The True Origins of Lyme Disease
Summary
TLDRThe video script discusses the complexities and controversies surrounding Lyme disease, a tick-borne illness that has become a significant global health concern. It highlights the varying experiences of those affected, from mild symptoms treated with antibiotics to life-altering chronic conditions. The documentary 'Under Our Skin' by Chris Newbie is mentioned, which explores the mysterious origins of the disease that began to surface in the mid-1970s near Plum Island, a site linked to the U.S. biological weapons program. The script raises questions about the reliability of Lyme disease tests, the increase in tick populations, and the potential connection to biological research. Chris Newbie, who has personally been affected by Lyme and authored 'Bitten: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Weapons,' shares insights into the disease's diagnosis challenges and the political and economic aspects that have complicated its understanding and treatment.
Takeaways
- 🏥 **Lyme Disease Impact**: Lyme disease can range from a mild illness treated with antibiotics to a life-altering condition that leaves some individuals bedridden and in severe pain.
- 🌿 **Tick-Borne Disease**: The disease is caused by a spirochete bacteria transmitted through a tick bite, and if treated promptly with doxycycline or amoxicillin, it can be resolved.
- 🤔 **Misdiagnosis Concerns**: Lyme disease is often misdiagnosed or diagnosed late, leading to controversy and complications that can make the disease difficult to eradicate.
- 🐛 **Tick Population Growth**: There has been a significant increase in tick populations, particularly in the Northeast of the United States, which correlates with the rise in Lyme disease cases.
- 🧪 **Testing Reliability**: Lyme disease antibody tests are not very reliable, especially in the early stages, and can be inconclusive even in later stages due to varying factors.
- 🌎 **Climate Change Connection**: Climate change is contributing to the spread of ticks, as milder winters mean fewer ticks die off, leading to an increase in tick-borne diseases.
- 🚫 **Political and Economic Factors**: Lyme disease has become politicized, with some viewing it as a national health crisis that is being ignored or suppressed.
- 📈 **Rising Prevalence**: The number of Lyme disease cases is increasing, with the CDC estimating half a million cases per year in the U.S.
- ❓ **Origins of Lyme Disease**: The disease became a noticeable problem in the mid-70s, around the same time that three rare tick-borne diseases appeared near Plum Island, which was involved in biological weapons research.
- 🔍 **Investigative Response**: The CDC investigated the cluster of new diseases near Plum Island, with the discovery that Lyme disease was tick-borne, but the causative agent remained elusive and the situation became more secretive.
- 📚 **Author's Research**: Chris Newbie, author of 'Bitten: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Weapons,' has conducted extensive research into the history and controversy surrounding Lyme disease.
Q & A
What is the general perception of Lyme disease in rural areas?
-In rural areas, Lyme disease is known to affect some people severely, causing life-long agony and ending their productive lives, while for others it may seem less serious and treatable with antibiotics.
What is the current debate around the nature of Lyme disease?
-There is an ongoing debate about whether Lyme disease is a psychological symptom or a physical syndrome. Even among those who acknowledge it as a physical condition, there is no consensus on its exact nature or origin.
What is the significance of the documentary 'Under Our Skin'?
-The documentary 'Under Our Skin', produced by Chris Newbie in 2008, highlights the seriousness of Lyme disease as a global illness with mysterious origins and discusses the lack of understanding and controversy surrounding it.
Why is Lyme disease considered a political and economic disease?
-Lyme disease is considered political and economic because its impact and the response to it have been influenced by various factors, including the potential for political and economic manipulation, and it has become a subject of debate and controversy.
What are the challenges in diagnosing Lyme disease?
-Diagnosing Lyme disease is challenging because it is often misdiagnosed or diagnosed late. Additionally, ticks can transmit multiple disease-causing microbes, leading to a confusing set of symptoms that doctors have difficulty diagnosing.
How is Lyme disease typically contracted?
-Lyme disease is typically contracted through a tick bite, which can transmit the spirochete bacteria that causes the disease.
What are the issues with Lyme disease antibody tests?
