Lyme spiros visible in blood sample? (Jim)

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Hi Jim,

The link to the article, "Bell's Palsy of the Gut" you posted is an excellent resource. It's highly recommended reading for everyone with Lyme (not only those with GI issues), as it contains pertinent, well organized info, that applies to Lyme and co's in general, which may not be readily found anywhere else.

I would say though, that the information you posted about seeing Lyme spirochetes in blood via dark field microscopy, may not be valid. I say this, as I have followed posts on another group, where someone (I think you know to whom I refer), using a quality dark field microscope, regualrly views blood from Lyme patients, and has never, ever, seen a Lyme spirochete in a blood sample. He has, however, seen all the coinfection organisms in the blood. The reason for this, is that Lyme does not live in the blood, but rather infects body tissues. Here is an excerpt from the Virginia Sherr article, which substantiates that theory:

". . . a seronegative patient’s Lyme diagnosis illustrates that, while Western Blot and PCR blood sample testing, especially for active late stage LYD, may not show a positive antibody response, a tissue PCR analysis may confirm the diagnosis, even when the patient has previously been treated. PCR’s done on blood are less satisfactory since Bb prefers an in-tissue environment."

- Jane

Subject: Re: OT: Severity of Chronic, Long-term LymeTo: "Lyme and Rife Group Jim!" <Lyme_and_Rife >Date: Saturday, August 28, 2010, 7:19 PM

" . . . A darkfield microscope if used by an experienced practitioner is actually the most reliable method of detecting Lyme as it looks directly at the pathogen... WB's only check for antibodies... If the body does not have antibodies, the lab will show negative for Lyme... These tests are often inaccurate...

I can tell you, if your friends do not have Lyme then they don't understand it.. I think all of us here have friends that just don't understand our illness and throw in some relatives also... Go with the results of the darkfield microscope.... It is very hard for many of us to know when we were bitten... I personally have no idea, many others are the same... So for you to not understand when this could have happened, it is more normal than you may think... When the tick bites us, it immediately anethises the bite and we never feel it... I may remain on us for 3 or more days and unless we see it, we will never feel it... "