abbreviated - full text available through The Institute of Neurobiology at 425-637-9339 or aant@neuraltherapy.com

Introduction
Lyme disease has become, after AIDS, probably the fastest spreading infectious disease. "Classical" Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by a spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, which is passed to the patient by a tick bite. Since several other infections that cause similar symptoms can be transmitted by the same tick bite, and other infectious agents not transmitted by a tick can cause similar symptoms, the term "New Lyme Disease" is used by most holistic physicians.

Lyme disease is not only a frequent underlying causal factor in chronic human illness, but also extremely common in pets, especially in dogs and horses.

The following microorganisms have to be considered when making the diagnosis of "New Lyme Disease."

1. Borrelia burgdorferi;
   
2. Babesia microti (a protozoan intracellular invader);
   
3. Ehrlichiosis;
   
4. Mycoplasma pneumoniae (associated with MS, ALS, Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia);
   
5. Chlamydia pneumoniae;
   
6. Bartonella henselae;
   
7. Rickettsia rickettsiae.

The following symptoms can be caused by Lyme disease:

1. Chronic Fatigue (more severe in the early afternoon);
   
2. Lack of endurance;
   
3. Non-healing infections in the jaw bone, devitalized teeth, dental pain;
   
4. Fibromyalgia;
   
5. Joint pains (especially in the spine);
   
6. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity;
   
7. Cranial Nerve Problems:
   
   • Facial nerve: Bell's palsy (60 % are caused by Lyme disease, 30 % by one of six common viruses from the herpes family, such as EBV, Herpes simplex type I, type II, type 6 etc);
     
   • Trigeminal nerve: sense of vibration in the face, TMJ and facial pain, headache, tension and cramps in the face/skull/jaw;
     
   • Ears (VII, VIII): tinnitus, vertigo, and hypersensitivity to noise;
     
   • Eyes (II, III, IV, VI): decreasing and changing eye sight (fluctuates during the day), light sensitivity, floaters;
     
   • Vagus (X), Glossopharyngeal nerve (IX) and Hypoglossus (XII): difficulty swallowing, faulty swallowing, reflux, hiatus hernia, heart palpitations, supraventricular arrythmias.
     
8. CNS problems:
   
   • Physical: epileptic seizures, insomnia, tremor, ataxia, movement disorders (torticollis, etc.);
     
   • Emotional: irritability (key symptom in children), depression, bi-phasic behaviour (manic-depression), bouts of anger, listlessness;
     
   • Mental: confusion, difficulty thinking, poor short term memory, increasingly messy household and desk, difficulty finding the right word, feeling of "information overload;"
     
   • Mixed pictures: can resemble or imitate any known psychiatric illness.
     
9. Peripheral nervous system problems:
   
   • Paraesthesia, burning, vibration, numbness, shooting pains.
     
10. Pelvis: interstitial cystitis, prostatitis, sexual dysfunction, loss of libido, pelvic pain, menstrual disorders.
    
11. Immune system failure: with all known secondary illnesses such as herpes virus infection, intestinal parasites, malaise.
    
12. General symptoms: hair loss, loss of zest for life, sensitivity to electric appliances.

Laboratory Testing
Until recently laboratory testing has been unsatisfactory with a detection rate of probably below 30 %. In the past it was believed the laboratory evaluation of the spinal fluid was a reliable way to confirm or refute the diagnosis of Lyme disease. This has been proven wrong. The test with the broadest detection rate, the Western Blot ELISA test, has low specificity. The test with the highest specificity but with a fairly low detection rate was the PCR test.

The B. burgdorferi is a master at evading the body's immune system and evading laboratory detection by modulating and changing its surface antigens. It can form a cystic stage, which is resistant to antibiotics, evades laboratory detection, and gives birth to healthy spirochetes once the antibiotics are discontinued.

A new test has recently become available: the C6 Lyme Peptide ELISA test (BBI Clinical Laboratories, Tel.: 1-800-676-1881 or 1-508-580-1900, test code: 556 - C6LPE. The test is based on the discovery of six (6) peptides on the surface of the spirochete, which are consistently present and do not evade detection by the laboratory as many of the other surface antigens of B. burgdorferi do. This test detects all B. burgdorferi strains and genospecies. It is highly specific and more sensitive than conventional tests for chronic Lyme disease. It is also sensitive in early Lyme disease (which used to be problematic) and can be used for accurate antibody results for Lyme vaccinated patients.

