In 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that over a billion people are at risk for parasitic worm infections (filaria).  120 million people are infected with parasites in more than 80 countries (Africa, Asia, Central and South Americas, and the Pacific Islands). Of those infected, 44 million suffer filariasis symptoms. 

Nematodes are parasitic worms which receive nourishment and/or shelter from hosts. There is a theory that nematodes ‘farm’ smaller organisms like the Lyme Borrelia spirochetes, similar to the way we humans farm cows or chickens, feeding and protecting them so we can later eat them.  Nematodes may live symbiotically with spirochetes in humans! 

Ticks and other vectors harbor numerous parasites: large ones referred to as worms (filaria) and microscopic bacteria, viruses, protozoa, fungi and microfilaria.  Ticks in Connecticut and New York do carry nematodes according to Doctors Willy Burgdorfer, Eva Sapi, and Richard Ostfeld. 

Can worms destroy American health, as in WHO’s reported 80 countries, or as in our American pets?  The answer to the question, “Can nematodes wreak havoc as human parasites?” is supposedly unknown, at least in the USA.  Well, can nematodes prevent recovery from “chronic” Lyme and tick-borne diseases?  Puppies are de-wormed soon after they are born.  Dogs typically and quickly recover from Lyme disease after antibiotics, perhaps because of their early-life and subsequent regular de-worming; there are no nematodes harvesting spirochetes in their canine bodies.

If nematodes work against antibiotics by protecting and increasing spirochete population, then antibiotic therapy may eradicate ‘loose’ spirochetes but not those under nematode farmers’ protection.  If a nematode-Borrelia symbiotic relationship exists, Borrelia can screw its way out, escape the nematode farm, free to wreak havoc on us.

If nematodes are present, then a huge amount of antibiotics over a long period of time may only suppress bacterial growth.  Symptoms will be somewhat relieved, a modicum of health will be maintained, but there is no cure while nematodes live to raise new spirochetes. 

So for the duration, surviving nematodes will keep on farming.  Can this proposed process explain the cyclical nature of Lyme in certain cases?  Antibiotics destroy spirochetes, some nematodes starve and die, but survivor nematodes still farm.  A human host might suffer a relapse or flare-up if a bountiful harvest releases excess spirochetes into the body. 

Antibiotics relieve our symptoms by killing spirochetes.   Antibiotics also decrease the nematode’s food supply resulting in nematode starvation and death.  If enough spirochetes are destroyed and enough nematodes die of starvation, eventually there might be no one left to run the farm.  A patient recovers.

However if nematode filaria causes some chronic Lyme, it might be more prudent to stop the farmer.  Ivermectin causes starvation and death of nematodes by interfering with their ability to eat/digest.  Although antibiotics have been our primary defense, a doctor once told me Ivermectin was the best medicine for Lyme disease.  Interesting to note that since 1982, filariasis victims in WHO’s reported 80 countries were given millions of free doses of Ivermectin as part of a Global Health Initiative, but in the USA and Europe, it is typically not prescribed.  A surging idea is that all we need is to live healthy and take vitamins and supplements but I suspect that what would CURE chronic Lyme would be a remedy for the cause! 

Other causes may be virulent Borrelia, Mycoplasma, Morgellons, Candida, other Fungi, Molds, XMRV, (Xenotropic Murine Retrovirus) and/or other microbes or filaria.

The average chronic Lyme patient suffers a gradual decline into poverty and a lifetime of pain and debilitation.  Find the cause, treat and have compassion. 

Eva Haughie

EMPIRE STATE LYME DISEASE ASSOCIATION, INC

http://www.empirestatelymediseaseassociation.org/filaria/filariasis.htm

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Ten Questions For Scientists 1-19-2011

1. Do nematodes have symbiotic relationships with spirochetes and/or with with other microbes, such as rickettsia, other bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, or even microfilaria?

2. Do bacteria and other microbes live in worms?

3. Do spirochetes create biofilms or do their nematode farmers create biofilms, as a nurturing protective 'farmland' to produce an optimum harvest?

4. Do other worms have symbiotic relationships with microbes?

5.  We worry about heartworm in our pets, but does heartworm cause heart attacks in humans?

6. What are the symptoms of Filarial worms other than river blindness?

7. Do the symptoms of Filaria overlap symptoms of Lyme disease, in other words could Filaria be a Third Great Imitator?

8. Do populations in other countries suffer from the same plethora of autoimmune diseases written down in our medical books and do other places have an overwhelming number of diagnosed cases as we have in the USA?

9. If they can manipulate genetics to produce 'helpful' nematodes, can or have they manipulated genetics to produce harmful nematodes?

10. WHY  . . . . . . . ?  In a doctor's office where they treat Lyme disease, one medical professional tells a patient that Ivermectin is the best medicine for Lyme disease, but then refuses to prescribe it for a reason stated as 'I can't because of politics.'  Then almost twenty years later, a second medical professional from the very same office admits to the patient that they did prescribe Ivermectin to patients, in fact, they did use it.  Then WHY  . . . . . . . ?