin never works.” B) “Penicillin remains standard; lab signals are worth monitoring.” C) “Ignore it—science is irrelevant.” Answer: B. Keep the guideline reality and the surveillance reality in your head at the same time. Myth vs Fact (click to expand) Myth: “If my RPR is negative, I definitely don’t have syphilis.” Fact: A negative RPR/VDRL is not always definitive—especially in late/latent scenarios. That’s why CDC emphasizes algorithm-based testing and context-based interpretation. Myth: “Latent means harmless.” Fact: Latent often means quiet. The absence of symptoms doesn’t automatically equal the absence of clinical relevance, especially with risk factors or concerning signs. Myth: “Congenital syphilis is rare and unavoidable.” Fact: Many cases are preventable with timely prenatal care, screening, and treatment. See the CDC discussion of missed prevention opportunities. Myth: “If penicillin resistance is mentioned, treatment is pointless.” Fact: Penicillin remains first-line in CDC guidance. Monitoring lab findings is what responsible medicine does—it’s not a reason to spiral into doom. What I want you to walk away knowing A negative RPR/VDRL is not a forcefield—especially in late/latent disease. Use the CDC testing algorithm, not a single datapoint. Congenital syphilis is frequently preventable, but prevention fails when screening and treatment aren’t timely. Persistence has real mechanisms (stealth + invasion + immune evasion)—not folklore. Penicillin remains standard, while in-vitro work is part of responsible surveillance—not a reason to sensationalize. Medical note: This is educational content, not personal medical advice. If someone has symptoms, exposure risk, pregnancy, or neurologic/ocular concerns, clinical evaluation matters—and so does using appropriate testing algorithms. Wrap-up: don’t let one test write the whole story If there’s one point worth repeating, it’s this: syphilis doesn’t always behave like a clean, linear infection. Late and latent disease can blur the testing picture, congenital transmission can be missed, and persistence has real biology behind it. That’s why “one negative result” should never be treated like a magical shield—especially when the clinical context says otherwise. If you’re here because you’re trying to make sense of confusing symptom clusters, you’re not alone—but you deserve a framework that’s evidence-guided and algorithm-based, not driven by fear or internet certainty. Want to help improve the signal? ParticRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 02:01:02 -0400

Tick in a Box: Why Didn't Justin Timberlake Get Morgellons? Picture this: Justin Timberlake, the king of pop who brought sexy back, is out there cryin’ a river on stage during his Forget Tomorrow World Tour, but not because of a bad breakup—nah, it’s because he’s secretly battling Lyme disease, that sneaky tick-borne villain. On July 31, 2025, JT dropped the bomb on Instagram, revealing he’d been diagnosed with Lyme, describing it as “relentlessly debilitating” with nerve pain so bad it felt like his body was staging a mutiny. Fans were shocked—how did the guy who once gifted us “Dick in a Box” end up with a “Tick in a Box” instead? But here’s the real head-scratcher: JT got Lyme, but he didn’t spiral into Morgellons, that bizarre skin condition often lurking in Lyme’s shadow like an unwanted sequel nobody asked for. Lyme disease, caused by those pesky Borrelia bacteria from tick bites, affects hundreds of thousands annually, turning everyday folks into exhausted zombies. Morgellons? That’s the plot twist where your skin feels like it’s hosting a bug rave, complete with fibers emerging like confetti from hell. Some dismiss it as delusion, but evidence ties it to Lyme. Yet, only a tiny fraction of Lyme sufferers—think 5-10%—get hit with Morgellons. JT dodged it, and we’re here to unpack why, with a dash of humor (because who doesn’t love a good JT pun?) while keeping things real about the serious stuff. We’ll break it down like one of his dance routines: smooth, informative, and with plenty of links to dive deeper, like this New York Times piece on his announcement. No medical degree required—just curiosity and a sense of humor. JT’s Lyme Story: From Stage Lights to Tick Bites Justin Timberlake isn’t just a singer; he’s a human Swiss Army knife—actor, dancer, golfer, and apparently, tick magnet. After wrapping his epic two-year tour on July 30, 2025, he hit Instagram with the news: “I’ve been battling some health issues, and was diagnosed with Lyme disease—which I don’t say so you feel bad for me—but at least I could understand why I would be onstage and in a massive amount of nerve pain or just feeling crazy fatigue or sickness.” Oof, talk about a plot twist worthy of a thriller. Fans had been whispering about his “lackluster” energy on stage, as noted in this Page Six article, but now it all makes sense. Lyme had him feeling like he’d been hit by a truck, or maybe just a very determined tick. His symptoms? Nerve pain that could make even the toughest cry me a river, fatigue so deep it rivals a post-concert hangover, and unexplained sickness that had him questioning if he was “bringing sexy back” or just bringing sickness back. No skin drama mentioned, though—no itching, no sores, no fibers—which is why Morgellons stayed off his setlist. Support rolled in from everywhere: *NSYNC buddy Chris Kirkpatrick praised his resilience on Insta, saying it was “rare,” while Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean dropped a “respect” bomb. Even on X (formerly Twitter), fans like TooFab highlighted the love. JT joins a star-studded Lyme club: Avril Lavigne was bedridden for years, Bella Hadid calls it her “invisible illness,” and Shania Twain blamed it for vocal woes. Check out this Business Insider list for more celeb stories. But JT’s quick diagnosis (mid-tour, per CNN) and likely antibiotic blitz might be why he avoided extras like Morgellons. Living in tick hotspots like Tennessee or New York? Prime real estate for a “tick in a box” surprise. His transparency? Pure gold—encouraging tick checks after that golf game or hike. As USA Today notes, he’s boosting awareness big time. What is Lyme Disease? (Spoiler: Not a Fruit Gone Wrong) Okay, let’s demystify Lyme—no, it’s not named after a citrusy cocktail; it’s from Lyme, Connecticut, where it was first spotted in the ’70s. It’s an infection from Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria, hitchhiking on black-legged ticks (aka deer ticks) that love wooded areas and tall grass. These tiny vampires need 36-48 hours attached to transmit the bug, so tick checks are your BFF. The CDC calls it the top vector-borne illness in the U.S., with cases exploding due to climate change—ticks are thriving like bad ideas at a party. Symptoms start subtle: A bull’s-eye rash (70-80% get it), flu vibes like fever, chills, headaches, and JT-level fatigue. Ignore it? It spreads—swollen joints, heart hiccups, or nerve zaps causing pain or facial palsy. Chronic Lyme hits 10-20%, with lingering exhaustion even after meds. Diagnosis: Symptoms + blood tests, but early ones can flop. Treatment? Antibiotics like doxycycline for 10-21 days; catch it quick, and you’re golden. Prevention: DEET spray, long pants, post-outdoor showers, and dry clothes on high heat. Vaccines are brewing—fingers crossed! JT’s story, covered in NBC News, shows even jet-setters aren’t safe. Stay vigilant, or you might end up with your own “tick in a box.” Unpacking Morgellons: Keeping It Real (No Jokes Here) Morgellons disease is a complex and often misunderstood condition that deserves serious attention. Patients report intense sensations of crawling or biting under the skin, non-healing sores, and the emergence of multicolored fibers from lesions. These fibers, upon analysis, are often composed of keratin and collagen—proteins naturally produced by the body—suggesting an abnormal skin response rather than external contaminants. Symptoms extend beyond the skin, including profound fatigue, joint pain, cognitive difficulties, and neurological issues, which can severely impact quality of life. The condition is controversial: Some medical professionals classify it as delusional parasitosis, a psychiatric disorder where individuals believe they are infested with parasites, leading to treatments like antipsychotics. However, patient advocacy and emerging research challenge this, pointing to physical evidence and associations with infections. For instance, the Mayo Clinic discusses it in depth, noting the debate. It reportedly predominantly affects middle-aged women, although some sources suggest the sexes are equally affected, ultimately the stigma can lead to isolation and mental health struggles for both sexes. Causes remain unclear, with theories including environmental exposures, psychological factors… but the strongest evidence points to infectious agents – specifically Lyme disease. Treatment is multifaceted: Antibiotics if an infection is suspected, topical creams for skin relief, pain management, and psychological support to address the emotional toll. Organizations like the The New Morgellons Movement advocate for more research, emphasizing it’s a legitimate somatic illness. Rare complications, such as ocular issues like corneal perforation, highlight its potential severity. For those affected, validation and comprehensive care are crucial—resources like Medical News Today offer balanced overviews. The Connection Between Lyme and Morgellons: When Ticks Team Up Now, back to the intrigue: Lyme and Morgellons are like that duo you didn’t see coming, but evidence suggests they’re linked more than JT and *NSYNC. A groundbreaking study in BMC Dermatology detected Borrelia in all 25 Morgellons patients tested, using DNA and culture methods—boom, spirochetes confirmed! This implies Morgellons could be Lyme’s dermatological remix, where persistent bacteria trigger fiber formation from inflamed skin. Co-infections amp the drama: Ticks often carry Rickettsia or Babesia, worsening symptoms and possibly sparking Morgellons. As LymeDisease.org details, 90% of Morgellons cases show tick-borne pathogens. Patient surveys reveal 60-90% overlap with Lyme history. Skeptics argue coincidence, but reviews like this Dove Press one affirm skin manifestations in Lyme, including Morgellons-like lesions. Untreated Lyme lets bacteria form biofilms, dodging immunity and causing chaos—think of it as ticks throwing a persistent party. In JT’s case, no such escalation—lucky break or smart moves? Why Didn’t JT Develop Morgellons? Theories with a Side of Sass Alright, the million-dollar question: Why did JT get Lyme but skip the Morgellons fiber-fest? It’s not like he drew the short straw in a bad game of “Suit & Tie vs. Tick & Die.” Research points to several factors, mixed with a bit of humor because, hey, life’s too short not to laugh at ticks. First up: Timing is everything, baby. Morgellons often flares in chronic, untreated Lyme, where bacteria party unchecked. JT got diagnosed mid-tour and likely hit it with antibiotics faster than he drops a beat—doxycycline for the win, as in this case study. Early intervention? Morgellons says “bye bye bye.” Second: No co-infection crew. Ticks can pack multiple bugs; add Rickettsia, and it’s like inviting drama to the party. JT’s symptoms screamed “pure” Lyme—nerves and fatigue, no extras mentioned in reports like People. Third: Biology and lifestyle perks. Genetics, immune strength—JT’s dancer bod and fitness routine might’ve given him an edge. Morgellons favors certain demographics; as a fit guy, he might’ve been low-risk. Stress from touring? Sure, but his resilience shone, per pals on X. Fourth: Environmental dodges. Some link Morgellons severity to stress or toxic exposure; JT’s globe-trotting might skip that. Celeb access to top docs? Huge plus—quick tests, no delays. Finally, not all Lyme goes dermal; JT’s was neurological, sparing the skin show. Fringe fun: Maybe his “sexyback” vibes repelled fibers? Kidding—it’s science, not magic. As Lyme Mexico Clinic explains, early care is key. Conclusion: Lessons from JT’s Tick Tale Justin Timberlake’s Lyme saga, splashed across The Guardian and more, proves ticks don’t discriminate—even pop icons get bit. Dodging Morgellons? Chalk it up to swift action, no co-bugs, strong health, and a sprinkle of luck. His openness sparks awareness: Tick checks save lives, early treatment rocks, and stigma around conditions like Morgellons needs to go. As research from independent scientists advance, we might unravel more.Read more

Love's profile was updated

Sun, 08 Jun 2025 16:47:02 -0400

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 21:15:03 -0400

Donated to Morgellons.org After 2012? You Might Be Owed Money—Here’s Why A Hidden Scandal in Morgellons Advocacy Morgellons disease has long been a medical mystery, leaving sufferers desperate for answers and support. The Morgellons Research Foundation (MRF), founded in 2002, offered hope through its website, morgellons.org, where it solicited tax-deductible donations to fund research and awareness. But in 2012, the MRF shut down—or so it claimed. Shockingly, the website continued to accept donations for over a decade, raising serious concerns about fraud. If you donated to morgellons.org between 2013 and 2025, you may have been misled about the organization’s status, and you could be entitled to compensation. This article uncovers the troubling history of the MRF, the implications of its post-2012 solicitations, and what you can do to seek justice. The Enigma of Morgellons Disease Morgellons disease first gained attention in 2002 when Mary Leitao, a biologist and mother, coined the term to describe a condition she observed in her son: skin lesions accompanied by multicolored fibers emerging from the skin, often paired with sensations of crawling or itching. Leitao named the condition after a 17th-century reference to a similar ailment, and her advocacy led to the creation of the MRF. The organization aimed to support research into what Leitao and thousands of self-reported sufferers believed was a distinct medical condition. The medical community remains divided on Morgellons disease. Many doctors classify it as delusional parasitosis, a psychiatric condition where patients falsely believe they are infested with parasites. A 2012 CDC study, prompted in part by MRF advocacy, examined 115 patients and found that, among the 96 tested for Lyme disease, only two showed possible exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi—one with a positive EIA and another with a borderline EIA—though the study’s ambiguous phrasing, ‘one case-patient each had a positive or borderline EIA,’ has led to debate about its interpretation, and neither patient had a positive IgG Western blot to confirm Lyme disease, leading the CDC to conclude that Morgellons was likely a delusional disorder with no common infectious cause identified across the cohort. However, a 2015 study in BMC Dermatology detected Borrelia spirochetes in 24 out of 25 Morgellons patients using more sensitive methods like PCR and culture, suggesting that Morgellons is often associated with Lyme disease and challenging the CDC’s findings. This controversy has left Morgellons sufferers in limbo, seeking answers from a medical establishment that often dismisses their symptoms. The Rise and Fall of the Morgellons Research Foundation The MRF quickly became a lifeline for Morgellons patients, claiming to represent over 12,000 families across the U.S. and 15 countries. Operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the MRF used morgellons.org to solicit donations, offering a PO Box in Guilderland, NY, for checks and promoting online platforms like iGive.com. The organization emphasized transparency, stating that its unpaid board covered their own expenses, ensuring donations funded research and awareness. High-profile efforts, like partnering with the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) in 2006 to raise awareness at races in Pomona, California, showcased the MRF’s commitment to its cause. But by 2012, the MRF’s operations came to an end. IRS records, specifically the Form 990-N for tax year 2011 (covering January 1 to December 31, 2011), marked the organization as terminated, with gross receipts under $50,000. Public records confirm no further Form 990 filings since 2012, indicating the MRF has not been an active nonprofit for over a decade. The website announced that remaining funds were donated to Oklahoma State University for Morgellons research, and it would no longer accept donations or registrations. For many in the Morgellons community, this closure was a devastating blow, leaving a void in advocacy and research funding. A Disturbing Discovery: Post-2012 Donation Solicitation Despite its termination, morgellons.org has continued to solicit donations, presenting itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and claiming that contributions are tax-deductible. The current contributions page states, “Donations to The Morgellons Research Foundation are tax-deductible to the full extent of the Internal Revenue Code,” and encourages donors to send checks to a PO Box in Guilderland, NY, or contribute via iGive.com, eBates.com, and GoodSearch.com. The page highlights sponsors like the NHRA and claims that funds support research proposals totaling $581,600 from six groups of PhD-level scientists. These claims are alarming, as the MRF has lacked the legal authority to operate as a nonprofit or offer tax deductions since 2012. The website’s persistence raises red flags. It mentions an unpaid board and minimal operating costs, but without IRS filings, there’s no transparency about how donations were used post-2012. The reference to research proposals suggests ongoing activity, yet there’s no evidence the MRF has the capacity to fund such efforts after its closure. For donors who contributed between 2012 and 2025, this discrepancy suggests they may have been misled into donating to a defunct organization, potentially exposing them to financial harm. Legal and Ethical Concerns: A Case for Fraud? The MRF’s post-2012 solicitations raise several issues: Misrepresentation of Nonprofit Status: By claiming 501(c)(3) status and tax-deductibility, morgellons.org may have deceived donors. This could lead to IRS penalties for those who claimed deductions for ineligible contributions. Lack of Accountability: Without Form 990 filings, there’s no public record of how donations were used after 2012. If funds were not directed to research or awareness as promised, donors may have been defrauded. Potential Fraud: If donations were knowingly solicited under false pretenses, this could constitute fraud, a serious legal violation that could entitle donors to compensation. Could Donors Be Entitled to Compensation? As of April 2025, there is no public record of a lawsuit or settlement addressing donations to morgellons.org post-2012. However, the situation suggests potential grounds for legal action. If fraudulent solicitation is proven, donors may be entitled to compensation through several avenues: Class-Action Lawsuits: A successful lawsuit proving fraud could result in restitution for donors, covering their contributions and any related losses, such as IRS penalties. Class actions are common in cases of widespread consumer deception, allowing multiple donors to seek justice collectively. Consumer Protection Claims: Donors can file complaints with state attorneys general or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which may investigate deceptive practices and secure refunds. For example, the FTC has previously ordered restitution in cases where nonprofits misrepresented their status. Tax-Related Relief: Donors who claimed invalid deductions may face IRS audits. If fraud is proven, they could seek relief from penalties or pursue reimbursement from those responsible for the misrepresentation. The legal process for pursuing compensation can be complex. A class-action lawsuit typically begins with a plaintiff filing a complaint, followed by a discovery phase to gather evidence, such as website archives showing solicitation post-2012. If the case succeeds, a court may order restitution or a settlement fund for affected donors. Consumer protection claims, meanwhile, often involve less legal burden for individuals, as agencies like the FTC take on the investigation. The New Morgellons Movement: A Legitimate Non-Profit The New Morgellons Movement, a nonprofit based in South Carolina, is dedicated to advancing education and awareness about Morgellons disease, a condition often misunderstood by the medical community. While not yet a 501(c)(3) organization, they focus on providing valuable resources for patients and advocates, including a free online class accessible at morgellons.io/learn. This course, along with other educational tools available on their website, morgellons.io, aims to support physicians and patients by offering insights into recognizing and managing Morgellons, while also raising funds for scientific research. The organization, which has a modest following on social media with 202 likes on their Facebook page as of recent updates, emphasizes public awareness and contemporary research to address the challenges faced by those affected by this controversial condition. The Charles E. Holman Foundation: Another Legitimate Alternative For Morgellons sufferers and advocates, the MRF’s closure left a significant gap, but the Charles E. Holman Foundation (CEHF) has stepped in as a legitimate alternative. Founded in 2013, the CEHF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to Morgellons research, education, and patient support. Based in Austin, Texas, the foundation hosts annual conferences, funds scientific studies, and maintains an active online presence at thecehf.org. Unlike morgellons.org, the CEHF is a registered and operational nonprofit, offering transparency through regular IRS filings. For those looking to support Morgellons research, the CEHF provides a trustworthy avenue, ensuring donations are used as intended. Steps for Affected Donors If you donated to morgellons.org between 2013 and 2025, here are steps to protect your rights: Gather Evidence: Collect records of your donation, such as bank statements, receipts, or confirmation emails. Screenshots of the contributions page can also serve as proof of misrepresentation. File a Complaint: Report the issue to your state’s attorney general or the FTC, providing evidence of your donation and the website’s claims of nonprofit status. Consult a Lawyer: An attorney specializing in consumer protection or nonprofit law can assess whether you have grounds for a lawsuit, either individually or as part of a class action. Review Tax Filings: If you claimed a deduction for your donation, consult a tax professional to determine if you need to amend your return to avoid IRS penalties. Broader Implications for Nonprofit Oversight The MRF case highlights the challenges of regulating online donation platforms, especially when a nonprofit shuts down but its website persists. Donors must verify an organization’s status using tools like the IRS’s Exempt Organizations Select Check. For Morgellons sufferers, the MRF’s closure and the subsequent donation concerns add another layer of difficulty to an already challenging journey, as they seek answers about a poorly understood condition. Fraud Abuse Protection and Reporting Resources Federal Trade Commission (FTC) – Report FraudThe FTC provides a platform to report fraud, including scams involving fake charities or misrepresentation by organizations like the MRF. If you sent a check to morgellons.org after 2011, believing it was a legitimate 501(c)(3) nonprofit, you can file a complaint to seek assistance and potentially initiate an investigation. Citation: [Ref web ID: 8] Note: Look for the section on reporting scams, including contact details for wire transfer companies like MoneyGram and Western Union, which also applies to check fraud reporting. IRS – Beware of Fake CharitiesThe IRS offers resources to help taxpayers avoid fake charity scams and verify the legitimacy of organizations. You can use the IRS’s Tax Exempt Organization Search tool to confirm that the MRF was no longer a registered 501(c)(3) after 2011, and report fraudulent solicitations that claimed tax-deductibility. Citation: [Ref web ID: 12] Note: The IRS’s notice on fake charities includes tips for reporting fraudulent activities and ensuring donations go to legitimate organizations. FBI – Charity and Disaster Fraud ResourcesThe FBI provides guidance on charity fraud, which applies to situations where organizations like the MRF may have misrepresented their status to solicit donations. You can report potential fraud and access tips on how to protect yourself from such scams. Citation: [Ref web ID: 12] Note: Look for the FBI’s resources on charity fraud, which include recommendations for donating to trusted charities and reporting scams. U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Report Mail FraudSince the MRF solicited checks via a PO Box in Guilderland, NY, sending checks through the mail may qualify as mail fraud if the solicitations were fraudulent. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service allows you to report such incidents, especially if you sent a check after 2011. Citation: [Ref web ID: 8] Note: The contact number for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is provided for reporting fraud involving money orders or checks sent by mail. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) – Elder Fraud Prevention ResourcesIf you or someone you know is an older adult who sent a check to morgellons.org, the CFPB offers tools and resources to help prevent and respond to elder financial exploitation. They can provide guidance on establishing a fraud prevention network in your community. Citation: [Ref web ID: 10] Note: The CFPB provides tools for building elder fraud prevention networks and includes links to U.S. Department of Justice elder justice resources. Treasury Office of Inspector General – Fraud AlertsThe Treasury OIG investigates fraudulent financial schemes, including those misusing federal routing numbers or claiming affiliation with government agencies. While this resource focuses on Treasury-related scams, it provides general fraud protection tips that may apply if the MRF misused financial instruments post-2011. Citation: [Ref web ID: 15] Note: Look for sections on protecting yourself from investment scams and reporting fraudulent schemes involving checks. Additional Steps and Considerations Check Your Tax Filings: If you claimed a tax deduction for a donation to morgellons.org after 2011, consult a tax professional to amend your return, as the MRF was no longer a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and deductions would be invalid. The IRS’s resources on fake charities can guide you in verifying this. [Ref web ID: 12] Contact a Lawyer: Consider consulting a consumer protection or nonprofit law attorney to explore legal action, such as a class-action lawsuit, if fraudulent solicitation is proven. The article mentions this as a potential avenue for compensation. Verify with Local Authorities: File a complaint with your state’s attorney general, who can investiRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 20:35:40 -0400