-Lyme disease antibody tests are not very reliable. They often do not work in the first month, as it takes time for the body to develop antibodies to a detectable level. Later on, the accuracy of the tests remains questionable.
How has the increase in tick populations affected the spread of Lyme disease?
-The increase in tick populations, particularly in the Northeast, has led to a rise in Lyme disease cases. More ticks mean a higher chance of transmission, and this has resulted in a significant number of new cases each year.
What is the estimated number of Lyme disease cases reported by the CDC?
-The CDC estimates there are half a million cases of Lyme disease per year, which averages to about 1,300 people per day.
What factors are contributing to the rapid spread of Lyme disease?
-Factors contributing to the rapid spread of Lyme disease include climate change, which leads to milder winters and increased tick survival, and increased human encroachment into wooded areas, leading to more exposure to ticks.
What were the findings of Chris Newbie's research on the origins of Lyme disease?
-Chris Newbie's research suggests that Lyme disease became a noticeable problem in the mid-1970s and coincided with the appearance of three rare tickborne diseases near Plum Island, a site related to the US biological weapons program. This has led to speculation about a possible connection, although it is not definitively proven.
What was the public response to the discovery of Lyme disease?
-The public response was mixed. Initially, there was a belief that taking doxycycline for two weeks would resolve the issue. However, when the disease did not go away as expected, it led to increased secrecy and controversy around the disease.
Outlines
😷 The Impact and Controversy of Lyme Disease
This paragraph discusses the varied impact of Lyme disease on individuals, highlighting that while some recover with antibiotics, others suffer long-term debilitating effects. It introduces the debate around the nature and origins of the disease, mentioning the skepticism from some quarters and the lack of consensus among experts. The paragraph also references a 2008 documentary called 'Under Our Skin' by Chris Newby, which explores the global spread and mysterious origins of Lyme disease. It touches on the emotional and physical toll of the disease, the politicization of its truth, and the challenges of diagnosis due to the complexity of symptoms and the unreliability of antibody tests. The increase in tick populations and the correlation with the rise in Lyme disease cases is also mentioned.
🌐 The Spread and Origins of Lyme Disease
The second paragraph delves into the rapid spread of Lyme disease, with the CDC estimating half a million cases per year. It discusses potential reasons for this increase, including climate change and human encroachment into wooded areas. The speaker raises questions about the sudden emergence of Lyme disease, noting that it wasn't a significant problem until the mid-1970s. The paragraph suggests a connection between the appearance of three tickborne diseases near Plum Island, a site related to the US biological weapons program. It outlines the initial response to the disease by local health departments and the CDC, and the subsequent investigation that identified the tickborne nature of the disease. The paragraph ends with an implication that there may be more to the story of Lyme disease's origins, hinting at a possible cover-up or suppression of information.
📚 Exploring the Backstory of Lyme Disease
The final paragraph is an introduction to a platform that offers long-form interviews, short videos, and documentaries on important topics, inviting the audience to explore more content on their website. It suggests a broader context for the discussion on Lyme disease, indicating that there are many aspects of the disease that are not widely known or discussed.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Lyme disease
💡Tick-borne diseases
💡Misdiagnosis
💡Antibiotics
💡Controversy
💡Chris Newby
💡Biological weapons
💡CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
💡Willie Burgdorfer
💡Global health crisis
💡Climate change
Highlights
Lyme disease can have a range of impacts from mild symptoms to life-altering effects, with some people experiencing years of agony and bedridden conditions.
There is ongoing debate about the nature of Lyme disease, with some dismissing it as a psychological symptom, while others acknowledge it as a physical syndrome.
Chris Newby produced a documentary in 2008 called 'Under Our Skin' that explored the mysterious origins of Lyme disease as it became a serious global illness.
Lyme disease is the fastest-growing infectious disease in the U.S., with a significant number of new cases reported annually.
The disease has been politicized and the truth about its impact has been distorted, leading to a lack of adequate response and support.
Lyme disease is caused by a spirochete bacteria transmitted through a tick bite, and early treatment with doxycycline or amoxicillin can be effective.
