hacked by p@3t_b@y for turks

By Michael Verikios - Wednesday, January 24, 2007

The world’s experts on a potentially life-threatening tick disease are warning that families with young children are more at risk than ever when travelling in Europe this summer. Leading scientists have confirmed that Tick Borne Encephalitis (TBE), which can lead to meningitis and in serious cases result in paralysis and death, is now endemic in 27 countries across mainland Europe, an increase of 11 on 2006.

The Tick Alert campaign warns UK travellers to check risk areas and seek further information and advice.

Ticks carrying the disease are found in many holiday destinations growing in popularity such as Croatia, the Czech Republic and Slovenia and have now spread to parts of established holiday spots such as Italy, Greece and France.

Research shows that TBE is more common in boys than girls and is increasingly affecting the 0-3 age group.

Professor Michael Kunze, of the Medical University Vienna, Austria and a leading expert in the prevention of TBE, said: “The incidence among children increases with age, with boys showing a higher incidence than girls in all age groups.”

He continues: “It is advisable for parents to obtain medical advice before travelling into endemic areas. It is estimated that there are over 10,000 cases each year in endemic countries.”

TBE-infected ticks are found typically in rural and forest areas from late spring and throughout summer. At-risk groups include all visitors to rural areas of endemic countries, particularly those participating in outdoor activities such as trekking, hiking, climbing, cycling and camping.

Tick diseases are not only found abroad. Families planning camping and activity holidays in rural areas of the UK are being urged to protect against Lyme disease, which is reckoned to affect 2,000 people every year.

A number of measures can be taken to reduce the risk of tick infection: using an insect repellent, wearing trousers and long-sleeved clothing to cover all areas of exposed skin, regularly inspecting for tick bites and carefully removing any found. TBE can also be transmitted by the ingestion of unpasteurised milk which should be avoided.

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Hi, my name is Fiona i was diagnosed with CFS / Post Viral Fatigue over 10 years ago. I made the mistake of accepting this diagnosis and initially I only got ill for about 2 weeks / year so I was not too concerned. As time went on my illness became much worse and eventaully I was suffering symptoms almost constantly. I insisted on being referred to a specailist ME doctor at George Elliot hospital who told me that he couldnt find anything wrong with me and I was just a little bit tired. I was thrilled with his diagnosis as I had been a little tired for 7 years up to that point. Having said that in order to keep me going at work and give me energy he put me on Testosterone injections which was not without the most hideous side effects. Every time the illness got bad and I went to my GP’s I got the same remarks ‘ your ill because you dont like taking the testosterone ‘ or ‘ your ill because your stressed’.
I became so ill that I was taking up to 10 - 12 tablets every day in order to keep going to work. Opiate based pain killers for the horendous glandular pain, prescribed sleeping tablets because i was no longer able to sleep, testosterone tablets to give me energy, antibiotics to hlep keep the acne at bay ( a side effect of the testosterone ).
In the end my blood pressure was soaring high and the GP’s were monitoring this ( another side effect of testsoterone ).
I no longer trusted the NHS or my GP’s and I knew something else must be wrong. They kept telling me that ME / CFS is a self limiting condition that wears off after 4 - 6 yaers and that the symptoms should not get worse. I kept arguing so why am I getting worse / why havent I woken up 1 morning without my illness afetr all I had the right attitude to it I wouldnt let it stop me from getting on even though it was inceredibly hard and I had to pretend to be OK at work when frankly i could barley understand what people were saying to me!
I started wondering if I was actaully dying slowly and that the doctors just didnt know what I had.
I decided to attend an ME conference and was told of a disease called Lyme disease, EUREKA my symptoms fitted exactly; the weird rash that my GP had dismissed, the recuring symptoms and intolerable pain.
I immediatley made an appointment to see Dr Wright a Lyme specailist - stuff waiting for a referral through my GP - I now knew what was wrong and didnt care about the cost I had to get help and quickly.
He diagnosed me straight away as he could actually see a spirochate of Lyme floating in my plasma.
He put me on some weird herbal medicines - cripes I hate all that cranky stuff but i’d do anything to be rid of this disease. Later he presecribed me antibiotics via my GP ( who I threatened if they didnt give me what I needed to get better then I was more than happy to sue them for their inept diagnosis )
After 2 yaers of treatment which at the begining was painful and did make me feel worse I can now say that I am better. For the first time in several yaers I do not need sleeping tablets to knock myself out, I am no longer in horrendous pain every day, I can even go out with friends and party without worrying that the next day I will be a complete zombie.
My recomendation to anyone with a diagnosis of ME / CFS that is in pain or not able to have a work or social life is dont accept what you are told by your GP - get help wherever you can and for Gods sake get your self to a private Lyme physicain and get tested now! The cost will be repaid to you with good health in the future.
Finally I just wnat you to know that you dont have to me a naturist with a hobby of cycling or hiking through the New Forest to get this disease. I have never been camping or trecked around fields or worked with animals. I live in a city and drive around for a living my feet are made for pressing on the brake and clutch not hill walking.
So dont let your GP or anyone assume you cant get this disease because you are not at high risk - YOU CAN GET IT AND MOST OF ALL YOU CAN GET RID OF IT!