Lymeapalooza: The Festival with Heart Update: Lyme-A-Palooza raises awareness and funds for Lyme disease in SC Two weeks from today, March 22, 2025, Lymeapalooza—aka Lyme-A-Palooza—blazes into Mount Pleasant with live music and a fierce mission to spotlight Lyme disease awareness. Hosted by Project Lyme, it’s the brainchild of Lowcountry native Sarah Bolden, who’s battled Lyme for 12 years—misdiagnosis, neurological chaos, and a derailed life driving her fire. This isn’t just a gig; it’s a raw rally for those slammed with fatigue, joint pain, and that sneaky bullseye rash. Check the official Lymeapalooza site for the beat. The buzz hit hard too—Lowcountry Live showcased Sarah on February 20, 2025, calling Mainland Container Co. a “great little place,” while Holy City Sinner posted updates, cementing the “Lyme-A-Palooza” tag. Sarah’s chasing $2,000 for Project Lyme, and X posts from @HolyCitySinner prove it’s blazing—personal stakes and Lowcountry grit in spades. Want to be on the inside? Be a sponsor via Project Lyme—$50 to $1,500 gets you in the fight with perks. Looking for that special memento to remind you of this magical night forever? The Lyme-A-Palooza Online Auction is live and unique with once in a lifetime opportunities! iframe title=”Lymeapalooza: Raising Awareness for Lyme Disease with Sarah Bolden.” allowtransparency=”true” height=”300″ width=”100%” style=”border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;” scrolling=”no” data-name=”pb-iframe-player” src=”https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=umdc4-1845ec6-pb&square=1&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7&size=300″ loading=”lazy” allowfullscreen=””> 300 TICKETS MAX ONLINE AUCTION WAS A SUCCESS! RSVP on Facebook FIRST 150 NAB FREE SWAG BAGS Lyme-A-Palooza 2025 Merch Share a ride with your friends! (postponement date in case of inclement weather, showtime regardless of light rain) Where and When to Catch the Action It’s locked: March 22, 2025, at Mainland Container Co. Kitchen & Bar. Gates open at noon, music runs 12:15-8:30 pm, rain or shine—no backing out. This cozy spot’s craft beer and patio vibes are set, per the official site. Mount Pleasant’s coastal soul, just over the Ravenel Bridge, makes it prime. Tickets are $15 and you can nab them now on the official site, two weeks out, or at the door during the night of the show. All cash heads towards that $2,000 goal as Sarah told Lowcountry Live. X is humming—@HolyCitySinner’s on it—so we expect a full house! Sunscreen and dancing shoes are your kit; Mainland Container Co.’s indoor-outdoor flow’s got the rest. No pets—the official site says nope—but it’s all-ages and all-in. Mount Pleasant’s showing up big, with heart and hustle. March 22, 12:15-8:30 pm it’s go time—then the good times keep on rocking at the After After Party in North Charleston. What’s Cooking at Lymeapalooza? Imagine a stage buzzing with local energy—Ayer’s Acoustic, The Novatones, Brandon Lamar Simmons, What’s Up Chuck, Stella, and Just Groove—while Sarah and others lay down hard-hitting Lyme truths. The official site hints at info booths packed with tick-defense hacks—DEET reigns supreme—and resources, plus a silent auction on Givebutter featuring signed Clemson footballs, Charleston art, and gift cards. Mainland Container Co. and vendors like Art with Asia, The Sparkle Bar by Tibby, Hannah Crafted, Big Dye Energy, and Heavenly Lei dish out grub—think pub bites and maybe shrimp and grits—paired with the Lymeapalooza IPA flowing freely. It’s a full-on vibe – you’ll dance, connect, bid on hot items—there’s shopping, it’s a wonderful community! Bring cash for vendors and that auction; it’s Mount Pleasant mixing tunes, cause, and Southern charm into a magical day that you’ll remember for years to come… This inaugural event is sponsored by Project Lyme to level up the fight against Lyme disease in our home state of South Carolina. Who’s Taking the Stage? The lineup’s stacked—six acts ready to ignite: Ayer’s Acoustic kicks off at 12:15 pm with soulful strums, The Novatones follow at 1:15 pm with indie edge, Brandon Lamar Simmons heats it up at 2:15 pm, What’s Up Chuck drops the beat at 3:30 pm, Stella shines at 5:30 pm, and Just Groove closes the main stage at 7:30 pm with after-party vibes. Per Lowcountry Live, these Mount Pleasant locals bring raw energy and grit. Chris Clow from the Savannah Bananas MCs pumps up the crowd with wild flair, while Sarah’s hyped for Olivia Flowers of Southern Charm, sharing her Lyme journey—a Lowcountry Live highlight. There’re even murmurs the legendary Fred Diamond will be there – DON’T MISS OUT! These are voices with stakes—anthems to rile you, ballads that sting, all Mount Pleasant-bred. No fillers; they’re local talent with a cause, keeping the beat fierce and the message loud. Check the auction page or X—@HolyCitySinner’s watching—for any last heat, then roll to the After After Party. Lyme Lounge: A Haven for Lymies One big highlight of Lymeapalooza is the Lyme Lounge, a special space where those with Lyme disease can rest and feel at ease. Featuring gravity loungers for ultimate relaxation, a chair massager to ease aches, and a soothing sound bowl bath, this haven is all about comfort. The menu caters to Lyme-friendly needs with gluten-free and vegan options, dishes without red meat, and refreshing Delta Seltzers It’s a thoughtful touch, making this a truly Lyme-friendly event where everyone can enjoy the day! Why Lymeapalooza Matters Here Lyme’s no Northern myth—South Carolina’s tick season is a beast, and we’re targets. Boone Hall hikes, Shem Creek kayaks, backyard hangs—it’s bite central. Miss it, and Lyme guts you: neurological fog, relentless pain, a life flipped, like Sarah’s 12-year hell, as she described on Lowcountry Live. Lymeapalooza, with Project Lyme and Sarah’s Fire, slaps us awake with a riff you can really feel – and relate to! Locals rally big—oyster roasts to this. It’s your crash course—spot the signs, dodge the ticks—and a stand for fighters like Sarah, who lost it all but kept swinging. That $2,000 could spark more—research, help, education – all right here, in South Carolina. It’s a beat with guts, and Mount Pleasant is the heart keeping it alive. Hospitality: Lowcountry Welcome Mainland Container Co. Kitchen & Bar’s your daytime host, dishing warmth—craft beers, that Lymeapalooza IPA, and food with punch, like elevated pub classics. Lowcountry Live loves its “great little place” vibe, and the official site confirms vendors joining—sweet tea or Lowcountry bites on tap. Nearby spots might toss deals—Mount Pleasant’s biz crew often does—check the sponsor page for possibles. No pups—the official site says no dice—but it’s all-ages and rain-proof with indoor-outdoor flow. Then, post-8:30 pm, the party shifts to the After After Party at The Tattooed Moose Park Circle in North Charleston—free, with music, drinks, and dancing from 10:00 pm to 1:00 am. Mainland Container Co. and vendors keep you fed and refreshed ‘til you hit the next spot. Jump In—Make It Yours Two weeks ‘til March 22, 2025—dive in now. X’s hot—@HolyCitySinner’s tracking—but the official Lymeapalooza site and auction page are your hubs—$15 tickets are live. Gates at noon, music 12:15-8:30 pm, then the After After Party from 10:00 pm-1:00 am—it’s all-in, rain or shine, Lowcountry-style. Grab some merch! Lymeapalooza Fundraiser 2025 | Seaboard traders of South Carolina Got a Lyme testimony or pumped for Lymeapalooza? Drop it below and share this post—let’s crank it! Bid now on Givebutter, sponsor via Project Lyme, bring your crew—I might be there, drink tea, tick-free, hitting both spots. Maybe see you at Mainland Container Co. and The Tattooed Moose on the 22nd! Sign up to volunteer at Lyme-A-Palooza! Performance Schedule at Lymeapalooza Ayer’s Acoustic: Soulful hooks at 12:15 pm—check local updates. Sarah Bolden will speak at 1:00 pm—learn what inspired this festival. Brandon Lamar Simmons: Spices it up at 1:15 pm—Mount Pleasant gem. Dr. Penni Vachon will deliver a message at 2:00 pm—a message of hope. The Novatones: Indie grit at 2:15 pm—local buzz is strong. Olivia Flowers (Speaker): Southern Charm star sharing her Lyme-tied story—Sarah’s fave, with a slick Instagram and Chris Clow (MC): Savannah Bananas hype man, hosting with wild energy—his TikTok’s popping, will speak at 3:15pm—how has Lyme affected them? What’s Up Chuck: Local flavor at 3:30 pmcatch the heat. Dr. Ann speaks out at 5:00 pm—words of truth from a professional who knows. Dr. Liz Franchini follows at 5:15pm—keen insight from a wise practitioner. Stella: Takes the Stage by Storm at 5:30 pm—another hidden talent. Todd Mayson rounds it out at 7:00 pm—mingle, and get ready for the after party. Just Groove: After-party kickoff at 7:30 pm—wild energy to follow to 9:30 pm. After After Party at The Tattooed Moose Park Circle: Free post-event bash from 10:00 pm to 1:00 am—music, drinks, dancing. Hospitality at Lymeapalooza Mainland Container Co. Kitchen & Bar: Hosts the main event, slinging craft beers, the Lymeapalooza IPA, and elevated pub grub—Lowcountry Live calls it a “great little place.” Food & Drink Vendors: Extra eats like shrimp and grits or sweet tea—specific vendors TBD. Local Deals: Mount Pleasant biz might toss specials—check the sponsor page closer to March 22. No Pets, Rain or Shine: Indoor-outdoor flow at Mainland Container, but leave pups home. Relevant Links for Lymeapalooza Official Lymeapalooza Site: Event hub—tickets, lineup, details, live as of March 8, 2025. Lyme-A-Palooza Tickets: Starting at $15 Project Lyme Sponsor Page: Sponsorship options—$50 to $1,500. Lyme-A-Palooza 2025 Merch RSVP on Facebook Thanks, Olivia Flowers, for the shout-out about Lyme-A-Palooza 2025 Lymeapalooza: Raising Awareness for Lyme Disease with Sarah Bolden. THE NOVATONES LIVE! at Lymeapalooza at Mainland Container | Facebook Givebutter Auction Page: Silent auction with 11 items—bid now for March 22. After After Party on AllEvents.in: Free North Charleston bash details. Elevate Wellness Fairy Hair by The Sparkle Bar At Lymeapalooza – The Gazette Calendar Holy City Sinner Article: February 22, 2025, event breakdown. Lowcountry Live Video: February 20, 2025, Sarah Bolden interview. Southern Charm star to speak at music festival raising awareness of Lyme disease | WCBD News 2 Lymeapalooza 2025 – 105.5 The Bridge Lymeapalooza (@lymeapalooza) | TikTok Park Circle Pharmacy | North Charleston Pharmacy 29405 Asia Tackett (@artwithasia) • Instagram photos and videos Hannah Crafted Home | BigDyeEnRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 19:18:39 -0400

Anger, Rage, Obsession, and Impulsion: Why People Think Lyme Disease is a Factor in the Luigi Mangione Case The Luigi Mangione case has garnered significant attention in recent weeks, with many people speculating about the potential factors that may have contributed to his behavior. One theory that has emerged is the possibility that Lyme disease played a role in his actions. But what is the basis for this claim, and is there any evidence to support it? For those who may be unfamiliar, Luigi Mangione’s case involves a complex and disturbing set of circumstances that have raised questions about the interplay between mental health, behavior, and underlying medical conditions. As the case continues to unfold, many are left wondering what could have driven someone to act in such a way. Is Lyme Disease Associated with Mental Illness? Lyme disease, a bacterial infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, is typically associated with symptoms such as fever, headache, and a characteristic “bull’s-eye” rash. However, in some cases, the disease can progress to more severe neurological and psychiatric manifestations, including anxiety, depression, and even psychosis. Proponents of the Lyme disease theory point to the fact that Mangione’s behavior was marked by intense anger, rage, and impulsive actions, which are not uncommon in individuals with untreated or undertreated Lyme disease. Some research suggests that the infection can trigger a range of cognitive and emotional disturbances, including mood swings, irritability, and even violent outbursts. Lyme disease linked to obsessive-compulsive symptoms One of the key arguments in favor of the Lyme disease theory is the idea that the infection can lead to a condition known as “Lyme rage.” This term, coined by some researchers, refers to the intense, unprovoked anger and aggression that can occur in individuals with Lyme disease. While the concept of Lyme rage is still somewhat controversial, there are documented cases of people with Lyme disease exhibiting extreme irritability, hostility, and even violent behavior. Another factor that has contributed to the speculation about Lyme disease in the Mangione case is the possibility of impulsive behavior. Impulsivity, or the tendency to act on impulse without fully considering the consequences, is a common feature of many neurological and psychiatric conditions, including those associated with Lyme disease. If Mangione did indeed have Lyme disease, it’s possible that the infection could have contributed to his impulsive actions, leading him to engage in behaviors that were ultimately destructive and harmful. Oppositional behavior in children with Lyme disease – Daniel Cameron, MD, MPH The Luigi Mangione Lyme Link is Speculation at Best Despite the intriguing possibilities, it’s essential to note that the link between Lyme disease and the Mangione case is still highly speculative. Without access to Mangione’s medical records or a definitive diagnosis, it’s impossible to say for certain whether he had Lyme disease or whether the infection played a role in his behavior. Furthermore, it’s crucial to avoid oversimplifying the complex interplay between mental health, behavior, and underlying medical conditions. The human brain is a complex and multifaceted organ, and reducing Mangione’s actions to a single factor, including Lyme disease, would be an oversimplification of the issue. While the idea that Lyme disease may have contributed to the Luigi Mangione case is an intriguing one, it remains a topic of speculation and debate. Further research and investigation are needed to fully understand the potential links between Lyme disease, mental health, and behavior. As we continue to explore the complexities of this case, it’s essential to approach the topic with nuance andRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Sat, 24 Aug 2024 18:37:48 -0400

The Devil's In The Details What the Public Needs to Know About Morgellons, Lyme Disease, and Science As a Morgellons patient who understands the research, there is nothing more disparaging than consuming media which fails to even mention Lyme Disease when discussing the topic of my skin condition. What Morgellons means, means different things to different people. This article explores the potential that there is no Morgellons without an infection like Lyme disease. Lyme disease is a Borrelia bacteria, I was tested for Borrelia bacteria and that test was positive for Tick Borne Relapsing Fever, which unlike the name implies is not a virus. TBRF is a bacteria, in the same family as Lyme Disease. Characteristic Feature of a Specific Dermopathy Morgellons itself is not a disease, it’s not an infection. Morgellons is a characteristic feature of a specific skin condition. You may have heard about Morgellons “fibers”. What people who cover this topic fail to mention when writing about Mary Leitao is that she is a trained microbiologist, and used a high powered microscope to observe her sons skin specimens. What she saw under that microscope would normally be invisible to the naked eye, microscopic fibers embedded within the layers of skin tissue. Completely, seemingly, out of place – but entirely invisible without the right magnification. Misdiagnosis of MD is likely to be common as the filaments are microscopic and invisible without sufficient magnification or, if observed under magnification, may be miscategorized as textile fibers. Morgellons disease: a filamentous borrelial dermatitis – PMC (nih.gov) Histological Analysis You may have noted the caveat that MD is misdiagnosed often because upon examination, the clinician cannot differentiate between textile fibers and MD filaments. What’s the difference? Looking below, we see an image magnifying 240x the inside of a skin ulceration. You may see two red fibers, maybe some wiry looking threads, they might look like they are underneath the surface of the skin, or they may look like there is a liquid covering them. One patient at least, was accused of injecting these into their own skin. What are they, what are they really? Histological studies on MD tissue show that MD filaments are not textile fibers. They are biofilaments of human cellular origin produced by epithelial cells and stem from deeper layers of the epidermis, the upper layers of the dermis, and the root sheath of hair follicles.6,10,11 Histological studies established that these filaments are predominantly composed of collagen and keratin,10,11 and are nucleated at the base of attachment to epithelial cells,11 thus demonstrating human cellular origin. Staining of embedded filaments with Congo red resulted in apple-green birefringence suggestive of an amyloid component, although this remains to be confirmed by more specific studies (unpublished data). Staining of embedded filaments with calcofluor-white produced negative results, demonstrating that filaments are not cellulose as found in cotton, linen, or other plant-based textile fibers, or chitin as found in fungal cells and insect exoskeletons (unpublished data). A preliminary study using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed hairlike scales on a blue filament, suggesting that at least some MD fibers are hairs.10 The blue coloration of some fibers was first determined to be the result of melanin pigmentation as shown by positive Fontana Masson staining.11 An independent study concurred that embedded blue fibers in an MD specimen (supplied by the authors of this paper) were not textile fibers. SEM revealed that the blue fibers were microscopic hairs with cuticular scaling, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed darkly stained melanosomes that were not organized, a finding consistent with human hairs (Shawkey MD, unpublished data, 2013). Microspectrophotometry reflectance data on fibers were consistent with patterns of pigmented tissues. Raman spectroscopy14 on two separate blue fibers showed relevant peaks that were indicative of carbamate compounds and melanin aromatic rings (Shawkey MD, unpublished observation, 2016). Hence, independent studies using different methodologies provided evidence that Morgellons fibers are hairlike extrusions and that the blue coloration is the result of melanin pigmentation. Although the mechanism for coloration of red fibers is not yet understood, there are no known textile fibers colored by blue melanin pigmentation.11 Morgellons disease: a filamentous borrelial dermatitis – PMC (nih.gov) Why’s Lyme Disease Associated With Morgellons? An Association Between Morgellons Disease and Lyme Disease? Several outlets have published articles on the association of Morgellons with Lyme Disease, but few of them make time to understand, and then report on the details of that association. Quite simply, while bugs, worms, fungus, and crystals weren’t common to the majority of Morgellons patients in recent research efforts, almost all Morgellons patients in those studies demonstrate evidence of exposure to Borrelia bacteria. How many people? In two studies which looked at roughly 1500 Lyme disease patients, 500 in Australia, where tick infections like Relapsing Fever Borrelia do occur though are mainly attributed to foreign travel, and 1000 state-side, what they demonstrated was that in each group, 6% of Lyme Disease patients had confirmed evidence of these microscopic fibers embedded in their skin tissue – the defining characteristic of Morgellons. How could Lyme Disease cause microscopic fibers to grow under the skin? Well, before we look at evidence which might support a theory, first consider that microscopic fibers aren’t the only artifacts being produced in Morgellons patients skin. You may have heard patients claiming they have “worms coming out of their skin”, and you might be heart broken to see them trying to dig them out. One of these “worms” was extracted by two doctors for Inside Edition. Do you see it? Wow, it does look like a worm, doesn’t it? But it’s not. When these artifacts were examined, in controlled environments, they were found to be a result of abnormal increase in the production of keratin and collagen in skin tissue. Not uniformly increased across the body, but in spots. Protruding keratin projections were observed on the concave, underside surface of calluses. Some of these were sharp at the tips of the projection, while others were blunt or ballooned (Figure 1D). Clear, ingrown hairs or hairlike structures, approximately 60 μm in diameter, were observed protruding from the tips of some keratin projections. Patient 1 presented dermatological tissue with attached white filaments. In contrast, patient 4 had only small lesions without significant callus formation and presented a single chunk of dermatological tissue approximately 1 mm in diameter embedded with filaments rather than calluses. Figure 2 (A) Filament cross, oblique, and lateral sections, from a specimen collected from patient 1 showing round, elliptical/elongated, bean-like, or curved morphology. Note the hollow medulla and surrounding cortex. Cytokeratin (CK) AE1/AE3 staining. 100× magnification. (B) Specimen from patient 1, demonstrating irregular, patchy keratin staining with CK AE1/AE3, longitudinal section. Note most filaments staining positive for keratin (dark brown). 100× magnification. (C) Specimen from patient 1, demonstrating irregular, patchy keratin staining with CK AE1/AE3. Cross, oblique, and longitudinal sections. Note most filaments staining negatively for keratin. 400× magnification. (D) Longitudinal section of filament from patient 1. Note retained nuclei, central medulla, and patchy keratin staining with CK AE1/AE3. 400× magnification. (E) Sectioned filament from a specimen from patient 1, which upon gross microscopic examination demonstrated floral-like or stellate formations. Note retained nuclei within tentacle-like filaments with tapered ends. CK AE1/AE3 staining. 400× magnification. (F) Sectioned callus from patient 1, showing filaments stemming from the stratum basale with evolution inwards towards the dermis. Note filament sections with hollow medulla alongside the stratum basale. CK AE1/AE3 staining. 100× magnification. (G) Gömöri trichrome collagen-positive section of activated fibroblasts with filamentous inclusions from patient 2. Collagen stains green, keratin stains red. Growth of filaments was upwards toward the external surface. 400× magnification. (H) Ruptured keratin projection from both external and internal surfaces from a specimen collected from patient 2, with areas of fibroblast proliferation stained green. Gömöri trichrome stain. 100× magnification. (I) Section from patient 2 stained with Gömöri trichrome, demonstrating both keratin (red) and collagen (green) filament cross-sections, with most filaments associated with the external callus surface. 100× magnification. (J) Gömöri trichrome stain of specimen from patient 2, demonstrating filaments in longitudinal, oblique, and cross-sections close to and within collagen-positive fibroblast collections (green). Note presence of filament cross-sections staining positively for keratin (red). 400× magnification. (K) Bovine digital dermatitis (BDD) filament, longitudinal section, showing positive CK AE1/AE3 staining. 100× magnification. (L) BDD filament, longitudinal section, showing negative CK AE5/AE6 staining. 100× magnification. Characterization and evolution of dermal filaments from patients with Morgellons disease – PMC (nih.gov) Evidence That Lyme Could Cause Morgellons Knowing that these patients have serious problems with their skin, apparently, the question should become ‘why do they experience this disfiguring condition’? Well, one reason researchers are compelled to finger Lyme Disease, and infections in the same family including Tick Borne Relapsing Fever, as the culprit in the case of Morgellons is because of its ability to alter the skin cells it inhabits. Skin fibrosis has been reported in Borrelia burgdorferi infection in Europe, but has been questioned by several authors. The objective of the present study was to examine the interaction of skin fibroblasts with B. burgdorferi sensu stricto B31 (BB) and B. afzelii (BA) in vitro by electron microscopy. We also determined the expression of collagen type I, TGF-β, FGF-1, calreticulin (CALR), decorin (DCN), and PDGF-α at the mRNA level in Borrelia/fibroblast co-cultures. Intact Borrelia attach to and transmigrate fibroblasts, and undergo cystic transformation outside the fibroblasts. Fibroblasts preserve their vitality and express a prominent granular endoplasmic reticulum, suggesting activated protein synthesis. On two different semi-quantitative real-time PCR assays, BB- and BA/fibroblast co-cultures showed a significant induction of type I collagen mRNA after 2 days compared to fibroblRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 03:56:54 -0400

When the Person You Love has Lyme, with Fred Diamond Look, I get it. Watching someone you love battle Lyme is like being on an emotional rollercoaster that never seems to end. One day, you’re riding high on hope, and the next, you’re plummeting into frustration. But here’s the thing – you’re not alone in this, and that’s important to remember. Now, let’s be real for a second. Dealing with the ups and downs of treatment and the big question mark hanging over the future? It’s tough. It requires a level of patience that would make a saint look impatient. But you know what? The fact that you’re sticking it out speaks volumes about your strength and love. Here’s the cool part, though. In the middle of all this chaos, you’ll find these little moments of pure gold. Maybe it’s a good day when your loved one feels a bit better, or a shared laugh over something silly. These are the moments that make it all worthwhile. Your role as a caregiver? It’s not just important – it’s crucial. You’re the unsung hero in this story, and it’s high time we gave you a standing ovation. Whether you’re taking care of a partner, family member, or friend, what you’re doing is nothing short of amazing. So, pat yourself on the back. Take a moment to appreciate your own resilience. Trust me, your care and support are making a world of difference. Together, you and your loved one are tackling this beast called Lyme, and you’re doing it with grace and grit. Remember, there are good days ahead. They might be hiding behind some clouds right now, but they’re there. Keep your chin up, keep fighting the good fight, and know that you’re doing an incredible job. You’ve got this! Navigating the Challenges and Complexities of Lyme Disease What Family Members, Partners, and Friends Who Love a Chronic Lyme Survivor Need to Know. If you love someone with Chronic Lyme disease, or any chronic illness, this book is for you. Subscribe to the Love, Hope, Lyme Podcast here: https://freddiamond.com/love-hope-lyme/ When did your partner’s #Lyme journey begin, and what was that like? There are a few ideas about how the full moon impacts Lyme disease patients. Can you explain the “bacterial growth phase” hypothesis? A common theme I noticed in the book is the role of education in supporting your partner. Which book helped the most with this aspect of being supportive? The terminology surrounding Lyme disease could almost be a different language. Is this how people sometimes feel about it? In your journey to better understand Lyme disease, have you encountered any patients with Morgellons? Could you elaborate on the neurological issue described as “visual snow”? How does Multiple Sclerosis present, and why is Lyme disease sometimes misdiagnosed as MS? What have you discovered about how Lyme disease overlaps with blood sugar issues? In your book, you describe your efforts of raising awareness by buying books for others who couldn’t afford them. Which books were the most requested? Can you describe how Lyme disease presents an opportunity that often gives people a sense of higher purpose? Patients with Lyme often experience resentment from their partners because of the debilitating effects of the infection, does that resentment extend inwards as well? Is it true that falling in the trap of feeling responsible for poor health can be offset by offloading that responsibility to a doctor who understands Lyme disease? What influences the lack of support many patients endure, can some of it be attributed toRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Sat, 13 Jul 2024 16:01:04 -0400