Misdiagnosis or late diagnosis of Lyme disease can lead to the disease lingering and becoming difficult to treat.
Ticks can transmit multiple disease-causing microbes, leading to confusing symptoms that are challenging for doctors to diagnose.
Antibody tests for Lyme disease have limitations, being unreliable in the early stages and variable in effectiveness later on.
The increase in tick populations, especially in the Northeast U.S., has led to more cases of tick-borne diseases, including Lyme.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates half a million cases of Lyme disease per year in the U.S.
Climate change and human encroachment into wooded areas are contributing factors to the rapid spread of Lyme disease.
Lyme disease became a noticeable problem in the mid-1970s, around the same time three rare tick-borne diseases appeared near Plum Island, a U.S. biological weapons facility.
Willie Burgdorfer, a Swiss American tick researcher, identified the spirochete bacteria as the cause of Lyme disease, but questions remain about the completeness of this explanation.
The discovery of Lyme disease and the subsequent response raised concerns due to the secretive nature and lack of standard protocol for investigating a new disease.
Chris Newby's research and personal experience with Lyme disease led to an in-depth investigation into the history and potential cover-ups surrounding the illness.
The documentary and subsequent book explore the possibility of a connection between the emergence of Lyme disease and biological weapons research.
Transcripts
if you live in certain parts of this
country rural areas particularly you
know people who have or who have had
lime disease and for some of them maybe
most it's not a huge deal you go in and
you get a big dose of antibiotics you
have some symptoms and then it seems to
go away but for some percentage and you
may know these people too it's totally
life destroying it's years in bed it's
Agony it's really the end of your
productive life so what is that exactly
what is lme disease well there's still
an debate about that very basic question
some have dismissed it as a as a
psychological symptom actually but even
people who acknowledge that it's a it's
a physical syndrome um aren't always
very clear and they're certainly not in
agreement with one another about what it
is or where it came from so back in 2008
a woman called Chris nubbie produced a
documentary about lime at that point it
was becoming a very serious Global
illness and its Origins were mysterious
unknown people whisper whispered about
it but no one could be certain that
documentary was was called under our
skin here's part of
it some infectious disease doctors they
don't believe in lime and they said that
I was faking it and pretending so I
could get out of
school lime is the fastest growing
infectious disease in the country
200,000 new cases or maybe even more it
is a political disease and an economic
disease as much as it is a bacterial
born infection I would never never have
thought that something like a
bacteriological infection can become so
politicized the truth can be so brutally
distorted I go into despair daily I cry
daily I want to Die
daily well when I saw this doctor you
know he said you've got a long road
ahead of you it's not going to be easy
so that scared me the unknown is pretty
scary it is a National Health crisis
that is completely and totally being
ignored and
squashed what is going on well you could
write it off and again some have as a
figment of your imagination but there
are real neurological symptoms and if
you know anyone who's had it you know
that it's entirely real um so again what
is this well Chris newbie has spent a
lot of time thinking and researching on
this topic has been affected personally
by lime is the author of Bitten the
secret history of biological weapons and
lime disease and she joins us now Chris
thanks so much for coming on um so can
you just give us a thanks for inviting
me here oh absolutely a quick and
succinct overview of what lime
is so lime disease is caused by a a
spiroketal
bacteria uh and you get it through a
tick bite and if you treat it uh
immediately with uh doxycycline or
amoxicillin it will go away uh the
problem is it's very often uh
misdiagnosed or diagnosed late and that
that's where the controversy comes in
for the disease it uh it can linger for
months to years and then it's really
hard to get rid of and and complicated a
tick can transmit up to like 20
different disease-causing microbes and
so if you have like two or three or four
of those in one tick bite it creates a
confusing set of SYM sympoms that
doctors have trouble
diagnosing so doctors can isolate
however the organism that causes lime
specifically I mean there's no mystery
about where that comes from is that
correct well uh there are antibody tests
for Lyme disease uh it's really really
hard to culture the you know take blood
and culture it in a Petri dish yes the
problem is the tests are not very
reliable the the Lyme disease antibody
tests
don't usually work in the first month it
takes a while for your body to develop
