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Volume: 6
Issue: 09
Date: 16-Sep-98


Table of Contents:

I.    LYMENET: LymeNet Bachmann Bash Fundraiser Set for October 3
II.   LYMENET: Northern California Tick Borne Disease Conference
      October 9
III.  LYMENET: Patient Describes Positive NIH Intramural Study
      Experience
IV.   J MED ENTOMOL: Participation of birds (Aves) in the emergence of
      Lyme disease in southern Maine.
V.    J WILDL DIS: Serologic survey for antibodies to Borrelia
      burgdorferi in white-tailed deer in Ontario.
VI.   ABOUT THE LYMENET NEWSLETTER


Newsletter:

***********************************************************************
*                  The National Lyme Disease Network                  *
*                       http://www.LymeNet.org/                       *
*                         LymeNet Newsletter                          *
***********************************************************************


                   Volume 6 / Number 09 / 16-SEP-98
                                INDEX


I.    LYMENET: LymeNet Bachmann Bash Fundraiser Set for October 3
II.   LYMENET: Northern California Tick Borne Disease Conference
     October 9
III.  LYMENET: Patient Describes Positive NIH Intramural Study
     Experience
IV.   J MED ENTOMOL: Participation of birds (Aves) in the emergence of
     Lyme disease in southern Maine.
V.    J WILDL DIS: Serologic survey for antibodies to Borrelia
     burgdorferi in white-tailed deer in Ontario.
VI.   ABOUT THE LYMENET NEWSLETTER



=====*=====


I.    LYMENET: LymeNet Bachmann Bash Fundraiser Set for October 3
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Sender: Angela Bachmann <[email protected]>


     Fundraiser for the LYME DISEASE NETWORK of New Jersey
                     "3rd Annual Bachmann Bash"


   The Third Annual Bachmann Bash for the Lyme Disease Network
   of New Jersey will take place on Saturday, October, 3, 1998,
      at St. Michael's Church Hall in Paterson, New Jersey.
                  The party will begin at 6:45PM.


The non-profit Lyme Disease Network, which operates on individual
donations, is responsible for the LymeNet series of services available
on the Internet since 1994.  It is very important that we support them
so they'll be able to continue educating the public about the
prevention and treatment of Lyme.


Our daughter, Lori, has Chronic Lyme Disease and, in this manner, we
became acquainted with the LDN and the wonderful work they do.  We
find that the LDN is a great source of comfort especially to the newly
afflicted, misdiagnosed, and, sometimes, misguided patients who have
a lot of unanswered questions.


We hope you can join us this year at the 3nd Annual Bachmann Bash
where there will be music, dancing, delicious Italian food, raffles
and so much more!  Please try to attend.


PLEASE SEND A DONATION IF YOU'RE UNABLE TO BE WITH US THIS YEAR!

Our best to you, Angela and Lou Bachmann

______________________________________________________________________
                            RSVP by 9/20/98


       Return this section with your check made payable to:

                           Angela Bachmann
                             16 Willow CT,
                           Totowa, NJ 07512


       Ticket:$20 per person -----(Tickets *NOT* sold at door)
           If not attending, donations gratefully accepted



      Name__________________________________________________

      Address_______________________________________________

      # People Attending______________________________________

      Enclosed $_____________________________________________

      DONATION AMT. $_________________________________________

Please contact me at my email address if directions are needed or if
 you have any further questions. My email address is [email protected]



For more information and directions, please visit:
http://members.tripod.com/~Angela_Bachmann/index-3.html



=====*=====


II.   LYMENET: Northern California Tick Borne Disease Conference
     October 9
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Sender: Rene Landis <[email protected]>


TICK BORNE DISEASES CONFERENCE
October 9, 1998
Chico, CA
2:30 - 5:15
Esplanade Conference Center
Health Care Professionals only
$25 Application Fee
2.5 Credits for Continuing Education


Applications can be requested by emailing [email protected] with name
and address.


This conference is offered by the Lyme Disease Resource Center to
update physicians and other professionals on tick-borne diseases in
the U.S. and present conditions in the West.