Officials are Downplaying Lyme Disease, it Needlessly Contributes to Death The numbers are staggering and deeply concerning – Lyme disease cases have skyrocketed in recent years, posing a grave threat to public health that demands urgent attention. According to the latest data, the number of reported Lyme disease cases in the US has more than doubled over the past decade, reaching record highs that show no signs of slowing down. What was once a relatively obscure illness is now a full-blown epidemic, with devastating consequences. Lyme disease mortality rates have climbed steadily, robbing families of their loved ones and leaving communities in mourning. The true scale of this crisis is likely even worse, as many cases go undiagnosed or unreported. The time for complacency has long passed. We must act now to confront this alarming public health emergency head-on. Increased funding for research, education, and prevention programs is crucial to turning the tide against Lyme disease. The health and wellbeing of millions hang in the balance – we cannot afford to let this crisis spiral further out of control. How Government Officials are Minimizing the Severity of Lyme Disease Government officials have long downplayed the severity and prevalence of Lyme disease, leading to widespread underreporting and misdiagnosis. Despite overwhelming evidence of the growing Lyme epidemic, many authorities continue to deny the scale of the problem, hampering efforts to raise awareness and provide proper treatment. Lyme disease is often misdiagnosed due to the complex, multi-symptom nature of the illness, and the failure of standard testing methods to reliably detect the infection. Yet government agencies persist in promoting the idea that Lyme is easily diagnosed and treated, even as patients struggle to find competent medical care. This pattern of denial and obfuscation has serious consequences, leaving countless individuals to suffer the debilitating effects of Lyme without access to the support and resources they desperately need. It is time for our elected leaders to acknowledge the reality of this public health crisis and take decisive action to improve Lyme disease awareness, diagnosis, and treatment across the country. The Deadly Toll of Lyme Disease Denial and Dismissal Lyme disease is a devastating illness that, if left untreated, can lead to life-threatening complications and even death. Yet, far too often, the severity of this disease is dismissed or downplayed, with devastating consequences. The long-term effects of untreated or undertreated Lyme can be truly horrific. Chronic Lyme can cause debilitating neurological issues, cardiovascular problems, and a host of other debilitating symptoms that can be fatal if not properly addressed. Tragically, many patients struggle for years to get the care they desperately need, only to succumb to the ravages of this insidious disease. Black Individuals More Likely to Experience Inequities in Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Lyme Disease, New Research Shows | Johns Hopkins Medicine The data on Lyme disease fatalities is deeply alarming. Studies have shown that the mortality rate for those with disseminated or chronic Lyme can be as high as 15-20%. These are not mere statistics – these are human lives cut tragically short due to a lack of understanding and urgency around this illness. It’s time to take the threat of Lyme disease seriously. Dismissing patients’ symptoms or failing to provide appropriate long-term treatment is nothing short of medical negligence. We must demand better education, research funding, and compassionate care for all those affected by this devastating condition. The lives of countless individuals depend on it. Holding Authorities Accountable and Demanding Urgent Action The time for complacency on Lyme disease is over. As cases continue to rise and the medical establishment fails to adequately address this crisis, it is imperative that we hold authorities accountable and demand urgent action. Lyme disease advocacy must shift into high gear. We need to pressure lawmakers to increase research funding, strengthen prevention efforts, and protect the rights of Lyme patients. The status quo is unacceptable when thousands suffer needlessly due to medical neglect and misinformation. It’s time to get loud and get results. Through coordinated Lyme disease activism, we can force meaningful policy changes and shine a spotlight on this devastating illness. The stakes are too high to sit idly by – the health and wellbeing of our communities depends on the urgent reforms we fight for today. Taking a Stand: How You Can Help Expose the Lyme Disease Crisis It’s time to shed light on the Lyme disease crisis and demand better care for those suffering. As an insidious, often misunderstood illness, Lyme has devastated countless lives, leaving patients to navigate a complex and frustrating healthcare system. But we can change this. By sharing our stories, educating our communities, and rallying for policy reform, we can expose the realities of Lyme disease and push for the resources and treatment options patients desperately need. Political Action related to Lyme Disease Start by joining a local Lyme disease support group. Here, you can connect with others who understand the daily challenges you face. Together, you can brainstorm impactful awareness campaigns to amplify patient voices. Lyme Disease Patient Education | Lyme Disease Resources (globallymealliance.org) Next, be proactive about Lyme disease education. Volunteer to speak at schools, community centers, or healthcare facilities. Equip people with the facts about transmission, symptoms, and prevention. The more informed our society becomes, the better we can protect ourselves and our loved ones. Events by the Center for Lyme Action – Center for Lyme Action Finally, reach out to your elected representatives. Urge them to increase funding for Lyme research, improve diagnostic testing, and mandate insurance coverage for long-term treatment. With persistence and passion, we can drive the policy changes that save lives. The Lyme disease crisis demands our attention. ByRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 19:46:39 -0400

Jeremy Murphree Shares His Firsthand Account of Living with the Mysterious Morgellons Disease What is Morgellons Disease and Why is it So Controversial? Morgellons disease is a highly controversial and much-debated condition that has left the medical community puzzled. This unexplained skin condition is characterized by the presence of strange, colored fibers emerging from the skin, along with other unsettling symptoms. The very existence of Morgellons is a point of contention, with some medical professionals dismissing it as a delusional disorder, while others believe it to be a real and perplexing physical ailment. Patients who claim to suffer from Morgellons often describe a range of symptoms, including crawling sensations under the skin, fatigue, joint pain, and neurological issues. The fibers found in Morgellons lesions have been the subject of intense scrutiny, with some researchers suggesting they are merely textile fibers from the environment, while others argue they are of unknown biological origin. This lack of consensus has fueled the controversy surrounding Morgellons, leaving those affected feeling misunderstood and frustrated. Despite the ongoing debate, the experiences of Morgellons patients cannot be ignored. Whether it is a distinct medical condition or a manifestation of something else, the suffering and distress experienced by those affected deserves attention and further investigation. Jeremy Murphree’s Personal Struggle with the Debilitating Effects of Morgellons Jeremy Murphree has been living with the debilitating effects of Morgellons disease for over a decade. In this candid Zoom interview, he shares his personal struggle and the daily challenges he faces. Morgellons is a controversial and poorly understood condition that causes a range of distressing symptoms, including crawling sensations under the skin, strange fibers emerging from the body, and chronic fatigue. For Jeremy, the physical and emotional toll has been immense. “It’s a lot to manage,” Jeremy admits. He describes how Morgellons has impacted every aspect of his life, from his work to his relationships. Despite the lack of medical consensus around Morgellons, Jeremy is determined to share his story and connect with others going through similar experiences. “It’s a horrible scenario, the tests for Lyme disease are not accurate and the treatment is not reliable for about 20% of those diagnosed with it. If you do manage to find a doctor who can produce legitimate evidence you’re infected – good luck getting anybody to understand what that means. People just don’t want to talk about Lyme disease… or believe it could ever affect them.” Living with Morgellons disease is no easy feat, but Jeremy is here to share his story of hope and resilience. As a Morgellons patient advocate, Jeremy knows firsthand the challenges of coping with this complex condition. In his own words, Jeremy candidly discusses the ups and downs of his journey, offering guidance and support to others who may be struggling. He emphasizes the importance of self-care, community, and never giving up in the face of adversity. The Charles E. Holman Morgellons Disease Foundation https://thecehf.org Justin Begaye Interviews Jeremy Murphree for Upcoming #MorgellonsBook #LymeDisease #Marijuana Prof Eva Sapi: The Potential Connection of Borrelia Infection and Breast Cancer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csUtZ9plgVs A chemical imbalance doesn’t explain depression. So what does? https://www.sciencenews.org/article/chemical-imbalance-explain-depression Depression is likely not caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, study says https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/mental-health/3569506-depression-is-likely-not-caused-by-a-chemical-imbalance-in-the-brain-study-says/ Study finds depression is not likely caused by a chemical imbalance or low serotonin levels https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/study-finds-depression-is-not-likely-caused-by-a-chemical-imbalance-or-low-serotonin-levels Microbes and Mental Illness: Past, Present, and Future https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/12/1/83 Lyme Disease Increases Risk for Mental Illness https://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.pn.2021.10.7 https://www.morgellons.ioThe New Morgellons Movement https://www.morgellonssurvey.orgMorgellons Survey Quality of Life and Morgellons, Treatment Considerations with Dr. Steven Feldmanhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFHT5InHuGQ Interview with Skin Deep Star, Dr. Steve Feldman MD, PHDhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mkqnzRz1Ko How to Have a Better Experience at Your Doctor Visit: Steven R. Feldman, MDhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsiS2hxOW2k&list=PL3nII97JiwYtI5_rhr3BXL2eg7O6E2nOH&index=6 Interview with Morgellons Expert, Dr. Ginger Savely DNP – YouTube Interview with Morgellons Expert, Dr. Ginger Savely (youtube.com) Morgellons Patient Accused of Injecting Fibers Into Their Skin Livestream event with Special Guest, Gregory Smith M.D. FAAP (youtube.com) Special Interview with Lyme Expert, Dr. Robert C. Bransfield (youtube.com) The Case for the Entourage Effect and Conventional Breeding of Clinical Cannabis: No “Strain,” No Gain – PubMed (nih.gov) The Grass Might Be Greener: Medical Marijuana Patients Exhibit Altered Brain Activity and Improved Executive Function after 3 Months of Treatment https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2017.00983/full Is CBD the future of antipsychotic drugs? A new global study investigates https://wellcome.org/news/cbd-future-antipsychotic-drugs-new-global-study-investigates Cannabidiol versus placebo as adjunctive treatment in early psychosis: study protocol for randomized controlled trial https://trialsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13063-023-07789-w Cannabidiol (CBD) as a novel treatment in the early phases of psychosis https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9110455/ Major trials to test effectiveness of cannabidiol on psychosis https://www.psych.ox.ac.uk/news/major-trials-to-test-effectiveness-of-cannabidiol-on-psychosis Recreational cannabis use hRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 17:07:37 -0400

First Interview with Dr. Courtney Day Plagued by Strange Technical Glitches An event that had been in the works for years finally took flight this past Tuesday, but encountered an unexpected stretch of extreme turbulence. Dr. Courtney Day, a Morgellons patient turned doctor, joined us for an hour-long interview on Morgellons Discussion and Microscopy Videos. She shared her firsthand perspectives on dealing with Morgellons and discussed experiences she’s encountered with her patient population. The interview was particularly compelling, especially considering the challenges faced. Jitsi Meet has consistently hosted our online interviews for several years without many incidents (that weren’t directly my fault). However, what occurred during our interview with Dr. Day was particularly concerning and completely unexpected! At different points during the live stream, Jitsi notified us that our connection to YouTube had failed. We were confident this was inaccurate due to the active audience engagement from our visitors, subscribers, and members. Their feedback reassured us that we were reaching them, only to be abruptly shut down inexplicably. We reconnected several times to YouTube through the stream, only to have the connection fail over and over again. In retrospect it’s difficult to determine if the problem was YouTube or Jitsi. Considering the confirmed reports of outages on YouTube’s platform I’m inclined to believe it’s the former but have opened a forum post on Jitsi’s support site to cover all angles. It seems that YouTube has edited 37 minutes of the remaining footage from the 55-minute video, which includes an excellent interview with Dr. Courtney Day. We hope you’ll enjoy it, and please let us know if you would like to see a follow-up interview anytime soon! Dr. Courtney Day is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor and Microbiologist with expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme Disease, Morgellons, Parasites and other illnesses caused by environmental exposures. Her naturopathic treatment approach to complex chronic illness, parasites and vector-borne infections has earned her recognition at international conferences on the topic of Lyme and Morgellons Disease. Dr. Courtney Day, ND | Dayly Wellness | Virtual Healthcare [os-widget path="/page/9f61ed31-ce25-4a01-baac-d680bf7d77a2"] Can you tell us about the history of your interest in medicine and what led you to specialize in Lyme Disease and Morgellons? How do you approach the diagnosis and treatment of these complex conditions? Can you walk us through your methodology? What are some of the key environmental factors that contribute to the development of Lyme Disease, Morgellons, and other similar illnesses? To what extent do you believe stressful and emotionally toxic environments contribute to the progression and persistence of diseases? In your experience, what holistic, natural, or alternative therapies have shown promising results in treating bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasitic infections associated with these illnesses? Does medical marijuana have a place in treating Morgellons? Are there any therapies which Morgellons patients should avoid? How does diet factor into a patient’s treatment and what considerations do you feel help in this regard? Is genetic testing beneficial towards treatment? What challenges do patients with Lyme Disease or Morgellons typically face during their treatment journey, and how do you support them through these challenges? Have you ever encountered a patient who believed they had Morgellons, but upon examination, it became evident that they did not? How did you explain the absence of symptoms to them? What are some of the most fascinating symptoms of Morgellons that have particularly piqued your interest? What is your experience with parasites and what can you tell us about leishmaniasis? Is it associated with Morgellons? Where should the research on Morgellons go next? Are there any specific areas that you feel require attention? Can you share a success story from one of your patients who had a particularly challenging case of Morgellons? Do you have pets? What can people do if they would like to see you for their cRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 04:11:41 -0400

Michelle McKeon, "The Lyme Specialist" Livestream Event EDIT: Michelle McKeon sent this message to clarify one thing she had stated: I think the only thing that needs to be changed is when I was talking about binders, specifically a gentle binder called PectoSol Powder which Blocks Galactin-3 (driver of inflammation). This specific binder has modified citrus pectin not only blocks galectin-3 it also binds and removes certain toxins. However, I believe I said it has citric acid. Michelle McKeon Join us Tuesday, February 27th at 2PM EST for a special live interview with Michelle McKeon, The Lyme Specialist! Michelle McKeon, “The Lyme Specialist” Livestream Event – YouTube About Michelle McKeon Michelle McKeon is the owner and operator of The Lyme Specialist. She is a Licensed Integrative Nutritionist and Certified Mold Practitioner who specializes in tick-borne diseases, hyperthermia treatment, environmental toxins, gut health, and inflammatory conditions. Michelle was introduced to functional medicine after her personal struggle with a debilitating battle of tick-borne infections and biotoxin illness. After years of trying various treatment options available, and not responding to the protocols, she received whole-body hyperthermia treatment. This treatment saved her life, and for the first time she was able to see a light at the end of the tunnel. From this experience, she decided to change her career and go back to school to receive a master’s degree at the University of Bridgeport. Upon graduating Summa Cum Laude, she began her private practice as an Integrative Medicine Practitioner. She has authored two eBooks, and advocates for individuals with tick-borne infections and biotoxin illness through articles for health magazines, speaking on podcasts, at schools, conferences, and support groups. Michelle also works as a liaison between hospitals that offer hyperthermia treatment and patients who are interested in the scheduling process and guidance with pre-and post-treatment. Through Michelle’s Integrative Medicine Practice, she has been guiding both local and long-distance clients by addressing various factors that are causing their symptoms. She looks for answers by exploring mold mycotoxins, modulating the immune system, regulating the nervous system, genetic issues, mitochondria support, heavy metals, detoxifications, tick-borne infections, candida, cell membrane repair, building biology, diet, and gut flora. Her hope is to guide people in their healing journey by educating them about integrative medicine and hyperthermia as successful treatment option. Her dynamic combination of personal, professional, and educational experiences has created a foundation to effectively support individuals in becoming their optimal selves: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. It does get better. Contact The Lyme Specialist To reach Michelle McKeon, you can connect with her through: Website: www.thelymespecialist.com Email: michelle@thelymespecialist.com Phone Number: 718.536.2771 Instagram: @thelymespecialiast Facebook: facebook.com/TheLymeSpecialist Interview Questions Who is Michelle McKeon and what led you to become involved with Lyme disease? Can you explain the different ways in which Lyme disease can manifest in individuals? How does mold exposure impact a patient’s prognosis when they are battling Lyme? In your experience, how does diet play a role in the remediation process for patients with Lyme disease and mold exposure? What kinds of therapies do you recommend for individuals and are they generally specialized? Can you share any success stories of patients who have fully recovered? What advice would you give to someone who suspects they may have been exposed to Lyme disease or toxic mold? How do you approach treatment plans for patients who are dealing with co-infections associated with tick-borne diseases? Are there any lifestyle changes or preventive measures that individuals can take to reduce their risk of contracting Lyme disease orRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Sun, 28 Jan 2024 19:39:23 -0400

Live Interview with Dr. Omar Morales of The Lyme Mexico Clinic, 11AM EST Feb 1 2024 Join us this Thursday, February 1st at 11AM EST for a special live interview to kick off Morgellons Disease Awareness Month 2024 with Dr. Omar Morales of The Lyme Mexico Clinic! Who is Dr. Morales and what it is that you do? What can you tell us about the beginning of your interests in Lyme disease? Can you share more about your experience in treating tropical diseases, what kinds of diseases were those? What can you tell us about your revolutionary therapy for Babesia and other co-infections? What challenges did you face while implementing the red cell exchange treatment method for eradicating Babesia? How did you overcome them? What is ILADS and what is your role with that organization? What is Morgellons, what is it really? What is Morgellons not, what do you hear the most about it which contradicts the science? How can someone help if they have a loved-one who is dealing with Morgellons? How do you approach treating Morgellons and what is your success rate? Is remission even possible? What is the Lyme clinic in Mexico like and where is it located, what are some of the local landmarks? Can anyone see you or do they need a referral? How does pricing work? Is there anything you can recommend someone to do to help ease the symptoms of Morgellons before they can come to see you? Is financial aid available, to both residents of Mexico and those of the United States? What are some of your treatments for other afflictions? How does, for example, Lyme treatment differ from treating Bartonella? What other common infections do you see in your practice? Why do infections so often go undiagnosed, sometimes before it’s too late? Can you discuss any ongoing research or projects that you’re currently involved in related to Morgellons, tropical diseases or tick-borne illnesses? What does DRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 21:57:52 -0400

Understanding the Rabbit Hole: Exploring How Trauma Bonding Leads to Confusion in Morgellons Groups Morgellons groups on Facebook have become a growing trend for this mysterious condition characterized by unexplained fibers emerging from the skin. It’s a malady which has puzzled medical professionals and researchers for decades. While the condition itself remains enigmatic, there is another intriguing aspect associated with Morgellons – the phenomenon of trauma bonding in online groups. Trauma bonding refers to a complex psychological dynamic that occurs in abusive relationships or situations where an individual forms strong emotional attachments to their abuser. It involves a manipulative cycle of reward and punishment, creating a deep bond between the victim and the perpetrator. The Role of Trauma Bonding in Cult-Like Morgellons Forums Trauma bonding plays a significant role in cult-like Morgellons groups, which often operate within online communities and support groups. These groups, while initially providing a sense of belonging and understanding for individuals suffering from Morgellons disease, can quickly develop into toxic environments due to the dynamics of trauma bonding. Trauma bonding occurs when individuals form intense emotional attachments with fellow participants or the group leaders. In the context of Morgellons support groups, this can manifest through manipulation tactics employed by cult-like leaders to control and influence their followers. Signs of trauma bonding within these groups may include feelings of dependency on the group or leader, an inability to critically evaluate information or question authority figures, and an overwhelming fear of leaving or speaking out against the group’s beliefs. Control and Isolation: In any group or community, there is often a tendency for certain individuals to emerge as guru-like figures. These individuals hold significant influence over the group and are seen as authorities on the group’s beliefs and norms. This control can lead to a strict adherence to these beliefs and norms, creating an environment of isolation from outside perspectives. The influence of these guru-like figures can be both positive and negative. On one hand, they can provide guidance and direction, helping to unify the group around a common purpose. However, on the other hand, their control can stifle independent thinking and discourage members from seeking alternative viewpoints. This strict adherence to group beliefs and norms can create an echo chamber effect, where dissenting opinions are discouraged or dismissed. This isolation from outside perspectives limits the ability of the group to critically evaluate its own ideas and potentially hinders growth and progress. Dependency and Fear: In our journey through life, it is natural to seek emotional support and validation from the groups we belong to. We find comfort in knowing that we are accepted and valued by those around us. However, this reliance on the group for emotional support can sometimes lead to a fear of rejection or criticism when we question group beliefs. The fear of being judged or ostracized for challenging the status quo can be paralyzing. It can prevent us from expressing our true thoughts and ideas, hindering personal growth and stifling innovation. But it is important to remember that questioning beliefs is not a sign of weakness or disloyalty. In fact, it is an essential part of intellectual development and critical thinking. By challenging our own beliefs and engaging in open dialogue with others, we are able to broaden our perspectives and gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us. It takes courage to step outside of our comfort zones and question long-held beliefs. But by doing so, we open ourselves up to new possibilities, personal growth, and ultimately find a sense of authenticity that cannot be achieved through blind conformity. As humans, we must encourage open-mindedness, respectful dialogue, and create spaces where diverse perspectives are welcomed rather than marginalized. Only then can we break free from the dependency on group validation while overcoming the fear of rejection or criticism for daring to challenge what others convinced us to once held dear. Navigating Confusion: How Individuals Get Lost in the Rabbit Hole of Online Groups In today’s digital age, it is becoming increasingly common for individuals to fall into the rabbit hole of misinformation and confusion within online groups. One such example is the phenomenon of Morgellons groups, where individuals with similar beliefs gather to discuss their experiences and theories surrounding a controversial medical condition. Within these groups, misinformation spreads like wildfire. Confirmation bias plays a significant role in reinforcing pre-existing beliefs, as members seek out information that aligns with their own experiences and perspectives. This reinforcement through echo chambers further deepens the cognitive dissonance experienced by individuals who may be questioning the validity of their beliefs. Substantiated facts give way to shared narrative, alternative facts, and group lore. Mainstream Medicine Must Evolve to Meet the Challenges of Lyme Disease Morgellons patients often find themselves in unique situations, realizing the hard way that our traditional medical system falls short in addressing their chronic bacterial infections. Unfortunately, contemporary Lyme disease science is not promptly integrated into mainstream medicine, resulting in traumatic experiences for these patients. Consequently, they turn to online support groups as a source of solace and guidance. However, in these groups, there is often a serious risk of replacing responsible healthcare with unproven remedies that might not only be ineffective but also potentially harmful. It is indeed disheartening to hear about the challenges that Morgellons patients face when seeking treatment for their chronic bacterial infections. It’s important to be cautious when relying solely on unproven therapies found in these groups. While they may offer temporary relief or anecdotal success stories, their effectiveness cannot be guaranteed as they often lack scientific evidence and rigorous testing. Furthermore, some of these alternative treatments could potentially pose risks and even exacerbate existing health conditions. Instead, it would be beneficial for Morgellons patients to consider an integrative approach by seeking qualified healthcare professionals who specialize in Lyme disease or chronic bacterial infections. These experts can provide evidence-based treatments while considering the unique needs of each individual. By combining conventional medicine with complementary therapies under professional guidance, patients can potentially find a more balanced and effective path towards managing their condition. Remember, your health is precious; therefore, making informed decisions based on reliable sources is crucial in ensuring your well-being during this challenging journey. Breaking Free: Strategies to Overcome Confusion and Emotional Manipulation In a world filled with information overload and persuasive tactics, it is crucial to equip oneself with the necessary tools to break free from confusion and emotional manipulation. By educating ourselves about critical thinking skills and logical fallacies, we can develop a sharper sense of discernment and become less susceptible to manipulation. Understanding logical fallacies allows us to identify flawed reasoning and faulty arguments, enabling us to make more informed decisions. Through recognizing common manipulative techniques such as appeal to emotions or ad hominem attacks, we can see beyond the attempts to sway our opinions or actions. However, it is important to acknowledge that overcoming confusion and emotional manipulation may require professional help in certain cases. Trauma recovery, for instance, often necessitates the guidance of trained therapists who specialize in healing emotional wounds. It’s important to be cautious when sharing your experiences in Morgellons groups. Although it may seem comforting to have someone listen, it’s critical to consider the qualifications and intentions of your audience. Unless they are certified therapists, their motivations may not align with your well-being. In some cases, they might even take advantage of your vulnerable state for personal gain or to promote their own agenda. Conclusion: Shedding Light on the Complexities of Trauma Bonding in Morgellons Communities Raising awareness about trauma bonding not only benefits those directly affected by Morgellons communities but also contributes to a broader understanding of psychological manipulation in various contexts. Knowledge is power, and by equipping ourselves with the necessary information, we can help prevent others from falling victim to similar manipulative tactics. In conclusion, understanding the complexities of trauma bonding within Morgellons communities isRead more

