Numerous studies are being done with Bee Venom Therapy (BVT) for its effect against Parkinson's Disease, Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Cerebral Palsy and Multiple Sclerosis. I've also seen BVT used for scar therapy, mole removal, bone spurs, even pain relief! Thanks to medical practitioners like Dr Klinghardt for incorporating BVT into a complementary treatment protocol .TheTreatment of Lyme Disease with Bee Venom
by Dietrich K. Klinghardt, M.D., Ph.D.
PART 1
Introduction
Lymedisease has become, after AIDS, probably the fastest spreading infectiousdisease. "Classical" Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused bya spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, which is passed to the patient by a tickbite. Since several other infections that cause similar symptoms can betransmitted by the same tick bite, and other infectious agents not transmittedby a tick can cause similar symptoms, the term "New Lyme Disease" isused by most holistic physicians. Lyme disease is not only a frequentunderlying causal factor in chronic human illness, but also extremely common inpets, especially in dogs and horses.
Thefollowing microorganisms have to be considered when making the diagnosis of"New Lyme Disease."
Borreliaburgdorferi;
Babesiamicroti (a protozoan intracellular invader);
Ehrlichiosis;
Mycoplasmapneumoniae (associated with MS, ALS, Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia);
Chlamydiapneumoniae;
Bartonellahenselae;
Rickettsiarickettsiae.
Thefollowing symptoms can be caused by Lyme disease:
ChronicFatigue (more severe in the early afternoon);Lack ofendurance;
Non-healinginfections in the jaw bone, devitalized teeth, dental pain;
Fibromyalgia;
Joint pains(especially in the spine);
MultipleChemical Sensitivity;
CranialNerve Problems:
- Facialnerve: Bell's palsy (60% are caused by Lyme disease, 30% by one of six commonviruses from the herpes family, such as EBV, Herpes simplex type I, type II,type 6 etc);
-Trigeminal nerve: sense of vibration in the face, TMJ and facial pain,headache, tension and cramps in the face/skull/jaw;
- Ears(VII, VIII): tinnitus, vertigo, and hypersensitivity to noise;
- Eyes (II,III, IV, VI): decreasing and changing eye sight (fluctuates during the day),light sensitivity, floaters;
- Vagus(X), Glossopharyngeal nerve (IX) and Hypoglossus (XII): difficulty swallowing,faulty swallowing, reflux, hiatus hernia, heart palpitations, supraventriculararrythmias.
CNSproblems:
- Physical:epileptic seizures, insomnia, tremor, ataxia, movement disorders (torticollis,etc.);
-Emotional: irritability (key symptom in children), depression, bi-phasicbehaviour (manic-depression), bouts of anger, listlessness;
- Mental:confusion, difficulty thinking, poor short term memory, increasingly messyhousehold and desk, difficulty finding the right word, feeling of"information overload;"
- Mixedpictures: can resemble or imitate any known psychiatric illness.
Peripheralnervous system problems:
Paraesthesia,burning, vibration, numbness, shooting pains.
Pelvis:interstitial cystitis, prostatitis, sexual dysfunction, loss of libido, pelvicpain, menstrual disorders.
Immunesystem failure: with all known secondary illnesses such as herpes virusinfection, intestinal parasites, malaise.
Generalsymptoms: hair loss, loss of zest for life, sensitivity to electric appliances.
LaboratoryTesting
Untilrecently laboratory testing has been unsatisfactory with a detection rate ofprobably below 30%. In the past it was believed the laboratory evaluation ofthe spinal fluid was a reliable way to confirm or refute the diagnosis of Lymedisease. This has been proven wrong. The test with the broadest detection rate,the Western Blot ELISA test, has low specificity. The test with the highestspecificity but with a fairly low detection rate was the PCR test. The B.burgdorferi is a master at evading the body's immune system and evadinglaboratory detection by modulating and changing its surface antigens. It canform a cystic stage, which is resistant to antibiotics, evades laboratorydetection, and gives birth to healthy spirochetes once the antibiotics arediscontinued.
A new testhas become available recently: the C6 Lyme Peptide ELISA test (BBI ClinicalLaboratories, Tel.: 1-800-866-6254 or 860-225-1900, test code: 556 - C6LPE. Thetest is based on the discovery of six peptides on the surface of thespirochete, which are consistently present and do not evade detection by thelaboratory as many of the other surface antigens of B. burgdorferi do. Thistest detects all B. burgdorferi strains and genospecies. It is highly specificand more sensitive than conventional tests for chronic Lyme disease. It is alsosensitive in early Lyme disease (which used to be problematic) and can be usedfor accurate antibody results for Lyme vaccinated patients.
Treatment
Treatmenthas often been unsatisfactory in spite of correct diagnosis. Multipleantibiotic regimes have been tried with varying successes. The cystic stageresponds only to one antibiotic: metronidazole (Flagyl). This drug should begiven intravenously. The oral version is less effective and hard on the liver.It should always be given together with the herb "milk thistle"because of its liver-protective effect. A less toxic alternative is tinidazole,a Flagyl-derivative that is available in compounding pharmacies.