James Katzel. MD-Moderator
Robert Lane, PhD-Ecology of Lyme Disease Spirochetes
Walter Prehn, MD-A California Practitioner
Nick Harris, PhD-Role of Laboratory Testing in Lyme Disease
Joseph Burrascano, MD-The New Lyme Disease
William Fife, PhD-Experimental HBO Treatment for Lyme Disease


Since space is limited to healthcare professionals only, we are
providing a Public Forum for the community in the evening from
7 to 9 PM at the Conference Center.  



=====*=====


III.  LYMENET: Patient Describes Positive NIH Intramural Study
     Experience
--------------------------------------------------------------
Sender: Lindell Lee McElfresh <[email protected]>


Regarding the National Institutes of Health Lyme Study  # 96-I-0052

For five days, beginning August 23rd, I could be found at the NIH
campus in Bethesda MD.  You would have found me in a better state of
mind than had been possible in a long while.  Applying to take part
in this study is the best thing I have done since the tick bit me.  
Here are my impressions of the experience.


The support staff: Starting with the help I got over the phone while a
applying, the shuttle driver that collected me at the airport, the
ladies that registered me, the patient representative, the social
worker, the food service people, the librarian, the escorts that got
me where I needed to be, right through to the travel agent who arranged
my trip home, I was treated with politeness at worst and cheerful
helpfulness more times than not.  This was a far cry from the
bureaucratic malaise I was prepared to find at such a large
institution.  The food, selection and quality, was surprisingly good
as well.


The doctors and technicians: All the doctors and technicians who looked
after, tested, poked, prodded, x-rayed, and scanned me were wonderful.
Not once was I confronted with indifference much less arrogance.


The nursing staff: Each nurse was kind, friendly and caring.  When a
shift changed and I was disappointed at not seeing the nurse who had
been so nice yesterday, it wasn't long before the new nurse would win
me over with a smile and some care and attention. It seems as if a  
helpful attitude and friendly disposition are required to get and keep
a job at this clinic.


The Principle Investigator:  Dr. Adriana R. Marquees
At this point it becomes difficult for me to express my feelings for
Dr. Marquees and her associate Dr. Norberto E. Soto.  To begin with
they took great care and attention with my physical examination.
During my stay they spent a good deal of time explaining all aspects
of the protocol, it's tests, examinations and procedures.  Both
doctors listened attentively to what I had to say about my experience
with lyme disease.  They took the time to answer all my questions
about the study and the many aspects of Lyme disease that concern me.
The compassion that they showed with regard to the emotional dilemmas
that the disease presents me has resulted in my seeking help in
addressing this difficult issue.  I know that my Lyme world is a much
better place with these two in it.


When I told some people in the Lyme community that I wanted to tell
this positive story and to encourage others to take part in this
study, they wanted to know, "how did I benefit from the study?"


The first thing I got out of it was hope.

Without insurance and unable to work, there seemed to be no way
possible for me to get adequate testing for lyme disease.  Not to
mention co-infection or any of the myriad of afflictions that Lyme
disease mimics.  Participation in the study has provided me with a
full work up of my disease.  I was advised as to the status of all my
test results while at the clinic and Dr. Marques or Dr. Soto sat and
explained what the results meant to me.  As some of the tests involve
some slow growing cultures, it will be two to three weeks before I
know my final status within the protocol.  If I qualify for
reevaluation, I would certainly look forward to tracking my progress
with the disease by going back to Bethesda as is necessary.


Just knowing that people like Dr. Marques and Dr. Soto are working at
solving some of the great mysteries surrounding Lyme disease has
bought me some piece of mind.  Having actually been able to sit and
talk with them has given me knowledge and confidence as well as hope
that I can get through this disease.  This has not always been the
case.


I might also be able to take some small satisfaction in knowing that
my participation in the study might help just a little bit in the war
against Lyme disease.


