The Quiet Epidemic – San Luis Obispo
Come to see this sensational documentary on Lyme disease featuring investigative journalist and world-renowned physicians.
Come to see this sensational documentary on Lyme disease featuring investigative journalist and world-renowned physicians.
NPR’s Allison Aubrey (06.10.2024) published, “Once called Nantucket fever, this nasty tick-borne illness is on the rise.” The tick-borne parasitic infection, babesiosis, was first identified in the US in 1969 on Nantucket Island. As blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) expand their range a significant increase in incidence for this disease has been reported by the CDC over the last decade.
The People’s Pharmacy, Joe Graedon (06.03.2024), published “Why Is Alpha-Gal Allergy So Misunderstood and Misdiagnosed?” In this article, Graedon discusses the complexities surrounding diagnoses and management of alpha-gal meat allergy, and presents patient stories and previous interviews with alpha-gal experts.
In this interview, Kenneth Liegner, MD, a Board Certified Internist with specialized training in Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, shares his journey into the world of Lyme disease, its evolving treatment, and his ongoing efforts to improve diagnostic methods and therapeutic solutions. Dr. Liegner offers valuable insights and reflections on tackling one of the most challenging and misunderstood diseases of our time.
In this May Awareness Guest Blog, we interview Richard Horowitz, MD, the Medical Director of the Hudson Valley Healing Arts Center. As a board-certified internal medicine specialist and a key member of various tick-borne disease working groups, Dr. Horowitz has dedicated his work to understanding and treating Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.
Dr. Maxwell is an expert on tick-borne disease surveillance and the use of triangulation and thematic mapping to assess tick-borne disease risk, particularly in perceived non-endemic areas and among vulnerable populations. Her recent work includes a grant from the Rita & Alex Hillman Foundation, titled Nursing in the Fields: Vector-borne Illness Prevention and Detection among Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers. She has numerous publications on tick-borne diseases in high-impact journals. Dr. Maxwell served as a Fellow and continues her role as Faculty Affiliate at Boston University School of Medicine, Laboratory for Human Neurobiology. She is also a Research Affiliate, Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy, George Mason University and founding member of Integrate, Communicate, Inform (ICI)-Vector-borne Disease Working Group.
Every Year, the LDA provides written input to the U.S. House of Representatives Lyme Disease Caucus for its consideration in formulating its requests to the Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies, House Committee on Appropriations. Following are a few examples from FY2023 and FY2024 appropriations, where LDA submitted language that was used by the Lyme Caucus and was included in House report language for FY2023 and Explanatory Materials for FY2024.
On March 7, 2024 a small group of expert-advocates were convened to compile a list of individual questions that they have about a future Lyme disease vaccine, and the VLA15 vaccine in particular, given it was the only vaccine candidate being evaluated in phase ‘ clinical trials as of the date of this meeting. Pat Smith reported on this meeting in the President’s Blog – In-depth Synopsis of Advocate Vaccine Meeting Hosted by CDC. The following is a list of all the questions contributed by the participants of the meeting. These questions were shared with a Pfizer representative on March 8, 2024. As of April 30, 2024, there has been no response by Pfizer.
BMC Infectious Diseases (Dong, Y., et al.) 04.22.24, published “Post-COVID reactivation of latent Bartonella henselae infection: a case report and literature review.” In this case review, authors describe a 54-year-old male that presented with a “painful left upper arm mass.” The mass resolved with antibiotic treatment. The man then experienced an infection with COVID which resulted in rapid regrowth of the mass. Additionally, pulmonary symptoms emerged which included pleural effusion.
The cause of the man’s symptoms was unknown until next generation sequencing (NGS) was performed. NGS testing confirmed the presence of B. henselae, the bacteria that causes Cat Scratch Disease (CSD).