antibodies to the level that can they
can be measured and then later on the
tests aren't that great it's no better
than a coin flip because it just depends
on uh what strain you have and what
you're if you're really sick you won't
produce antibodies interesting so the
the problem with tickborne diseases is
there are a lot more ticks than there
have been in in our lifetime times
anyway parts of the Northeast have seen
an explosion in tick populations to the
point where large mammals are being
decimated suck dry of blood and dying
because they have too many ticks on them
so that's not anyone's imagination
that's measurable so if you have a
disease that's spread by ticks and there
are a whole lot more ticks you're going
to get a whole lot more cases the
disease is this measured
measurable um yes and uh I would say
just the the cases of lme disease are
going up which is proving that ticks are
biting people the CDC estimates they're
half a million cases a year that's on
average 1300 people a day so that's
significant now why they're spreading so
quickly um I go into that in the book a
little bit I mean there certainly is
global with climate change which means
winners aren't as severe and a lot of
the ticks don't die off um for that's
true in in Maine um and then part of it
is people are moving into the woods and
are exposed more to the
ticks yes all all all true um in Maine
and other northern states but it does
raise the question like how did this I
mean if you're if you're 75 years old
you did not grow up with Lyme disease if
you're 15 years old you're worried about
Lyme disease that's a pretty short
period where do we think this came
from well I the thing I found in my
research for my book is Lyme disease
wasn't a problem problem a noticeable
problem till the mid 70s and what my
research said is that there are actually
three really varent tickborne diseases
that's that showed up right around lime
Connecticut at the mouth of the
Connecticut River which is right across
from Plum Island which was the US's uh
anti-animal
crop uh headquarters for the biological
weapons program so late 60s the the peak
of the biological weapons program in the
US these three freaky diseases showed up
so that was lime arthritis caused by the
spet there was a rsia which is uh Rocky
maned spotted fever and then there was a
uh cattle parasite it was the second
time it was found in man in that area
called babesia and that's that's
actually I got lime and B which can be
fatal and it's a serious
disease so all three so you have a
cluster effectively of these three
previously rare diseases right across
the water from the US government's
biological weapons testing facility is
that is that what you're
saying yeah and uh it it's if you're
like working for the CDC and on look on
on the lookout for natural vers versus
unnatural uh disease outbreaks having
three new tickborne diseases show up
extra deadly disease causing uh than in
the past it would raise um it it would
raise it would get their attention and
there would be investigations which is
what
happened um that sounds like a crazy
conspiracy theory to me just because you
have previously rare diseases show up
all at once across from a biological
weapons facility doesn't mean um so okay
so the CDC investigated this what did
they
find well it uh a a housewife in Lime
Connecticut Paulie Murray was the first
one to start documenting and she started
pounding on the doors of local Health
departments in the CDC and it really
took her seven years before the CDC
responded and a doctor named Alan steer
showed up and started uh from Yale he's
a CDC Eis officer and started
investigating it and he they he figured
out it was tickborne but he couldn't
figure out the causitive agent and at
that point the US's number one tick
researcher wiie Berg dorfer a Swiss
American tick guy who was in um nih's
Rocky Mountain laboratory came out to
investigate and that's where he found I
mean the public facing story is he found
the spyroy
uh causes this Bullseye rash he said
that's what's causing all the disease
and uh the Panic should stop just take
two weeks of D doxy cycling and the
problem will go away but it didn't and
that's where my book took out off I
started looking at the
backstory and wondering what really
happened and uh people associated with
that disease weren't acting in the
normal way normally when you discover a
a a dangerous new disease you say oh
this is horrible give us money we'll
research it but instead it just became
more and more secretive so yes so did
did is it your belief that Willie B
burgdorfer who I think is is gone now
but knew the truth about what happened
and what what do you think is the truth
well I I worked on the the Lyme disease
documentary hey it's Tucker Carlson the
internet is crowded with interesting
things that don't really matter on TCN
we attempt to bring you interesting
things that actually do matter and a lot
of them interviews long form and short
videos documentaries you can find all of
it on tuckercarlson.com and we hope you
will
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