To learn more about this study, visit:
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/recruit/lyme.htm


or write to:
NIAID Chronic Lyme Disease Study
Building 10 Room 11n228
10 Center Drive MSC 1888
Bethesda, MD 20892-1888
or fax:
301-496-7383


For an application to the study call:1 800 772 5464  Ext.605

Please contact me if you have any questions: [email protected]
The study that Dr. Marques is conducting does not make use of placebos.
Thanks for your time and consideration. Please help if you can.
No protocol is ideal, but these people are working really hard to help
solve some of the  mysteries surrounding lyme disease



=====*=====


IV.   J MED ENTOMOL: Participation of birds (Aves) in the emergence of
     Lyme disease in southern Maine.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
AUTHORS: Rand PW, Lacombe EH, Smith RP Jr, Ficker J
ORGANIZATION: Maine Medical Center Research Institute, South Portland
REFERENCE: J Med Entomol 1998 May;35(3):270-6
ABSTRACT:


The contribution of migratory and resident birds to the introduction
of Lyme disease will vary with the degree to which various species
expose themselves to, and are infested by, juvenile vector ticks,
and their ability to support and transmit the infectious agent.
To examine the relative contribution of various passerine species
during the emergence of this disease, we compared the abundance and
infection rates of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say,
removed from mist-netted birds with those from live-trapped mice at
a coastal study site in southern Maine, collected during an 8-yr
period in which the range of this tick and the incidence of Lyme
disease increased in the state.  Weekly bird-banding sessions using
six 12-m Japanese mist nets were carried out from May through August
1989-1996. In 1989, 1991 and 1993, mice were live-trapped in a
Sherman trap grid (7 by 7m) during five 3-night sessions, June through
August; in 1994-1996, 2 such grids were similarly trapped.  Annual
adult tick abundance was estimated by flagging vegetation.  We removed

2,633 juvenile deer ticks from 1,713 of 1,972 birds examined.  
Twenty-five of 64 bird species were infested.  The percentages of
birds infested and the rate of infection among removed larvae and
nymphs increased over the years, but species varied markedly in their
ability to infect ticks.  No infected larvae were removed from
catbirds or towhees.  The larval to nymphal ratio was higher in mice
than in birds.  Infection rates among bird-derived larvae were less
than among mice-derived larvae, but increased with time.  Because of
the different ways in which individual species of passerine birds
contribute to the availability of vector ticks and respond to the
agent of Lyme disease in emerging areas, further research into
host competency and borreliacidal mechanisms is needed.



=====*=====


V.    J WILDL DIS: Serologic survey for antibodies to Borrelia
     burgdorferi in white-tailed deer in Ontario.
--------------------------------------------------------------
AUTHORS: Gallivan GJ, Barker IK, Artsob H, Magnarelli LA, Robinson JT
        Voigt DR
ORGANIZATION: Department of Pathology, Ontario Veterinary College,
             University of Guelph, Canada.
REFERENCE: J Wildl Dis 1998 Apr;34(2):411-4
ABSTRACT:


Serum samples collected from 623 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus
virginianus) in southern Ontario (Canada) from 1985 to 1989 were tested
for antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi using an indirect fluorescent
antibody (IFA) staining method.  Samples from 150 of the deer were
also tested using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).  
At IFA titers of 1:64 and 1:128 deer with antibodies to B. burgdorferi
appeared to be widespread throughout southern Ontario, with an apparent
prevalence ranging from 3 to 47%.  At IFA titres > or = 1:256 and
ELISA titres > or = 1:160 deer with antibodies to B. burgdorferi were
only present on Long Point which is the only known endemic focus of
Ixodes scapularis, the primary vector for B. burgdorferi, in southern
Ontario.  At these titres the apparent prevalence of antibodies to B.
burgdorferi on Long Point was only 5 to 7%, even though the mean
intensity of infestation of adult I. scapularis on deer was > 180, and
60% of the adult ticks are infected with B. burgdorferi.  Based on

these results, white-tailed deer do not appear to be a good sentinel
species for the distribution of B. burgdorferi.



=====*=====


VI.   ABOUT THE LYMENET NEWSLETTER
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