LDA Doctor Referral System © Terms & Conditions and Guidelines
Save this Information for Your Records:
About LDA DOCTOR REFERRAL SYSTEM ©
Welcome to the Lyme Disease Association’s LDA Doctor Referral System ©. LDA made updates and enhancements to its prior system and has launched a new site to provide patients with information about doctors, other practitioners, testing labs, and pharmacies that are knowledgeable about chronic Lyme disease and often about many other tick-borne diseases (TBD). Many of the doctors listed are often referred to as Lyme Literate Physicians/Doctors (LLMD). Tens of thousands of patients have successfully used the prior LDA system to locate Lyme and TBD resources.
Terms & Conditions and Guidelines
Because there is a negative political climate surrounding Lyme disease, many LLMDs do not want their names posted outright on the internet. LDA has tried to balance the doctors’ wishes with patients’ need to find a doctor. This new system is a result of that compromise and therefore:
Because of the limited number of physicians treating chronic Lyme disease nationwide, some states, and in some instances, entire regions, may not have any treating physicians who follow flexible treating approaches such as those in the International Lyme & Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) Guidelines, Evidence Assessments and Guideline Recommendations in Lyme Disease: The Clinical Management of Known Tick Bites, Erythema Migrans Rashes and Persistent Disease. In the event that the LDA Doctor Referral System © contains no Lyme or TBD resource listings in a given area, the closest possible option(s) will populate based on the location entered and specaialty/ies selected. The LDA appreciates any changes in provider information that you may find and make us aware of so we can investigate.
Some providers may not specifically treat Lyme and TBD but see patients who have symptoms associated with Lyme and TBD to address those specific symptoms. Contact the provider to confirm.
It is your responsibility to contact the provider’s office to confirm the current address, directions, nature of services provided, and all other provider information before you make an appointment.
DISCLAIMER: The Lyme Disease Association, Inc. provides referrals to health care providers who treat Lyme disease, and often other TBD, as a courtesy to those seeking Lyme Literate Physicians (LLMD). However, some of the providers included do not specifically treat Lyme and TBD but see patients who have symptoms associated with Lyme and TBD to address those specific symptoms. We do not evaluate the professional competence or qualifications of health care providers on our referral list or the costs of services provided. Accordingly, the LDA neither warrants nor endorses the health care providers contained on this list nor the quality of care you will receive from those providers. We do not make recommendations, only referrals. LDA does not receive any monies from physicians to be included on this list nor does LDA provide any monies to physicians. Because of the limited number of physicians treating chronic Lyme disease nationwide, some states, and in some instances, entire regions, may not have any treating physicians who follow flexible treating approaches such as those in the International Lyme & Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) Guidelines: Evidence Assessments and Guideline Recommendations in Lyme Disease: The Clinical Management of Known Tick Bites, Erythema Migrans Rashes and Persistent Disease. In the event that the Doctor Referral System contains no Lyme or TBD resource listings in a given area, the closest possible option(s) will populate based on the zip code entered and category/ies selected. The LDA appreciates any changes in provider information that you may find and make us aware of.
LDA does not accept or reply to any comments on:
We cannot guarantee that the information provided will be timely and accurate or that physicians on the list are accepting new patients, or that they accept insurance. The selection of a physician should be made by you after careful consideration. There are two approaches in the treatment of Lyme disease. Our list contains physicians who generally follow more flexible treatment approaches than those advocated by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). LDA is not responsible for incorrect information on the website. BEFORE DOCTOR VISIT: Please contact the physicians’ offices directly to confirm their current address, directions, and any other necessary information before scheduling an appointment. Do not rely only on the maps provided on this site. The maps on LDA’s Doctor Referral System are for informational purposes and provide an approximate locality of the listing based on the addresses we are provided with at the time of site updates. Practitioners often relocate and addresses can change. Notification of changes in listed information can be updated on our Dr. Referral Contact Form. Thank you, Lyme Disease Association, Inc. (LDA)
Subscriber information will not be shared outside of the Lyme Disease Association, Inc. nor used for donor solicitation.
The Lyme Disease Association, Inc. reserves the right to unsubscribe anyone from this service without cause.