Ellie, nice to see you again!

I was reading up on Lyme and MS quite some time ago, and came across this:

Med Hypotheses. 2005;64(3):438-48.

Chronic Lyme borreliosis at the root of multiple sclerosis--is a cure with antibiotics attainable?

Fritzsche M.

Clinic for Internal and Geographical Medicine, Soodstrasse 13, 8134 Adliswil, Switzerland. Contact Markus Fritzsche

Apart from its devastating impact on individuals and their families, multiple sclerosis (MS) creates a huge economic burden for society by mainly afflicting young adults in their most productive years. Although effective strategies for symptom management and disease modifying therapies have evolved, there exists no curative treatment yet. Worldwide, MS prevalence parallels the distribution of the Lyme disease pathogen Borrelia (B.) burgdorferi, and in America and Europe, the birth excesses of those individuals who later in life develop MS exactly mirror the seasonal distributions of Borrelia transmitting Ixodes ticks. In addition to known acute infections, no other disease exhibits equally marked epidemiological clusters by season and locality, nurturing the hope that prevention might ultimately be attainable. As minocycline, tinidazole and hydroxychloroquine are reportedly capable of destroying both the spirochaetal and cystic L-form of B. burgdorferi found in MS brains, there emerges also new hope for those already afflicted. The immunomodulating anti-inflammatory potential of minocycline and hydroxychloroquine may furthermore reduce the Jarisch Herxheimer reaction triggered by decaying Borrelia at treatment initiation. Even in those cases unrelated to B. burgdorferi, minocycline is known for its beneficial effect on several factors considered to be detrimental in MS. Patients receiving a combination of these pharmaceuticals are thus expected to be cured or to have a longer period of remission compared to untreated controls. Although the goal of this rational, cost-effective and potentially curative treatment seems simple enough, the importance of a scientifically sound approach cannot be overemphasised. A randomised, prospective, double blinded trial is necessary in patients from B. burgdorferi endemic areas with established MS and/or Borrelia L-forms in their cerebrospinal fluid, and to yield reasonable significance within due time, the groups must be large enough and preferably taken together in a multi-centre study.

http://www.canlyme.com/multiple_scle...ypothesis.html

However, what I also came across was this article:

IS LYME DISEASE PRESENT IN CANADA?

Lyme disease is not common in Canada. Although it is not a reportable disease in most provinces, less than 30 cases are reported each year (3). In Canada, Lyme disease can be acquired in areas where the tick vector is well established. More than half of the cases of Lyme disease from these areas, and virtually all of the cases from nonendemic areas, can be linked epidemiologically to travel to a highly endemic area of the United States.

WHERE ARE THE TICKS THAT TRANSMIT LYME DISEASE LOCATED IN CANADA?

Not all ticks can transmit Lyme disease. The common dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) is not a capable vector for the Lyme disease spirochete. Only the deer tick (I scapularis and I pacificus) is involved in the life cycle of B burgdorferi, and it transmits the disease. Although I scapularis has been found in all provinces from Saskatchewan to the east, and I scapularis was demonstrated to be carrying B burgdorferi in some of these ticks, most ticks have been adult females most likely brought to Canada on migratory birds and have not undergone their full life cycle in Canada (4-7). In fact, I scapularis is established (having larva, nymph and adult stages present) only in the Long Point peninsula and Point Pelee National Park, both on Lake Erie in Ontario, whereas I pacificus undergoes its full reproductive cycle in Canada only in the Fraser River delta, the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island of British Columbia (8).

(That was reported on this link, but you can't get to it any more: http://www.pulsus.com/journals/index.jsp ) This link says basically the same thing, that Lyme is very rare in Canada: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/...6sup/acs3.html

Canada, especially the mid-western Provinces, has one of the highest prevalence of MS in the World . . . but VERY little Lyme. The US has a higher incidence of Lyme, but seemingly lower prevalence of MS.

Having said all that, I don't think I was ever tested for Lyme.

Cherie