OVER 20 YEARS OF RESEARCH & PROVEN SCIENCES.
Lyme disease is a multisystem infection that can affect various organs and systems, including the joints, heart, and nervous system. It typically manifests through a wide range of symptoms such as fatigue, joint pain, neurological issues, and flu-like symptoms. The corkscrew-shaped organism (spirochete), known as Borrelia burgdorferi, is responsible for causing Lyme disease, however, Lyme disease rarely occurs in isolation. Often, individuals with Lyme disease also experience co-infections, most notably Babesia and Bartonella. Understanding the relationship between these co-infections and the resulting dysfunction is crucial for the development and implementation of an effective protocol. Our research page is an ever-growing and comprehensive resource designed to provide you with the latest insights, studies, and breakthroughs related to Lyme disease.
THE RESEARCH THAT DRIVES US
Why is there so much controversy surrounding Lyme disease? The testing is inadequate, the treatment options vary significantly, and most doctors and researchers cannot agree on many aspects of the disease. What is a Lyme sufferer supposed to do?
The Basics
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is commonly understood to be contracted through the bite of a black-legged tick (we’ll cover more on this later). The transmission of bacteria known as Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdoferi) and other ‘co-infections’, enter the body during the feeding process, injecting the bacteria into the blood of the host.
According to the CDC, there are 30,000 reported cases of Lyme disease each year, “However, this number does not reflect every case of Lyme disease that is diagnosed in the United States every year.” In fact, the CDC conducted two studies to identify a more accurate estimate of Lyme occurrences in the US. The first study resulted in an estimate of 288,000, and the second resulted in an estimate of 329,000 cases each year.
What if I told you that these studies were using data from 2008 and 2005-2010, respectively. This means that more than 10 years of data is being left out of the calculations. (1)
With the estimated prevalence of Post Treatment Lyme Disease (PTLD) in the US reaching 2,000,000 (1,619,988 to 2,304,147), it’s clear that Lyme disease is becoming one of the most widespread and unacknowledged health concerns in the US and the world. (2)
How has Lyme disease reached these numbers?
Simply put, it’s not just ticks that have the potential of transmitting Lyme. Lyme disease is referred to as a vector-borne disease, which is defined as a “disease that results from an infection transmitted to humans and other animals by blood-feeding anthropods, such as mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas. Examples of vector-borne diseases include Dengue fever, West Nile Virus, Lyme disease, and malaria.” (3)It is suggested that the only means of contracting Lyme is through the bite of a black-legged tick, which introduces the bacterium, Borrelia Burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi), into the human body during its feeding process. (4) Referring to it as a vector-borne disease, however, opens the door for the potential of transmission through more than ticks, as the presence of B. Burgdorferi within mosquitos, horse flies, fleas, mites, and other vectors has been confirmed. (5) (6)(7) (8)(9) (10) Although more research is needed, it is important to acknowledge the potential transmission of B. Burgdorferi through more than a tick bite. (11) (12) Mosquitos, for example, have been well recognized for the spread of diseases such as Malaria, Dengue, Yellow Fever, West Nile Virus, and Zika Virus. (13) Fleas are responsible for the transmission of the Bubonic plague, Murine Typhus, and parasites such as tapeworms, to name a few. (14) (15)
How quickly can transmission occur?
“In most cases, the tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours or more before the Lyme disease bacterium can be transmitted”. (16)Yet, the CDC contradicts themselves by stating that ticks “preparing to feed can take from 10 minutes to 2 hours. When the tick finds a feeding spot, it grasps the skin and cuts into the surface.” (17) Based on their own timeline, the tick is fully capable of feeding at a maximum time frame of 2 hours, at which point it has secreted “small amounts of saliva with anesthetic properties so that the animal or person can’t feel that the tick has attached itself….if the tick contains a pathogen, the organism may be transmitted to the animal in this way.”
The tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours or more….Yet, the CDC contradicts themselves by stating that ticks preparing to feed can take from 10 minutes to 2 hours
Furthermore, studies like the one published in 2011 suggest that the CDC’s timeline is inaccurate. “…transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi, the spirochetal agent of Lyme disease, appears to have occurred in less than 24 h based on the degree of tick engorgement, clinical signs of acute infection, and immunologic evidence of acute Lyme disease.” (18)
In a review published in 2014 of data on transmission time of Lyme Borreliosis, a study in Europe including 6 cases of confirmed infection where a tick was attached for <6 hours and nine cases where transmission occurred in <24 hours. It was concluded in this study that “Therefore, LB infection can never be excluded after a tick bite irrespective of the estimated duration of attachment time.” (19)
In reviewing other bacteria within the same family as Borrelia burgdorferi, Relapsing Fever Borrelia, that is known to be transmitted through the bite of a soft-shell tick with a feeding timeline of only a few hours, Lars Eisen, Ph.D., research epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Vector-Borne Disease, stated that “The relapsing fever bacteria that they spread, therefore, have, by necessity, evolved to be transmitted very quickly.”
Given the strong similarities of Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme bacteria) to that of Relapsing Fever Borrelia, there is a strong reason to question whether B. burgdorferi is capable of evolving to be transmitted more quickly through necessity.
With the feeding process of other vectors such as mosquitos recognized to be significantly faster than that of a tick, it would be reasonable to assume that any transmission would occur within minutes, if not seconds of an engaged vector. Of the 14 vector-borne diseases currently noted of national public health concern, Lyme disease is #1, by over 10X the reported cases to #2, Spotted Fever Rickettsia.
Here’s the entire list (20):
One of the most widely controversial topics among ‘Lyme Literate’ healthcare professionals, is the potential for transmission from human to human. This is a challenging subject that needs to be broken down into parts. For example, “B. burgdorferi survived in processed blood through 48 days of storage at 4 degrees C.” (21) This is not an isolated study, as similar results are found within other studies such as this one, where “The organism was shown to survive in RBCs (4 degrees C) and FFP (below -18 degrees C) for 45 days and in PCs (20-24 degrees C) for 6 days.” (22) To test this theory further, this study, published in the Journal of Parasitology, shows that “ Nine of 19 (47.7%) immunodeficient mice, 7 of 15 (46.8%) inbred immunocompetent mice, and 6 of 10 (60.0%) outbred mice became infected with B. burgdorferi after transfusion. Our results indicate that it is possible to acquire B. burgdoferi infection via transfused blood in a mouse model of Lyme borreliosis.” (23)If those numbers don’t concern you yet, note that the Red Cross stored Red Blood Cells for a total of only 42 days at 6 degrees before they are discarded, which is within the survivable range of B. burgdorferi. (24)But they must test for Lyme disease, right? No. According to their own website, they do not. (25) They do, however, test for Babesiosis, which is commonly associated with Lyme disease but they are yet to test for B. burgdorferi or the many other vector-borne diseases.
Could I have transmitted Lyme to my children during pregnancy?
In short, Yes. The evidence is so irrefutable, in fact, that the CDC cautions that “Untreated Lyme disease during pregnancy can lead to infection of the placenta. Spread from mother to fetus is possible but rare.”The CDC goes on to state that “Fortunately, with appropriate antibiotic treatment, there is no increased risk of adverse birth outcomes.* There are no published studies assessing developmental outcomes of children whose mothers acquired Lyme disease during pregnancy.” (26) If you missed it, the CDC states that there is “no increased risk of adverse birth outcomes” and “no published studied assessing developmental outcomes”, making a statement of fact while acknowledging it is based on no evidence, within the same statement.
Can Lyme be sexually transmitted?
The possible means of contracting Lyme disease is becoming consistently questioned as more and more evidence becomes available. In short, spirochete, the commonly used term for the bacteria causing Lyme disease, have been confirmed within bodily fluids, including vaginal and seminal secretions.
Don’t take it from us; here are the words of Lauren Hefferan, a Medical Microbiologist, Nurse, Lyme disease Educator, and previous member of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS). Shortly after visiting our facility at Lyme Laser™ in 2016, Lauren left ILADS. She completed the Lyme Laser Protocol™ successfully in 2017, followed by her two daughters in 2018.
