Unorthodox alternative therapies marketed to treat Lyme disease.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Some patients with medically unexplained symptoms or alternative medical
diagnoses suspect that they chronically suffer from the tick-borne infection Lyme
disease. These patients are commonly targeted by providers of alternative therapies.
This study was designed to identify and characterize the range of unorthodox alternative
therapies advertised to patients with a diagnosis of Lyme disease. METHODS: Internet
searches using the Google search engine were performed to identify the websites of
clinics and services that marketed nonantimicrobial therapies for Lyme disease. We
subsequently used the PubMed search engine to identify any scientific studies evaluating
such treatments for Lyme disease. Websites were included in our review so long as
they advertised a commercial, nonantimicrobial product or service that specifically
mentioned utility for Lyme disease. Websites with patient testimonials (such as discussion
groups) were excluded unless the testimonial appeared as marketing on a commercial
site. RESULTS: More than 30 alternative treatments were identified, which fell into
several broad categories: these included oxygen and reactive oxygen therapy; energy
and radiation-based therapies; nutritional therapy; chelation and heavy metal therapy;
and biological and pharmacological therapies ranging from certain medications without
recognized therapeutic effects on Borrelia burgdorgeri to stem cell transplantation.
Review of the medical literature did not substantiate efficacy or, in most cases,
any rationale for the advertised treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Providers of alternative
therapies commonly target patients who believe they have Lyme disease. The efficacy
of these unconventional treatments for Lyme disease is not supported by scientific
evidence, and in many cases they are potentially harmful.
Type
Journal articleSubject
Borrelia burgdorferiLyme disease
alternative
complementary
unorthodox
Borrelia burgdorferi
Complementary Therapies
Humans
Internet
Lyme Disease
Search Engine
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/13906Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1093/cid/civ186Publication Info
Lantos, Paul M; Shapiro, Eugene D; Auwaerter, Paul G; Baker, Phillip J; Halperin,
John J; McSweegan, Edward; & Wormser, Gary P (2015). Unorthodox alternative therapies marketed to treat Lyme disease. Clin Infect Dis, 60(12). pp. 1776-1782. 10.1093/cid/civ186. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/13906.This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this
article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
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Show full item recordScholars@Duke
Paul Michael Lantos
Professor of Medicine
I am interested in the spatial epidemiology of infectious diseases. My research utilizes
geographic information systems (GIS) and geostatistical analyses to understand the
spatial and spatiotemporal distribution of diseases, and their relationship with environmental
and demographic factors. I currently have active studies evaluating the spatial distribution
of numerous domestic and international infectious diseases, including SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19),
cytomegalovirus, influenza, and Lyme disease. A

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