Fiona
 

Jan 19 2007 By The Journal

Sheep producers are being urged to protect their flocks from lice and tick infestations this lambing season.

Lambing time is often pretty stressful, but it can also be a period when lice and ticks are an added source of irritation for ewes and a health threat to young lambs, vets warn.

Lice outbreaks, in particular, are on the increase since the ending of compulsory dipping for sheep scab.

“Although infestations by the biting louse Bovicola ovis do not cause the loss of body condition associated with sheep scab, they do cause considerable wool loss and make housed sheep very restless,” explains Schering- Plough Animal Health live- stock veterinary adviser Paul Williams.

Infested sheep not only rub, but also bite at their flanks and can often be seen with wool in their mouths.

Unlike sheep scab, patches of bare skin are uncommon as the wool tends to regrow and there will also be no sign of scabs on the skin surface.

Lice can be spotted clinging on to the wool of affected sheep - especially if a sample is held against a dark background - and they are typically brown in colour with elongated bodies and a definite head.

Since lice live permanently on the host animal, transmission is via infested sheep particularly when they are grouped together for housing or feeding in winter.

“In addition to keeping existing stock lice free it is very important to isolate, inspect and, if necessary, treat replacement animals especially rams before they join the main flock,” Mr Williams advises.

This procedure will also help to avoid the introduction of sheep scab to the flock.

Ticks in contrast, live away from the host for most of their life cycle but pose a particular threat to flocks on rough and unimproved pastures where the natural increase in numbers coincides with the turnout of ewes and young lambs.

As part of its life cycle the sheep tick, Ixodes ricinus, needs a blood meal from a host animal and the adult females are most likely to be found attached to the head, legs or other areas of skin not covered by wool.

Their feeding can also cause abscesses in the joints, spine and internal organs of lambs resulting in a condition known as tick pyaemia.

Mr Williams said: “Badly affected lambs frequently die of starvation as they cannot keep up with the ewes.

“Ticks also transmit louping ill - a viral disease of the nervous system - and tick-borne fever, an illness characterised by a sudden high fever for 4-22 days.

“Abortion can occur in ewes not previously exposed to infected ticks. Most affected sheep become carriers and relapses of the disease can occur.”

http://tinyurl.com/28r2th

Think Tank. Jan 26 - 28

Why are doctors saying that up to 90% of children with autism are infected with Lyme disease? The Lyme Induced Autism Foundation is holding a physicians’ Think Tank on January 26-28th in San Diego, CA to discuss this recent finding.

Corona, CA (PRWEB) January 9, 2007 — New reports indicate up to 90% of children with autism are infected with Lyme disease. With autism at a staggering 1 out of 166 children, parents are questioning this new finding.

