Babesia & Bartonella - Lyme’s Nasty Friends
Lyme loves company. Lyme disease rarely comes alone. Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, has some pretty nasty friends. The two co-infections that occur the most often alongside Lyme disease are Babesia and Bartonella.
When a tick or other insect bites you, it doesn’t necessarily just bring one infection. Current research estimates, that more than 50% of those with chronic Lyme disease have at least one co-infection, while 30% of the infected people have at least two co-infections. The reason for this might be the weakened immune system, that allows other infections either to manifest or to reignite. As a result of the presence of several co-infections, the body’s terrain becomes more and more toxic, and it’s easier for even more harmful pathogens and toxins to take over the immune system. The patients with several infections typically present with more severe symptoms and fare worse than patients with only one infection. Having several co-infections can intensify the symptoms and lengthen the duration of these infections.
Lyme’s co-infections add another layer of difficulty to the recovery for the patients, because functional medicine practitioners emphasize the need to address these issues holistically.
Overlooked co-infections are one of the most common reasons why patients with Lyme do not fully recover despite addressing Lyme disease.
The symptoms of Lyme and its co-infections often overlap or are very similar. Since some people only have a co-infection without having Lyme disease, they might simply treat the wrong infection.
Babesia
Babesia is an intracellular parasite, meaning it lives inside red blood cells. It is distantly related with the malaria parasite and therefore often confused with malaria, because both parasites invade red blood cells. The invasion of the red blood cells makes it very difficult to eradicate Babesia.
Babesiosis is normally not transmitted by an adult tick, but by a nymph: is a baby tick, that is the size of a flea. Nymphs are actually at higher risk for Babesiosis than adult ticks. Being bitten by a baby tick often stays unrecognized by the affected person. Babesiosis can be transmitted through childbirth, sexually and through blood donors. Further, Babesia is an asymptomatic parasite. This means the infection can stay dormant for years, as long as the immune system is able to keep the parasite at bay. It is quite common that symptoms develop only months or years after the initial infection.
Babesia lives primarily in the liver system and in the blood stream. Due to its’ ability to get inside the red blood cells, Babesia is the most commonly missed issue in the Lyme world. Once the parasite has invaded the red blood cells, it reproduces and damages the red blood cells. It causes the red blood cells to split, which allows the release of new batches of parasites. These invade other red blood cells and the process starts all over. It’s a downward spiral. Each splitting and release process can cause general inflammatory reactions and related symptoms, such as abdominal pain, headaches, nausea, and neck and back pain.
Babesia - the master in hiding:
The intelligent parasite several tricks to outwit the immune system:
Babesia acts inside the red blood cells in order to hide from the immune system.
Babesia can rapidly change its gene expression, as well as its cellular functions in order to establish intracellular niches to replicate.
It changes its color to blend into its surroundings.
The severity of the Babesia symptoms is directly associated to the weakness of an infected person’s immune system, as well as the number of other pathogens present.
The most common mild symptoms of Babesia:
Chest or Rib Pain
Body Temperature Fluctuations (being continually hot and sweating, cycles of fever, followed by chills)
Air Hunger
Cough
Drenching (night) sweats
Dark colored urine
Fatigue
Abdominal Pain
General weakness
High Fever / Feeling Hot in general
Headaches (especially over top of the neck) / Migraines
Joint Pain / Muscle Aches
Nausea and vomitting
Reduced Appetite
Stiff Neck
Red Moles on the skin
Skin bruising
Dizziness / Feeling Spacey
Tight Neck / Tight Shoulders
Puffy Face / Swollen Lymph Gland
Heart Palpitations / Racing Heart / Skipped Heart Beat
Mood and emotional issues (anxiety, depression, panic, and suicidal thoughts)
Weight loss / Weight Gain
De ja vu experiences, vivid dreams or psychic experiences
More serious cases of Babesia can cause complications such as:
A dangerously low drop in blood pressure
Hemolytic anemia: a disorder in which red blood cells are destroyed faster than they can be made
A very low platelet count
Irregular heart rhythms like atrial fibrillation
Fluid in the lungs or pericarditis (inflammation of lining around the heart)
Babesia rash: tiny bruises caused by bleeding under the skin
Vital organ failure (heart, liver, kidneys)
There are ~1000 annually diagnosed cases, but it’s estimated that the actual cases are a lot higher, since there is a lack of proper diagnostic tools.
Bartonella
Bartonella is a gram negative bacteria. While scientist have identified up to 20 species of Bartonella bacteria, there are only a few found in people. Similar to Lyme disease, Bartonella can be transmitted through ticks, fleas, spiders, mites, lice, bed bugs, but as well from cat scratches, sand flies and red ants.
The three most common species of Bartonella that infect people are:
Bartonella henselae is transmitted by the scratch of an infected cat. It causes cat scratch fever.
Bartonella bacilliformis is transmitted by sandflies and causes Carrison’s disease.
Bartonella Quintana is transmitted by body lice and causes trench fever.
Bartonella infects the CD34 white blood cells, which are the precursors to cells that line our blood vessels, aka our endothelial cells. Bartonella is extremely adaptive: it takes up residence in these CD34 cells, which are taken into the blood vessels as an inside layer. This allows Bartonella to get access to our circulation. After Bartonella enters those endothelial cells it changes their behavior and prevents the cells from self-destructing. The Bartonella bacteria outsmarts the immune system by forming a protective armor around itself to stay undetected.
Then there is as intravascular stage to Bartonella, where it can cause pain in the shins, severe pain due to inflammation, red eyes, ruptured blood vessels, nervous system issues, headaches and pain in the soles of the feet due to the damaged blood vessels. Bartonella is a root cause for many cardiac events and can cause heart damage. It can also lead to a lot of anger issues and mental disorders in people.
The most common signs and symptoms of Bartonella:
Rage Episodes
Swollen / enlarged lymph nodes
Blurred vision
Red Eyes or Dry Eyes
Pain in the Soles of the feet
Pain / Tenderness in the shin bones
Ringing in the Ears
Ice-pick Headaches (back of your head)
Intense anxiety or depression
Memory loss
Muscle and joint pain / Stiffness
Feeling of coming down with a Flue
Unexplained cough
Recurring low-grade fever
Streaked skin rash
Super sensitive to stimuli (food, sound, touch, etc)
Alternating Sweats / Colds
Excessive worries / irritation / rage
Gut symptoms, especially acid reflux
Burning / vibrating / shooting pains throughout the body
Chest pain
Heart palpitations
Spider Veins
Stretch Mark-like rash
Since Bartonella can hide inside the cells, it is extremely difficult to test using a blood test. A negative test result does not rule out an infection.
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As a conclusion: Babesia and Bartonella are two Lyme co-infections that are in particular dangerous, because:
They are frequently comorbid disorders that the patient has contracted simultaneously.
The infections easily go misdiagnosed as their symptoms are quite similar to and/or can overlap with Lyme disease.
Testing is highly inaccurate. The best diagnosis is through in-depth client health history and symptomatology.
Both can cause a lot of embolisms, heart attacks, and circulatory problems because they inflame the blood vessels.
Both infections mimic other diseases.
A Lyme detox regimen is designed to eradicate the bacteria and mobilize toxins in a safe and effective manner so the body can restore itself. A skilled practitioner can help in putting pieces of the puzzle together, and identify the presence of Lyme and/or co-infections. It is important to consult a practitioner before detoxing as drainage pathways must be functioning properly first.