Robert Graham Jr posted an update: I don't know exactly what morgellons really are and I wont […]

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 15:49:00 -0400

I don’t know exactly what morgellons really are and I wont claim to. I did just watch the you tube it was very informative and I enjoyed it a lot. it makes me happy that people are beginning to recognize this as a serious problem. one issue I had with the video is when it states that all the patients have submitted more videos than they could…[Read more]

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Sat, 19 Aug 2023 01:20:29 -0400

Skin Deep: The Battle Over Morgellons is FREE on YouTube – Finally!! Get ready to dive into the captivating world of “Skin Deep: The Battle Over Morgellons” – a groundbreaking documentary that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about skin conditions. This must-watch film explores the controversial phenomenon known as Morgellons, shedding light on the struggles faced by those affected and the ongoing debate surrounding its existence. What makes “Skin Deep” truly unique is its accessibility – you can watch this thought-provoking documentary for free on YouTube. Prepare to be captivated by powerful storytelling, compelling interviews, and an in-depth exploration of the science behind Morgellons. Whether you’re a skeptic or a believer, “Skin Deep” offers a fascinating glimpse into a world often misunderstood. Brace yourself for an eye-opening journey as we unravel the mysteries surrounding this perplexing condition. Don’t miss out on this extraordinary cinematic experience – join us as we delve into “Skin Deep: The Battle Over Morgellons.” The Fascinating Storyline of “Skin Deep: The Battle Over Morgellons” Prepare to be captivated by the fascinating storyline of “Skin Deep: The Battle Over Morgellons”! This gripping documentary delves into the enigmatic world of Morgellons disease, a mysterious skin condition that has puzzled both medical professionals and patients alike. With its intriguing plot, “Skin Deep” takes you on a compelling journey through the lives of those affected by this perplexing ailment. As the film unravels the layers of this medical mystery, you’ll find yourself immersed in a world where reality and perception intertwine. The filmmakers skillfully navigate through personal narratives, scientific investigations, and controversial debates surrounding Morgellons disease. Through interviews with experts and individuals living with the condition, “Skin Deep” sheds light on the challenges faced by those seeking answers and recognition. Prepare to have your curiosity piqued as you embark on this thought-provoking exploration of Morgellons disease. From its origins to its impact on individuals and society as a whole, “Skin Deep” offers an in-depth look at a topic that continues to baffle and intrigue. Get ready for an enthralling cinematic experience that will leave you questioning what lies beneath the surface. Don’t miss out on this captivating documentary as it uncovers the secrets behind “Skin Deep: The Battle Over Morgellons.” Celebrating the Accessibility: Watch “Skin Deep” for Free on YouTube! Get ready to celebrate the accessibility of thought-provoking documentaries! We have fantastic news for you – the critically acclaimed documentary “Skin Deep” is now available for free streaming on YouTube! Thanks to the power of the internet, you can now easily access this captivating film from the comfort of your own home. No need to worry about expensive tickets or limited screenings – simply grab your popcorn, sit back, and immerse yourself in the world of “Skin Deep”. This eye-opening documentary explores important themes surrounding identity, race, and self-acceptance. It delves into personal stories that will challenge your perspective and ignite meaningful conversations. With its powerful storytelling and compelling visuals, “Skin Deep” is a must-watch for anyone interested in expanding their understanding of these complex issues. Now more than ever, it’s crucial that we have access to diverse voices and narratives that encourage empathy and understanding. By offering “Skin Deep” for free on YouTube, we are breaking down barriers and ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to engage with this impactful documentary. So don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity! Head over to YouTube today and experience “Skin Deep” – a film that will leave you inspired, enlightened, and ready to make a difference. Get ready for an unforgettable journey into the depths of human experience – all at no cost to you! Remember: celebrating accessibility means celebrating inclusivity. Let’s come together as a globalRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 18:14:55 -0400

Debunking the Myth: Morgellons is not Associated with Fungus or Mold This article looks at the connection between mold exposure and Morgellons. Morgellons disease, a perplexing and controversial skin condition, has captured the attention and curiosity of both medical professionals and the general public. Characterized by the presence of unusual fibers embedded in or protruding from the skin, Morgellons has sparked intense debates within the medical community regarding its origins, diagnosis, and treatment. The controversy surrounding Morgellons stems from several factors. Chiefly, there is a lack of consensus among healthcare providers regarding its classification as a distinct disease. Some argue that it is a form of delusional parasitosis, a psychiatric condition where individuals believe they are infested with parasites despite no evidence to support such claims. Others contend that it is an unrecognized physical illness with underlying physiological causes. Adding to the intrigue is the mysterious nature of the fibers associated with Morgellons. These fibers have been reported to exhibit unusual properties, such as glowing under ultraviolet light or displaying colors not typically found in human hair or clothing materials. This peculiar characteristic has further fueled speculation about possible environmental factors or even covert government experiments. The controversies surrounding Morgellons have led to widespread skepticism and skepticism within the medical community, making it difficult for affected individuals to find proper diagnosis and treatment options. However, despite these challenges, there are dedicated researchers and healthcare professionals striving to unravel this enigmatic condition. Scientific Studies Discrediting the Fungus and Mold Connection Scientific studies have played a crucial role in shedding light on the alleged connection between fungus, mold, and Morgellons disease. Through rigorous research and peer-reviewed studies, experts have found a lack of substantial evidence supporting this association. Morgellons research findings have consistently failed to establish a direct link between the presence of fungus or mold and the symptoms experienced by individuals with this condition. Multiple studies conducted by reputable researchers have shown no significant correlation between Morgellons symptoms and fungal or mold infections. Furthermore, peer-reviewed studies have scrutinized the claims made about Morgellons disease and its supposed connection to fungus or mold. These studies emphasize the importance of evidence-based research and highlight the need for objective analysis when exploring complex medical conditions. By discrediting the fungus and mold connection through scientific investigations, these studies contribute to a better understanding of Morgellons disease. They encourage further exploration into alternative explanations for the symptoms observed in affected individuals, paving the way for more accurate diagnoses and targeted treatments. It is essential to rely on scientifically sound evidence when examining medical conditions such as Morgellons disease. The findings from these scientific studies provide valuable insights that challenge existing assumptions and guide future research in pursuit of effective solutions for those affected by this condition. Experts Weigh In: Medical Professionals’ Opinions on the Matter In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of Morgellons, it is crucial to explore the perspectives of medical professionals who specialize in infectious diseases and dermatology. By delving into their insights and expert quotes, we can shed light on this enigmatic condition and its impact on patients’ lives. Infectious disease specialists play a vital role in unraveling the mysteries surrounding Morgellons. Their expertise allows them to examine the potential infectious agents associated with the condition and evaluate its clinical manifestations. Through their research and clinical experience, these specialists offer valuable insights into the diagnosis, treatment options, and long-term management of Morgellons. Dermatologists, on the other hand, provide a unique perspective on Morgellons due to their deep understanding of skin-related conditions. Their expertise in diagnosing various dermatological disorders enables them to assess the skin lesions commonly associated with Morgellons. By analyzing these physical manifestations alongside patients’ symptoms, dermatologists contribute invaluable insights into this complex condition. To truly grasp the complexities of Morgellons, it is essential to hear directly from these medical professionals themselves. Their expert quotes offer a glimpse into their observations, hypotheses, and recommendations regarding this controversial phenomenon. By incorporating their perspectives into our exploration of Morgellons, we can gain a more nuanced understanding of this perplexing condition that continues to puzzle both patients and healthcare providers alike. The Role of Misinformation in Perpetuating the Fungus and Mold Myth In today’s digital age, misinformation has become a pervasive issue, particularly when it comes to health-related topics. One such example is the perpetuation of the fungus and mold myth in relation to Morgellons causes. Social media platforms have played a significant role in spreading false information about this condition, leading to widespread misconceptions and unnecessary alarm. The impact of social media cannot be underestimated when it comes to the dissemination of misinformation. With just a few clicks, false claims and unfounded theories can reach millions of people, creating confusion and fear. In the case of Morgellons causes, many individuals have wrongly attributed the condition to exposure to fungus or mold. However, it is important to debunk these popular misconceptions and separate fact from fiction. Extensive research conducted by medical professionals and experts in the field has consistently shown that there is no scientific evidence linking Morgellons with fungus or mold exposure. Instead, it is believed to be a complex condition that requires further investigation. By addressing these misconceptions head-on and providing accurate information, we can combat the spread of false narratives surrounding Morgellons causes. It is crucial for individuals to rely on credible sources such as medical journals and reputable healthcare professionals for accurate information rather than relying solely on social media platforms. In conclusion, the role of misinformation in perpetuating the fungus and mold myth regarding Morgellons causes cannot be overlooked. By actively debunking these popular misconceptions through reliable sourcesRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 15:17:08 -0400

Redefining Morgellons: Exposing the Exploitation and Addressing Hurt Feelings This article looks at exploiters who are redefining Morgellons and asks, “why do they do it?” In recent years, the phenomenon of Morgellons has garnered significant attention and controversy. Morgellons, also known as Morgellons syndrome or Morgellons disease, is a condition characterized by the presence of unusual fibers or particles embedded in the skin. While there is ongoing debate within the medical community about its exact cause and classification, one aspect that cannot be ignored is the exploitation surrounding Morgellons. The exploitation of Morgellons refers to various instances where individuals or organizations have taken advantage of those suffering from this condition for personal gain. This exploitation can take many forms, ranging from misinformation and fearmongering to fraudulent products and treatments. The spread of misinformation about Morgellons has led to confusion among both medical professionals and affected individuals. False claims and conspiracy theories have fueled skepticism and hindered scientific research into understanding this condition better. Exploitative actors often capitalize on this confusion by offering “miracle cures” or unproven treatments, preying on vulnerable individuals desperately seeking relief. Furthermore, some companies have marketed products specifically targeting those with Morgellons, claiming to alleviate symptoms or remove fibers from the skin. These products are often expensive and lacking scientific evidence to support their effectiveness. Exploitation in these cases not only exploits the hopes of those affected but also perpetuates a cycle of financial burden without providing genuine relief. It is vital to shed light on the exploitation surrounding Morgellons so that individuals can make informed decisions based on accurate information and seek appropriate medical advice. By understanding the exploitative tactics employed by certain actors, we can empower ourselves against false claims while supporting legitimate research efforts aimed at unraveling the mysteries behind this complex condition. Redefining Morgellons: Unveiling the Motives Behind It The term “Morgellons” has been subject to a perplexing hijacking, leading to its misinterpretation and misuse in various contexts. This deliberate manipulation of the term raises questions about the motives behind such actions and calls for a closer examination of the false claims associated with redefining Morgellons. Originally coined to describe a mysterious skin condition characterized by crawling sensations, fibers emerging from lesions, and other unexplained symptoms, Morgellons has become entangled in a web of misinformation. Individuals with genuine Morgellons symptoms have found their experiences overshadowed by unsubstantiated theories and conspiracy theories that have taken hold. The hijacking of the term “Morgellons” has led to confusion among the public and medical professionals alike. False claims attributing the condition to everything from alien parasites to government experiments have muddied the waters, obscuring the true nature of this enigmatic illness. Unveiling the motives behind this hijacking is crucial in order to separate fact from fiction. It is imperative that we critically evaluate sources and rely on scientific research when discussing Morgellons. By doing so, we can ensure that those suffering from this condition receive accurate information, appropriate support, and access to effective treatments. The Dark Side of Exploiting Morgellons: How it Causes Hurt Feelings among Sufferers The emotional toll experienced by Morgellons sufferers due to exploitation is a dark and often overlooked aspect of this condition. Morgellons has been subject to various forms of exploitation. This includes sensationalized media coverage, pseudoscientific claims, and even scams targeting vulnerable individuals seeking relief. Exploitation-induced distress can cause intense hurt feelings among those already burdened by the physical symptoms of Morgellons. Morgellons has been subject to various forms of exploitation. This includes sensationalized media coverage, pseudoscientific claims, and even scams targeting vulnerable individuals seeking relief. The impact on sufferers’ emotions cannot be underestimated. Exploitation not only perpetuates stigma and disbelief surrounding Morgellons but also amplifies feelings of isolation and invalidation. Sufferers may experience heightened anxiety, depression, and a deep sense of betrayal as they are taken advantage of for personal gain or entertainment. It is necessary to recognize the psychological harm caused by exploiting Morgellons sufferers. By understanding the hurt feelings that arise from such exploitation, we can work towards creating a more compassionate and supportive environment for those affected by this enigmatic condition. Unmasking the Culprits: Who is Behind the Exploitation? Unmasking the culprits behind the exploitation of Morgellons sufferers is a critical step towards understanding the motivations driving such unethical behavior. The term “exploiters” refers to individuals or groups who take advantage of the vulnerability and suffering of those affected by the Morgellons condition for their own gain. Exploiters often achieve this goal by redefining what Morgellons means, so that the definition is more in line with what their target(s) can relate to. What are the motivations that drive these exploiters to target individuals with Morgellons? By understanding these motives, we can shed light on their underlying intentions and work together towards preventing further harm. While there may be various motives behind exploiting those with Morgellons, it is essential to recognize that financial gain often plays a significant role. Exploiters may seek monetary profit through fraudulent treatments, products, or services promising relief from Morgellons symptoms. Additionally, some exploiters may be driven by a desire for power or control over vulnerable individuals. Manipulating and taking advantage of their trust can provide these perpetrators with a sense of dominance and satisfaction at the expense of others’ well-being. By unmasking these culprits andRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Sat, 29 Jul 2023 03:31:14 -0400

Key Strategies for Discussing Morgellons so that People Will Want to Listen Strategies for Discussing Morgellons. When it comes to discussing Morgellons, an important aspect is effective communication strategies that can encourage understanding and empathy. Here are some key approaches to consider: 1. Educate Yourself: Before engaging in a conversation about Morgellons, take the time to educate yourself about the condition. Understand its symptoms, theoretical causes, and current research. This will enable you to speak confidently and accurately, while dispelling any misconceptions or myths. 2. Empathize with Your Friend: Show empathy towards those you want to discuss Morgellons with, as you would like to be shown. Understand that they may be dealing with their own physical discomfort, emotional distress, and even a lack of understanding from others. By acknowledging their experiences and emotions, you create a safe space for open and honest dialogue. 3. Be Non-Judgmental: Avoid making judgments or dismissive remarks about their opinions. Keep in mind that Morgellons is a complex condition with no definitive cause or cure. Approach the conversation with an open mind and refrain from jumping to conclusions or assuming that their opinion about Morgellons is dismissive of your experience. Each individual observes life from their own perspective. 4. Use Simple Language: When discussing Morgellons, use clear and simple language to ensure that your points are easily understood. Avoid technical jargon or medical terminology that may confuse or intimidate the person you’re speaking with. 5. Provide Validated Information: Back up your statements with credible sources and scientific evidence. Share reputable studies, articles, or resources that shed light on Morgellons. This will help establish trust and build credibility during the conversation. 6. Focus on Symptoms and Impact: Instead of getting caught up in debates about the cause or origin of Morgellons, focus on discussing the symptoms and their impact on individuals’ lives. By centering the conversation around the challenges faced by those affected, you can foster understanding and empathy. 7. Encourage Open Dialogue: Create an environment where individuals feel comfortable sharing their experiences and concerns openly. Ask open-ended questions to encourage them to express themselves fully. Listen actively and validate their feelings and experiences. 8. Offer Support and Resources: Provide information about support groups, online communities, or healthcare professionals who specialize in Morgellons. Offering resources can help individuals find further information and connect with others who share similar experiences, broadening their exposure and understanding of MD. Remember, the goal of discussing Morgellons is to foster understanding and empathy, rather than trying to convince or change someone’s beliefs. By using effective communication strategies, you can contribute to a more compassionate and informed conversation about this complex condition. The Importance of Open and Respectful Dialogue about Morgellons In order to address the complex and often misunderstood condition of Morgellons, it is crucial to foster open and respectful dialogue. Talking about Morgellons can be challenging due to the wide range of symptoms and experiences associated with it. However, by creating a safe space for discussion, we can enhance understanding, support those affected, and potentially contribute to advancements in research and treatment. Open dialogue allows individuals to share their personal experiences with Morgellons without fear of judgment or dismissal. It encourages empathy and compassion, enabling us to better comprehend the physical and psychological impact this condition has on those trying to understand it. By listening attentively and respectfully engaging in conversation, we can gain valuable insights that may challenge preconceived notions or misconceptions. Respectful conversation is a key strategy for discussing Morgellons as it helps build trust among individuals involved. This means acknowledging differing opinions or beliefs while maintaining civility. By fostering an environment where everyone’s perspective is valued, we can encourage constructive discussions that promote learning and collaboration. Through open and respectful dialogue about Morgellons, we have the opportunity to bridge gaps in knowledge, dispel myths surrounding the condition, and provide support for those affected. By embracing empathy and understanding, we can collectively work towards a better understanding of this complex condition while offering solace to individuals seeking validation for their experiences. Understanding the Audience: Tailoring Your Message for Different Perspectives Photo by Askar Abayev on Pexels.com In the world of communication, understanding and empathizing with your audience is crucial for delivering a message that resonates. Tailoring your message to different perspectives allows you to address skepticism and connect with individuals on a deeper level. Empathy plays a vital role in effective communication. By putting yourself in the shoes of your audience, you can anticipate their needs, concerns, and doubts. This enables you to craft a message that addresses their specific perspective and speaks directly to their interests. One area where this is particularly important is when dealing with topics that may evoke skepticism or controversy, such as Morgellons. Different individuals may hold varying perspectives on this condition, ranging from medical skepticism to personal experiences. As a communicator, it is essential to acknowledge these differing viewpoints and approach the topic with sensitivity. By tailoring your message for different perspectives on Morgellons, you can build trust and credibility among diverse audiences. This involves presenting evidence-based information while acknowledging the personal experiences and concerns of those who are trying to understand how people are affected by the condition. Ultimately, understanding your audience’s perspective allows you to communicate more effectively, fostering connections based on trust and empathy. By addressing skepticism and tailoring your message accordingly, you can ensure that your communication resonates with individuals from all walks of life. Reviewing Key Strategies for Discussing Morgellons Photo by George Becker on Pexels.com 1. Avoiding Dogma and Preconceived Beliefs Morgellons myths, challenging assumptions, evidence-based discussions Focusing on shared experiences and common ground Promoting critical thinking and curiosity It is important to critically evaluate claims made about Morgellons, considering scientific research and expert opinions. Engaging in evidence-based discussions allows us to separate fact from fiction, ensuring that accurate information is shared. By avoiding dogma and preconceived beliefs, we create an environment where productive and inclusive knowledge can flourish. In order to foster a more open and informed society, it is crucial to avoid dogmatic stances and preconceived beliefs when discussing controversial topics such as Morgellons. People who are not going through Morgellons may still be able to grasp the challenges of a Morgellons patient. Equally, a Morgellons patient can yearn to understand the challenges of their friends and family members. It’s encouraged to embrace curiosity, challenge assumptions, and promote rational discourse when exploring complex topics like Morgellons. 2. Building Trust and Credibility through Personal Stories and Evidence Sharing personal experiences with Morgellons in a relatable manner Citing reputable sources and scientific research on Morgellons Highlighting success stories of individuals who have found relief or support In order to build trust and credibility, it is important to connect with your audience on a personal level. One effective way to achieve this is by sharing personal stories and providing evidence that supports your claims. When it comes to discussing a sensitive topic like Morgellons, sharing personal experiences can be incredibly powerful. By sharing your own journey with Morgellons in a relatable manner, you can create an emotional connection with your listeners. This allows them to see that you have firsthand experience and understand many challenges, even those that they may be facing. Additionally, providing evidence to support your claims can further strengthen your credibility. This could include scientific research, testimonials from other individuals who have dealt with Morgellons, or any other relevant data that supports the information you are presenting. Be careful not to share information unsolicited, however. It would be pertinent to first ask your listener if they are interested in reviewing your article, or video, before sending it to them. By combining consent with credible evidence, you not only establish yourself as a trustworthy source of information but also create a sense of empathy and understanding. This approach helps friends and family feel more comfortable engaging with you and increases their likelihood of trusting the information you provide. 3. Active Listening: Creating a Safe Space for Genuine Dialogue Maintaining an open mind to others’ perspectives without judgment or defensiveness In today’s fast-paced and opinionated world, creating a safe space for genuine dialogue can be a challenge. However, active listening is a powerful tool that can help us overcome this obstacle. By maintaining an open mind to others’ perspectives without judgment or defensiveness, we can foster an environment where honest and meaningful conversations can take place. Active listening goes beyond simply hearing what someone is saying. It involves fully engaging with the speaker, both verbally and non-verbally, to understand their viewpoint and validate their experiences. This means setting aside our preconceived notions and biases, allowing ourselves to be receptive to new ideas and different ways of thinking. When we actively listen, we create a safe space where individuals feel heard and respected. People are more likely to share their thoughts and feelings when they know they won’t face judgment or criticism. This leads to deeper connections and a greater understanding of one another. By practicing active listening, we not only enhance our own communication skills but also contribute to building stronger relationships within our personal lives and professional environments. We become better equipped to navigate conflicts, resolve misunderstandings, and find common ground with others. In conclusion, maintaining an open mind without judgment or defensiveness is crucial in creating a safe space for genuine dialogue. Active listening allows us to truly understand others’ perspectives, fostering empathy and building strongerRead more

Erin Kelly posted an update: @mike-jones I could not have said it better Mike. I feel […]

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 22:57:52 -0400

@mike-jones I could not have said it better Mike. I feel sorry for people too. People who carry on the lies we were taught our whole lives. Everything is a lie. Our medical system is a complete joke derised by being a by product of big oil. Untill the majority man up and face this the few brave enough to stand alone will be carrying your heavy…[Read more]