“The Think Tank is an opportunity to bring the Lyme disease specialists and the autism specialists together to create testing and treatment options for our kids”.
Doctors and parents alike have been examining the potential causes of autism for years, some of which include thimerosol filled injections, environmental factors and most recently Lyme disease. With more doctors supporting the link between Lyme disease and autism, parents have joined forces to create the Lyme Induced Autism Foundation.

The foundation is holding a physicians’ Think Tank on January 26-28th in San Diego, CA to discuss this recent finding. Co-founder Tami Duncan states, “The Think Tank is an opportunity to bring the Lyme disease specialists and the autism specialists together to create testing and treatment options for our kids.” This is a groundbreaking effort which hopefully will analyze this even further to provide some answers to families.

Duncan says, “We are not saying that Lyme disease is the exact cause of autism for every single child. Let me clarify; what we are saying is that Lyme Disease could be an inciting factor that is suppressing the child’s immune system, which would make them more susceptible to heavy metal toxicity, environmental factors, etc. There are a large subset of autistic children in which this is happening. However, most children with Lyme Induced Autism cannot begin to heal until this infection is under control. Parents want their children healed of autism.”

Where is the proof that Lyme disease is a factor in autism? Currently, several doctors have stepped forward talking about this. Dr. Warren Levin of Vienna, VA recently appeared on the online radio show on www.autismone.com hosted by Duncan called “The Lyme-Autism Connection”. He stated that of the 10 children with autism he tested for Lyme disease, 100% of them also came back positive for Lyme disease.

But more proof is needed to convince parents and the medical community to take action. The Lyme Induced Autism Foundation has announced its first fundraiser called “Laughter for Healing” at the Improv comedy club in Irvine, CA on February 24th, 2007.

Duncan states, “The whole goal of the fundraiser is to raise money for our research program. We would like to fund a study that will test children with autism for Lyme disease to determine what actual percentage of children are infected. Only then will we be able to pull the top researchers and physicians together to come up with some answers. Lyme disease can be fatal, parents are scared, we need to help these kids now.”

For more information on Lyme Induced Autism, please log onto www.lymeinducedautism.com. Interested parties may also purchase tickets or become a sponsor for the “Laughter for Healing” Improv comedy event online.

About Autism
Autism is a disorder that currently affects 1 out of 166 children. Boys are the majority of those affected. The numbers of autism cases spiked in the mid-late 90’s and continues to remain high. The exact cause of autism is still unknown, however, many theories exist. Most children do improve with some sort of bio-medical intervention.

About Lyme disease
Lyme disease is generally caused by a tick bite. Symptoms of Lyme disease include, achy joints, confusion, slurring words or word retrieval problems, brain fog, sensitivity to light and sound. Lyme disease in its late stage can be fatal, causing MS like symptoms and debilitating its victims. Treatment for Lyme disease consists of antibiotic therapy.

About the Lyme Induced Autism Foundation
The foundation was started in September 2006 by parents of children with autism and Lyme disease. Kathy Blanco of Beaverton, OR and Tami Duncan of Corona, CA are the founders. The foundation’s goals are to educate families and physicians on the link between Lyme and autism, bring physicians together to form a consensus for testing and treatment options and to provide funding for research studies related to autism and Lyme disease.

Contact information:
Tami Duncan
Lyme Induced Autism Foundation
1771 Honors Lane
Corona, CA 92883
(951) 817-1173

http://tinyurl.com/2zyw7p 

Have you had Tick-Borne Encephalitis?

Do you know someone that has been affected by Tick-Borne Encephalitis?

Would you be willing to be involved in publicity for the annual ‘Tick Alert’ Campaign to help them generate even further awareness of tick-borne diseases and their prevention, including Tick-Borne Encephalitis - a viral disease, contracted via the bite of an infected tick, which can lead to meningitis and, in serious cases, result in paralysis?

If you can help, please call the Tick Alert press office on 01943 468010 to speak to a member of their team, or email: info@tickalert.org. If you include a telephone number, they will call you back to discuss things further.

