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Female to male sexual transmission?

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Posted 10/4/2011 1:56 PM (GMT 0)
Does anyone have experience with a male partner getting Lyme after you, the female, was diagnosed--without him having a history of tick bite?

I am wondering if we should worry about me giving it to my husband?
Posted 10/4/2011 3:14 PM (GMT 0)
Hey worried,

Don't worry, but there is reason for concern.

While the CDC denies Lyme can be transferred sexually, the Borellia bacteria has been found in all bodily fluids. Experience among the Lyme community would indicate it is possible. It would be very hard to prove scientifically -- how could you isolate a person from tick bites and insure that get exposed sexually. And who would volunteer to get exposed and which Lyme infected person is going to volunteer to expose a statistically valid population? Well, let's leave that one alone!!!

Anyway, the borellia spirochete is very similar to the syphilis bacteria, so it is more than likely Lyme is transferred sexually.

My personal experience: After I was diagnosed and learned more about Lyme, I noticed symptoms developing in my husband. He had increased irritation, fatique, mood swings and knee pain and swelling as well as generalized aches and pains. It seemed to be developing faster than aging and overuse would warrant.

His test came back a low positive, however, but my Lyme doctor treated him because of clinical symptoms. He never herxed, but his symptoms went away. When I was bitten again, we found his symptoms came back. I have treated him with herbal medicine and his symptoms have gone away. And, if this isn't TMI we use protection to prevent passing it back and forth as each of us recovers.

Again, don't worry, just take action!
Posted 10/4/2011 3:36 PM (GMT 0)
I completely agree with Achievinggrace has said - although my experience has been the opposite - at this point any way. I have been infected for most of my life, and have been with my current hubby for almost 12 years now and he still hasn't shown any symptoms of a TBI.

He has a couple of pretty serious health issues of his own unfortunately, but his symptoms have always been in line with his conditions.

As someone with TBI's you need to be vigilant in watching for symptoms in your Hubby, but don't panic or worry over it - it may never happen!!
Posted 10/4/2011 8:42 PM (GMT 0)
For most sexually transmitted diseases (in case Lyme is one), female-to-male transmission is less common that male-to-female or male-to-male. If you want the reason why, I can give it to you in a PM; it's not gross (heck, it's sex, it's fun!), but not everyone will want to read the details.
Posted 10/4/2011 9:01 PM (GMT 0)
My husband was just diagnosed a few years after me. However, in all fairness, we both had strange poison ivy like rashes around the same time in May 2000. I remember mine specifically because I had never had any kind of rash although I do A LOT of gardening and it had strange black tips to it (years later have learned it MAY have been tick larvae). My husband's was on his hand and I remember when it was because my father-in-law passed away the same month. Strange but who knows. My LLMD did say highly unlikely from female to male but isn't most of what the CDC and IDS "unlikely" with lyme likely. I just don't think enough is known yet until we can get the kind of funding we need to study this disease.
Posted 10/5/2011 12:41 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks all for your thoughts. We aren't particulary "active" these days anyways but I just don't want him to get sick too, especially since I don't think it would be as obvious (like it was for me bc I knew I had a tick bite). I understand why male to female transmission would be more likely :)

I worry too about saliva--like sharing cups? Food? Ugh. I don't want my son to get it!

This is really a crappy disease!!

Ah, but I am fortunate--many of you of struggled much more than I!
Posted 10/5/2011 9:21 PM (GMT 0)
I asked my first lyme dr if it is transferrable and he says it is still debateable but highly likely, but definitely more likely from male to female then female to male. 


But hey, hubby was just dx anyway and it for sure came from a tick so......just sayin!  smilewinkgrin

'very likely' seems to be the general concensus so I think it warrants protection just in case.

Has there been any cases where people have gotten it from saliva too?  oh dear. 

 

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