Lyme disease study identifies potential new drug target

This is great to hear! I'm always happy to hear about potential new treatments being developed.

This possible new drug is interesting. A good direction, will be interesting to see how it works in people. It still might not be a 100% certain way for our body to "cure us though", then again, nothing is 100% with lyme treatment.. This raises certain specific B cells, vs the other way from an immunology clinic: Immune globulin intravenous (IGIV), with all the immune cells from other peoples blood- a sterilized $olution made from human plasma. IGIV doesn't do much for lymies, and cost a lot as insc wont cover it for lyme but will with Primary Immuno Deficiency disease/syndrome (remember the "boy in the bubble").

My only concern here is with this testing that they do before administering this new drug. Like CD57 immune cells testing , which measures T and NK cells vs B cells, its not without flaws. And the iSpot test tests T cells. From what i've learned about immune cell levels is we dont know what our baseline was before illness and the ranges for these levels are even known to be low in some of the general non- lyme public even though these people are not "ill". So, again, this is an "iffy" area, but at least possibly another option.

Coincidentally, I just had an appt this week with one of the somewhat rare "real" immunologists (Allergists are often said to be immunologists too, but 99% are not). **I'll try to remember to bring a copy of this link to my next appointment for questions.** I was skittish to bring up my past lyme exposure, but when I did, I pleasantly found out that he was not a lyme nay-Sayer like most specialist are - was not 100% western medicine. He has treated Lymies in the past with IGIV in collaboration with a local LLMD, unfortunately without cure success.

This Dr is also "up" on the relation of gut health to immune cells since immune cells need protein to be manufacture in your body. Some people with low immune cells have low protein levels (as I do despite consuming it), this was NOT mentioned in this linked article. I researched our forum here a few months ago on this and some others here were also low in cd57, immunoglobulins and protein. The only way protien is low in someone is due to mal-absorbion (gut issues) in the first place, or you poop or pee it out. Many lymies have gut issues, but not all. Lymies with gut issues should not ignore blood protein levels and globulin - look at it.

Like many people, my CD57 remained low after improved lyme symptom improvement, (posts in the recent past). I wanted to know why and then had a good part of my immune cells (T, NK, B, immunoglobulins) measured three times over six months with two "real" immunologists. As noted in the link, there are several types of B cells and different ways of testing them. Since specialized testing can have different test names per lab, I'll see if I had these same B cell tests or not.

What he did say is in people where low B cells are a problem, the first sign is they seem to always have some upper respiratory illness/infection going on. So how many lymies have B cells affected enough that they always have colds/viruses? His experience did not line up with some lyme patients thoughts that if your immunity is low, that you wont get sick. He says the opposite, from expereience. His patients born with low immune cells get colds/upper res issues, then expensive IGIV resolves this until another 6-10 weeks, then repeat.

Missouri said...
The article seems to corroborate many points of emphasis raised by Truth Cures people. The article says "Lyme hammers B cells"

very interesting

Not just B cells, but sometimes the others too. Such as:
- Dr Stricters CD57 (mostly NK cells with some T cells)
- and then the iSpot test which is strictly T cells.

So we now have a total of three different groups of researchers and all three were (or are) focusing on different immune cells lowed by lyme. They all did research but ended up focusing on a different immune cells as the one getting "hammer" by lyme. How can this be? Were the test people too localized with the same lyme strain that had a different immune cell lowering effect?

***I just don't see how three groups of lyme researchers came up with three different theories?** - they need to coaberate together to figure this out.

astroman said...



His experience did not line up with some lyme patients thoughts that if your immunity is low, that you wont get sick. He says the opposite, from expereience. His patients born with low immune cells get colds/upper res issues, then expensive IGIV resolves this until another 6-10 weeks, then repeat.

Ive never agreed with that....(low immunity and not getting sick)

If that were the case, the elderly wouldn't be susceptible to harmful effects of the flu.
We know their immune function is lower...but the flu can be life-threatening for them.

Girlie said...

astroman said...



His experience did not line up with some lyme patients thoughts that if your immunity is low, that you wont get sick. He says the opposite, from expereience. His patients born with low immune cells get colds/upper res issues, then expensive IGIV resolves this until another 6-10 weeks, then repeat.

Ive never agreed with that....(low immunity and not getting sick)

If that were the case, the elderly wouldn't be susceptible to harmful effects of the flu.
We know their immune function is lower...but the flu can be life-threatening for them.

good example

WalkingbyFaith -

"You went because your labs showed low immune function in certain areas in spite of resolution of symptoms and wanted to know why and what to do about it, correct?"

- Yes, and I'm already on to my second immunologist which, like an LLMD, had a longer wait time. Both of their opinions are similar, but this second one seems to be a chronic lyme believer, the other was neutral to somewhat unknowing on lyme. I can tell that he is into immunology, its not just a job. I'm guessing he suspected I was a lymie without me mentioning it from all my cd57 results, despite all my other past immune tests I had.

"......other respiratory viruses that may be chronic...?"

-He put an emphasis on "upper respiratory", most what you mention are just that.

Thats great on your CD57, which is mostly NK cells. It would be interesting to see if your CD57 results, Have you ever paid attention to you serum protien, and globulin (usually in a CMP or common "blood physical" panel)?. Those are needed to have healthy immune cell levels and directly related to gut health. Of course you can still have healthy levels of those only to have lyme kill them off - but your still one step ahead if you start with the ability of making a full immune army. This is exactly why gut health is so important- absorbing/using nutrients vs them passing through.