I useproteolytic enzymes for the purpose of breaking up the cyst wall and making thedormant form of B. burgdorferi inside the cyst vulnerable to both the host'simmune system and the medications given for treatment.
Dosage:Wobenzyme, 8-10 tablets three times/day between meals and first thing a.m.
Treatmentprotocols using antibiotics are outlined in the website of J. Borrescano, MD:www.lymenet.com. I use, in selected cases, a combination of azithromycin orclarithromycin 250-500 mg two times/day in combination with trimethoprim 100 mgtwice/day for 6-8 weeks.
Mypreferred treatment is a combination of enzymes, herbs, specific transferfactors and the injection of honeybee venom.
Herbs
I followthe recommendations of Dr. Zhang, MD, LAc of New York(http://www.dr-zhang.com).
His specialgarlic extract with a high concentration of Allicin:
2 mgAllicin/kg of bodyweight per day for 6 months; HH (Houttuyniae Herba):
3 tabletsthree times/day for 6 months.
His specialArtemesia (wormwood) combination: 1-2 tablets three times/day for 6 months
(usuallyrecommended when Babesia is involved).
In additionI use the specific herbal combinations from the Monastery of Herbs in Los Angeles
(Tel.:818-360-4871). These are very effective 18-day programs. I use AutonomicResponse
Testing todetermine the most effective combination.
I rotatedifferent regimes over the 6-month treatment period.
SpecificTransfer Factors
When apregnant cow is infected with a certain illness, her first milk (colostrum)after the calf is born contains specific peptides that prevent the illness inthe calf. Based on this principle, specific transfer factors have becomeavailable for the treatment of B. burgdorferi, Babesia, Mycoplasma pneumoniaeetc.
Mostreadily available are oral capsules with dried peptide extracts (ChisolmBiological Laboratory,
Tel.:803-663 9618 / ext. 9777). By adding the specific transfer factors into thetreatment regime, the successrate can be dramatically increased.
To becontinued …
RESOURCESFOR INFORMATION
Books,Booklets and Literature
Beck, B.F., MD (1997) The Bible of Bee Venom Therapy. Health Resources Press, Inc.,Silver Spring, MD, USA, book, ISBN 1-890708-03, pp. 238. Reprint of theoriginal 1935 edition of Dr. Beck: Bee Venom Therapy - Bee Venom, Its Nature,and Its effect on Arthritic and Rheumatoid Conditions. (available fromApitronic Services: Tel.: 604-271-9414)
Broadman,J., MD (1997) Bee Venom - The Natural Curative for Arthritis and Rheumatism.Health Resources Press, Silver Spring, MD, USA, book, ISBN 1-890708-01-3,references, index, glossary, foreword by Harold Goodman, DO, pp. 224 (availablefrom Apitronic Services: Tel.: 604-271-9414)
Klinghardt,D. K., MD (1990) Bee Venom Therapy for Chronic Pain. The Journal ofNeurological & Orthopedic Medicine & Surgery, Vol. 11, No. 3, pp.195-197
Klinghardt,Dietrich, MD(1999) Treatment Protocol for Bee Venom Therapy. Apitherapy Education Service -Apitronic Services, Richmond, BC, Canada,booklet, 11 pp.
Lubke, L.L. and Garon, C. F. (1997) Bee Stings as Lyme Inhibitor. J. Clin. Infect.Diseases, July, 25 Suppl. 1, pp. 48-51
Marinelli, Rick, ND and Klinghardt, Dietrich, MD(1999) Methodology for Injectable Bee Venom Therapy. Apitherapy EducationService - Apitronic Services, Richmond, BC Canada,12 pp.
Mraz,Charles (1994) Health and the Honeybee. Queen City Publications, Burlington, VT, USA, ISBN0-9642485-0-6, pp. vii+92 (available from Apitronic Services: Tel.:604-271-9414)
Organizations
AmericanApitherapy Society, Inc., 5390 Grande Rd., Hillsboro, OH 45133 USA, Tel.: 937-364-1108, Fax: (937)364-9109, e-mail: aasoffice@in-touch.net, web page: www.apitherapy.org/aas
AmericanAcademy of Neural Therapy, Inc., 410 East Denny Way, Suite 18, Seattle, 98122USA, Tel.: 206-749-9967, Fax: 206-723-1367, e-mail: neuralt@aol.com, web page:
Internet Resources:
American Academy of Neural Therapy, Inc.
Bee VenomTherapy Supplies and Books
www.beevenom.com
ApitherapyBookshop
www.apitherapy.net
ApitherapyReference Database
www.saunalahti.fi/~apither/
Bee VenomTherapy Supplies and Books Bee venom products and therapy related books,literature and Apitherapy Education Service.
ApitronicServices
9611 No. 4Road
Richmond, BC
Canada, V7A 2Z1
Ph./Fax:604-271-9414
e-mail:msimics@direct.ca
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Thanks to the Apitherapy Commission for reprinting this article.
Background/Aims: Bee venom (BV) therapy has been used to treat 
