Lyme Arthritis: Current Concepts and a Change in Paradigm

The ability of B. burgdorferi, the spirochete responsible for Lyme Arthritis, to avoid clearance by the immune system may be attributed in part to an inadequate innate immune response upon infection. However, innate cells such as monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells display a vigorous response against borrelial infection and play a major role in the activation of the adaptive immune response against the spirochete. Despite these efforts, though, arthritis still develops in a significant number of patients infected with B. burgdorferi. It appears that the robust response elicited by monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells against the spirochete may be viewed as insufficient in early infection but excessive in the later stages. Paradoxically, in mounting such a strong defense against the organism, these cells may inadvertently be contributing to the induction of Lyme arthritis.

Lyme disease is associated with a chronic inflammatory bias with excessive T helper 1 cytokines. This condition has responded to PURSOR therapy in a Rhode Island lady who had not responded to antibiotic treatment at Yale under the care of my medical school classmate Allen Steere who has deservedly earned a reputation in this field.

Lyme Arthritis: Current Concepts and a Change in Paradigm

A Wide Specrum of Maladies are Associated with Immune Imbalance

I have a strong belief that the PURSOR protocol can correct the basic imbalance in both the innate and adaptive immune systems. I have compiled a list of just some of the many conditions whose symptoms and signs are directly associated with this imbalance. You can find at this site a new type of bibliography that I have created at the National Library of Medicine. One can retrieve all the references and then select whether you wish to select all the review articles or those articles with free full texts

Many investigators have postulated that were we to correct this underlying imbalance, commonly referred to as biased Th1/Th2 cytokine dysregulation, the chance of a remission would be likely I offer here two relevant and well-written articles. Moss, R.B. et al (2004) and Lucey, Clerici, & Shearer (1996).