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 22:22:47 -0400

Stigma: Why Friends and Family Struggle to Openly Discuss Morgellons This article takes a critical look at Morgellons stigma and Lyme denialism. In the realm of chronic illnesses, Morgellons and Lyme Disease stand out as highly controversial and often misunderstood topics. The taboo nature surrounding these ailments has led to a myriad of debates, conflicting opinions, and limited understanding within the medical community. Morgellons, characterized by unexplained skin lesions accompanied by crawling sensations and fibers emerging from the skin, has been a subject of skepticism and controversy. Many individuals suffering from this condition face challenges in finding proper diagnosis and treatment due to its unconventional nature. Similarly, Lyme Disease, caused by tick-borne bacteria, presents a range of symptoms that can mimic other disorders. This often leads to misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis, further complicating the management of this debilitating illness. Understanding the intricacies of Morgellons and Lyme Disease require delving into medical studies, patient experiences, and expert insights. By shedding light on these misunderstood medical maladies, we can contribute toward increased awareness, improved diagnostic methods, and enhanced support for those affected by them. The Stigma Surrounding Morgellons and Lyme Disease: Exploring the Reasons Behind It The stigmatization of Morgellons and Lyme Disease is a deadly problem that demands urgent attention. Despite the increasing number of people affected by these realities, there are numerous misunderstandings and societal biases that perpetuate fear and ignorance. We must delve into the reasons behind this stigma in order to address and debunk any misconceptions. By shedding light on the facts and raising awareness, we can combat the fear and bias associated with these diseases, ultimately fostering a more compassionate and understanding society. Time is of the essence as countless individuals continue to suffer in silence due to this unjust dilemma. Some people regard being concerned about Lyme Disease as a sign of mental illness. The alarming trend of regarding concerns about Lyme Disease as a sign of mental illness needs to be addressed. The skepticism surrounding Lyme Disease, often referred to as Lyme denial, has led to a controversial debate about chronic Lyme Disease, repeated misdiagnoses, and all too rarely – delayed diagnosis. Photo by Mental Health America (MHA) on Pexels.com Dismissing genuine concerns about Lyme Disease as a mental health issue is not only misguided but also harmful. Lyme Disease is a complicated illness that can have severe long-term effects if left untreated. It’s essential to recognize the importance of early detection and proper medical intervention. By dismissing the concerns of those suffering from Lyme Disease or questioning its existence, we risk perpetuating misinformation and hindering progress for any potential investigations to discover better treatments. It is necessary for healthcare professionals and society as a whole to approach this issue with empathy, understanding, and an evidence-based perspective. Let’s not undermine the experiences of individuals affected by Lyme Disease, but instead work together to raise awareness and improving the patient experience through providing appropriate support for those impacted by this potentially lethal disease. Many people believe that facilitating a discussion about Morgellons reinforces a patient’s delusion. While there may be differing opinions on whether Morgellons is a real condition or not, dismissing it outright can be detrimental to those who are suffering. The belief that facilitating discussions about Morgellons reinforces a patient’s delusion is a common misconception. Morgellons being labeled as a “skin picking” disease is the main reason why countless individuals still hold on to this belief. Those who are related to a patient with Morgellons may not be aware that the patient will have sores on their skin, regardless of whether they pick at them or not. Pay attention! The bacteria responsible for Lyme Disease has been shown to boost collagen production in infected skin cells. This increase in collagen production is thought to be the cause of numerous artifacts that are embedded in patients’ skin, sometimes described as worms or cocoons. Keratin projections are thickened follicular casts. When sectioned and stained with Gömöri trichrome, these follicular casts are abnormal in that although the outer surface is composed of keratin-rich tissue, the interior can contain collagen-rich tissue. Comedo-like masses can emerge from pores spontaneously or when scratched, and are sometimes described by patients as being sand-like. Patients may misinterpret these objects as being seeds, eggs, cocoons, parasites, or even arthropods. These comedo-like masses can contain embedded keratin or collagen filaments and/or projecting filaments. When they form inside a pore or follicle, they may form a tight wad of fibers (Figure 4A). Hair and follicular bulb deformities include pili multigemini (mentioned previously) (Figure 4B), hairs or fibers growing downward deep into the dermis rather than in the opposite direction through the pore opening, and follicular sheaths with filamentous projections. These projections can completely cover the follicular sheath, and may be interpreted as caterpillars by patients. History of Morgellons disease: from delusion to definition – PMC (nih.gov) Concerned parties should approach this topic with understanding of the research, while also recognizing that individuals experiencing Morgellons symptoms deserve support and validation. By disregarding their experiences and discouraging open conversations within families, we risk further isolating those affected by this condition. Instead, fostering an environment of open dialogue can provide comfort and potentially lead to greater understanding of the complexities and nuances surrounding Morgellons Disease. Some people believe Lyme Disease is rare and not endemic to their region. Recent estimates using other methods suggest that approximately 476,000 people may get Lyme disease each year in the United States. Data and Surveillance | Lyme Disease | CDC Photo by Skyler Ewing on Pexels.com It is a critical misconception that Lyme Disease is rare and not endemic to certain regions. This belief can lead to a lack of preventive measures, putting individuals at risk. First, one should note that Lyme Disease is caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria, but there are other strains of Borrelia bacteria besides Lyme. These strains can also cause similar debilitations and complications while also being scientifically associated with Morgellons. Next, contrary to popular belief, Lyme Disease is not hard to catch. It is primarily transmitted through the bite of infected black-legged ticks commonly found in wooded and grassy areas. These ticks can be prevalent in various regions, including urban parks and suburban backyards. There also exists credible evidence that Lyme Disease can be transmitted in the womb, as well – during coitus. Finally, while early detection and treatment are essential for successful recovery from Lyme Disease, it is not always easy to detect or treat. The infection can cause long-term complications if left untreated or if treatment delays occur. Testing for Lyme Disease has been found unreliable, and these tests do not look for other strains of the Borrelia bacteria. It’s vital that individuals understand the true nature of Lyme Disease – its prevalence, transmission risks, and potential complications. By dispelling these misconceptions, we can encourage proactive measures such as tick prevention strategies and timely medical intervention for those impacted by this dangerous infection. Some people subscribe to flawed science that seemingly demonstrates Morgellons is a delusional state. While some individuals have cited studies claiming that Morgellons is a delusional state, it is important to note that these studies themselves have faced criticism for their methodological flaws. For instance, the CDC’s study on Morgellons has been criticized for its limitations and shortcomings. Critics argue that the study did not adequately address certain key factors, such as ruling out Lyme Disease as a potential cause. Similarly, the Mayo Clinic’s study on Morgellons has also faced criticism for not providing clear evidence of how Lyme Disease was ruled out. Therefore, it would be premature to dismiss Morgellons solely based on these flawed studies. It is essential to acknowledge that there may be poor evidence supporting the notion that Morgellons is purely a delusional condition, and people believing in that without considering stronger evidence is a major contributing component of the stigmatized environment patients endure. Remember, before many of us knew the truth about Lyme Disease we had some colorful ideas about Morgellons ourselves. Photo by Stephan Seeber on Pexels.com Before many of us became aware of the truth about Lyme Disease, we often held various misconceptions about Morgellons. Even if our friends and family don’t fully understand Morgellons or Lyme Disease, they honestly do care deeply about our well-being. While their lack of understanding may lead to frustration or confusion at times, it’s productive to acknowledge that our loved ones are trying their best to support us. They genuinely want us to get well and are often willing to learn more about Lyme Disease and Morgellons in order to better comprehend our experiences. In this journey towards healing, let’s foster open communication with our friends and family. By educating them about Morgellons and Lyme Disease, we can help bridge the gap of understanding and strengthen the support system around us. Remember, your loved ones are on your side – they want nothing more than for you to recover and thrive. The Impact on Relationships: How Stigma Affects Discussions with Friends and Family Members Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com The impact of stigma on relationships can be detrimental, causing frustration and strain in communication with friends and family members. The fear of judgment or disbelief from loved ones can hinder open and honest discussions, leading to a breakdown in trust and understanding. When individuals feel stigmatized for their beliefs, choices, or experiences, it becomes challenging to express themselves authentically. This fear often stems from the worry that their loved ones will not understand or accept them fully. As a result, conversations become strained, filled with hesitation and self-censorship. These barriers in communication can lead to feelings of being alone and experiences of aggravation. Individuals may find themselves unable to share important aspects of their lives or seek support when needed. The lack of understanding from friends and family members can further exacerbate these feelings, deepening the divide among communities. Breaking Down Barriers: Advocacy and Raising Awareness to Combat Morgellons Stigma Photo by Caleb Oquendo on Pexels.com It is crucial to break down ignorance-based barriers and combat stigmatization surrounding Morgellons and Lyme Disease. One way to achieve ending stigma is by actively participating in support groups for affected individuals and their families. These groups should provide a safe space for sharing experiences, seeking guidance, and offering emotional support. Another effective method is through engaging in awareness campaigns. By raising public consciousness about these diseases, we can challenge misconceptions and educate others about the realities faced by those affected. This can be done through social media campaigns, community events, or even collaborating with local organizations. Furthermore, promoting recent scientific papers about Morgellons and Lyme Disease is essential in gaining a deeper understanding of these afflictions. Advocacy efforts should focus on encouraging funding for research initiatives that aim to uncover causes, develop effective treatments, and improve the overall quality of life for those affected. Time is of the essence when it comes to combating stigmatization associated with Morgellons and Lyme Disease. Let us unite in our advocacy efforts to ensure that affected individuals receive the support they deserve while fostering a more empathetic society. Overcoming the Stigma – Encouraging Compassion & Dialogue about Morgellons & Lyme Disease Photo by Helena Lopes on Pexels.com In conclusion, it is responsible to overcome the taboo surrounding Morgellons and Lyme Disease by encouraging compassion and open dialogue. Through shedding light on these misunderstood illnesses, we can create a supportive environment for those who are suffering and promote better understanding among the general population. Through education and awareness campaigns, we can debunk myths and misconceptions surrounding Morgellons and Lyme Disease. This will help foster empathy towards individuals negatively impacted by these conditions, as well as encourage contemporary scientific investigations for finding effective treatments which can eventually make Morgellons and Lyme both diseases of the past. This article isRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 00:49:05 -0400

Why Morgellons Research Stumps Many Doctors: Unraveling the Complexity of this Controversial Condition If you are a Morgellons patient, you may have felt the urge to complain about the medical field, or to consider doctors generally incompetent and uncaring. The truth however is that our doctors do care, but in most cases – they are helpless to understand Morgellons or how to treat it. Why does this happen? The field of Morgellons research has long been shrouded in mystery and confusion. This perplexing skin disorder, often referred to as a controversial condition, has confounded medical professionals and researchers alike. Despite numerous case reports and distressing symptoms experienced by those afflicted, Morgellons Disease (MD) largely remains a medical enigma which baffles the scientific community. The term “Morgellons” was coined by Mary Leitao in 2002 to describe a range of symptoms including crawling sensations on or under the skin, fibers or filaments emerging from lesions, and persistent itching. However, due to its unclear etiology and lack of officially recognized diagnostic criteria, Morgellons has faced skepticism from some medical professionals who question its legitimacy as a distinct clinical entity. Regardless of the challenges faced by researchers in this field, there have been substantial efforts to shed light on Morgellons through recent case examinations and small-scale investigations. These initiatives have aimed to unravel the mysteries surrounding this puzzling condition and provide insights into potential causes, mechanisms, and treatment options. In fact, many revelations about MD have been illuminated through these research campaigns. So why is it then that in spite of this science, doctors today still seem largely uninformed about how to recognize or remediate the horrible illness? The Challenging Diagnosis, Why Most Doctors Struggle to Understand Morgellons From a doctor’s perspective, Morgellons patients present with a unique set of symptoms that often defy conventional medical explanations. Patients suffering from Morgellons report sensations of crawling or biting under their skin, and visual examination reveals the presence of multicolored fibers embedded in the tissues of skin lesions. Besides being unbelievable, these symptoms do not fit neatly into any established diagnostic criteria, making it difficult for doctors to classify and treat the condition. The lack of consensus about the cause and nature of Morgellons further compounds diagnostic challenges. Some medical professionals attribute it to psychological factors such as delusional parasitosis, with one patient reportedly accused of injecting the fibers directly into their own skin, while others subscribe to recent research demonstrating an underlying infectious component – specifically Lyme Disease. This divergence in opinions adds to the confusion surrounding Morgellons leaving patients feeling frustrated, uncared for, and misunderstood – which is the exact oppositive of how doctors want their patients to feel. What Are Morgellons Fibers Anyway? The existence of Morgellons fibers has been a subject of intense controversy and speculation, leading to heated debates. One of the central questions that arises is the composition of these fibers. Many individuals are curious to uncover what exactly Morgellons filaments are made of. According to researchers though, Morgellons fibers are composed of materials commonly found in the human body, specifically keratin and collagen. These fibers are reported to exhibit the components of malformed hairs and superficial skin fragments. It is indeed concerning that the evidence regarding Morgellons fibers is not clearly presented to facilitate better understanding among doctors. The lack of predominant demonstration hampers the ability of medical professionals to comprehend them effectively. Recurring questions about the composition of these fibers highlights the need for contemporary information. While it may be tempting to believe that doctors would feel more confident in treating Morgellons if they knew that the fibers are simply a result of bacterial infection in the skin, it is important to consider that medical education plays a significant role in shaping their approach. If doctors are not properly educated about Morgellons and its associated symptoms, even understanding its cause may not necessarily guarantee effective treatment. Medical Direction from Government Agencies While it is true that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted an investigation into Morgellons, their conclusion was that they could not conclude if Morgellons is a distinct condition or not. The CDC researchers made an interesting discovery however: one case patient each had either a positive or equivocal reaction on a Lyme ELISA test. Furthermore, an independent study subsequently published in the esteemed journal BMC, and conducted in a blinded manner, establishes an association between Morgellons and Lyme disease. Despite limited research funding and scarce scientific literature on Morgellons, independent scientists have recently proposed diagnostic criteria that require visual confirmation of the characteristic microscopic filaments utilizing at least a 60x powered handheld digital microscope. The fibers must be observed to have likely originated inside the patients’ skin and can be found directly inside skin ulcerations. Because there is compelling evidence Morgellons is associated with Lyme disease, reactions to spirochetal infection on serologic or molecular tests may strengthen a diagnosis of MD. It is quite perplexing that regardless of the availability of this proposed diagnostic criteria, and the evidence to substantiate deploying it in the clinical setting, there is a noticeable absence of any state or federal initiatives to mandate education on diagnosing Morgellons patients. This lack of attention and action seems rather negligent considering the importance of accurately identifying and addressing this condition in a timely manner. Patients Running Out of Time Mounting scientific evidence suggests that Lyme disease itself is associated with an increased risk of depression and suicide. Consider those with skin lesions being told THEY are more likely the culprit of their own disfiguration than the common bacterial infection demonstrated to exhibit the same capability. In the case of Morgellons, patients seem twice as likely to consider hopelessness a predetermined outcome of their efforts to achieve health by responsibly visiting with their physician. Patients want to trust their doctor knows what to do, and doctors WANT TO KNOW what to do. Doctors are dealing with little direction regarding Morgellons, adding to their list of intimidating challenges. On top of that, the thought of being held responsible for treating a patient with chronic Lyme disease can be quite frightening for them. This situation must evolve for everyone involved or at the end of the day we cannot rest easy knowing that we afforded every effort to reasonably investigate tRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 17:58:21 -0400

Morgellons Disease: A Closer Look at the New Mayo Clinic Study and How it Fails to Understand the Literature What is Morgellons Disease and Why is the Mayo Clinic Study So Important? The Mayo Clinic recently produced a case study to better understand Morgellons disease, which could have significant implications for those suffering from it. Morgellons is a mysterious skin condition that has been baffling doctors for years. It is characterized by strange fibers and lesions in the skin and can cause extreme discomfort and fatigue. An incorrect diagnosis of delusional infestation and a lack of follow-up care were unfortunately made due to misunderstanding the condition. This article will explain how doctors went wrong and how they should have managed it better. “There Was No Sign of Borrelia Infection” Lyme tests are the worst way to detect if someone is infected with Borrelia, a tick-borne bacterium that causes Lyme disease and is scientifically associated with Morgellons. Sadly, there is a risk of false negatives when it comes to Lyme disease tests. Not only that, but these tests are also specifically for Lyme disease and do not detect conditions similar to it such as Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever or Leptospirosis. It can lead to misdiagnosis and lack of appropriate and immediate care. In addition to standard tests, other researchers looking into Morgellons also employed more complex methods such as molecular testing, scanning electron microscopy, darkfield microscopy, and tissue antibody staining to confirm Borrelia’s presence. Mayo Clinic’s case-study is quite unclear about the methods used to identify Borrelia in the patient, hence the proof that the patient didn’t have Borrelia is shaky. When diagnosing mental illness, it is imperative first to determine if there is an underlying cause of the psychiatric symptom, such as an infection. None of the case studies reviewed in this paper or the research studies involving larger cohorts of MD patients looked adequately for infections, in particular LD. Science has to be reproducible, and there has to be enough detail provided in the methodology description for the study to be replicated. This was not the case for detecting LD in many of the case studies. Borrelia spirochetes are readily detectable in MD tissue, but sensitive and specific methods are required.7,87 Although sensitive and specific direct-detection methods, such as antigen detection, culture of Borrelia spirochetes, and PCR detection of Borrelia DNA, exist, these methods are not standardized, and vary in sensitivity and specificity.104,105 They are not recommended by the CDC, which only endorses two-tier serological LD testing.7,87,106 Unfortunately, two-tier serological testing for LD, although specific for Bbss, lacks sensitivity and is little better than a coin toss in detecting LD.107,108 History of Morgellons disease: from delusion to definition – PMC (nih.gov) Mayo Clinic Doctors Characterized the Fibers, But Diagnosed the Patient as Delusional Photo by EVG Kowalievska on Pexels.com Despite the fact that doctors observed and characterized fibers found in this patient, it was the patient who was eventually diagnosed as being delusional. This is a major problem because the fibers were indeed observed under microscopic conditions, obtained from patients’ skin biopsy. Most shocking is the fact that the patient reportedly “had no prior knowledge of Morgellons disease”. It is important to recognize the more compelling research which makes a better case that Morgellons is not a delusional state, but rather an actual physical condition with observable symptoms. This recent case-study fails to take into account many existing medical literature reviews and symptom overlap analyses that have been conducted over the years. If fibers are present and biofilaments of human origin, then they are a true observation. It is also possible that patients might observe fibers and mistake them for worms in which case the idea of infestation could be an overvalued idea. Real infestation with arthropods such as mites can also occur. Additionally, some patients could have lesions with adhering textile fibers that are accidental contaminants and could mistakenly believe that they have MD, in which case they do not have a delusional belief, but a mistaken belief. In summary, if a physician cannot differentiate between true observations, delusions, and overvalued ideas, they should not immediately make a diagnosis of delusional mental illness. Reframing delusional infestation: perspectives on unresolved puzzles – PMC (nih.gov) The Loss of Follow-Up Demonstrates Misdiagnosis The loss of follow-up is a key indicator of misdiagnosis when it comes to infection versus delusion. For example, if someone is misdiagnosed with a delusion rather than an infection, they may be prescribed antipsychotics instead of antibiotics. This can have serious consequences for their health and wellbeing, and they will not experience remission. A patient who is healing will be motivated to continue treatment, and the research has shown us that antibiotics are an effective therapy for Morgellons patients. It is therefore essential that all medical professionals ensure that they are providing adequate scrutiny to patients in order to ensure accurate diagnosis and responsible treatment. We report a middle‐aged Caucasian female who developed symptoms of MD in the days following exposure to a tick bite after spending an afternoon hiking through a wooded area. She was subsequently treated with a course of Doxycycline and found on two‐week follow‐up to have complete remission of her symptoms. This case report further supports the theory for an infectious etiology of MD and encourages future studies into its pathophysiology. Treatment of Morgellons disease with doxycycline – PMC (nih.gov) Comorbidity of Psychiatric Conditions with Bacterial Infections The final major flaw in this case-study is it fails to recognize the established link between infections and psychiatric manifestations. Psychiatric conditions often co-occur with bacterial infections, and this comorbidity can have a significant impact on the patient’s overall health. For example, research has shown that infections such as Lyme disease can cause depression and schizophrenia. Similarly, there is evidence that antibiotics can be more effective than antipsychotics in treating certain psychiatric conditions. This highlights the importance of understanding the relationship between bacterial infections and psychiatric conditions in order to provide optimal care for patients suffering from both. I’m depressed because a tick bit me? Depression has been reported in 8-45% of patients with post-treatment Lyme symptoms. But these numbers don’t tell the whole story. Many researchers believe that Lyme disease is vastly under-diagnosed. Diagnostic tests lack sensitivity, and the symptoms of Lyme disease often overlap with other disorders. Thus, the true prevalence of depression in those affected by untreated or undiagnosed Lyme disease may be much higher. Lyme Disease and Mental Health Conclusion: Understanding the Limitations of the New Mayo Clinic Study on Morgellons Disease is Key The Mayo Clinic’s recent case study on Morgellons Disease has been met with mixed reactions. While it has provided some valuable insights into the patients afflicted by this horrendous disease, it is important to understand the underlying fundamental limitations in order to make informed decisions about how to treat iRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 18:54:57 -0400

Lyme Movie: New Film Shines a Light on Patients' Ongoing Struggle with the Medical Community New Lyme Movie reveals that the tick-borne disease is an often misunderstood and misdiagnosed condition which affects millions of people in the United States and around the world. Despite its prevalence, Lyme disease is still largely overlooked by the medical community and patients are often marginalized and discriminated against. Spotlight on Lyme Disease and Its Marginalization in the Medical Community The new movie, “I’M NOT CRAZY, I’M SICK”, sheds light on the controversial issues surrounding Lyme disease and its treatment. This film provides an in-depth look into the medical community’s negligence when it comes to diagnosing and treating this serious illness. It also raises awareness about the lack of research and funding for finding a cure for Lyme disease. The movie highlights the struggles of those who have been affected by Lyme disease, including their battles with insurance companies and medical providers that refuse to recognize this condition as a real illness. It also brings attention to the fact that many people are still suffering from the effects of this debilitating disease without receiving proper diagnosis or treatment. This powerful film is sure to open up conversations about Lyme disease and its controversies, helping to bring more attention and resources towards finding a cure for this devastating illness. What We Can Learn About Lyme Disease From This Movie? Deer Tick by Hill Walker is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0 Lyme disease is a serious and growing health concern, with almost 500,000 cases reported in the US alone each year. This documentary provides an in-depth look at Lyme disease and the struggles that many people face when trying to get diagnosed and treated properly. Lyme disease is a serious and growing health concern. It’s caused by infection with the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, which multiplies in the deer tick Ixodes scapularis. In the US, around 50% of people who are diagnosed with Lyme disease have no evidence of being bitten by an infected tick or having any other known exposure to ticks or deer mice that carry Borrelia burgdorferi. This documentary provides an in-depth look at Lyme disease and its complications. By watching this film, we can learn important facts about Lyme, dispel popuRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 13:29:50 -0400

Lyme Literacy, Understanding Lyme & How to Make Sure Your Doctors are Well-Informed What is Lyme Literacy and Why is it Important? Lyme Literacy is a term used to describe the understanding of Lyme disease and its diagnosis. It is important for both patients and doctors to be informed about Lyme so that they can make an accurate diagnosis and provide the best possible treatment. Lyme Literacy is not just about understanding the symptoms of Lyme, but also knowing how to identify it, how to prevent it, and what treatments are available. With this knowledge, doctors can more accurately diagnose Lyme disease, while patients can make informed decisions regarding their health care. By being better educated on the subject of Lyme disease, we can help reduce its prevalence in our society. What Are the Symptoms of Lyme Disease? Lyme disease is an infection caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted through the bite of infected ticks, and possibly sexual transmission. It is the most common vector-borne disease in North America and Europe. Symptoms of Lyme disease can vary from person to person and range from mild to severe. The short-term, or early symptoms typically include a skin rash at the site of the tick bite, fever, headache, fatigue and neck pain. Lyme disease is a debilitating and complex illness that can cause long-term, or chronic, symptoms particularly when not treated early. People who suffer from chronic Lyme disease can experience a variety of debilitating symptoms that range from cognitive impairment to muscular and joint pain. Chronic symptoms of Lyme disease include but are not limited to fatigue, headaches, muscle aches and pains, difficulty sleeping, depression, anxiety and memory problems. The long-term effects of this illness can be difficult to manage making it even more important for people to receive timely diagnosis and treatment. Is Your Doctor Lyme Literate? If you suspect that you may have Lyme disease, it is important to find a doctor who is knowledgeable and experienced in diagnosing and treating the condition. However, it can be difficult to know if your doctor values Lyme literacy or not. What is the difference between a Medical and an Integrative doctor? In most cases, a medical doctor is one who has been educated to practice medicine as well as a licensed medical professional. They typically focus on how to diagnose and treat diseases based on scientific evidence and analyzed data. These doctors also often receive extensive training in the field of medicine during their undergraduate degree or post-graduate degree. On the other hand, an integrative doctor focuses less on treatment and more on lifestyle in order to prevent illness and maintain health. Integrative medicine is quickly becoming a popular alternative to traditional Western medical approaches. An integrative doctor takes a holistic approach to patient care, focusing on lifestyle changes and preventative measures that encourage overall wellness. They may use methods such as nutrition counseling, acupuncture, massage therapy, herbal medicine and mind-body therapies in order to address the root cause of an illness or maintain health. By emphasizing prevention rather than treatment these doctors are working to revolutionize healthcare and improve patient outcomes. Lyme disease is a complex condition that requires a multifaceted approach to treatment. That’s why it’s so important for both medical and integrative doctors to become Lyme literate. There are specific training courses available for doctors of all types, enabling them to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively diagnose and treat Lyme disease. Understanding the emerging science behind this condition is essential in order to provide appropriate care for those suffering from it. Importance of an Accurate Diagnosis & Treatment for Those Suffering from Lyme Disease Unfortunately, many people are not correctly diagnosed with Lyme disease the first time they seek medical help. This is due to unreliable testing methods and a lack of knowledge among many medical professionals. If you suspect that you may have Lyme disease, it is essential to seek out a Lyme literate physician who can provide more reliable testing and comprehensive treatment options. Many strains of Lyme disease are not looked for with the standard tests, and there are other diseases like syphilis which mimic Lyme disease in presentation. Tests, like the ELISA and Western blot, that are used to diagnose Lyme disease may not be accurate for patients with co-infections like Bartonella. Some Lyme vaccines have been found to be ineffective in up to 50% of vaccine recipients. Antibiotics often do not adequately treat Lyme disease, although combinations of antibiotics may be more effective than a single agent. Unfortunately, antibiotics are often ineffective in treating Lyme disease, and even when used in combination, they may not be enough to completely eradicate the infection. Treating chronic Lyme disease can be a lengthy process, with multiple rounds of antibiotics prescribed in combination including Doxycycline, Rifampin, Bactrim, Ceftriaxone, Ivermectin and Dapsone. However, even these treatments authorized and monitored by a practitioner who values Lyme literacy doesn’t always guarantee full remission from the disease. The Benefits of Ensuring That Your Doctors Appreciate Lyme Literacy Photo by Tatiana Syrikova on Pexels.com Ensuring that your doctors value Lyme literacy is a key step in receiving the best possible care for Lyme-related issues, like Morgellons. Not only will they be able to diagnose and treat chronic Lyme Disease more accurately, but they will also have the resources to determine the most appropriate course of treatment for you. Furthermore, they can provide advice on effective testing methods and combination antibiotics for those whoRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 14:39:56 -0400