“A common belief held by many medical professionals and the general population about the transmission of Lyme disease is that Lyme disease is a vector-borne disease spread only by the bite of a tick. As a medical microbiologist, nurse, and MA Lyme disease educator, I believe this notion is inaccurate, as it is not fully supported in the current medical literature. In this series addressing Lyme disease and sexual transmission, several hypotheses about additional ways Lyme disease may be transmitted will be discussed.
The organism that causes syphilis is also spirochete, and syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease…So why do we question and refute the idea that other spirochetes, like Borellelia, can’t be transmitted sexually ?
As a medical microbiologist, I can confirm that Borrelia burgdorferi and other species of Borrelia are spirochetes or spiral-shaped organisms that can cause Lyme disease. Treponema pallidum, the organism that causes syphilis is also a spirochete, and syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease, as documented in the medical literature. So why do we question and refute the idea that other spirochetes, like Borrelia, can’t be transmitted sexually? This subject has recently garnered a lot of attention provoking scientists to further explore the possibility of Lyme disease transmission via intimate human contact.”
To read the full article by Lauren Heffernan, where she goes into more detail on the transmission of Lyme disease, CLICK HERE.If you are still in search of more evidence of the potential for the sexual transmission of Lyme disease, “The culture of viable Borrelia spirochetes in genital secretions suggests that Lyme disease could be transmitted by intimate contact from person to person. Further studies are needed to evaluate this hypothesis.” (27) The full study can be found here: (28)In this study by Burgess et al., it was demonstrated that the transmission of B. burgdorferi can be transmitted by direct contact without a vector. (29)Lastly, the excerpt HERE from a study retrieved from the FDA Science Forum acknowledges the transmission of B. burgdorferi in utero or intrapartum:Still Not Convinced?Here are a few additional examples:“ALL positive semen/vaginal samples in patients with known sexual partners resulted in positive Lyme titers/PCR in their sexual partners.” (30) Lyme disease transferred via bodily fluids (urine and breast milk noted) (31) Lyme disease transmitted during intercourse (32) With this data, we can confidently acknowledge the presence of Lyme in semen and vaginal secretions. In the excerpt below, it goes above and beyond in addressing 1. Lyme can be fatal, 2. Antibiotic regimens have limited (to no) effect, and 3. It’s sexually transmitted.”Lack of response to treatment can be due to persistent infection caused by spirochete sequestration in tissues or biofilm formation. In some cases, this persistent infection is fatal 68, 78. Since B. burgdorferi can be persistent, Lyme disease spirochetes have been detected in and cultured from tissues and body fluids after conventional, short-term antibiotic treatment in animals and humans 79-84. Since spirochetes lodge in human testicles, semen, and vaginal secretions, B. burgdorferi s.l. may be sexually transmitted 85, 86. Lyme disease can destroy people’s lives, and B. burgdorferi s.l. infection should be considered among the differential diagnoses for patients who have signs and symptoms suggestive of tick-borne illness.”And finally, “The culture of viable Borrelia spirochetes in genital secretions suggests that Lyme disease could be transmitted by intimate contact from person to person. Further studies are needed to evaluate this hypothesis.” (33)All of the above-referenced research certainly provides ample study results that are leaning towards a determination that Lyme disease may be transmitted sexually. As always, the determining opinion will be rendered when the CDC completes a review of such studies and updates its research.
But my test said I was negative for Lyme?!
We hear this statement very often. Even the CDC openly acknowledges the inadequacy of testing but refuses to adopt new sciences while they are still expecting you to rely on a recommendation from over 25 years ago when Lyme disease was still wildly understudied and discredited as an infectious disease. Of the CDC’s recommended two-tier testing approach to identifying Lyme disease, We know that the more specific of these two tests, the Western Blot, is only 29-40% accurate in detecting infection in the first 3 weeks. (34)Although testing for Lyme disease is becoming more accurate every day, the level of false-negative results and misdiagnosis is still unacceptably high. The need for better guidelines and more accurate testing is imperative.An article going further into depth on the information above, coming soon.
