Lyme

"Superbly written and researched." --Booklist "Builds a strong case." --Kirkus Lyme disease is spreading rapidly around the globe as ticks move into places they could not survive before. Mary Beth Pfeiffer argues it is the first epidemic to emerge in the era of climate change, infecting millions around the globe. She tells the heart-rending stories of its victims, families whose lives have been destroyed by a single, often unseen, tick bite. Pfeiffer also warns of the emergence of other tick-borne illnesses that make Lyme more difficult to treat and pose their own grave risks. Lyme is an impeccably researched account of an enigmatic disease, making a powerful case for action to fight ticks, heal patients, and recognize humanity's role in a modern scourge.

A single tick bite can have debilitating consequences. Lyme disease is the most common disease carried by ticks in the United States, and the number of those afflicted is growing steadily. If left untreated, the diseases carried by ticks-known as tick-borne diseases-can cause severe pain, fatigue, neurological problems, and other serious health problems. The Institute of Medicine held a workshop October 11-12, 2010, to examine the state of the science in Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.

A riveting thriller reminiscent of The Hot Zone, this true story dives into the mystery surrounding one of the most controversial and misdiagnosed conditions of our time—Lyme disease—and of Willy Burgdorfer, the man who discovered the microbe behind it, revealing his secret role in developing bug-borne biological weapons, and raising terrifying questions about the genesis of the epidemic of tick-borne diseases affecting millions of Americans today. While on vacation on Martha’s Vineyard, Kris Newby was bitten by an unseen tick. That one bite changed her life forever, pulling her into the abyss of a devastating illness that took ten doctors to diagnose and years to recover: Newby had become one of the 300,000 Americans who are afflicted with Lyme disease each year. As a science writer, she was driven to understand why this disease is so misunderstood, and its patients so mistreated. This quest led her to Willy Burgdorfer, the Lyme microbe’s discoverer, who revealed that he had developed bug-borne bioweapons during the Cold War, and believed that the Lyme epidemic was started by a military experiment gone wrong. In a superb, meticulous work of narrative journalism, Bitten takes readers on a journey to investigate these claims, from biological weapons facilities to interviews with biosecurity experts and microbiologists doing cutting-edge research, all the while uncovering darker truths about Willy. It also leads her to uncomfortable questions about why Lyme can be so difficult to both diagnose and treat, and why the government is so reluctant to classify chronic Lyme as a disease. A gripping, infectious page-turner, Bitten will shed a terrifying new light on an epidemic that is exacting an incalculable toll on us, upending much of what we believe we know about it.

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in the United States, with more than 300,000 cases diagnosed each year. However, doctors are deeply divided on how to diagnose and treat it, giving rise to the controversy known as the “Lyme Wars.” Firmly entrenched camps have emerged, causing physicians, patient communities, and insurance providers to be pitted against one another in a struggle to define Lyme disease and its clinical challenges. Health care providers may not be aware of its diverse manifestations or the limitations of diagnostic tests. Meanwhile, patients have felt dismissed by their doctors and confused by the conflicting opinions and dubious self-help information found online. In this authoritative book, the Columbia University Medical Center physicians Brian A. Fallon and Jennifer Sotsky explain that, despite the vexing “Lyme Wars,” there is cause for both doctors and patients to be optimistic. The past decade’s advances in precision medicine and biotechnology are reshaping our understanding of Lyme disease and accelerating the discovery of new tools to diagnose and treat it, such that the great divide previously separating medical communities is now being bridged. Drawing on both extensive clinical experience and cutting-edge research, Fallon, Sotsky, and their colleagues present these paradigm-shifting breakthroughs in language accessible to both sides. They clearly explain the immunologic, infectious, and neurologic basis of chronic symptoms, the cognitive and psychological impact of the disease, as well as current and emerging diagnostic tests, treatments, and prevention strategies. Written for the educated patient and health care provider seeking to learn more, Conquering Lyme Disease gives an up-to-the-minute overview of the science that is transforming the way we address this complex illness. It argues forcefully that the expanding plague of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases can be confronted successfully and may soon even be reversed.