Morgellons False Facts, How to Recognize Misinformation This article looks at Morgellons false facts and describes how to recognize them. Morgellons Disease is a mysterious medical condition that has been the subject of much controversy and misinformation. The disease is characterized by skin lesions and fibers that protrude from the skin, leading many to believe that it is caused by an infection or parasites. Fortunately, numerous studies suggest that the cause of Morgellons Disease is likely Lyme disease. However, these studies have neither been universally accepted or officially recognized leading to a wide variety of false facts about Morgellons circulating on the internet. From conspiracy theories about alien origins to false claims about cures, there are countless pieces of misinformation out there that can lead people down a dangerous path. In this article, we will explore what Morgellons Disease really is and what kind of false information is out there so you can make sure you don’t fall for any myths about this mysterious condition. Claim: “Morgellons Is Contagious” Despite false information circulating on the internet, Morgellons is not contagious. Even though there is still much to learn about Morgellons, it has been established that it cannot be passed on from one person to another. This will hopefully bring some comfort to those who are scared of the possibility of transmitting this condition to their beloved family and friends. On the other hand, Lyme disease, which is linked to Morgellons, is known to be an infectious agent, and there is viable evidence that it may be sexually transmissible. Unfortunately, many medical conditions can be passed on from one generation to the next. For patients living with a genetic condition, this can cause an immense amount of anxiety and fear of passing the condition onto their loved ones. Thankfully, modern advances in medicine are providing relief to these patients. Genetic testing and gene therapy have opened up new possibilities in the fight against hereditary disease. It may even be possible one day to use these methods to reduce the risk of passing on Morgellons to future generations. Morgellons appears to have a genetic component and scientists are working to identify the specific traits that predispose people to developing this condition. This could potentially result in more effective treatments and earlier diagnoses, which in turn would help reduce the stigma and disfigurement patients endure while seeking answers about their condition. Claim: “Morgellons Fibers Move” Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that these fibers move. In fact, research has shown that the fibers are actually malformed hairs, the same kind that grow on your head, arms, and legs. Our hair usually stays where it is and if it ever moved on its own, we’d be absolutely frightened. Morgellons fibers don’t have muscles to contract and are not worms or man-made fabrics. Evidence suggests that Morgellons fibers can be found within the layers of skin tissues, where they are confined in place. Claim: “You Can Feel Morgellons Fibers Stinging” The claim that “you can feel Morgellons fibers stinging” is a controversial one. While some people with the condition report feeling sensations from the fibers, medical research has not been able to confirm whether or not these sensations are real or just a product of the patient’s misperceptions. Morgellons is an unusual condition that has been linked to various forms of misinformation and poor self-diagnosis. While some patients may experience sensations such as formication (the feeling of skin crawling), it is unclear if these are caused by the presence of Morgellons fibers or by nerve damage caused by other factors like infection with Lyme disease. Claim: “Morgellons Patients Shed So Many Fibers They Pollute Their Homes” One of the most widely spread misconceptions is that patients with Morgellons shed so many fibers they pollute their homes. The truth is that while some people with Morgellons do shed fibers, they are not like dust particles or other kinds of household dirt. These fibers are unique to Morgellons and must be identified through microscopic examination. Therefore, it is inaccurate to claim that Morgellons patients shed so many fibers they pollute their homes. Another widely spread misconception is that Morgellons patients are delusional or paranoid about cleaning their homes. The truth is that a lot of Morgellons patients take precautions to avoid spreading particles throughout their home for fear of triggering a similar reaction with other people. In addition, many people with Morgellons have had an exposure which they strongly believed preceded the onset of symptoms, so it would be incorrect to claim that they are delusional or paranoid about their health when they are simply trying to rationalize their circumstances. Claim: “Morgellons Is Caused by Fungus” Photo by Egor Kamelev on Pexels.com The claim that Morgellons is caused by fungus is one that has been made for many years. Unfortunately, this claim is based on misleading information and has been disproved by multiple scientific studies. In fact, there is no evidence to suggest that Morgellons is associated with any type of fungus; however, there is some evidence that fungus may help alleviate Morgellons’ symptoms. Claim: “Morgellons Is Not Real” The claim that Morgellons is not real and is actually delusional in nature is the most damaging on this list. This claim can be made in two ways: First, Morgellons is a self-diagnosis provided by sufferers of the condition who see themselves as victims and are convinced it’s real; or second, mainstream medicine does not recognize Morgellons as a legitimate diagnosis and therefore makes it impossible for sufferers to receive treatment. The first position, where those affected by the condition see themselves as victims, leaves most people with this opinion with little evidence to go on but instinctive reactions in response to verbal testimony from people who also believe they have Morgellons. It exposes patients to misinformation, and they generally develop a strong distrust for the medical community. Second, due to a lack of acknowledgement from mainstream medicine, people suffering from Morgellons are unable to get the treatment they need. The lack of recognition from traditional medical practitioners for Morgellons is deeply worrying, especially when compared to the more accepted acknowledgement of Lyme disease in recent years. How to Identify Morgellons False Facts Morgellons false facts can be found everywhere, from online forums to medical journals. It is important to be able to recognize false facts about this condition in order to make informed decisions. Before exploring any source, make sure that you look into scientific documents first. Authentic scientific literature about Morgellons will generally attest to the relation between it and Lyme disease. Misinformation is often centered around this particular relationship so it’s important to confirm its accuracy. Sometimes, those who are either not familiar with Lyme disease or don’t believe in its association with Morgellons will spread false information to fill the gaps in their understanding. Everything from “Morgellons is caused by a fungus” to “Morgellons is not real” is evidence of miRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 23:40:04 -0400

Exploring the Possibilities of Fungus as a Treatment for Morgellons Disease Morgellons Disease is a rare disorder that results in fibers appearing in the skin and can cause extreme itching, sores, and terrible lesions. Morgellons is believed to be caused by Lyme Disease. While there is no known cure for this mysterious affliction, recent research suggests that fungus may play a role in the treatment and healing of Lyme Disease directly. In this article, we will explore how fungus could help provide relief for the many patients enduring Morgellons Disease. Exploring How Fungi May Help with Inflammation Morgellons patients can exhibit a variety of neuropsychiatric symptoms, which are generally caused by infectious disease-induced inflammation. Consequently, medications like antidepressants and mood stabilizers tend to be ineffective in alleviating these symptoms. Antibiotics are usually successful in treating infections, however sometimes patients may develop a resistance to antimicrobials and relapses occur. Neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with Lyme disease, also known as neuroborreliosis, can be severe and resistant to treatment. A recent case study however has uncovered a potential new way to treat neuroborreliosis – through the use of small doses of psilocybin, or “micro dosing”. Micro dosing is the act of taking a minimal amount of a substance to create subtle yet profound effects. Previous studies have shown that psilocybin is a powerful serotonergic and anti-inflammatory agent, indicating potential therapeutic benefits for those struggling with mental illness due to inflammation. A recent case study features a 70-year-old male with Lyme disease who suffered from treatment-resistant depression and anxiety. The patient self-medicated with psilocybin at dosages ranging from 100 – 125 mg every three days, and was found to have significant improvement in symptoms, including ease of thought processing, mood stabilization, and improved sleep quality. Psilocybin is best known for its hallucinatory properties. In the case study however, hallucinations or psychedelic effects were not reported during his treatment – which suggests that psilocybin dosage may have a more direct effect on neuropsychiatric effects than previously understood. Could Micro-dosing Fungus Heal Morgellons Sores? Photo by Ameruverse Digital Marketing Media on Pexels.com Many skin conditions are associated with inflammation and how the immune system responds to it. Increases in these inflammatory mediators have been observed in Morgellons patients, suggesting that management of the immune response may hold some promise in healing the associated skin lesions. Recently, research has demonstrated that magic mushrooms suppress immune-mediated inflammatory responses. The research proposed that these effects were caused by processes that inhibited the pro-inflammatory agents like COX-2 and cytokines, which have been implicated in several skin conditions including cancer. Subsequent research confirmed that when applied with human macrophages in-vitro, psilocybin demonstrates compelling anti-inflammatory properties. Numerous scientific and clinical studies over the years have demonstrated the health benefits of various kinds of fungus. A comprehensive review of medicinal mushrooms by renowned mycologist Christopher Hobbs, PhD, has accounted for more than one hundred such studies on the topic. Mushrooms have earned a place of respect in both traditional herbalism and modern science which speaks volumes about their healing potential. Should You Take Magic Mushrooms or Other Fungus for Morgellons? Photo by Nandhu Kumar on Pexels.com Psilocybin, commonly referred to as “magic mushrooms” or “shrooms”, is a psychoactive substance that has the potential to cause intense negative reactions shortly after ingestion. Because of the gap between consuming and the onset of the resulting effects, some people accidentally consume more psilocybin than necessary to micro dose. Consuming potentially harmful substances without understanding their consequences can be dangerous. The effect of taking too many magic mushrooms can feel like experiencing a rollercoaster ride going over 700 miles per hour with no way of slowing down or stopping – for hours. Being aware of the risks associated with “tripping” is essential before consuming psilocybin. Micro-dosing is a popular solution among many individuals, including the featured case-study subject, due to the potential positive effects mentioned previously. But while one person experienced positive results taking magic mushrooms, there isn’t enough scientific evidence to recommend ingesting them for medical use, specifically for treating Morgellons. Aside from magic mushrooms, various non-psychogenic species of fungus can be applied directly on the skin to potentially enhance its overall health. Research has found that using mushrooms topically provides a multitude of benefits; from hydrating the skin and promoting wound healing, to acting as a powerful antioxidant and anti-aging agent, as well as reducing redness, soothing the skin, nourishing it and giving it an overall brighter appearance. It’s essential to educate yourself about the components of any therapies, and toRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Sat, 11 Mar 2023 17:16:45 -0400

The Connection Between Lyme Disease and Morgellons: Exploring the Link and How to Treat It What is Morgellons and How Does it Relate to Lyme Disease? Morgellons is a mysterious skin condition that has been increasingly reported in recent years. While most theories about the cause of this condition remain largely unaccepted, many experts now believe it may actually be linked to Lyme Disease, a bacterial infection spread by ticks and possibly sexual transmission. Symptoms of Morgellons include itching and crawling sensations on the skin, but more specifically – fiber-like filaments emerging from lesions or sores. Exploring the Connection between Lyme Disease and Morgellons There is growing evidence that suggests a possible link between Lyme Disease and Morgellons. Recent research has confirmed that Morgellons fibers test positive for antibodies related to Lyme disease, and other spirochetal infections as well. This has led many to believe Morgellons symptoms specifically are related to Lyme disease. Classification and Staging of Morgellons Disease: Lessons from Syphilis – PMC (nih.gov) Previous exhaustive research has shown that almost every other possible cause had been investigated and ruled out. The researchers undertaking the study of the relationship between Morgellons and Lyme disease faced several issues throughout their investigation, but their efforts have revealed Morgellons is not connected to the various topics causing contention among people – putting the issue to rest. Fiber analysis Histological studies have shown that filaments in MD tissue are not textile fibers, but are biofilaments produced by human epithelial cells and stemming from deeper epidermal layers, upper dermal layers, and the root sheath of hair follicles (Figure 1).7,82,83 MD cutaneous filaments are predominantly composed of keratin and collagen, as determined by histological studies, and appear to be produced by activated keratinocytes and fibroblasts.82,83 The base of filament attachment to epithelial cells demonstrates nucleation that is continuous with that of surrounding epithelial cells, indicating that the filaments are of human cellular origin (Figure 2).83 Histochemical staining of skin sections containing embedded filaments with Congo red resulted in apple-green birefringence suggestive of an amyloid component, although this remains to be confirmed using more specific methodologies.7 Calcofluor-white staining of skin sections with embedded filaments was negative, and thus MD filaments do not have any cellulose content from plant fibers, such as cotton, or chitin from fungal cells or insect exoskeletons.7 Several independent studies have shown that blue MD fibers were human hairs or hairlike extrusions and that blue coloration resulted from melanin pigmentation (Figure 3). Blue textile fibers are colored by dyes, not by blue melanin pigmentation; therefore, it is not possible that blue MD fibers are textile in origin. MD filaments are hairlike extrusions, and some MD fibers are very fine human hairs.7,82,83 The coloration of blue fibers was shown to result from melanin pigmentation, which was demonstrated by positive histochemical staining with Fontana Masson. A confirmatory study performed at a laboratory specializing in biofibers and coloration established that embedded blue fibers in MD dermatological specimens were human hairs. SEM of blue MD fibers shows cuticular scaling consistent with human hairs, and transmission electron microscopy shows darkly stained, disorganized melanosomes consistent with human hairs.7,83 Microspectrophotometry reflectance of blue fibers is consistent with that of pigmented tissues, and Raman spectroscopy results in relevant peaks corresponding to carbamate compounds and melanin aromatic rings (MD Shawkey, University of Akron, personal communication, 2013).7 An investigation concluded that fibers were not self-implanted, due to the fact that they were deeply embedded in skin in a manner that a patient would not be able to achieve (MD Shawkey, University of Akron, personal communication, 2013). History of Morgellons disease: from delusion to definition – PMC (nih.gov) Diagnosing Lyme Disease & Morgellons Lyme disease is a serious illness that requires accurate testing and diagnosis. Testing for Lyme disease is contentious, and diagnosing Morgellons can mean different things to different practitioners. An experienced Lyme disease specialist can be consulted in order to accurately identify, diagnose and treat Morgellons. This can help reduce the unnecessary complexities associated with the Morgellons experience including stigma and marginalization. It’s important to understand that while Morgellons specifically seems to be associated with Lyme disease and other spirochetal infections, patients may often present with a variety of maladies including fungal infections, parasitic infestations, sexually transmissible diseases, mold exposure, and more. These are often regarded as “co-infections” and may contribute to treatment resistance targeting Lyme disease specifically. A whole life approach may be required when addressing the potential for various complications. Keeping an open mind and securing a team of professionals that are dedicated to your best interest may be the best way to address Morgellons. Treatment for Lyme Disease & Morgellons Syndrome Lyme disease is a debilitating affliction that can cause a variety of symptoms, including joint pain, fatigue, cognitive impairment, and supposedly Morgellons. Thankfully, there are therapies available to help treat the illnesses of Lyme disease effectively. TreatmRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 14:40:51 -0400

The LivLyme Summit: What You Need to Know About the Annual Conference This year, the LivLyme annual medical and scientific Lyme Disease Summit once again brought together a range of talented and seasoned professionals to discuss the latest developments in the fight against Lyme disease. The summit featured experts from various disciplines, including medical doctors, epidemiologists, public health officials, and researchers who have dedicated themselves to finding solutions for chronic Lyme disease. With a wealth of knowledge and experience on hand, attendees were able to learn more about this growing health concern while also gaining valuable insight into what can be done to address it. Overview of What Happened at this years’ LivLyme Summit Lyme disease is a serious health issue that affects millions of people around the world. This year’s LivLyme summit brought together a wide range of experts and professionals to discuss the latest treatments, diagnostics, and research related to Lyme disease. The conference was attended by doctors, specialists, researchers, and other medical professionals who shared their knowledge and expertise on the subject. It was an invaluable opportunity to learn more about this debilitating illness from those who understand it best. During the summit, journalist Kris Newby gave a presentation on the weaponization of ticks and the audience was shown a trailer of the movie Bitten based on her hit book. Kris Newby is an expert in this field and her research has been instrumental in understanding how ticks can be used as bioweapons. Her presentation was absolutely captivating and so educational, giving us a deeper understanding of this intriguing subject! Who Else Presented at the 2023 LivLyme Summit? This year’s summit on Lyme disease was a star-studded event that brought together some of the world’s leading Lyme specialists and doctors. Attendees were treated to presentations from a range of experts, all of whom shared their knowledge and wisdom on the subject. Here, the summit’s presenters shared their best advice on how to heal Lyme disease, and how to handle the ongoing struggle of treatment resistance. Olivia Goodreau Dr. Peter Searson Dr. Alan MacDonald Dr. Edward Breitschwerdt Dr. Scott Commins Dr. John Aucott Sue Faber Dr. Monica Embers Dr. Alfred Miller Dr. Timothy Haystead Dr. Brian Fallon Dr. Susanna Visser Dr. Richard Horowitz Dr. Robert Bransfield Dr. Aydogan Ozcan Kris Newby Dr. Eva Sapi Dr. Kristen Honey & Kathleen Carroll Dr. Niel Nathan Dr. Adrian Baranchuk Who Should Attend the LivLyme Summit? The LivLyme Summit is a unique event that brings together health care professionals, patients with Lyme Disease, and their families. Through engaging workshops, presentations, and panel discussions, attendees will gain valuable insight into the latest developments in the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme Disease. Attendees can expect to gain invaluable knowledge from leading experts in the field as well as networking opportunities wRead more

Mary Fagan and Jeremy Murphree are now friends

Sat, 04 Mar 2023 15:11:38 -0400

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Tue, 24 May 2022 14:54:24 -0400

New Morgellons Case-Report Leaves More Questions Than Answers New Morgellons case-report. In this report a 45-year-old man presented to the emergency room after overdosing on Benadryl. The man was complaining about burning, and little barbs that appeared in his skin as worms or cocoons which he could express (expel). The physician thought the man may have Morgellons and referred him to psychiatry. Psychiatry reported the man was not suicidal and the following week the man met with Dermatology who performed a skin biopsy and PCR analysis for Lyme disease. With no significant findings the man was placed on 1mg Risperidone from which he began feeling better. The man requested a family meeting to discuss diagnosis and treatment at home, then was discharged from the hospital. Follow up for one year was not noted, potentially because the man sought help from Psychiatry outside of the hospital system to which he was admitted after overdosing. Several concerns I had about this paper are: Fiber analysis was not performedSyphilis was not considered in the differential, and neither was TBRFThe patient seems to have been introduced to the term Morgellons through the attending physician and not social mediaHow the attending physician thought of Morgellons is not explainedThe CDC study is referenced despite its’ demonstrated flaws like of the 115 patients cited only 12 had fiber specimens collectedHistological examinations of those 12 patients were insignificant though 43% of samples were considered to include “superficial skin” and not solely cotton cellulose though the study authors concede they likely introduced contaminants during the specimen collection process while this paper states that all specimens were cottonAll 12 patients in the CDC study had a positive or equivocal Lyme ELISA while none had a positive WB though none were tested for TBRF or syphilis. It seems clear the physicians the man saw as detailed in this case-study are not familiar with a majority of the research available about Morgellons disease, and the authors of this report chose to include only one research paper about the infectious nature of Morgellons before forming their conclusions. Because this man did not follow up with a hospital psychiatrist, it is impossible to tell if his condition was remediated or if he continued suffering further debilitation after a series of unreliable interpretations based on limited knowledge. Morgellons patients are often tested for Lyme Disease, however infectious cases of syphilis and TBRF are significantly far less ruled out whenever this strange skin condition presents. The first step needs to determine whether delusion exists or not. A delusion is defined as a firmly, but false belief held with strong conviction and contrary to the superior evidence. It is distinct from beliefs based on an unusual perception, such as formication. The beliefs that patients hold could be delusion, true observations, or overvalued ideas. This must be determined on a case-by-case basis. The presentation of a specimen is not a delusional behavior. Patients with DI/MD with animate or inanimate objects can exist, but the belief of cutaneous fibers may or may not be delusional. A physician is required to perform fiber analysis to identify the nature of fibers. If fibers are present and biofilaments of human origin, then they are a true observation. It is also possible that patients might observe fibers and mistake them for worms in which case the idea of infestation could be an overvalued idea. Real infestation with arthropods such as mites can also occur. Additionally, some patients could have lesions with adhering textile fibers that are accidental contaminants and could mistakenly believe that they have MD, in which case they do not have a delusional belief, but a mistaken belief. In summary, if a physician cannot differentiate between true observations, delusions, and overvalued ideas, they should not immediately make a diagnosis of delusional mental illness.The next procedure would be screening the causes of the symptoms. If a delusional belief is present, then various medical conditions need to be ruled out, including psychiatric disorders (eg, schizophrenia and depression), neurological illnesses (eg, dementia), metabolic illnesses (eg, diabetes), vitamin deficiencies, substance intoxication, tumor, dermatological illnesses (eg, pruritus senilis), and infection. History taking, physical examination, laboratory tests, and even skin biopsy should be carried out. The diagnosis of DI could be classified as primary and secondary. If there are cutaneous fibers present and the belief is not delusional, the underlying cause of the symptoms, such as potential infection, should be examined. A diagnosis of MD is more convincing when spirochetal infection is identified. If a patient has delusional beliefs and has cutaneous fibers, then testing of an underlying infection that can result in neuropathy is needed.Reframing delusional infestation: perspectives on unresolved puzzles | PRBM (dovepress.com) Cureus | Morgellons Disease Treated as a Psychosomatic ConditionA Critique of the CDC Morgellons Study: Marianne Middleveen, MDES – YouTubeWhat is Morgellons Disease? Morgellons Disease FAQ (morgellonssurvey.org)History of Morgellons disease: from delusion to definition – PMC (nih.gov)Classification and Staging of Morgellons Disease: Lessons from Syphilis – PMC (nih.gov)Detection of tick-borne infection in Morgellons disease patients by serological and molecular techniques – PMC (nih.gov)Morgellons disease: a filamentous borrelialRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 02:21:04 -0400

