Unfortunately, there is great debate within the medical community regarding the existence and prevalence of the transmission of Lyme disease, co-infections, and parasites to the unborn fetus.

The medical community already recognizes that certain infections cross the placental barrier and they are known as “TORCH Syndrome” infections which include: Toxoplasmosis, Other (i.e., Syphilis), Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, and Herpes Simplex Virus. These infections become of great concern to the physician when unexplained birth defects occur in newborn babies. Antibody titer blood tests for “TORCH” infections in these babies yield insights into the cause of the birth defects, and this phenomenon is well established in the infectious disease medical community.

Operating purely from a perspective of common sense, if Syphilis crosses the placental barrier and can cause birth defects, why wouldn’t Borrelia, since they are both spirochetes and share similar gene sequences? During the 1980s, Dr. Alan MacDonald, a pathologist in Long Island, New York, wrote several scientific case studies documenting the presence of spirochetes in the tissues of both aborted fetal births, and children born with significant birth defects. Unfortunately, his research was largely ignored by the mainstream medical community for reasons that remain elusive to this day. Most likely, his work was ahead of its time.

Tessa Gardner, MD, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Washington, St. Louis, MO also wrote an entire chapter in a book devoted to infections of the unborn and newborn child, titled “Infectious Diseases of the Fetus and Newborn Infant” Philadelphia, Saunders, 2001. In this chapter, she discusses the possibility of Lyme Disease transmission from mother to child in utero.

Therefore, it is important to recognize that women who intend on becoming pregnant or who are pregnant and have Lyme disease, take the necessary precautions to prevent the transfer of Borrelia to their unborn child. This entails using appropriate antibiotics before, during, and after pregnancy, as it is also likely that Borrelia is transmitted through the mother’s milk (personal communication with Dr. Charles Ray Jones) to a developing infant.

Although there is sparse scientific evidence regarding congenital and gestational Lyme disease, the concept falls easily within the parameters of common sense and can be prevented, simply by appropriate antibiotic use during pregnancy.

Additionally, there is good reason to believe that certain cases of autism are in fact the result of congenital Lyme disease. Since Borrelia is known to be involved in a myriad of neurological disorders including ALS, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Multiple Sclerosis, logic follows that we might suspect similar involvement in childhood neurological disorders such as autism, ADHD, sensory integration, and processing difficulties, learning differences, dyslexia, Asperger’s Syndrome, and a host of other unexplained disorders. Here is a website that might be helpful for more information: Mothers Against Lyme.

For those of you who have Lyme disease and wish to become pregnant or who are pregnant, please consider consulting a “Lyme Literate Doctor” during your pregnancy to avoid unwanted complications that can be circumvented by the administration of antibiotics throughout pregnancy.

If you do have Lyme disease, it is also a good idea to do PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) testing on the cord blood and placenta for Borrelia, at the time of birth. You can contact Igenex at 800-832-3200 and order a test kit which can be available at the time of birth, so that blood and tissue samples can be assayed for spirochetal DNA.

As for the co-infections of Lyme disease, there is currently sparse evidence regarding the transmission of Babesia, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Bartonella, Tularemia, Mycoplasma, and other zoonotic diseases to the unborn fetus and newborn infant. However, yet again, the application of common sense would suggest that these diseases are quite likely to cross the placental barrier just as Syphilis does, which has been extensively scientifically documented.

Ending Lyme: How Revolutionary Biomolecular Research is the Key to Unraveling Lyme Disease

Historically, the defining features of inflammation include rubor (redness), calor (warmth), tumor (swelling), and dolor (pain), and there is a distinction between acute and chronic inflammation.  Acute inflammation compromises the early response to an injurious agent and is a defensive response that fosters repair of the damaged site.  Chronic inflammation results from stimuli that are persistently damaging to tissues.  Inflammation is a way that the body reacts to infection, irritation, or other injury and is considered a nonspecific immune response.  The inflammatory response directs immune cells to the site of injury or infection and is manifested by an increased blood supply coupled with vascular permeability.  Microorganisms (i.e., bacteria, viruses, fungi) are then engulfed by neutrophils and macrophages (types of white blood cells)  in an attempt to contain the infection to a smaller tissue space.

Systemic Inflammation and Cytokines

However, Lyme Disease can involve multi-organ systems rendering an inflammatory state that is a more generalized condition.  Proinflammatory cytokines (chemical messenger molecules) are released by immune cells in response to a pathogen which in turn causes inflammation in the joints, muscles, heart, brain, gastrointestinal system, and urinary system.  Spirochetes have an affinity for both collagen tissue and tissues that contain fatty acids (i.e., the brain), and bury deep within these substrates to avoid detection by the hosts’ immune system.  This is one of the reasons why capturing the DNA (PCR test) of these microorganisms remains difficult because they simply don’t dwell in the blood.  Hence, measuring the immune system’s antibody response to the pathogen(s) is the best choice for demonstrating pathogen exposure and infection.

