Chronic Disease: Controversy over chronic Lyme disease

Recently, whether or not the Lyme disease can be categorized within chronic diseases has aroused controversial argument in medical community. Lyme disease, according to medical dictionary, is defined as an inflammatory disease characterized by a rash with joint swelling and fever; caused by bacteria carried by the bite of a deer tick. (William, 2008). The key point of this controversy goes to how long Lyme disease can last and whether it is easily diagnosed, treated and cured.

There are basically two views on the subject: One is stated by the Infectious Disease society of America (IDSA) that there is no convincing biological evidence for the existence of chronic Lyme infection and that long-term antibiotic treatment of "chronic Lyme disease" is unproven and unwarranted. The other view is held by the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) that current Lyme testing is largely inaccurate and likely to miss patients with chronic and ongoing infection, and that long term antibiotic treatment is indicated for those patients with chronic symptoms due to the persistence of the spirochete. (The school of medicine of Stanford, 2011)

Personally, I’m apt to agree with the view that ILADS holds which argues that chronic Lyme disease does exist and focuses on the alternative reasons for the chronic symptoms like ongoing infection. Compared with the IDSA’s point, this view is supported by the chronic Lyme patients and the physicians, which make it more reality-based—“We attest to the fact that we do much better when treated beyond those 4 weeks of antibiotic treatment. Our subjective experience is supported by a body of peer reviewed scientific research.” stated by physicians treating Lyme disease. As well, significant scientific literature can be found to support that the Lyme bacterium can survive this standard treatment.(Canadian Lyme disease Foundation, 2011) Therefore, with the patients’ real treatment experience together with supportive scientific literature review, I argue that chronic Lyme disease does exist and that we should protect the right of physicians to treat Lyme patients in the effective way that has works effectively for so long a time.