Volume: 2 Table of Contents: I. LYMENET: CDC's Olson Stands By His "Lyme Death" Statement II. LDF: Pregnancy Research Project Begins at LDF III. LDF: Volunteers Needed for Research Study Design IV. LYMENET: MS Society to Hold Regional Conference in NJ V. How to Subscribe, Contribute, and Get Back Issues Newsletter: *********************************************************************** * The National Lyme Disease Network * * LymeNet Newsletter * *********************************************************************** IDX# Volume 2 - Number 12 - 7/29/94 IDX# INDEX IDX# IDX# I. LYMENET: CDC's Olson Stands By His "Lyme Death" Statement IDX# II. LDF: Pregnancy Research Project Begins at LDF IDX# III. LDF: Volunteers Needed for Research Study Design IDX# IV. LYMENET: MS Society to Hold Regional Conference in NJ IDX# V. How to Subscribe, Contribute, and Get Back Issues IDX# QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "Certainty generally is illusion, and repose is not the destiny of man." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., 1897. I. LYMENET: CDC's Olson Stands By His "Lyme Death" Statement --------------------------------------------------------------- Source: LymeNet News Byline: By Marc Gabriel with reports from Frank Demarest Date: July 26, 1994 Dr. James Olson of the CDC in Atlanta stands by his statement that "Nobody dies from Lyme disease." The statement was published in a July 19 Associated Press story on a new form of ehrlichiosis, a potentially deadly bacterial disease spread by ticks. Olsen's words quickly prompted outrage from Lyme patients and LD advocates, some of whom knew individuals who have died from LD complications. In a telephone interview with the LymeNet Newsletter on July 26, Olson confirmed the statement. When presented with abstracts and other information contradicting his assertion, he reacted angrily, insisting that we were wasting our time reading the information to him. Olson ended the brief interview by suddenly hanging up, after claiming he had nothing further to say. The AP story on ehrlichiosis described three deaths attributed to the disease. During the course of that interview, Olson stated "Nobody dies of Lyme disease. There can be a lot of complications and there is a lot of hoopla, but nobody dies of Lyme disease." Here are some of the materials cited during the interview: AUTHORS: Cary NR, Fox B, Wright DJ, Cutler SJ, Shapiro LM, Grace AA TITLE: Fatal Lyme carditis and endodermal heterotopia of the atrioventricular node Med J 1990 Mar;66(773):258] SOURCE: Postgrad Med J 1990 Feb;66(772):134-6 ABSTRACT: A fatal case of Lyme carditis occurring in a Suffolk farmworker is reported. Post-mortem examination of the heart showed pericarditis, focal myocarditis and prominent endocardial and interstitial fibrosis. The additional finding of endodermal heterotopia ('mesothelioma') of the atrioventricular node raises the possibility that this could also be related to Lyme infection and account for the relatively frequent occurrence of atrioventricular block in this condition. Lyme disease should always be considered in a case of atrioventricular block, particularly in a young patient from a rural area. The heart block tends to improve and therefore only temporary pacing may be required. ----- AUTHORS: Kirsch M, Ruben FL, Steere AC, Duray PH, Norden CW, Winkelstein A TITLE: Fatal adult respiratory distress syndrome in a patient with Lyme disease. SOURCE: JAMA 1988 May 13;259(18):2737-9 ABSTRACT: A dry cough, fever, generalized maculopapular rash, and myositis developed in a 67-year-old woman; she also had markedly abnormal liver function test results. Serologic tests proved that she had an infection of recent onset with Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent that causes Lyme disease. During a two-month course of illness, her condition remained refractory to treatment with antibiotics, salicylates, and steroids. Ultimately, fatal adult respiratory distress syndrome developed; this was believed to be secondary to Lyme disease. ----- AUTHORS: Marcus LC, Steere AC, Duray PH, Anderson AE, Mahoney EB, TITLE: Fatal pancarditis in a patient with coexistent Lyme disease and babesiosis. Demonstration of spirochetes in the myocardium. SOURCE: Ann Intern Med 1985 Sep;103(3):374-6 ABSTRACT: A 66-year-old man developed fever, chills, myalgias, three erythematous skin lesions, and transient left eyelid lag. Because of persistent fever, he was hospitalized 4 weeks after the onset of disease; a peripheral blood smear showed Babesia microti in 3% of his erythrocytes. Eighteen hours later, he died unexpectedly. Autopsy showed pancarditis with a diffuse lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate, and spirochetes were found in the myocardium. Antibody titers to both the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi and Babesia microti were elevated. The finding of spirochetes in the myocardium and the elevated antibody titers to Borrelia burgdorferi suggest that the patient died from cardiac involvement of Lyme disease. ----- Liegner KB, Ziska M, Agricola MD, Hubbard JD, Klempner MS, Coyle PK, Bayer ME, Duray PH, Fatal Chronic Meningoencephalomyelitis (CMEM) with Massive Hydrocephalus in a New York State Patient with Evidence of Borrelia Burgdorferi (Bb) Exposure, Abstract #P041T, VI International Conference on Lyme