ACTION ALERTS Lyme

The state of New Jersey is placing Lyme disease in a group of disorders
with "unknown causes." Defining chronic Lyme disease as a collection of
symptoms with no known cause may endanger the ability of Lyme patients
to receive antibiotic treatment. LDA and allied patient groups are
asking New Jersey residents to contact state senators, and nationwide
Lyme groups to weigh in.

The State of New Jersey is placing Lyme disease in a group with
disorders of unknown causes: chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, Gulf War
Illness, multiple chemical sensitivity. It wants to open a center
characterizing these disorders and include Lyme disease as
"neuroendocrine immune" (NEID) disorders.

This is a serious danger to Lyme patient treatment as it mirrors what
the IDSA and some governement agencies want to do, make chronic Lyme
disease a collection of vague symptoms with no known cause, thus
preventing treatment with antibiotics.

The New Jersey Assembly already passed a unanimous resolution (AR 202)
supporting the creation of this center. The NJ Senate has not yet voted
on the Resolution (SR 133).

Click here to see the Senate Resolution that will be voted upon
NJ Senate Resolution SR 133
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102757390145&s=19&e=001u15LMb-qZFsfhq2QHcMLzK\
Jay1NgQheMMLbIkqDHHdKtnJY4Rr9blsye7ZoB3DqT4M_nVoyIG5AEzYUfmMizcfGODq4vLG\
-RriOFZ21C4KVoRR-qCDgD5-F6dl0OF_817e2U91CPTcWFkVu19f6878VNoEi9htxY42nIis\
iABGw=>

Click here to see the Letter sent last week to NJ Senators asking for
removal of Lyme from resolution Letter to NJ Senate by Lyme Groups
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102757390145&s=19&e=001u15LMb-qZFvt11pE1mi2U0\
ZIrU-SGok24vzv2fui5q1Xuwqr6si_Tv5-xz-aaA7BvzaXNQrwnz9rQ4GsEJ4iz7GjVND8HK\
OIGuokMWVzX06coTSbfhXjzs2G0DtGOhXBQ1-L-gjnZY1A6v04BaxQgYozkxKwSAOa>

WHO: NJ residents or businesses; also, any Lyme organizations nationwide
who have not already signed above letter. No others please at this time,
thanks!

WHAT: Call or fax the NJ State Senate sponsors Christopher "Kip" Bateman
and Loretta Weinberg.

WHERE: Bateman Phone: (908) 526-3600 Fax: 908-707-4578
Weinberg Phone: (201) 928-0100 Fax: 201-928-0406

WHEN: Start Tuesday October 13, 2009

WHY: To remove Lyme disease from this resolution & from the center

HOW: Call or fax the two senators. Tell each of them

* Including Lyme disease with disorders with no known cause will hurt
Lyme patients everywhere and prevent them from receiving treatment.
* Please remove all references to Lyme disease from the Resolution.
* Leave your name, address, contact info (if group, leave
group name)

Also, check if either Bateman or Weinberg is your senator Find your NJ
State Senator
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102757390145&s=19&e=001u15LMb-qZFuIfaonOw0_Rm\
wxRky7hPCGEZVW4XR_feNJz9zbvGV5kMMenVgpgOupT7AQAY3L83NQL9bvhF2jMUBKGLjwv5\
cDL6UQ2ZKqNY92j4lFZTYKz4tNTVy9f6flgrJGYqa7-eY=> If so, tell him or her
you are a constituent.

Goal:

To have Lyme disease removed from Resolution SR 133 which includes other
disorders all of which have unknown causes.

Available Online October 8, 2009 in Science Magazine, published by the
American Association for the Advancement of Science.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1179052

Reports

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating disease of unknown
etiology that is estimated to affect 17 million people worldwide.
Studying peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from CFS patients,
we identified DNA from a human gammaretrovirus, xenotropic murine
leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV), in 68 of 101 patients (67%)
compared to 8 of 218 (3.7%) healthy controls.

Cell culture experiments revealed that patient-derived XMRV is
infectious and that both cell-associated and cell-free transmission of
the virus are possible. Secondary viral infections were established in
uninfected primary lymphocytes and indicator cell lines following
exposure to activated PBMCs, B cells, T cells, or plasma derived from
CFS patients.

These findings raise the possibility that XMRV may be a contributing
factor in the pathogenesis of CFS.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1179052

Related Link:
Science : Retrovirus Linked to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2009/1008fatigue.shtml