In this episode of the Lyme Insider, Dr. Tom Moorcroft is joined by Dr. Eboni Cornish as they discuss the often-overlooked parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, and its implications for chronic infections and neuropsychiatric symptoms. They explore the role of toxoplasmosis in various chronic illnesses, including tick-borne diseases, and delve into Dr. Cornish's clinical practice at the Amen Clinic. They emphasize the importance of accurate diagnosis using spec scans and brain imaging to tailor treatment approaches. Dr. Cornish shares insights into innovative diagnostics, including oral microbiome testing and personalized treatments for neuroinflammation. The episode also highlights Dr. Cornish's dedication to finding the root cause of health issues and providing effective therapies for recovery.

00:00 Introduction to the Elusive Parasite
00:10 Meet Dr. Eboni Cornish
00:34 Understanding Toxoplasma Gondii
00:48 Neuropsychiatric Symptoms and Infections
01:30 Diving into Diagnosis and Treatment
02:02 Live from the MAPS Conference
02:42 Clinical Insights and Practices
03:40 Exploring Oral Infections
04:26 The Role of Neuroimaging
06:06 Innovative Treatment Approaches
12:28 The Importance of Oral and Nasal Health
19:21 Addressing Perianal Strep
21:40 Exploring Liposomal Formulations
22:43 Balancing Testing and Treatment
24:45 The Role of Clinical Diagnosis
30:21 Integrating Conference Learnings
32:50 Personalized Patient Care
36:02 The Importance of Basics in Treatment
41:09 Innovative Programs and Final Thoughts

In this episode of the Lime Insider, Dr. Tom Moorcroft discusses video game addiction with Dr. Koichi Tanji, a naturopathic physician and addiction specialist. The conversation covers the signs and symptoms of video game addiction, its potential impacts, and similarities with substance abuse. They discuss strategies for identifying and treating gaming addiction, the risks involved, and how to foster healthier relationships with technology. The episode emphasizes the importance of awareness and offers insights into managing screen time for both children and adults.

00:00 Introduction to Video Game Addiction

00:38 Meet Dr. Koichi Tanji: From Boxer to Addiction Specialist

01:11 The Rise of Screen Time and Its Consequences

02:17 The Importance of Addressing Video Game Addiction

06:17 Understanding the Symptoms of Gaming Addiction

09:20 The Psychology Behind Gaming Addiction 12:53 The Dangers of Unsupervised Internet Access

18:17 Strategies for Managing Gaming Addiction

21:58 Impact of COVID on Screen Time

22:24 Pandemic Screen Time Statistics

23:43 Understanding Gaming Addiction

24:36 Treatment Approaches for Gaming Addiction

26:59 Parental Guidance and Healthy Coping Skills

30:34 The Importance of Boredom and Creativity

35:08 Final Thoughts and Future Conversations

Summary

Dr. Ed Breitschwerdt discusses his interest in Bartonella research and the challenges associated with studying this bacteria. He explains the discovery of Bartonella and its unique aspects, including the various vectors and modes of transmission. The prevalence of Bartonella and the challenges in diagnosing the infection are also discussed. Dr. Breitschwerdt highlights the difficulties in testing and diagnosing chronic Bartonella infections and the use of digital PCR for more accurate detection. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the pathophysiology of chronic Bartonella infection. The conversation explores the challenges in accurately diagnosing Bartonella infections and the differences in results from different labs. It highlights the importance of using the correct isolates of the organism for testing and the prevalence of different strains. ThKe discussion also touches on the phenomenon of patients stopping the production of antibodies to Bartonella and the interplay between acute and chronic infections. The conversation emphasizes the need for better diagnostic tests and the development of a vaccine to protect animals and humans from Bartonella infections.

Takeaways

Bartonella is a complex bacteria with various vectors and modes of transmission.

Diagnosing Bartonella infection, especially chronic cases, can be challenging.

Digital PCR is a promising tool for more accurate detection of Bartonella.

Chronic Bartonella infection can lead to a range of symptoms and recrudescence. Different labs may use different isolates of Bartonella, leading to different results in testing.

Patients may stop producing antibodies to Bartonella, making serology testing less reliable.

Exposure to Bartonella species is common, and many individuals may be asymptomatic carriers.

Bartonella infections may contribute to a spectrum of neurologic and neuropsychiatric diseases.

The development of a diagnostic test and a vaccine for Bartonella are important goals for future research.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

00:42 Interest in Bartonella Research

05:38 Challenges and Unique Aspects of Bartonella

08:37 Transmission of Bartonella

11:11 Vectors and Transmission to Humans

14:58 Prevalence of Bartonella and Challenges in Diagnosis

29:35 Chronic Bartonella Infection and Recrudescence

32:20 Pathophysiology of Chronic Bartonella Infection

36:06 Diagnostic Challenges and Digital PCR

41:13 Challenges in Accurate Diagnosis

42:02 Different Results from Different Labs

42:16 Different Isolates of the Organism

43:42 Prevalence of Bartonella Henselae Strains

44:41 Patients Stop Making Antibodies

45:56 Interplay Between Acute and Chronic Infections

46:45 Serofast State in Bartonella Henselae

47:21 Exposure to Bartonella Species

48:19 Testing Blood Donors for Bartonella

49:47 Role of Bartonella in Neurologic Diseases

52:43 Symptoms of Bartonella Infection

54:03 Understanding Bartonella on a Cellular Basis

57:34 Developing a Diagnostic Test for Bartonella

01:00:09 Vaccine Target for Bartonella

01:11:44 Protecting the Human-Animal Bond

01:18:03 Future Goals: Diagnostic Test and Vaccine

Dr. Ed Breitschwerdt, DVM , DACVIM

Learn more about Dr. Breitschwerdt and his work at NC State University

Learn more about Dr. Breitschwerdt’s work at Galaxy Diagnostics

Donate to the NC State Bartonella/Vector Borne Research Fund

Tom Moorcroft, DO

Learn more about Dr. Tom’s Lyme Disease Practitioner Training program.