Borreliosis, Bologna, Italy, June 19 to 22, 1994. ----- "Rare deaths from Lyme disease have been reported." -- CDC pamphlet, _Lyme Disease: A Public Information Guide from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention_ =====*===== II. LDF: Pregnancy Research Project Begins at LDF --------------------------------------------------- Sender: The Lyme Disease Foundation Press Release -- For Immediate Release: July 12, 1994 Contact: Martina Ziska, M.D. (203) 525-2000 (HARTFORD) -- A new study designed to describe the clinical laboratory aspects of gestational Lyme Borreliosis is scheduled to begin this month. The Lyme Disease Foundation, Inc, a voluntary health organization dedicated to making Lyme disease a non-risk, will coordinate the program. The two year prospective study will be conducted through a partnership among the Lyme Disease Foundation (LDF), North American Laboratory Groups in New Britain, CT, and St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Beaumont, TX. Gynecologists and obstetricians currently caring for pregnant women who have contracted Lyme disease before or during pregnancy are urged to enroll their patients in this study. Participants from Lyme disease endemic states are preferred. Those states are California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. OB/GYN doctors wishing more information should call or write the program director, Martina Ziska, MD, at the Lyme Disease Foundation, One Financial Plaza, Hartford, CT 06103-2610; 203-525-2000 (FAX: 203-525-8425). =====*===== III. LDF: Volunteers Needed for Research Study Design ------------------------------------------------------ Sender: Martina Ziska, MD, Medical Director, The Lyme Disease Foundation The LDF is looking for a computer programmer and a bio-statistician to assist in a Lyme disease study design. No medical knowledge is required, although knowledge of LD issues and terminology would be helpful. Call Dr. Ziska at 203-947-6353 for more information. =====*===== IV. LYMENET: MS Society to Hold Regional Conference in NJ ----------------------------------------------------------- Sender: Bergen-Passaic Chapter -- The National MS Society Press Release -- For Immediate Release -- July 1994 Contact: 201-967-5599 The Bergen-Passaic Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society will be hosting its Tenth Annual Regional Conference entitled "Living with Invisible Symptoms." This one day educational program will be held at the Park Ridge Marriott in Park Ridge, NJ on Sunday, November 13 from 11 am to 3 pm. Featured speakers Mary E. Siegel, Ph.D. and Paul J. Donoghue, Ph.D., co-authors of "Sick and Tired of Feeling Sick and Tired," will discuss living with a chronic illness. Abe Eastwood, Ph.D., Director of Research and Grants Programs for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society will discuss current research, treatments and medications including Betaseron. Following his presentation will be a questions and answers period. Those invited to attend this program include people with multiple sclerosis or any other chronic illness, their spouses/partners, relatives, caregivers and health care professionals. To register or for more information, please call the chapter at 201-967-5599. =====*===== V. HOW TO SUBSCRIBE, CONTRIBUTE AND GET BACK ISSUES ------------------------------------------------------ SUBSCRIPTIONS: Anyone with an Internet address may subscribe. Send a memo to: [email protected] in the body, type: subscribe LymeNet-L YourFirstName YourLastName DELETIONS: Send a memo to: [email protected] in the body, type: unsubscribe LymeNet-L CONTRIBUTIONS: Send all contributions to [email protected] or FAX them to 908-789-0028. All are encouraged to submit questions, news items, announcements, and commentaries. BACK ISSUES: Available via 3 methods: 1. E-Mail: Send a memo to: [email protected] on the first line of the memo, type: get LymeNet-L/Newsletters x-yy (where x=vol # and yy=issue #) example: get LymeNet-L/Newsletters 1-01 (will get vol#1, issue#01) 2. Anonymous FTP: ftp.Lehigh.EDU:/pub/listserv/lymenet-l/Newsletters 3. Gopher: Site #1: extsparc.agsci.usu.edu Menu Selections: Selected Documents, Fact Sheets, Disease ----------------------------------------------------------------------- LymeNet - The Internet Lyme Disease Information Source ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Editor-in-Chief: Marc C. Gabriel <[email protected]> FAX: 908-789-0028 Contributing Editors: Carl Brenner <[email protected]> John Setel O'Donnell <[email protected]> Frank Demarest <[email protected]> Advisors: Carol-Jane Stolow, Director William S. Stolow, President The Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey (908-390-5027) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- WHEN COMMENTS ARE PRESENTED WITH AN ATTRIBUTION, THEY DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE OPINIONS/ANALYSES OF THE EDITORS. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- THIS NEWSLETTER MAY BE REPRODUCED AND/OR POSTED ON BULLETIN BOARDS FREELY AS LONG AS IT IS NOT MODIFIED OR ABRIDGED IN ANY WAY. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SEND ALL BUG REPORTS TO [email protected] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Home |
Flash Discussion |
Support Groups |
On-Line Library © 1994-1999
The Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey, Inc. |