The National Research Fund for Tick-Borne Diseases, Inc. (NRFTD), the nation’s only non-profit organization dedicated primarily to funding scientific research in the rapidly expanding field of tick-borne diseases, today announced the awarding of four research grants totaling $240,000 under its 2006 pilot project grant program. Leo J. Shea III, PhD, NRFTD national chairman, states, “The objective of this program is to accelerate the advancement of scientific knowledge regarding tick-borne diseases and to translate these advances into improved health for patients who suffer from them.”

“Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses are a growing public health threat, yet little work is being done to understand the complexities posed by these potentially serious diseases,” said Catherine F. Morrissey, NRFTD research board chair. “Our program is an expedited funding initiative designed to support cutting edge research with the greatest potential to advance scientific discovery.” Grant winners are selected following a rigorous peer-review process by the NRFTD’s distinguished Scientific Advisory Board using guidelines akin to those established by the National Institutes of Health. In addition

to selecting projects that adhere to the highest standards of quality, the likelihood that a project’s results will lead to additional long-term funding by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation or other scientific or biomedical agencies is strongly considered. “The winning grants promise to provide important scientific information as well as jumpstart even bigger studies,” Morrissey noted.

Dr. Wayne Hynes of Old Dominion University has been awarded a grant to study the role of defensins in the innate immune response of ticks. Defensins are small antimicrobial proteins that kill bacteria by attacking and destroying their surface membranes. While the immune system of dog ticks contains defensin, it is not detectable in deerticks, and it may be that the presence of this protein accounts for the inability of dog ticks to transmit Borrelia burgdorferi, the spirochetal bacterium that causes Lyme disease. Hynes will conduct experiments to investigate whether inactivating the gene encoding the defensin protein in dog ticks will allow this species to transmit the Lyme disease spirochete. Understanding the role of defensins in tick immunity will allow for comparisons with vertebrate defensins, possibly providing scientists with strategies to augment human innate immunity to Borrelia.

Also studying Lyme disease will be Dr. Brian Stevenson of the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, who will investigate how antigenic variation in Borrelia burgdorferi’s surface membranes enables persistent infection in animal hosts. Bacteria from the Borrelia genus are capable of varying their outer surface proteins to avoid destruction by animal immune systems. This process has been noted in Borrelia hermsii, an agent of relapsing fever, which contains a protein known as Vmp (variable major protein). In Borrelia burgdorferi, the variable antigenic protein is called VlsE ((Vmp-like sequence, expressed) and it is believed to play a crucial role in B.burgdorferi’s ability to survive in animals. Throughout mammalian infection, the DNA sequence of B. burgdorferi’s vlsE gene changes constantly as the pathogen “reshuffles” its surface proteins; identifying the mechanism by which this occurs could lead to important novel therapies in the treatment of Lyme disease.

Another important, potentially fatal tick-transmitted disease is human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA), caused by a bacterium called Anaplasma phagocytophilum. This organism will be studied by Dr. Jason Carlyon, also of the University of Kentucky. After being transmitted to animals, A. phagocytophilum invades certain white blood cells called neutrophils. The susceptibility of neutrophils to A. phagocytophilum is controlled by molecular interactions between the bacterium and host neutrophils: the bacterium contains “keys” (known as adhesins) that interact with “locks” (receptors) on the neutrophil’s surface. Identifying the specific adhesins and receptors involved in this process will provide scientists with new targets for HGA therapies and vaccines.

The final grant recipient is Dr. Patricia Holman from Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, who will study Babesia microti, yet another important tick-transmitted pathogen. B. microti, a protozoan microbe that invades red blood cells, is the causal agent of human babesiosis, an infection that can cause severe fevers, jaundice and even death in susceptible individuals. No test exists for this organism in donated blood or organs, so transfusion or transplantation-associated cases, some fatal, have occurred. Holman will develop methods to culture the B. microti parasite and investigate the interaction between one of its surface antigens, called “apical membrane 1″ (AMA-1) and human red blood cells. This work will aid in designing drug therapies and vaccines by providing a target for interrupting the invasion process.

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