The treatment protocol has intentionally been removed. All treatment should be supervised by a medical professional.

RESOURCES
Acupuncture charts -- Apitronic Services, Tel.: 604-271-9414

Dried peptide extracts -- Chisolm Biological Laboratory, Tel.: 803-663-9618 / ext. 9777

Herbs -- Monastery of Herbs, Los Angeles, Tel.: 818-360 4871

Herbs protocol -- Dr. Zhang, MD, LAc of New York, web site: www.dr-zhang.com

Lab test -- C6 Lyme Peptide ELISA test -- BBI Clinical Laboratories, test code: 556 - C6LPE, Tel.: 1-800-800-676-1881 or 508-580-1900.

SoftSting -- Apitronic Services, Tel.: 604-271-9414

Neural Therapy and Autonomic Response Testing workshops and resources - The Institute of Neurobiology, PO Box 5023, Bellevue, WA, 98009, USA, Tel.: 425-637-9339, Fax: 425-637-9669, E-mail: aant@neuraltherapy.com, www.neuraltherapy.com

Procaine (preservative free)
ApotheCure Pharmacy, Tel.: 800-969-6601
Fruitvale Pharmacy (Canada): 250-367-9331
McGuff Compounding Pharmacy Services: 877-444-1133

VeneX-10 and VeneX-20 -- Tel.: 604-271-9414

RESOURCES FOR INFORMATION

Books, Booklets and Literature
Beck, B. F., MD (1997) The Bible of Bee Venom Therapy. Health Resources Press, Inc., Silver Spring, MD, USA, book, ISBN 1-890708-03, pp. 238. Reprint of the original 1935 edition of Dr. Beck: Bee Venom Therapy - Bee Venom, Its Nature, and Its effect on Arthritic and Rheumatoid Conditions. (available from Apitronic Services: Tel.: 604-271-9414)

Broadman, J., MD (1997) Bee Venom - The Natural Curative for Arthritis and Rheumatism. Health Resources Press, Silver Spring, MD, USA, book, ISBN 1-890708-01-3, references, index, glossary, foreword by Harold Goodman, DO, pp. 224 (available from Apitronic Services: Tel.: 604-271-9414)

Klinghardt, D. K., MD (1990) Bee Venom Therapy for Chronic Pain. The Journal of Neurological & Orthopedic Medicine & Surgery, Vol. 11, No. 3, pp. 195-197

Klinghardt, Dietrich, MD (1999) Treatment Protocol for Bee Venom Therapy. Apitherapy Education Service - Apitronic Services, Richmond, BC, Canada, booklet, 11 pp.

Lubke, L. L. and Garon, C. F. (1997) Bee Stings as Lyme Inhibitor. J. Clin. Infect. Diseases, July, 25 Suppl. 1, pp. 48-51

Marinelli, Rick, ND and Klinghardt, Dietrich, MD (1999) Methodology for Injectable Bee Venom Therapy. Apitherapy Education Service - Apitronic Services, Richmond, BC Canada, 12 pp.

Mraz, Charles (1994) Health and the Honeybee. Queen City Publications, Burlington, VT, USA, ISBN 0-9642485-0-6, pp. vii+92 (available from Apitronic Services: Tel.: 604-271-9414)

Organizations
American Apitherapy Society, Inc., 5535 Balboa Blvd., Ste 225, Encino, CA 91316 USA, Tel.: 818-501-0446, Fax: 818-995-9334, e-mail: aasoffice@apitherapy.org, web page: www.apitherapy.org

Neural Therapy and Autonomic Response Testing workshops and resources - The Institute of Neurobiology, PO Box 5023, Bellevue, WA, 98009, USA, Tel.: 425-637-9339, Fax: 425-637-9669, E-mail: aant@neuraltherapy.com, www.neuraltherapy.com

Internet Resources
The American Academy of Neural Therapy
www.neuraltherapy.com

Bee Venom Therapy Supplies and Books
www.beevenom.com

Apitherapy Reference Database
www.saunalahti.fi/~apither/

Bee Venom Therapy Supplies and Books
Bee venom products and therapy related books, literature and Apitherapy Education Service.
Apitronic Services
9611 No. 4 Road
Richmond, BC
Canada, V7A 2Z1
Ph./Fax: 604-271-9414
e-mail: msimics@direct.ca
www.beevenom.com