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Novel Treatment for Relapsing Lyme, Babesia, & Bartonella Infections

LDA NEWS & UPDATES
Richard Horowitz, MD

Microorganisms (Horowitz, R., et al.) 09.12.2023, published in a special issue Bartonella and Bartonellosis: New Advances and Further Challenges), “Comparison of the Efficacy of Longer versus Shorter Pulsed High Dose Dapsone Combination Therapy in the Treatment of Chronic Lyme Disease/Post Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome with Bartonellosis and Associated Coinfections.”

In this study of twenty-five patients (15 men/10 women) diagnosed with relapsing and remitting Borreliosis, Babesiosis, and Bartonellosis, over periods of <5 to over 20 years, received double-dose dapsone combination therapy (DDDCT), followed by one (or multiple courses) of High Dose Dapsone Combination Therapy (HDDCT). Therapy resulted in all 25 patients showing improvement of tick-borne disease symptoms. Improvements after therapy administrations were demonstrated in a retrospective chart review of each patient.

Equal numbers of men and women demonstrated remission after therapy. Patients with exposure to several Babesia spp. and several Bartonella spp. were observed to be some of the sickest and most treatment resistant. It is noted that patients with Bartonellosis completing 6–7 day pulses of HDDCT showed a greater level of improvement, versus patients that received 4-day pulses of therapy. 

Additionally, over 30% of patients who completed 8 weeks of DDDCT followed by a 5–7 day pulse of HDDCT, showed sustained remission of their symptoms for 3-9 months. Another 13% of patients who recently finished treatment were 1 ½ months into full remission of symptoms. Full remission is defined “as the resolution of all active tick-borne symptoms for at least 3 months post-therapy.”

This novel therapy shows promise of sustained remission of Lyme, Babesiosis and Bartonellosis symptoms in patients that have failed prior antibiotic protocols.


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