Inflammation becomes particularly concerning when the brain is involved.  Microglial cells (immune cells of the brain) become activated in response to an insult or injury and cause localized inflammation.  When spirochetes reach the brain, an immune response is activated and inflammation occurs.  Patients experience the feeling of swelling in their head or eyes or pressure in their head.  This may also be the result of increased intracranial pressure secondary to infection and inflammation.

When the microglial cells of the brain become activated, a particular brain biochemical pathway known as the “kynurenine pathway” becomes involved and the production of a highly toxic molecule known as “quinolinic acid’ results from the metabolism of the amino acid tryptophan.  Quinolinic acid can be thought of as equivalent to “battery acid” in the brain where it literally causes neuronal destruction through increased free radical production as is observed in Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, and ALS.

There are many natural therapies to combat inflammation and help minimize the effects of quinolinic acid in the brain.  This will result in less brain fog, confusion, a recovery of memory and function, and greater mood stability.  I have been working with this paradigm for quite some time with great success.  The general idea is to DECREASE inflammation so that tissue damage is minimized and nutritive healing takes place.  An analogy here is the following: when a person becomes heated and angered, they are less likely to receive the opinion of an opponent.  Likewise, when tissues are inflamed, they are less likely to properly receive and utilize nutrients, water, and metabolize medications.  In essence, inflamed tissues are unable to perform adequate metabolic functions for optimal organ health.

Instructions for Tick Removal.

Any tick that is attached to the skin should be removed carefully and quickly using the following guidelines:

• Using small tweezers, grasp the head of the tick at the skin and hold firmly without squishing it, and pull STRAIGHT OUT without twisting or turning it.  There may be some resistance as ticks secrete a cement-like substance that allows them a tight hold on the skin site of attachment.
• Place the tick in a small jar and save it to send to Igenex, Inc. for PCR/DNA testing of the tick for Lyme Disease.
• NEVER squeeze or burn a tick.
• NEVER use any ointments at the site of the tick bite.
• Clean the tick bite site thoroughly with alcohol.
• Phone your physician and make an appointment immediately.
• Monitor the site of the tick bite and note any strange rashes.
• Take a magic marker and draw an outline around the edge of the rash so the Lyme Literate physician can see the extent of the rash. The marker won’t wear off in a shower if you have to wait to see the physician.
• Take a picture of the rash, and bring the picture with you to the doctor’s office so that if the rash fades, the physician can still assess it.
• Rashes can also occur on the body other than at the site of the tick bite so make note of these as well.
• Fleas, mosquitoes, sand flies, and probably any biting insect may also transmit Lyme Disease, so if you have suspicious swelling after an insect bite, take a picture of it and bring that picture to a Lyme Literate doctor’s office.

Ending Lyme: How Revolutionary Biomolecular Research is the Key to Unraveling Lyme Disease

Tick-borne diseases are a 21st-century epidemic in most geographical areas of the United States and Europe, China, Japan, Australia, South America, and Africa.  Greater awareness regarding the spread of these diseases is gaining momentum as we enter the “Decade of the Microbe.”  However, the multidimensional impact of Lyme disease in particular on our most vulnerable population, children, is still under substantial scrutiny by the medical establishment despite numerous scientific articles demonstrating clear and contrary evidence.,

Children are among the most vulnerable to tick-borne illness simply because they spend time outdoors, play low to the ground where ticks often reside, and are more likely to come into physical contact with these arthropods. At the same time, they show affection to family pets.

The northeast United States was where Lyme disease was first noted in 1975, among a population of children who demonstrated swollen sore knees, sore throats, fever, malaise, and debilitating fatigue.  This observation was made by a housewife, Polly Murray, who, to this day, is mainly responsible for recognizing the first outbreak of Lyme disease in Lyme, Connecticut.  At the same time, Dr. Charles Ray Jones, located in New Haven, Connecticut, not far from Lyme, Connecticut, who is now the world’s leading pediatric Lyme disease specialist, agreed with Mrs. Murray’s observations and began successfully treating many of these children with long term multiple antibiotics.

Dr. Jones was the first pediatrician to recognize the widespread prevalence of Lyme disease in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, and Maine.  As of December 2010, Delong-Termas treated over 20,000 children with various tick-borne diseases using long-term antibiotics.  Notably, most of these children recover and move on to do great things in the world.  At the age of 85, Dr. Jones continues to commit his life’s work to the healing and well-being of children who have Lyme disease. For a more detailed description of his contributions to pediatric Lyme disease, please see his website at Dr. Jones Kids. To view an in-depth interview with Dr. Jones, please watch the documentary “Under Our Skin,” which can be purchased at www.openeyepictures.com.