Lyme disease has been steadily on the rise since the 1990s, and the threat of Lyme is only expected to grow as warmer global temperatures potentially prolong the tick season. In 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated there were 33,666 confirmed and probable cases of Lyme disease reported in the United States. The Government of Canada reported 1,487 cases that same year. Lyme, if not treated early, can develop into a debilitating disease, with symptoms that can be felt for months or even years. Lyme Disease, Ticks and You is an easy-to-follow and essential guide to understanding, detecting and treating Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. Dr. Shelley Ball, a trained freshwater insect ecologist, is a long-term Lyme sufferer who has been infected multiple times, including with various other tick-borne diseases. Drawing from years of experience advocating for her own health, Dr. Ball has gathered together the information and resources the reader needs to not only understand the science, prevent tick bites and recognize Lyme, but also get treatment for this complex and often misdiagnosed disease. Chapters include: Chapter 2: What You Need to Know about Ticks and Lyme Disease Chapter 3: A Brief Biology of Lyme Disease Chapter 4: How Can I Reduce the Risk of a Tick Bite? Chapter 5: What If I'm Bitten? Chapter 6: Treating Lyme and Co-Infections Lyme Disease, Ticks and You is capped off with an extensive list of references and resources that will further equip each reader with the information they need to deal with ticks, Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.

Ticks carrying Lyme disease have rapidly spread across southern Canada. The disease is especially common in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. For active, outdoorsy people — like many Canadians — the risk of contracting Lyme rises the more time you spend in nature. Hikers, golfers, campers, hunters and dog-walkers all face the potential to be bitten by a tick and be infected with Lyme or another tick-borne disease. Despite the growing threat to public health in Canada, Lyme disease remains a controversial and poorly understood illness that can cause long-lasting problems. Usually cured when promptly treated, it often goes undiagnosed. Doctors have been slow to recognize it and its treatment is mired in controversy. Author Brian Owens looks at the conflicts that exist in recognizing, diagnosing and treating Lyme disease, and the failed human vaccine. He tells the stories of the politicians and patient advocates who have worked to raise awareness of the disease in Canada and covers the latest developments in science and medicine. This book is a mine of up-to-date, reliable, independent information. Find out how: To avoid being bitten by a tick To find and remove an embedded tick (they’re astonishingly small!) To avoid attracting ticks to your yard To get involved in citizen science projects to track the spread of ticks Ticks got to Canada Ticks find human targets Ticks feed and transmit the Lyme bacteria

AN INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER! “Horowitz is one of the most prominent ‘Lyme literate’ physicians...patients wait for months to see him, and several told me that he had essentially cured them of a disease that nobody else seemed able to treat.” —The New Yorker “If you have suffered from unexplained, chronic or hard-to-treat illness, this book is your pathway to health.” —Mark Hyman, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Blood Sugar Solution on Why Can’t I Get Better? From Dr. Richard I. Horowitz, one of the country's foremost doctors, comes a ground-breaking book about diagnosing, treating and healing Lyme, and peeling away the layers that lead to chronic disease. Are you sick, but can’t find any answers why? Do you have a seemingly unconnected collection of symptoms that leave doctors guessing? Or have you been diagnosed, but found that none of the treatments seems to make a difference? You may have Lyme disease and not even know it. Known as “the great imitator,” Lyme disease and its associated co-infections can mimic the symptoms of and often be misdiagnosed as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and even depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and psychosis. In his landmark book, Why Can’t I Get Better?: Solving the Mystery of Lyme & Chronic Disease, renowned internist and leading world expert Dr. Horowitz introduced his revolutionary plan for treating Lyme disease, and chronic diseases in general. Now, in this new handbook How Can I Get Better?, Dr. Horowitz updates his research and offers a direct, actionable step-by-step plan for implementing his 16 MSIDS Diagnostic Map. You will find: *The latest pertinent information on the most important scientific discoveries *Emerging research on bacterial “persisters”—bacteria that can survive antibiotics—and new therapies to get rid of them *A seven-step action plan that patients and doctors can follow to ensure better health.