Quality of Life and Morgellons, Treatment Considerations with Dr. Steven Feldman At 12PM EST on 2/22/2022 Dr. Steven Feldman returned to Morgellons Discussion and Microscopy Videos to answer several questions and review the literature with us. “Chronic skin diseases have a huge impact on patients’ lives. We can help make great improvements in our patients’ lives, if they will use the medicine we prescribe. That’s a big if. Dr. Steven Feldman has opened our understanding of adherence issues in the treatment of psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and acne. He is author of over 700 MEDLINE-referenced publications and serves as editor of the Journal of Dermatological Treatment. Dr. Feldman is a board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist. He is professor of dermatology, pathology and public health sciences at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina. He earned his M.D. and PhD degrees from Duke University in Durham, NC, and then completed a dermatology residency at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his dermatopathology residency at the Medical University of South Carolina, in Charleston.”https://www.aocd.org/page/SpkrBioFeldmanSM16 What is #Psoriasis and does it involve skin lesions and foot blisters?What is the treatment for Psoriasis, is there a vaccine or a cure?A recent research paper suggests environmental contamination may result in worsening Psoriasis symptoms, is this true and should patients be concerned? https://www.hcplive.com/view/psoriasis-flares-short-term-air-pollution-exposureHave you ever seen a #Morgellons patient who you knew has psoriasis, or another skin condition instead?In a recently published research paper that you co-authored, it recommends #antipsychotics as the first line treatment for MD. What is the primary concern of a physician for diagnosing antipsychotics for Morgellons patients? https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14656566.2022.2029407Can people bring their Dermatologist a box of skin artifacts and have it mean something which can be addressed other than DOP? (Duke University in collaboration with Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College Tropical Parasitology: Protozoans, Worms, Vectors and Human Diseases https://www.coursera.org/learn/parasitology)Are there any conditions where it would be reasonable for a patient to pick at their skin, like warts, blisters, or pimples?Are there instances where people who think they have Morgellons wouldn’t need antipsychotics? Full article: Advances in and hope for the treatment of parasitosis (tandfonline.com) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/09546634.2016.1153254, Morgellons disease etiology and therapeutic approach: a systematic review (escholarship.org) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34755952/Does online information play a role in the patients you see who might need antipsychotics?Can CBD be a substitute for antipsychotic medications, and are there any skin conditions do you feel could be treated or managed with cannabis as a first-line treatment? (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29241357/)If your state passed a medical marijuana law, would you be open to writing recommendations for your patients?A recent article on Dermatology Advisor suggests there may be a “real Morgellons” condition that involves human biofilaments. Is this paper substantial to validate a real Morgellons condition in your opinion? (Lyme Disease May Be Associated With Genital Lesions and Morgellons Disease – Dermatology Advisor) https://www.dermatologyadvisor.com/home/topics/general-dermatology/lyme-disease-linked-to-genital-lesions-and-morgellons-disease/What is the most common reason for skin disorders?Are there any known skin conditions that result in fuzzy sores?You mentioned in Skin Deep that one of the symptoms being shared looks like warts, what was going through your mind when you saw them? https://www.morgellonsmovie.org/If the physician observes filaments, as in this recent case-study, what in your opinion are they looking at? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34917368/Do you feel testing patients for Lyme, Relapsing Fever, and Syphilis may help improve the patient relationship or exacerbate if all the tests are negative?Do you ever have to have a patient on long-term antibiotics, are intramuscular or intravenous antibiotics ever required in Dermatology?What do you think about the new artificial intelligence program which can diagnose skin conditions from images, are you concerned about job security? https://blog.google/technology/health/ai-dermatology-preview-io-2021/What are peptides, and are there any FDA approved peptide therapies? https://www.clinuvel.com/scenesse/How do you feel about the potential role of Gamification towards patient compliance? https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1059131117305290Can steroids or hormones ever help Dermatology patients?Do you ever have to refer a patient out for more serious treatment, like surgery? What skin conditions would result in that scenario?What causes the skin to age, and can it be regenRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 14:19:01 -0400

Letter to Psychiatrists and Dermatologists regarding Morgellons Disease For Morgellons Disease Awareness Month 2022, we have prepared this letter which can be mailed to your local Dermatologists and Psychiatrists regarding patients concerned about “Morgellons”. Dear Dr. _______,My name is _________________, and I am a “Real Morgellons” patient/advocate. At this point you may be wondering why I feel there is any difference between “Morgellons” and “Real Morgellons”? Fortunately for both of us there is peer-reviewed research we can turn to for answers instead of relying on my subjective interpretation. Please excuse me if you are already aware of this research. “There is significant overlap in the array of symptoms that may accompany LD (Lyme disease), MD (Morgellons disease), and mental illness, thus complicating the diagnosis. In theory, patients who do not have MD but who are delusional could think they have MD if they have had exposure to the topic through the Internet or other means.7,87 To complicate the diagnosis further, MD patients may exhibit neuropsychiatric symptoms, and many have psychiatric diagnoses, such as bipolar disorder, attention-deficit disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia.1,7,81 Therefore, many MD patients may have psychiatric comorbidities, and in some cases, patients have been misdiagnosed with a psychiatric illness that they do not have.7 Some MD patients may have false beliefs that are not delusional in origin. Lack of scientific knowledge can cause patients to misinterpret symptoms, such as the presence of filaments and sensations of formication as worms, arthropods, or other infestations. In addition, MD lesions are sticky and arthropods or artifacts can adhere to exudate, and patients may incorrectly believe these external factors are associated with the dermopathy.7,87″History of Morgellons disease: from delusion to definition – PMC (nih.gov) “The first step needs to determine whether delusion exists or not. A delusion is defined as a firmly, but false belief held with strong conviction and contrary to the superior evidence. It is distinct from beliefs based on an unusual perception, such as formication. The beliefs that patients hold could be delusion, true observations, or overvalued ideas. This must be determined on a case-by-case basis. The presentation of a specimen is not a delusional behavior. Patients with DI/MD with animate or inanimate objects can exist, but the belief of cutaneous fibers may or may not be delusional. A physician is required to perform fiber analysis to identify the nature of fibers. If fibers are present and biofilaments of human origin, then they are a true observation. It is also possible that patients might observe fibers and mistake them for worms in which case the idea of infestation could be an overvalued idea. Real infestation with arthropods such as mites can also occur. Additionally, some patients could have lesions with adhering textile fibers that are accidental contaminants and could mistakenly believe that they have MD, in which case they do not have a delusional belief, but a mistaken belief. In summary, if a physician cannot differentiate between true observations, delusions, and overvalued ideas, they should not immediately make a diagnosis of delusional mental illness.” Reframing delusional infestation: perspectives on unresolved puzzles – PMC (nih.gov) Clearly, the two previous passages infer that some patients can in fact become confused and mistakenly believe they have Morgellons disease. I’m sure you’ve probably seen many people who, because of exposure to the topic through the internet or other means, have become convinced that they have MD. Since you are not an Infectious Disease doctor or a Lyme disease specialist who would prescribe antibiotic therapies, that any individuals with “Morgellons” that you may have “cured” with psychotropic medication may have only mistakenly believed they had Morgellons. Of course, Lyme disease doesn’t simply resolve on its own and requires appropriate antibiotic therapies. You may be thinking to yourself that Lyme disease is rare in my region. Consider this paper from 2000 regarding the prevalence of Lyme disease in South Carolina. “Based on serologic evidence that 38% of the P. gossypinusmice from South Carolina that were tested had antibodies to B. burgdorferi (21), the cultivation of 146 isolates ofB. burgdorferi sensu lato from birds, rodents, and ticks from seven geographic sites within five counties in South Carolina (including Charleston County) (12, 25); J. H. Oliver, Jr., unpublished data), the widespread distribution of I. scapularis in South Carolina (10, 11, 18, 26) and its proclivity to feed on various vertebrates (18, 20) (including humans [13]), the reports of physician-diagnosed LD in the state (34, 35), and the characterization of 28 isolates as B. burgdorferi sensu stricto in this study, we conclude that B. burgdorferi is cycling enzootically in the state and speculate that humans are probably being infected with the spirochete.” Isolation, Cultivation, and Characterization of Borrelia burgdorferi from Rodents and Ticks in the Charleston Area of South Carolina | Journal of Clinical Microbiology (asm.org) Consider also that there is potentially another infectious disease which can result in the Morgellons condition. “Although we have not detected T. pallidum in any MD subjects to date, given that there is a historical association with T. pallidum infection in comparable cases, it is reasonable to hypothesize that T. pallidum could be an etiologic factor in a subset of MD patients.” Classification and Staging of Morgellons Disease: Lessons from Syphilis – PMC (nih.gov) I’m certain you’re aware of the mental compromise patients could experience if exposed to this notoriously destructive disease. “His mental status examination revealed increased psychomotor activity, irritable affect, delusion of infidelity and persecution, impaired judgment, and poor insight.” Syphilis presenting as late-onset psychosis : Indian Journal of Psychiatry (lww.com) I would hope you are aware of the current resurgence of this old foe as well. Why Syphilis Rates Are Rising – The Atlantic Thank you for making time to review my email, and please consider this information about “Real Morgellons” and the potential that patients you see concerned about “Morgellons” may either A) Really Have Morgellons or B) Mistakenly Believe They Have Morgellons In either case, I challenge you to consider that in the face of this scientific evidence that every patient deserves to have Morgellons disease thoroughly ruled out before attempting any treatment which may either prolong the infectious process or result in a negative consequence and erosion of patient trust. “It has been well documented in numerous published medical studies of Borrelia’s ability to cause many recognized personality disorders and forms of depression; such as anxiety, depression, confusion, aggressive behaviour, mild to moderate cognitive deficits, fatigue, memory loss, and irritability. As such, the American Psychiatric Associations recommends that specialist doctors and councillors alike should seek to rule out Borreliosis as a possible differential diagnosis before commencing with any form of psychological intervention.” Borreliosis (Lyme Disease) and its known involvement in Mental Health – Morgellons Survey I hope you will consider this evidence when a patient visits your practice concerned about “Morgellons”, and I look forwRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Sun, 21 Nov 2021 13:29:03 -0400

Babies Are Dying of Syphilis. It’s 100% Preventable. This story was originally published by ProPublicaProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winningRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 15:05:50 -0400

New Antibiotic Could Rid Earth Of Lyme Disease and Chronic Syphilis For Good A potential new antibiotic is making headlines this week as it harbors the promise to eradicate spirochetal disease, not only in people, but in animals as well. The upside? It doesn’t negatively affect native microbiomes. History of Hygromycin Hygromycin A was previously studied as an agent against swine dysentery in the 1980s. Hygromycin, epihygromycin and a mixture thereof have potent inhibitory activity against Treponema hyodysenteriae and are useful for treatment of swine dysentery.Use of hygromycin and epihygromycin in the treatment of swine dysentery – Patent EP-0213692-B1 – PubChem (nih.gov) Better Vaccines Because Hygromycin is so ineffective at killing other species of bacteria, it was employed in vaccine research for both existing and emerging diseases. The Hygromycin resistance marker has evolved into a common tool of the researchers available resources. The hygromycin resistance vector was used to overexpress superoxide dismutase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in M. vaccae in a form suitable for detailed structural analysis. The potential use of this approach for generation of novel recombinant mycobacterial vaccines is discussed.Transformation of mycobacterial species using hygromycin resistance as selectable marker | Microbiology Society (microbiologyresearch.org) Best For Syphilis? The latest research demonstrates that Hygromycin A may have best success against syphilis, an exciting prospect considering the resurgence in contemporary times. “In our study, we find that hygromycin A has the highest activity against Treponema pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis, with a MIC of 0.03 μg/mL.”https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674%2821%2901058-8 Human Trials FlightPath, an American company, has filed for permission to begin human trials of Hygromycin-A in people. If information about public participation of a drug trial for this exciting new antibiotic surfaces, we’ll notify you through our social media outlets. ForRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 18:52:28 -0400

Five Year Morgellons Survey Preliminary Results Include Almost Six Hundred Entries Morgellons Survey is proud to present preliminary results of its almost five year long scientific survey. The survey will close on December 23, 2021 after five years from initially posting and preceding peer-review. We have removed the 250 entry monthly limit for the next four weeks! If you would like to participate please do so before December 21st and preferably within the next month. Most preliminary results below are adjusted to remove all multiple entries. If the same email address submitted multiple times only the latest entry is counted. Any requests to remove specific entries have been completed. Unadjusted adds +40 entries with the majority (+36) being double entries (twice). Morgellons Survey Preliminary Results Again, the last day to submit your entry for this Morgellons Survey will be December 23 2021. Afterwards this data will be submitted for scientific peer-review and ultimately published in a prestigious scientific journal. Please consider donating to help us continue towards this effort of scientific legitimization. Your continued support and contributions help keep us online and motivated towards achieving real world results for a serious and often debilitating, contestedRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Tue, 18 May 2021 14:03:06 -0400

If it looks like syphilis… If it looks like syphilis, and acts like syphilis, it must be Lyme disease. In this episode, we look at the new research which demonstrates Lyme disease in a Morgellons patient, and question if molecular testing for syphilis wouldn’t also be appropriate. Morgellons Petition to the CDC Ofshane – Road Tripzzz Study Cements Link Between Protean Morgellons Lesions and Lyme Disease. New Morgellons Research History of Morgellons disease: from delusion to definition Clinical evaluation of Morgellons disease in a cohort of North American patients Dermatological and Genital Manifestations of Lyme Disease Including Morgellons Disease An Update on the Global Epidemiology of Syphilis How Syphilis Came Roaring Back New CDC statistics: nearly half a million people diagnosed with Lyme disease annually False positive lyme serology due to syphilis: Report of 6 cases and review of the literature Cross-reactivity between Lyme and syphilis screening assays: Lyme disease does not cause false-positive syphilis screens Treponema denticola infection is not a cause of false positive Treponema pallidum serology Rapid Plasma Reagin Breanna Lum; Shane R. Sergent. Removal of bovine digital dermatitis-associated treponemes from hoof knives after foot-trimming: a disinfection field study Fluorescence in situ hybridization for the identification of Treponema pallidum in tissue sections Morgellons Fireside ByRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 13:14:14 -0400

Various Morgellons Petitions to the CDC Request Acknowledgement Why should you sign a Morgellons petition? Above all, Morgellons patients endure many hardships trying to manage their strange skin condition. First, being covered in oozing sores results in a low quality of life. Additionally, there is undue stigma surrounding Morgellons. But the fact is, signing a petition can make a big difference towards improving patients lives! In that regard, the following various petitions to the CDC ask for official acknowledgment of the research that legitimizes the condition. This Morgellons petition in particular has over 5,000,000 signatures!! Urge the CDC to take action against surging unexplained disease This Morgellons petition was started by Charles Holman Petition Congress – Force the CDC to investigate Morgellons Disease (ipetitions.com) Other Morgellons Petitions Request for CDC Reassessment and Research Regarding Morgellons Disease – Action Network Petition · Raise Awareness and Fund Research for Morgellons Disease and Its Possible Spread via Tiny – United States · Change.org Sponsor Recognize Morgellons Disease and Remove False Diagnosis of Delusional Parasitosis · Change.org petition: Morgellons Disease T.T.T.W.T.&.N.B.T.T. (thepetitionsite.com) petition: Morgellons Disease and awareness (thepetitionsite.com) Raise Awareness for Morgellons Disease and co infections eg: Lymes Disease – Petitions (parliament.uk) Morgellons Patients are human Beings | 38 Degrees Petition · (Cause.com for outside U.S.) The CDC Must Acknowledge Morgellons Disease and Initiate Ongoing Research – United States · Change.org Petition · CDC reopen the investigation into “Morgellons” – United States · Change.org Petition · Morgellons Disease – United States · Change.org Petition · Acknowledgement and medical treatment for Morgellons disease – United States · Change.org Petition · Calling for a Congressional investigation of the CDC, IDSA and ALDF – United States · Change.org Targeting the CDC: Reopen CDC investigation into Morgellons (avaaz.org) We demand Presidential action on Morgellons Disease – Action Network petition: Stop the spread of Morgellons “so called delusional parasites” (thepetitionsite.com) petition: Research on Morgellon’s Disease (thepetitionsite.com) Que la maladie du morgellon sorte de l’ ombre (avaaz.org) Morgellons Petition Almost a decade has passed since the CDC’s investigation of an Unexplained Dermopathy, also known as Morgellons Disease. Since that time a volume of contemporary research has demonstrated Morgellons is associated with an infectious process. We want the CDC to acknowledge this research so that physicians are more comfortable treating patients who have Morgellons and also ruling out the condition in patients who do not. Why is this important? Many doctors do not understand there is a real Morgellons condition as opposed to the state of the patient mistakingly believing they have Morgellons. Doctors should understand what Morgellons is, rule it out in the patients who mistakingly believe they have it, and treat actual Morgellons patients according to the latest science.Read more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Sat, 27 Feb 2021 18:33:35 -0400

Morgellons Science, Response to the Opposition Morgellons disease is a polarized topic in the medical community with two opposing points of view that are incompatible. The prevailing point of view is that MD is a psychiatric disorder with a delusional etiology. The minority emerging point of view is based on recent clinical, molecular and histopathological evidence that challenges the prevailing view and suggests an infectious etiology for Morgellons disease. When challenging a prevailing well-established point of view, new evidence will always be met with opposition, skepticism and sometimes outright hostility. Evidence supporting the hypothesis that Morgellons disease is an infectious process is published in many reputable, PubMed-indexed medical journals, including but not limited to: the International Journal of General Medicine, Clinical Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, BMC Dermatology, F1000 Research, Healthcare (Basel), Dermatology Reports, and Psychosomatics. Stricker, Middelveen and Fessler are not alone in supporting this point of view. They do not work in isolation, but collaborate with other laboratories. The evidence supporting an infectious process includes experiments performed in at least 12 different institutions that include universities, commercial laboratories or clinical practices, located in 4 different countries and include a diverse group of independent individuals. Resultant peer-reviewed papers, many of which are primary research, have repeatedly demonstrated an association between MD and spirochetal infection (predominantly Borrelia species) that is statistically significant. Evidence includes serological, histopathological and molecular evidence showing Borrelia exposure and/or infection in MD patients. Furthermore, Borrelia species have been cultured and genetically characterized from skin and other clinical specimens taken from Morgellons disease subjects, and culture is the ultimate proof of active infection. To date, Borrelia DNA has been detected in skin specimens taken from Morgellons subjects by at least seven independent laboratories and that fact is available by reading published papers available through a PubMed search. Collaborative studies that included Stricker, Middelveen and/or Fessler as author, in which Borrelia DNA was detected in specimens taken from Morgellons patients, were performed by four independent laboratories (University of New Haven, West Haven, CT; Australian Biologics, Sydney, NSW, Australia, IGeneX Reference Laboratories, Milpitas, CA, and UC -Irvine, Irvine, CA). As indicated in presentations made at Charles E Holman Foundation conferences, two additional laboratories, Mt Allison University in Sackville, NB, Canada, and Oklahoma State University, have also detected Borrelia DNA in MD skin cultures/and or skin specimens. Showing causation is not straightforward. There is no perfect method for demonstrating disease causation. Various proposed methods for demonstrating causation are not checklists that must be met. However, the more criteria are met, the more likely a causal relationship is to exist. Correlation is the first step in showing causation. Currently there is more than a mere correlation shown between MD and Borrelia. Many of the criteria in Koch’s postulates, the Bradford Hill criteria for causation, and the criteria listed by Fredricks and Relman have been met. [1-3] The evidence that Borrelia infection is associated with MD has never been disproven by the opposition in peer-reviewed literature. If those holding the majority point of view feel that there is sufficient evidence to show an infectious etiology for Morgellons disease is wrong then they should challenge the evidence with published, peer-reviewed rebuttal. In contrast, a 2018 review paper by Middelveen et al. published in a reputable PubMed-indexed medical journal [4] provides a detailed evaluation of the evidence supporting both points of view, and addresses significant flaws in the papers that support the point of view that MD is a purely delusional disorder. In contrast, the majority who hold the prevailing point of view have failed to identify specific flaws in the data or methods used by Stricker, Middelveen, Fessler, and their other collaborators, but instead have relied on personal attacks and their own preconceived point of view. At the very least, the emerging body of evidence that concludes an infectious process causes Morgellons disease clearly demonstrates that society is dealing with an unexplored and poorly defined chronic bacterial infection that has affected individuals around the world and needs to be recognized so that steps can be taken to improve quality of life and to lessen if not alleviate the burden of this challenging illness. Attempts to shut down open debate and discussion in medicine stifle medical science. If not for open debate we would still believe in the miasma theory of disease, steadfastly believing that infectious diseases, such as cholera, syphilis, chlamydia, or even the Black Death are noxious forms of “bad air”. Medicine needs to evolve and challenging prevailing thought through open debate is an essential part of that process. References Fedak KM, Bernal A, Capshaw ZA, Gross S. Applying the Bradford Hill criteria in the 21st century: how data integration has changed causal inference in molecular epidemiology. Emerg Themes Epidemiol. 2015;12:14. Published 2015 Sep 30. doi:10.1186/s12982-015-0037-4Fredericks DN, Relman DA. Sequence-based identification of microbial pathogens: a reconsideration of Koch’s postulates. Clinical Microbiology Reviews Jan 1996, 9 (1) 18-33; DOI: 10.1128/CMR.9.1.18 Middelveen MJ, Martinez RM, Fesler MC, Sapi E, Burke J, Shah JS, Nicolaus C, Stricker RB. Classification and Staging of Morgellons Disease: Lessons from Syphilis. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2020 Feb 7;13:145-164. doi: 10.2147/CCID.S239840. PMID: 32104041; PMCID: PMC7012249.Middelveen MJ, Fesler MC, Stricker RB. History of Morgellons disease: from delusion to definition. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2018 Feb 9;11:71-90. doi: 10.2147/CCID.S152343. PMID: 29467580; PMCID: PMC5811176Middelveen MJ, Stricker RB. Morgellons disease: a filamentous borrelial dermatitisRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 13:00:32 -0400

The Charles Holman Foundation Releases 12th Annual Morgellons Conference Presentations For Free On YouTube Have you ever wondered what happens at a “Morgellons Conference”? The Charles Holman Foundation knows you have and has you covered by releasing its’ 12th annual Morgellons conference presentations free on YouTube! My Morgellons Journey and the Charles E. Holman Morgellons Disease Foundation: Cindy Casey Holman Morgellons Disease: 16 Years on the Front Lines: Ginger R. Savely, DNP, MED, FNP-C, CAN Morgellons Disease: Testing, Conventional and Alternative/Integrative Treatment: Carsten Nicolaus Detection of tick-borne infection in Morgellons disease patients: Jyotsna Shah, PHD Morgellons Demystified: Marianne Middelveen by Melissa C. Fessler, FNP-BC MorgellonsRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 17:51:12 -0400

Historical Syphilis is Lyme Disease (and TBRF) History of Syphilis An Update on the Global Epidemiology of Syphilis Stages of Syphilis Lyme Disease Mimicking Secondary Syphilis Tick-borne relapsing fever: a fever syndrome mimic Ötzi’s Lyme Disease in Context Bitten: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and BiRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 16:12:15 -0400

Stigma

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 15:03:34 -0400

Morgellons: The Legitimization of a Disease Buy Morgellons: The Legitimization of a Disease today! https://amzn.to/3dk7ARc Color photos from the book are free on Dr. Savely’s website. http://gingersavely.com/morgellons-book/

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 21:05:20 -0400

New Study! Classification and Staging of Morgellons Disease The new paper, Classification and Staging of Morgellons Disease: Lessons from Syphilis, introduces a structure for physicians to distinguish the condition in their patient population. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7012249/ …read more on Steemit!— Send in a voice mRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 14:54:33 -0400

Special Interview with Lyme Expert, Dr. Robert C. Bransfield On Friday evening, July 31st, we were fortunate to interview prominent psychiatrist Dr. Robert C. Bransfield. Here is the recording of that session. What is the deal with COVID19, should people be wearing masks and how is the situation where you live?Does COVID19 cause psychological manifestations?What is Morgellons Disease?What is the most concerning aspect of Morgellons, in your experience?Why is it hard for many people to accept that infections can result in concerning behavior?How can someone tell if they are suffering psychological issues because of infection or other reasons like emotional trauma?Can specific conditions like bi-polar disorder be caused by infections and what other reasons would someone suffer from BPD?When you suspect Lyme, do you treat the patient or would you refer them out to an infectious disease specialist?How soon do patients see remediation of their condition if the cause is infection and how is their infection typically treated?Can psychotropic drugs be harmful to Lyme patients?Are benzos safe?Can cannabis be used to treat psychological disturbances?What is the association of Lyme disease with violence?Is ADD and ADHD associated with Lyme disease?Is syphilis still a prevalent infection or has Lyme overtaken it in incidence?Is it harder for Lyme patients to cope with emotional distress?How can someone tell if they are neurotic or if that is simply their personality?Can Lyme disease alter a persons personality, dramatically?How important is a support network for recovery, can someone make it without any help?What can Lyme patients do themselves to aid the healing process?Are there markers which indicate nominal behavioral health?How common are hallucinations with Lyme disease and what causes them?Are there sexual behavior implications of Lyme disease?Does Lyme disease promote narcissism, likeRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 22:43:07 -0400