As a mentor to Dr. Marra for six years, Dr. Jones taught her the detailed intricacies of diagnosing and treating multiple tick-borne infections in children.  He encouraged her to look for the “subtle” nuances and the effects of tick-borne disease on developing bodies and brains.  His unrelenting perseverance for the truth about the prevalence of Lyme disease in children has made him an international treasure. Dr. Marra is grateful to have had the opportunity to work with him.

As a result of working with Dr. Jones,  she is well-trained in pediatric Lyme disease and co-infection treatment.  She fosters her interest in this medical niche by attending annual ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society) conferences while discussing complex cases with Dr. Jones and maintaining frequent professional dialogue with other Lyme-literate doctors.

Dr. Marra feels privileged to know Dr. Jones and is thankful for his willingness to mentor her.   She is fortunate enough to know someone with experience in the medical management of pediatric and adolescent Lyme disease.  Dr. Marra utilizes his wisdom and insights daily in her practice, and Pediatric/Adolescent Lyme disease remains one of her greatest professional strengths.  Dr. Marra intends to continue practicing medicine for tick-borne illness with the skills she has obtained in 22 years of training and over 7,300 patients with Dr. Jones’ principles at the core of her treatment plans. She remains a colleague and a friend of Dr. Jones and hopes to continue his legacy with as much commitment to healing children as he does throughout his more significant 60-year medical career.  Dr. Jones is without question an honorable man who dedicated his life to a most worthy cause. For that, the world is no doubt a better place, despite the continued controversy over antibiotic treatment for chronic Lyme disease.

Adult Lyme disease cases have reached epidemic proportions in the last decade due to a variety of factors including climate change allowing for continued tick replication throughout the year, urban housing development in rural areas where deer inhabit and are known tick vectors, and an increase in the deer population.  Most importantly, the development of appropriate scientific tools such as tests, are needed to document the presence and exposure to Borrelia in blood and urine, which are known bacterial pathogens causing a multitude of various waxing and waning symptoms known as Lyme disease.

Lyme disease and mold toxicity, also known as the “Great Imitators”, can mimic many other diseases, especially in adults, where a proper diagnosis can be difficult. They are diseases that affect multi-organ systems, causing local and systemic inflammation while rendering tissues, cells, and organelles unable to cope with the daily demands of everyday life.

In adults, Lyme disease and mold are often accompanied by crushing fatigue and disorders of the autoimmune, hormonal, neurological, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems that make it difficult for a definitive diagnosis.  Nonetheless, appropriate diagnostic testing is required to fully understand the scope of the illnesses in question.

Having trained as an ILADS preceptor under the tutelage of Dr. Richard Horowitz in Hyde Park, NY, a leading Lyme disease expert, it is Dr. Marra’s belief that an integrated approach to Lyme disease and co-infection treatment is the most effective way to eradicate tick-borne illness. Depending on the patient and severity of the disease, she uses rotating combinations, peptides, botanical medicines, and nutrition to maximize the healing from this all too often debilitating disease.

Without question, the sooner you receive proper diagnosis and treatment, the more likely you will fully recover.

There is a patient population however, that has difficulty detoxifying from the endotoxins released into the blood from dying spirochetes.  These patients require skillful antibiotics and herbal medical management in order to heal.  At least half of Dr. Marra’s 22 years of experience has been treating adults with chronic Lyme disease and co-infections, and she believes that the ability to heal is largely accomplished through a solid doctor/patient relationship where truthful dialogue is achieved so that the doctor can make informed decisions about how to proceed with treatment.  Dr. Marra works with many other Lyme Literate doctors that she keeps in constant contact with in order to share insights and wisdom with regard to progressive therapeutic techniques.

Dr. Marra is grateful for the outstanding colleagues that she has, as well as her courageous patients who persevere in treatment, knowing that one day they will be well and free of the often debilitating effects of tick-borne illness.

When dealing with chronic illness, the more information, and support that you have the better. Below, you will find some resources for Lyme disease, chronic illness, and more that may be helpful and provide a lot of additional information.