Why is Lyme so prevalent when we have antibiotics to fight it?
In a word…biofilm.
“It has been reported that between 65–80% of infectious diseases are linked to bacterial communities whose proliferation is related to biofilms and that they are more resistant to host defense mechanisms and antimicrobials by approximately 10–1000-fold compared to non-biofilm forming cultures.” (35)
Does this mean ALL antibiotics? “It has been confirmed that monotherapy of Borrelia infection with β-lactam, tetracycline, fluoroquinolone, sulfonamide, macrolide, lipopeptide, glycopeptides, aminoglycoside or antitumor antibiotics are not adequate. Such treatment fails to eliminate spirochetes in in vitro culture and leaves viable and effective persisters in treated vertebrates, including humans. (36) (41) (42) This study highlights that antibiotics are unable to accomplish their intended purpose due to the physical inability to enter deeper tissue in the same way that the Lyme bacteria (spirochete) can. (37)To negate any concerns with the latter part of that phrase here’s confirmation of the presence of Borrelia in bone: (38) If you’re a visual person, figure #3 on page 6 is all you really need to see.Conclusions;In this study, we show that different variant forms are different types of persisters with varying degrees of persistence and are not killed by current Lyme antibiotics.
Persistent infections can be caused by B.burgdorferi morphologic variant forms, different types of persisters (spirochetal form, round body, cyst, microcolony, biofilm), and that different forms may be able to cause different disease severity, with spirochetal form causing a mainly active or acute form of the disease that is more easily curable, while round bodies and microcolonies, and biofilms may cause more severe disease, given the healthy competent host immune response.
Thus, an infection caused by biofilm/persister bacteria will not respond well to the current standard Lyme antibiotics, which is essentially a treatment failure.
An article going further into depth on the information above, coming soon.
What is a biofilm and how does it protect the Lyme spirochete?
A biofilm is a complex polysaccharide film used as a ‘shield’ by the Lyme bacteria known as B. burgdorferi. This film is made up of simple sugars, known as monosaccharides (‘mono’ meaning ‘one’), to form the much larger molecule. B. burgdorferi has the ability to excrete this film as a protective mechanism. When threatened by any form of antimicrobials such as antibiotics, herbs, plants, or other natural or chemical substances that can potentially harm them, they surround themselves with this biofilm, protecting themselves from those threats. (43) Since these substances are unable to penetrate or deteriorate the biofilmquickly enough in their existing form, the bacteria remain protected. The Lyme spirochete can remain protected within that biofilm for extended periods of timeuntil the threat is no longer present. (44) One of the largest challenges with respect to biofilm formations is the timeline in which the development occurs. By day 21, the formation of the biofilm is recognized to be in its final stage of development, where “the matrix exhibited higher rigidity, with hills, valleys, and cracks observed in the structures.” (39) An article going further into depth on the information above, coming soon.
Why is the biofilm so important?
If the biofilm can be deteriorated, the Lyme bacteria no longer have protection and can be eliminated. There are dozens of references that provide evidence that the biofilm is the primary deterrent in addressing and eliminating Lyme disease; we’ve included several but there are many, many more. (45)
An article going further into depth on the information above, coming soon.
Why Lyme Laser Centers™?
The proprietary systems and technologies utilized in the Lyme Laser Protocol™ were developed with over 20 years of research and proven sciences.
With the implementation of state-of-the-art laser technologies, our system is developed to specifically target and deteriorate the biofilm used as a protective mechanism by the Lyme bacteria. However, the Lyme Laser Protocol™ goes beyond the use of laser technologies; we focus on the whole body.