Microbiologist Marianne Middelveen LIVE Marianne Middelveen is a microbiologist and a medical mycologist in Calgary, Alberta, Canada currently working in the field of Veterinary Microbiology and specializing in bovine mastitis. She received post-graduate degrees in Microbial and Biochemical Science and in Environmental Science from Georgia State University and University of Calgary, respectively. She has been involved in research projects at the Centro Amazonico para Investigacion y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, Puerto Ayacucho, Territorio Federal Amazonas (Edo. Amazonas), Venezuela; Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Universidad Central de Caracas, Caracas, Venezuela; Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia; Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Gerogia; University of Calgary, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Calgary, Alberta. She became interested in Lyme disease after discovering she had the disease in 2011. As a volunteer, she has been involved in research related to Lyme disease on behalf of the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation. 0:00 Live interview with Marianne Middelveen 2:46 What are #Morgellons fibers and how are they made? 3:23 What pathogens are typically involved in Morgellons disease? 4:29 What is a follicular cast and how is that different from a Morgellons fiber? 6:06 Do different pathogens cause follicular casts and Morgellons? 6:55 Is it true that one symptom of Morgellons patients is that their hairs will grow in reverse and how far down do they grow? 12:10 Some Morgellons fibers react to Borrelia staining.15:43 Is it true that some Morgellons patients do not have any sores at all? 18:37 Other species of Borrelia21:12 Is T. Denticola any different from T. Pallidum? 21:49 Do treponemes cross-react with Borrelia? 24:27 Besides PCR and immunostaining do you employ other methods to elicit Borrelia? 27:07 Is Morgellons caused by a fungal infection? 27:47 Is #Lyme disease demonstrated to cause ulcerations like syphilis? 28:38 What has your research shown you about Morgellons in dogs, is it different from what is in people? 32:30 Objectively looking at the research.36:57 A person can have Lyme and syphilis at the same time.40:26 What are the “white worm” “plugs”? 43:30 What is the difference between BDD and Morgellons? 48:04 There were early reports of Morgellons fibers being discovered inside organs, theoretically in light of what we know about Morgellons could such a phenomenon occur? 50:39 Is Morgellons a condition or a disease? 54:32 How does classification and staging work? 56:25 Do physicians have to meet requirements to start using the Morgellons staging and classification system? 57:53 What are biofilms and how are they involved with Morgellons? 1:00:19 The CDC recently updated their website to warn about congenital Lyme transmission, but not regarding sexual transmission. Can Lyme infect patients in the same manner as syphilis? 1:03:14 Does PCR analysis simply amplify which agents you want to be associated with what you are researching, does it give you the easy answer you want? 1:05:11 If you could direct a Morgellons study with unlimited funding, what would you intend to discover? 1:08:37Read more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 01:52:32 -0400

Interview with Skin Deep Star, Dr. Steve Feldman MD, PHD Skin Deep: https://www.morgellonsmovie.org For acne: topical benzoyl peroxide. Also topical adapalene (brand name is Differin). Psoriasis: http://www.psoriasis.org American Academy of Dermatology: https://www.aad.org/public New Zealand dermatology info: https://dermnetnz.org/ Dr. Score http://www.DrScore.com “Thank you for tuning in to #Morgellons Disease Discussion, and Microscopy videos. I’m your host Jeremy Murphree and today we will discuss a variety of skin conditions with a dermatologist who was rated by ExpertScape.com as the #1 expert in the world on both #psoriasis and #dermatology. He is the founder of the doctor rating website http://www.DrScore.com. Much of his research is on how well patients use their medication. He was also one of the stars in Skin Deep: The Battle Over Morgellons – Dr. Steve Feldman! Hey Dr. Feldman, how are you doing today?” Why did you start a doctor rating website and what was your experience with it? Can my diet affect how my skin looks and are there better foods to eat and others to avoid? What are the risks of sun exposure, especially on prescription medications? What is psoriasis and what causes it? What got you into research on how well patients take medication? If I have a pimple should I pop it, or see you about it? Are there any treatments that are effective for varicose veins? What is Keratosis Pilaris and how is that condition treated? What is the strangest skin condition you’ve seen? What is the most common fungal infection you treat? The health agencies are sounding the alarm about an uptick in syphilis cases, do you see that translate into more cases walking in to your office? What is a skin condition that is common to the South East, that Southerners should look out for? Is Cannabidiol oil beneficial for skin care? What are the concerns of being on amphetamine prescriptions, when should someone taking them consider coming off? Have you had bad experiences with patients, have you ever felt endangered? Is ringworm an actual worm and if not anti-parasitic medication, how is it treated? Can emotional stress affect how my skin looks? What’s the best therapy for cracked heel? Are there any recommended methods of prevention? Is there any sure way to distinguish between lacerations and ulcerations? Was speaking at the Morgellons conference that was documented in Skin Deep challenging forRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Mon, 11 Nov 2019 18:35:09 -0400

Morgellons Expert Interview, Dr. Ginger Savely Dr. Savely joins us for a special interview about what we now know regarding Morgellons Disease. http://gingersavely.com/morgellons-book/ Have your doctor email Dr. #GingerSavely: lymedc@gmail.com Please donate to help fund future #Morgellons research: https://thecehf.org/donate/ 1) Could you give us a summary of who you are, how you became involved with Morgellons and how you assist the Charles E. Holman MD Foundation? 2) The CDC recently reported 115,000 new cases of syphilis in the U.S., is Morgellons really syphilis as some may assume? 3) Many patients are very afraid of utilizing antibiotics in their treatment because of the resulting side-effects. Are these potentially damaging side-effects limited to fluoroquinolones, and are there ways to mitigate these reactions? 4) In what ways can Medical Marijuana help Morgellons patients? 5) You state on your website that your patients must cease cigarette smoking before engaging in treatment, can you explain why patients will not improve unless they quit? What about vaping or dipping tobacco? 6) Many people present with what they often describe as “white worms”, “seeds”, “shrimp”, “cocoons” which have been described by researchers as “collagen projections” and “follicular casts”. How do we know these aren’t worms? 7) If digging these artifacts out isn’t responsible what is the appropriate manner of treating them? 8) Is it the case that Morgellons patients develop sores independent of excision, is it true that their skin spontaneously ulcerates? 9) Why do some Morgellons patients shave their heads? 10) Is Morgellons the same thing as Hair Tourniquet syndrome or are the two related? (not asked) 11) How much does stress and trauma really affect Morgellons patients? Can it impair the immune system and make symptoms worse? 12) Patients often become desperate and hopeless after repeated attempts to seek help end in failure and rejection. What can a Morgellons patient do when they feel nobody listens and nobody cares and it’s never going to get any better? Is there a way out of the darkness into a brighter tomorrow? 13) Is misinformation and sensationalism really harmlesRead more

Jeremy Murphree wrote a new post

Tue, 24 Sep 2019 17:06:42 -0400

Positive Lyme Test Could Mean Syphilis Several peer-reviewed scientific studies demonstrate that a positive Lyme test could mean Syphilis instead of, or in addition to, Lyme. False positive Lyme serology due to syphilis: report of 6 cases and review of the literature. A 44-year-old man presented with visual field defects. Ophthalmoscopy revealed papilloedema of the left eye. Neuroborreliosis was suspected and serum was positively being tested using VIDAS* Lyme screen II (bioMerieux Vitek Inc). However, confirmatory testing using the Borrelia VlsE C6 titre was negative. Western Blotting on serum and cerebrospinal fluid could not confirm the possible diagnosis of neuroborreliosis. VDRL and TPPA testing was positive, and finally, the diagnosis of neurosyphilis was established. We subsequently screened our database on patients with positive VIDAS Lyme screening and negative confirmatory testing by Western blot, and found another 5 cases in which Lyme screening was false positive due to cross-reactivity with Treponema pallidum antibodies. Our data show that in patients with positive Lyme screening and negative confirmatory testing, performance of lues serology should be considered. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21485767 The Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Lyme/syphilis survey. Serologic screening of patients for Lyme borreliosis began at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute (BPEI) in September 1987. This report reviews the data on 641 sera from that date up to January 1, 1990. Initially only immunofluorescent (IFA) IgG and IgM titers were obtained. Because of increasing numbers of borderline and positive IFA tests, a Lyme enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was added in April 1988. Also, because of significant serologic cross reactivity in patients exposed to Treponema pallidum, rapid plasma reagin (RPR) and fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption (FTA-ABS) tests were added to the serologic screening panel. Of all sera tested, 10% showed reactive RPR tests and 22% showed reactive FTA-ABS tests. Lyme IFA IgG titers were greater than or equal to 1:64 in 17% of the sera, and Lyme ELISA tests were greater than 1.25 in 15% of the sera. Our experience agrees with reports that serum RPR or VDRL tests are nonreactive in Lyme borreliosis, and that false positive FTA-ABS tests can occur in Lyme borreliosis. The importance of getting all four tests–RPR, FTA-ABS, Lyme IFA IgG and IgM, and Lyme ELISA–in all patients suspected of spirochetal disease is emphasized. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2150843 Some research even demonstrates how those with a positive syphilis test actually have Lyme disease instead. [Suspected syphilis during pregnancy due to cross reactions in Borrelia infection]. A weakly positive titre (1:20) in the Treponema pallidum haemagglutination test and a highly positive titre (1:1280) in the fluorescence Treponema antibody absorption test, but negative result for IgM antibodies, were found in the serum of a 23-year-old pregnant woman. The cardiolipin microflocculation test was at first borderline positive, but negative on repeat. In the absence of a history of syphilis tests for Borrelia antibodies were performed. Those for antibodies against B. burgdorferi were highly positive in the ELISA test (550 units), in the indirect Borrelia immunofluorescence test 1:1280 for IgG antibodies and 1:160 for IgM antibodies. In the Borrelia-specific indirect haemagglutination test, which measures both IgG and IgM antibodies, the titres were 1:640 to 1:1280. These results confirmed the presence of an infection with B. burgdorferi and not with Treponema pallidum. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3048959 It seems as if the tests for each of these infections are all over the map. Cross-reactivity between Lyme and syphilis screening assays: Lyme disease does not cause false-positive syphilis screens. Increased rates of Lyme disease and syphilis in the same geographic area prompted an assessment of screening test cross-reactivity. This study supports the previously described cross-reactivity of Lyme screening among syphilis-positive sera and reports evidence against the possibility of false-positive syphilis screening tests resulting from previous Borrelia burgdorferi infection.Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26707064 VDRL test The screening test is most likely to be positive in the secondary and latent stages of syphilis. This test may give a false-negative result during early- and late-stage syphilis. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/tests/vdrl-test Resolving the Common Clinical Dilemmas of Syphilis Serologic tests can be negative if they are performed at the stage when lesions are present, and the VDRL test can be negative in patients with late syphilis. https://www.aafp.org/afp/1999/0415/p2233.html Apparently the problem isn’t limited to just syphilis and Lyme either. Cross-reactivity in serological tests for Lyme disease and other spirochetal infections. Serum specimens from 163 persons with Lyme disease, tick-borne or louse-borne relapsing fever, yaws, syphilis, leptospirosis, or Rocky Mountain spotted fever were analyzed to assess the specificity of indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) tests, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and microscopic agglutination (MA) procedures. Strong cross-reactivity occurred when sera from individuals with Lyme disease, tick-borne relapsing fever, and louse-borne relapsing fever were tested against heterologous Borrelia antigens. Antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi bound to Treponema pallidum in immunofluorescence tests for syphilis. Sera from subjects with syphilis cross-reacted in IFA tests and the ELISA for Lyme disease. Immunoglobulin antibodies to Borrelia or Treponema spirochetes, however, did not react with serovars of Leptospira interrogans in MA or IFA tests, and the prevalence of false-positive results in the reciprocal analyses was negligible. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3298452 A Positive Lyme Test Could Mean Syphilis If you think this is a lot to digest you’re not alone! So where do we go from here? It sRead more

Denise Longman wrote a new post

Thu, 21 Mar 2019 20:59:17 -0400

Borreliosis (Lyme Disease) and its known involvement in Mental Health Scientists and physicians across the world have discovered that the growing numbers of people with mental illness and diseases of the nervous system are being cured or improved by treatment with antibiotics. In other words, it is now known that bacteria can make you mentally ill as well as physically ill! From Croatia to California, from Sweden to Sicily, conditions such as Schizophrenia and Multiple Sclerosis, even Alzheimer’s disease and Stroke, are being found to have common to all one of the most insidiously infective bacteria on the planet, namely Borrelia. This organism is similar to the bacterium that causes Syphilis, which was once the major cause of mental ill health before the days of penicillin. Both bacteria are large and spiral in shape, but Borrelia is turning out to be far worse than its cousin. Syphilis could be detected fairly easily and then killed with antibiotics, but Borrelia is harder to find, and then it is even more difficult to eradicate. Because it causes such a wide range of symptoms, from mild ‘flu-like fever to a rapid onset of psychosis, or from strange rashes to sudden heart-block, this nasty bacterium has spread without most of us realising it, around the world, in what is now being called a pandemic. Perhaps its most miserable victims are those with hallucinations, panic disorders, manic depressive illness and ADHD, as well as those with the labels of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis; for although the latter two conditions are recognised to be of a bacterial / viral cause by the World Health Organisation, the British medical establishment employs predominantly psychological intervention alone. Imagine being confined to a secure mental hospital, or treated with powerful antipsychotic drugs, or living for decades struggling to maintain normal memory and behaviour patterns, when all along there has been an infection secretly living in your brain and nerves. This bacterium may sometimes be the cause of anorexia, while in some of its victims it has been known to cause episodes of uncontrollable rage. Other bacteria and viruses can wreak similar havoc: some of the ones that live harmlessly in our throats and on our skin are also able to invade our brains. Doctors and scientists are quite ready to acknowledge and search for things like HIV, Streptococcus and Herpes. But it is only recently that they are becoming aware that the Borrelia bug, one of the hardest to positively identify because of its so-called “stealth ” behaviour, must be high on the list for diagnosis. European countries such as Austria, Germany, Holland and France, have alerted their GPs and specialists to the growing problem of Borrelia. Germany has twice polled every doctor in the country to determine the probable infection rate, and has found that it has doubled in the last 10 years. The Dutch have carried out similar surveys. In Austria, every GP’s waiting room has warning signs about Borreliosis. The disease is being spread by ticks that are carried on birds, on wild animals and on pets such as cats and dogs, even on horses. It has been found inside the stomachs of biting flies such as horse flies and cleggs and also in mosquitos and mites. We present here several medical studies published in recent literature, which link mental illness and brain disease to known Borreliosis infection. There were few to be found that had been carried out in Britain; those quoted here are from the rest of Europe and the United States. a) In a controlled study undertaken at Columbia University Department of Psychiatry, 20 children were examined following known infection of Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), and were found to have significantly more psychiatric and cognitive difficulties. Their cognitive abilities were found to be below that of 20 matched healthy control subjects, even taking into account any effects due to anxiety, depression and fatigue during education. The study also discussed the long-term effects of the children’s infection with Borrelia, which had brought about neuropsychiatric disturbances and caused significant psychosocial and academic impairment. b) An elderly lady treated at the Emperor Franz Josef hospital, Vienna, was initially admitted with suspected Motor Neuron Disease. Testing of fluid from her spinal column indicated the presence of Bb. Following antibiotic treatment, improvement was seen in the patient’s clinical symptoms, and further testing of spinal fluid demonstrated a positive response to the antibiotic treatment. The preliminary diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was revised to one of chronic neuroborreliosis, the term given to infection of the central nervous system (CNS) by Bb. c) A 64-year old woman was admitted to the psychiatric ward of the Sophia Ziekenhuis at Zwolle, in Holland. She was suffering from psychosis, with visual hallucinations, disorientation in time and space, and associative thinking. Psychotropic drugs failed to produce any improvement in her condition and further, neurological, symptoms developed. A lumbar puncture revealed the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi and after treatment with penicillin all of her psychiatric and neurological symptoms were resolved. From the history, which the woman was then able to communicate, it appeared she had been bitten by ticks. Her husband, aged 66, passed through a similar episode of disease. d) In a comparative study carried out at the Prague Psychiatric Center, the blood of 926 psychiatric patients and that of 884 healthy control subjects was screened for four different types of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi. Of 499 matched pairs (meaning of similar age and gender but from patient and control group respectively) 166 (33%) of the psychiatric patients and 94 (19%) of the healthy comparison subjects were seropositive in at least one of the four test assays for Bb. This study supports the hypothesis that there is an association between an infection of Borrelia burgdorferi and psychiatric morbidity. e) It has been well documented in numerous published medical studies of Borrelia’s ability to cause many recognized personality disorders and forms of depression; such as anxiety, depression, confusion, aggressive behaviour, mild to moderate cognitive deficits, fatigue, memory loss, and irritability. As such, the American Psychiatric Associations recommends that specialist doctors and councillors alike should seek to rule out Borreliosis as a possible differential diagnosis before commencing with any form of psychological intervention. f) At the University of Rostock in Germany, a 42-year old female patient presented with schizophrenia-like symptoms but a complete lack of neurological signs. A brain scan and investigation of the spinal fluid led to the diagnosis of Lyme disease. There was complete relief of symptoms after antimicrobial therapy. g) In a study of patients at a Boston, MA, hospital, scientists looked at patients with a history of Lyme disease who had been treated with short courses of antibiotics. As well as many physical symptoms, such as musculoskeletal impairment, the Lyme sufferers were found to have highly significant deficits in concentration and memory. Those who had received treatment early in the course of the illness had less long-term impairment. h) At the Kanazawa University School of Medicine in Japan, a 36-year old woman with severe chronic Encephalomyelopathy was shown to have a very high level of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi. She showed severe cerebellar ataxia (walking and balance difficulties due to disease in the cerebellum) and profound mental deterioration. The disease had probably been acquired while she had been in the USA. The autopsy 4 years later showed the presence of spirochaetes throughout the brain and spinal cord, which together with the antibody evidence, demonstrated that the Lyme bacteria had caused this encephalitic form of neuroborreliosis. i) Dr B. A. Fallon and his team at Columbia University Medical Centre in New York have done extensive studies on both adults and children with Lyme disease. They describe numerous psychiatric and neurological presentations of the disease, and show that it can mimic attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression and multiple sclerosis. In another study, the same team found panic disorder and mania could be caused by Borrelial infection. j) Scientists from Vancouver, Canada, and Lausanne, Switzerland, recently looked at post-mortem brain tissue samples from 14 patients who had had Alzheimer’s disease and compared them with 13 controls. All of the Alzheimer’s brains had infection with Borrelia-type organisms, compared to none of the controls. From 3 of the Alzheimer’s cases, they were able to carry out genetic and molecular analyses of these spirochaetes to prove beyond a doubt that they were Borrelia. k) Following the detailed statistical analysis of all published literature on schizophrenia, (with the criterion that each study had to have detailed histories for at least 3000 patients), Swiss scientist Dr Mark Fritzsche was able to demonstrate that: “globally there is a striking correlation between seasonal and geographical clusters of both Multiple Sclerosis and Schizophrenia with the worldwide distribution of the Lyme bacteria.” Yearly birth-excesses of such illnesses were found to mirror, with an intervening nine-month period, both the geographical and seasonal patterns of various types of Ixodes tick. He also went on to further state “In addition to known acute infections, no other disease exhibits equally marked epidemiological clusters by season and locality, nurturing the hope that prevention might ultimately be attainable.” l) Chronic fatigue syndrome has been found to be associated with infection by Borrelia. A study by the Department of Neurology at the University Hospital of Saarland in Homburg, Germany, investigated blood samples from 1,156 healthy young males, without knowing which ones were suffering from CFS. They saw a significant number with CFS sufferers who had Borrelia antibodies even though there were no other signs of borreliosis symptoms. They state that antibiotic therapy should be considered in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome who show positive Borrelia serology. m) Dr R. C. Bransfield in New Jersey, has found a significant number of Lyme patients exhibit aggression. Patients were described with decreased frustration tolerance, irritability, and some episodes of explosive anger which he terms “Lyme rage”. In relatively rare cases, there was uncontrollable rage, decreased empathy, suicidal tendencies, suicide, homicidal tendencies, interpersonal aggressiveness, homicide and predatory aggression. The World Health Organisation has warned that mental illness appears to be increasing globally, and that depression will soon become the second biggest cause of disease on the planet. In Britain, it is estimated that new-onset psychoses have reached the annual level of 30 per 100,000 of the population. According to recent announcements, although there are at present about 900 consultant psychiatrists employed in the UK, with 400 posts vacant, there are plans to recruit 7,500 new psychiatrists in the next 5 years, a massive 5-fold increase. The European Committee for Action on Lyme Borreliosis (EUCALB) has published epidemiological studies showing that there is a serious problem with tick-borne Borreliosis in Europe. For example, the UK’s nearest neighbour, Holland, has found 73 cases per 100,000 of the population per year, with an unknown number of missed diagnoses. The published figures for England, Ireland and Wales appear to be nearly 2 orders of magnitude lower than this, with only 0.3 cases per 100,000. Are cases of Lyme disease / Borreliosis not being found in Britain because it is still regarded as a rare disease in this country? Or do we genuinely have the lowest incidence in the world? Diagnosis of borreliosis is difficult, with tests for antibodies to the bacteria being the subject of great controversy at present. If a consultant has to look at a suspected case of the disease and believes it to be rare, and blood tests are unreliable, then the diagnosis will be biased, quite understandably, towards the patient having some other condition. It is hoped that health professionals at all levels, and in all disciplines, will come to realise that Human Borreliosis is the fastest-growing, most prevalent zoonotic disease in the world, and has been called a modern pandemic by several authors, including epidemiologists, rheumatologists, neurologists and infectious disease experts. There seems to be little awareness in the UK at present about this situation, but we urge that it be recognised sooner rather than later, in the hope that both mental and physical illnesses due to Borrelia are successfully diagnosed and treated. References a) A Controlled Study of Cognitive Deficits in Children with Chronic Lyme disease. Tager, F.A., Fallon, B.A., Keilp, J., Rissenberg, M., Jones, C.R., Liebowitz, M.R. J Neuropsychiatry Clin. Neurosci. 2001; Fall; 13(4): 500-7. b) ALS- Like Sequelae in Chronic Neuroborreliosis. Hansel, Y., Ackerl, M., Stanek, G. Wien. Med. Wochenschr. 1995; 145(7-8): 186-8. c) Lyme Psychosis. van den Bergen, H.A., Smith, J.P., van der Zwan, A. Ned. Tijdschr. Geneeskd. 1993; 137(41): 2098-100. d) Higher Prevalence of Antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi in Psychiatric Patients than in Healthy Subjects. Hajek, T., Paskova, B., Janovska, D., Bahbouh, R., Hajek, P., Libiger, J., Hoschl, C. Am. J. Psychiatry 2002; 159(2): 297-301. e) Highlights of the 2000 Institute on Psychiatric Services. Guardiano, J.J., von Brook, P. Jan. 2001, 52(1): 37-42. f) Borrelia burgdorferi Central Nervous System Infection Presenting as Organic Psychiatric Disorder. Hess, A., Buchmann, J., Zettel, U.K., et al. Biol. Psychiatry 1999; 45(6): 795. g) The Long-term Clinical Outcomes of Lyme disease. A Population-based Retrospective Cohort Study. Shadick, N.A., Phillips, C.B., Logigian, E.L., Steere, A.C. et al. Ann. Intern. Med. 1994; 121(8): 560-7. h) Borrelia burgdorferi Seropositive Chronic Encephalomyelopathy: Lyme Neuroborreliosis? An Autopsied Report. Kobayashi, K., Mizukoshi, C., Aoki, T., Muramori, F.et al. Dement. Geriatr. Cogn. Disord. 1997; 8(6): 384-90. i) (1) Late Stage Neuropsychiatric Lyme Borreliosis. Fallon, B.A., Schwartzburg, M., Bransfield, R., Zimmerman, B. et al. Psychosomatics 1995; 36(3): 295-300 (2) Functional Brain Imaging and Neuropsychological Testing in Lyme Disease. Fallon, B.A., Das, S., Plutchok, J.J., Tager, F. et al. Clin. Infect. Dis. 1997; Suppl.1: 557-63. j) Borrelia burgdorferi Persists in the Brain in Chronic Lyme Neuroborreliosis and may be associated with Alzheimer disease. Miklossy, J., Khalili, K., Gern, L., Ericson, R.L., et al. J. Alzheimer’s Dis. 2004; 6(6): 639-649. k) (1) Chronic Lyme Borreliosis at the root of Multiple Sclerosis – is a cure with Antibiotics attainable? Fritzsche, M. Med Hypotheses 2005; 64(3): 438-48. (2) Geographical and Seasonal Correlation of Multiple Sclerosis to Sporadic Schizophrenia. Fritzsche, M. Int. J. Health Geog. 2002; 1: 5. l) Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in Patients with Lyme Borreliosis. Treib, J., Grauer, M.T., Haas, A., Langenbach, J. et al. Eur. Neurol. 2000; 43(2): 107-9. m) Aggression & Lyme disease. Bransfield, R.C. 14th International Scientific ConfRead more