• American Association of Naturopathic Physicians
  
• Bastyr University
  
• Bryan Rosner’s Website
  
• California Lyme Disease Association
  
• Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation
  
• Columbia University Lyme Disease Research Center
  
• Dr. Jones Kids
  
• Fry Laboratories
  
• Igenex
  
• International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society
  
• Lyme Disease Action UK
  
• Lyme Disease Association
  
• Lyme Disease Books
  
• Lyme Disease Medical Literature Summaries
  
• Lyme Induced Autism
  
• Lyme Times
  
• Open Eye Pictures
  
• Tick Repellent Clothing
  
• Turn the Corner Foundation / Tick-borne Disease Alliance
  
• University of New Haven Lyme Research
  
• Washington Association of Naturopathic Physicians
  
• Lyme Disease Research Alliance
  
• Genova Diagnostics
  
• Cyrex Labs
  
• Dunwoody Labs
  
• NeuroScience
  
• Meridian Valley Labs
  
• The Institute for Functional Medicine
  
• Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute
  
• Institute for Systems Biology
  
• American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine
  
• Environmental Working Group
  
• Lyme Disease and Neuroborreliosis
  
• Under Our Skin, Under Our Skin 2: Emergence:
  
• Lymelight
  
• Invisible Illness: Lyme disease, TED
  
• Lyme Disease a Silent Epidemic Produced by France 5 Public Network and Grand Angle Directed by Chantal Perrin
  
• Maladie de Lyme diffusé sur France 5 le 20/5/14 (in French)
  
• The Voices of Lyme Disease – Breaking the Silence created by Victoria Wilcox, a 16 year old girl and her friend, Sara Lynch
  
• Documentary Film on Lyme Disease and Stealth Infections, Invisibly Ill, Australia
  
• Lyme Awareness
  
• Under the Eight Ball
  
• Yolanda Foster’s Experience With Lyme: LRA Gala
  
• Daryl Hall Speaks About Persistent Lyme Disease Infection
  
• Dorothy Leland (Lymedisease.org)
  
• Debbie Gibson Reveals Drastic Weight Loss Caused by Lyme Disease
  
• Amy Tan with Ray Stricker
  
• Ben Stiller on David Letterman discusses Lyme disease
  
• Florida Reporter tells Lyme story
  
• Nucleus Medical Media. COVID-19 Animation: What Happens If You Get Coronavirus? YouTube, 28, Mar. 2020.
  
• The Monster Inside Me. LYME v COVID-19 part 1: “MOMENTUM” YouTube, 29, Mar. 2020.

The Bacterial Biofilm is a sticky, viscous negatively charged substance similar to “bacterial slime”, composed of mucopolysaccharides and DNA, and stabilized by minerals and probably heavy metal molecules.  Plaque found on teeth surfaces is an example of a biofilm.  Biofilm adheres to aqueous environmental surfaces like vascular endothelium and proliferates.  Most types of bacteria secrete some form of this substance which allows them to dwell in the vasculature and extracellular matrix of tissues while also living in a community.  By utilizing cell adhesion molecules, the bacteria bind to surfaces, “seed”, and form new colonies allowing for continued proliferation.

A biofilm community can be comprised of more than one bacterial species (and viral species) that cohabitate and engage in “quorum sensing”, an evolutionarily old form of bacterial communication.  This is important as we begin to unravel the mysteries encased within the complicated architecture of biofilm.  Biofilm resembles “cheesecloth” where it is negatively charged,  loose, fluid, and anchored at certain places by positively charged ions including calcium, magnesium, mercury, lead, etc…  This may be why when a Borreliosis/Lyme disease patient undergoes heavy metal chelation, they often experience an exacerbation of symptoms.  Chelation of minerals and metals essentially destabilizes the biofilm, rendering the inhabiting bacteria more vulnerable to the hosts’ immune system and antimicrobials.  Additionally, a recent study demonstrated that bacteria actually sense the presence of ammonia which ultimately regulates the social behavior of species contained within the biofilm community.  The ability to sense ammonia leads the microorganisms to nutritional sources such as proteins which are nitrogen-containing molecules so that feeding can take place.

Dr. Alan MacDonald, a highly regarded Borreliosis/Lyme disease researcher in New York, demonstrated that Borrelia species not only produce biofilm, but can live in the community in any form (i.e., spirochete, L form, spheroplast, and cyst).  Additionally, other zoonotic bacteria such as Babesia, Bartonella, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, and Mycoplasma species inhabit these communities as well.  The bacterial biofilm is used to both protect the bacteria from the hosts’ immune system, while also serving as a nutritional reservoir in times of harsh environmental conditions.  It’s a very evolutionarily old and efficient way to ensure that many bacteria of a certain species survive, thrive, and replicate.  Essentially, it is “bacterial commune living.”

The biofilm can adequately prevent antibiotics from reaching pathogenic bacteria and this may account for some people developing chronic Borreliosis/Lyme symptoms.  The film is effectively protecting many bacterial species that can later escape the community, reproduce and move on to inhabit other tissues.

Currently, it is not scientifically known how to permanently degrade the biofilm, however, it is known that proteolytic enzymes are very effective at dissolving mucopolysaccharides.  Typically, biofilm is degraded by enzymes including:

• Bromelain
• Lactoferrin
• Lumbrokinase
• N-Acetylcystein
• Nattokinase
• Serrapeptase
• Wobenzym
• Xylitol

Also, the peptide, KPV is great at degrading bacterial biofilm.