The proprietary systems and technologies utilized in the Lyme Laser Protocol™ were developed with over 20 years of research and proven sciences. With the implementation of state-of-the-art laser technologies, our system is developed to specifically target and deteriorate the biofilm used as a protective mechanism by the Lyme bacteria. However, the Lyme Laser Protocol™ goes beyond the use of laser technologies; we focus on the whole body.Through the use of fundamental and proven health practices like oxygen therapy, nutrition, supplementation, and more, we push your body to heal, building the foundation that leads to long-term health. We also use the application of a proprietary detoxification system that enables us to propel the body to eliminate toxicity at a rate beyond its natural capacity to ease the burden that often overwhelms a person during other treatments.Each and every Lyme Laser Protocol™ is customized to the needs of that person and to their rate of healing. Every person is affected differently by Lyme disease, and so must be their healing plan. The Lyme Laser Protocol™ is designed to negate the use of any treatments or therapies that are recognized to harm or stress the body such as antibiotics, ozone, or hyperthermia. This is because science has shown the potential harm of engaging in these therapies and the limitations in their inability to provide lasting results. We believe that achieving true success in defeating Lyme disease can be done through healing the body, not harming it. Chances are, you heard about us through one of the hundreds of successfully treated Lyme sufferers that have completed the Lyme Laser Protocol™. We look forward to helping you become the next success story! Sincerely, The Lyme Laser TeamFind the location nearest you to get a FREE consultation and learn more about you can overcome Lyme with the Lyme Laser Protocol™
WHY IT WORKS !
The Lyme Laser Protocol™ is developed to address the whole body. We accomplish this with the use of state of the art technologies and fundamental techniques based on proven sciences. Our system is developed to specifically target and deteriorate the protective biofilm of the Lyme bacteria while your body is healing and re-establishing the systems and function that will lead to long-term health.
We also do not use any treatments or therapies that are recognized to result in long-term harm or stress to the body. We believe that achieving true success in defeating Lyme disease can be done through healing the body, not harming it.
Read more about the RESEARCH that drives us!
“In short, this protocol works! My only regret is that my initial skepticism kept me from completing it 2 years earlier!!! Brain fog? Gone! Fatigue? Gone! Hopelessness? Gone! The staff at Lyme Laser were amazing. From my first consultation until my last they were interested in every facet of my healing which is the complete opposite of my experiences making the rounds on the LLMD circuit for years.”
“Lyme Laser Center is the only place you should go to treat your Lyme’s Disease. It actually WORKS! After completing the protocol, not only did it cure me, but I’m off my blood pressure medication that I was on for 15 years. I enjoy more energy, a sense of well being and better sleep.”
“After 12 years of misdiagnosis and 6 years of antibiotics, I was hopeless. After 2 months with Lyme Laser I had made significant and noticeable improvement. Now after 8 months, I’m doing even better. Coming to Lyme Laser is one of the best things I’ve ever done. I highly recommend it!”
WHY IT WORKS !
The Lyme Laser Protocol™ is developed to address the whole body. We accomplish this with the use of state of the art technologies and fundamental techniques based on proven sciences. Our system is developed to specifically target and deteriorate the protective biofilm of the Lyme bacteria while your body is healing and re-establishing the systems and function that will lead to long-term health.
We also do not use any treatments or therapies that are recognized to result in long-term harm or stress to the body. We believe that achieving true success in defeating Lyme disease can be done through healing the body, not harming it.
“Lyme Laser Center is the only place you should go to treat your Lyme’s Disease. It actually WORKS! After completing the protocol, not only did it cure me, but I’m off my blood pressure medication that I was on for 15 years. I enjoy more energy, a sense of well being and better sleep.”
“After 12 years of misdiagnosis and 6 years of antibiotics, I was hopeless. After 2 months with Lyme Laser I had made significant and noticeable improvement. Now after 8 months, I’m doing even better. Coming to Lyme Laser is one of the best things I’ve ever done. I highly recommend it!”
“In short, this protocol works! My only regret is that my initial skepticism kept me from completing it 2 years earlier!!! Brain fog? Gone! Fatigue? Gone! Hopelessness? Gone! The staff at Lyme Laser were amazing. From my first consultation until my last they were interested in every facet of my healing which is the complete opposite of my experiences making the rounds on the LLMD circuit for years.”
