Lyme sexually transmissible?

[nutrinut_bob]

People have often queried whether or Lyme is sexually transmissible.  Here's the latest:

http://www.medicaldaily.com/lyme-disease-contagious-clues-hint-it-may-be-sexually-transmitted-disease-267964

Answer is yes, it appears.

[cave76]

Back to the OP---- I just posted a comment at:

http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/1002959/Lyme-Disease-May-Be-Sexually-Transmitted--Study-Suggests

[mojogal]

I am friends with a lady who saw Burascano when he was still practicing.  It took her a long time but she was cured. The bad thing was that due to her cat, she got reinfected.  She reminds me that there is hope.

I am sorry about your Chiari.

[MeganY24]

Oh I know. I'll never know for sure where and when or how I got sick. I could have had it since I was a child and never showed any symptoms. I can remember being 3 or 4 years old and waking up with the room spinning in circles. I remember my legs throbbing all the time and my mom telling me they were growing pains. When I got pregnant with my oldest son 11 years ago I started getting horrible stretch marks before I even started showing.

Now that I've been diagnosed with Chiari Malformation they are in the process of diagnosing me with a connective tissue disorder so I guess I'll never know which puzzle pieces go where, but I never knew that all of these little things weren't normal until a few years ago.

It scares the hell out of me to wonder if I'm still going to feel like this after finishing treatment. Chiari and neuro bb have almost identical symptoms, so if treatment doesn't work I suppose I'll have to make the choice to live like this or have brain surgery :-/

[mojogal]

I know you were kidding but Lyme is in every state in the US.

Atheana I am your age and found the love of my life so don't worry, lol.

[Atheana]

Well, there goes me ever meeting a man. Single at 55...bummer!

[cave76]

Yes, the jury is still definitely out. Old ideas/beliefs are hard to dispel and only by more studies with more people will maybe clarify the question. Baby steps.

True, Rico's husband hasn't become sick. Neither have many other husbands of wives with Lyme.

These are just Devil's Advocate ideas:

1. Perhaps not showing symptoms.
2. Maybe never will show symptoms.
3. In this age of birth control condoms are used very often.
4. In this time of safe sex the use of condoms are much more prevalent  between unmarried sexual partners.

[mojogal]

I have read this more and more in different places but as Rico said her husband hasn't become sick so I think the jury is still out.

[cave76]

This PR article (and the limited data that produced it) is hopefully the first step of more exploration into sexual transmission of Lyme disease. Remember---- baby steps.

Many people think (myself included) that the objective of this study has great merit and hope that the NIH will take note and follow suit.

Syphilis is sexually transmitted (by a cousin of Bb). Why not Lyme?

[nutrinut_bob]

No, it isn't an absolute.  The biological make up of the person exposed could make a difference.  Let's bear in mind that the dog tick has a complement system that destroys the Lyme spirochete.  Some people's immune system might do the same thing. As I stated a long time ago, I'll just stay alone.  I think my problem is more SV40 related than Lyme, but a few really top notch Drs. have said they thought it too might be sexually transmissible.  What I've been through, I don't want anyone else to go through because of me.  Otherwise, I'd find me an Amish girl who never had a vaccine.  Heaven forbid!

[mkh9]

You are right. I think the little bit of attention that this getting in a few studies where there is a potential for transmission between sexual partners may be from blood exposure from a tear or such and not obviously other body fluids such as vaginal secretions or sperm etc. This study didn't appear to be scientific it was just an article.
Thanks for bringing that point up.
mkh9

[Ricobord]

I've read the articles and have thought a lot about it.  I've had Lyme for 8+ years, and my spouse has no sign of anything.  If it were as easily transmissible sexually as AIDS or syphilis, then there'd be millions of people all over the globe with Lyme and the epidemic would be raging out of control. That hasn't happened (although it is an epidemic in its own right).  

That being said, this topic has not been well studied before, and there are many people out there who swear they (or their partner) got it sexually.  

Just because there is DNA in those bodily fluids doesn't mean an active infection can be transferred.  After all, PCR tests on urine can come up positive, but it doesn't mean that the infection can be transmitted via urine. It seems to me that the next step is to determine if living, reproducing spirochetes can be cultured from those bodily fluids.  

I'm thinking that maybe, it's only sexually transmissible when there's a tear in the skin, giving spirochetes an entrance to the blood stream. Maybe the rate of sexual transmission is fairly low, but still possible. And maybe when it's introduced directly into the bloodstream (rather than through a tick bite via the skin), the immune system is more likely to take it out.

I hope this forces enough attention to the issue to get funding for more studies to give us definitive answers.

[cave76]

It's a PR release.

I have a Journal where I post 'interesting' 'stuff' about Lyme (and other 'stuff').
I posted that PR release in my Journal 2 days ago.

You can see what I put in my Journal by looking at Recent  Activity on the right side of the screen here.

Here is the link to it:
http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/1002959/Lyme-Disease-May-Be-Sexually-Transmitted--Study-Suggests

[mkh9]

If he comes up positive (and I hope not) it would be good to see if you could get DNA sequencing of the two strains to see if you really did exchange strains or if he got bit by a tick too.
mkh9

[mkh9]

p.s. I'd like to see the references from the magazine article. I have read some small possibility from some more reputable places but it was more vague and still under investigation. I haven't anyone come out with a bold statement like that with a large study having been done. I would like to read the article for myself. Do you know what it came from other than that magazine?
thanks,
mkh9

[mkh9]

To all:
This hasn't been totally confirmed yet but they are starting to think it is possible.
mkh9

[Elleon_arual]

I believe it! My husband started experiencing symptoms and I had the tick bite. We are getting him tested on Tuesday through IgeneX.

[nutrinut_bob]

Should read whether or not, c'mon Bob, proofread before hitting submit!