The Persistent Spiral: The Ancient History of Lyme Disease and Tick-Borne Co-Infections (en Inglés)
Reseña del libro "The Persistent Spiral: The Ancient History of Lyme Disease and Tick-Borne Co-Infections (en Inglés)"
What do dinosaurs, a Neanderthal elder named Nandy, Ötzi-the Ice Mummy, Chinese Chickens, Roman Cats, Richard the Lionhearted, and Catherine of Aragon have in common? The answer: they all suffered from Lyme disease- a constellation of pathogens centered upon a group of bacteria called Borrelia, but including many co-infections. Borrelia have been around for millions of years- a spiral shaped spirochete that is usually spread by the bite of Ixodes ticks. Lyme disease is recognized by the CDC as the leading cause of tick-borne infection in the United States. The history of this spiral is one of persistence. Paleoborrelia was its very ancient ancestor. It has been found within fifteen million year old ticks that became fossilized within amber. It may have infected the dinosaurs. It has been lurking in and on the edges of the temperate forests of Eurasia and North America for eons. It bugged the Neanderthals. Spirochetes and bone infections have been found in some of the most ancient human skeletal remains. The earliest verified case of Borrelia was found during DNA analysis of the genome of the mummy named Ötzi, who died 5300 years ago and was preserved in ice on the Italian Alps. Borrelia anseria, which afflicts poultry, was spread around the world by the popularity of cock-fighting. The Crusaders armies were plagued by ticks, lice, and disease on their way to capture Jerusalem. Richard the Lionhearted suffered from Borrelia vincenti, better known as Trench Mouth, and Relapsing Fever. Ticks harbor a multitude of pathogens. These include Rickettsia, Bartonella, Babesia, Powassan Virus and Anaplasma and others. When cats were domesticated they brought Bartonella with them and helped spread it around the world. King Henry VIII's first wife, Catherine of Aragon, was chronically ill for much of her life after she suffered from The English Sweating Sickness, which may have been caused by a particularly virulent mix of Borrelia with Babesia infections that swept through England in the 15th Century. Afterwards, Catherine endured a string of heartbreaking miscarriages and still births. Using the concept of pathocenosis, the relationship between a community of interacting infectious agents within a particular community with prevailing unique historical, environmental, social, genetic and technical factors, THE PERSISTENT SPIRAL reveals the history the Ancient History of Lyme disease and Tick-borne infections. It can be considered a prequel to Disguised as the Devil-How Lyme disease Created Witches and Changed History.
