sexual transmission of lyme

There is scientific evidence of it being not only in sperm, but in vaginal secretions as well.

www.prweb.com/releases/2014/01/prweb11506441.htm

You can't get to the actual article unless you are willing to pay for it or currently subscribe to The Journal of Investigative Medicine. It's in the January 2014 edition - and there are others that came before this one that said there was a possibility.

With that being said, it's not a "for sure" thing either. My husband and I have been together for 15 years this month, have never used protection (I've had a hysto, and was undiagnosed when we got together), and he shows no signs of having these infections. But, we had some very serious discussions once I was diagnosed about all of this!!

But the point is, why risk it? I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy, so I would do all kinds of things to protect those that I care for!

A new study that has been released on this very subject - I found it while searching for something else:

"In the study, researchers tested semen samples and vaginal secretions from three groups of people: control subjects without evidence of Lyme disease, individual patients who tested positive for Lyme disease, and couples engaging in unprotected sex who tested positive for the disease.

As expected, all of the control subjects tested negative for Borrelia burgdorferi in cultures of semen samples or vaginal secretions. In contrast, twelve of thirteen patients with Lyme disease had positive cultures for Borrelia burgdorferi in their genital secretions. Furthermore, two of the couples with Lyme disease showed identical strains of the Lyme spirochete in their semen and vaginal secretions, while a third couple showed identical strains of a related Borrelia spirochete in their genital secretions."

m.digitaljournal.com/pr/2411484#ixzz3MO33A0XO

As I said to you, LMCmom, I too worry about my own children - but we can't force them to do much of anything once they move out of the house - we can't even really force an older child to do much of anything while they are living in the house with us either!! We just have to accept their decisions. It's really hard after the road I walked with these infections, but I'm doing better - I'd rather have them near me than to push them away.

Happyjo - I would agree. At least to a point, a healthy, strong immune system is part of the reason why some don't get these infections. My hubby has been disabled from massive DVT & PE (3 different doc's told me people rarely survive when it's that bad), and yet, he's never succumbed to these infections. I've actually been very surprised.

But, we surely don't want to be sorry after we have infected someone we care about! The devastation that we know can happen makes it well worth the time to use protection!! We certainly had no idea that we didn't have what it took to fight off these infections!!

Until more research is done, it's hard to tell how likely that scenario is - but it's possible until otherwise proven I would say. Just because your partner has a strong enough immune system to take on Lyme, doesn't mean that it couldn't be first passed to the significant other before the immune system kills off the bacteria.

But again, until more research is done, we just don't know.

my vote is 99.9% sure it is sexually transmitted.

Lyme is a spirochete and so is syphilis.........

The reason, imo, that some people get it sexually and others do not, is the same reason that some people get bit by a tick and never have symptoms.

I think they still have it, only that it is controlled and they have no sx.....

i think it comes down to an individuals chemical and genetic makeup, that paired with the individuals immune system.


Lets assume that is is transmitted sexually..............

Unfortunately in the future everyone will have it............ if they already do not now.

Then you will have the ones that do get it but their genetics, chemical makeup and immune system will contain it.

Pretty scary stuff.

this might be duplicate info w/ traveler's posts but I found these studies quite interesting. I think it's a numbers game... If you're a woman w/ lyme, you probably have more risk of passing on the infection than a male. AND your current health is a huge factor. If you're currently experiencing symptoms or in the middle of tx you might be able to infect others more easily. If you are unwell or your immune system is taxed, you might be more susceptible to contracting it, particularly if your partner is a female w/ active lyme...

"In the study, researchers tested semen samples and vaginal secretions from three groups of patients: control subjects without evidence of Lyme disease, random subjects who tested positive for Lyme disease, and married heterosexual couples engaging in unprotected sex who tested positive for the disease. As expected, all of the control subjects tested negative for Borrelia burgdorferi in semen samples or vaginal secretions. In contrast, all women with Lyme disease tested positive for Borrelia burgdorferi in vaginal secretions, while about half of the men with Lyme disease tested positive for the Lyme spirochete in semen samples. Furthermore, one of the heterosexual couples with Lyme disease showed identical strains of the Lyme spirochete in their genital secretions. The presence of the Lyme spirochete in genital secretions and identical strains in married couples strongly suggests that sexual transmission of the disease occurs,” said Dr. Mayne."
www.onlineprnews.com/news/454866-1390261507-lyme-disease-may-be-sexually-transmitted-study-suggests.html

"The culture of viable Borrelia spirochetes in genital secretions suggests that Lyme disease could be transmitted by intimate contact from person to person."
f1000research.com/articles/3-309/v3

"initial laboratory testing of semen samples provided by male Lyme patients (positive by western blot/PCR in blood) and the male sexual partner of a Lyme infected female patient were positive approximately 40% of the time. PCR recovery of Lyme DNA nucleotide sequences with microscopic confirmation of semen samples yielded positive results in 14/32 Lyme patients (13 male semen samples and 1 vaginal pap). ALL positive semen/vaginal samples in patients with known sexual partners resulted in positive Lyme titers/PCR in their sexual partners. 3/4 positive semen patients had no or unknown sexual partners to be tested."
www.anapsid.org/lyme/bach.html

p

I think bartonella is also spread by saliva, tears, etc. Also intravenous drug using homeless people have very high rates of Bartonella... So sharing needless needles could cause you to end up with a bartonella infection! Also lice infestations have been known to spread bartonella as well. Bartonella is said to be more common that the other infections... But in some people who are healthy may have an easier time getting the infection under control, although I don't know how much I believe that anymore as I have had such a hard time with beating this infection.

Babesia is spread in the blood supply! so
Try not to get a blood transfusion if you don't have to, and if you do absolutely have to get a blood transfusion it's best to ask for an immediate babesia treatment with your blood transfusion.

The thought is if your on antibiotics you cant spread it either ? Correct?

myeezy24 said...
If your in remission though you can't spread Lyme through sex correct?

Studies haven't been done to confirm this, but it is assumed by many.

Yeah, i am with Traveler on this.

Infection is active regardless of abx or not then i would say it def. will still pass sexually.

In remission............ it might it might not. Lets say that 95% of the bacteria is in remission but only a few % are active and you do not know it. So you have sex with someone and then months later they are sick with Lyme......... the thought of that makes me cringe.

Or you feel perfectly fine and you are sexually active, a few Lyme Cysts break open randomly and you pass the infection to your partner------ CRINGING!!! again.......

There is no way to know for sure, so no way i would risk that.

Post Edited (The Bearded One) : 8/10/2015 11:44:12 AM (GMT-6)