Lyme Disease Support Group

Does anyone understand blebbing? From my limited knowledge, I understand it to be sort of a "smoke screen" response to the presence of abx (or another type of hostile environment to spirochete). I believe many Lyme patients are confusing "ongoing herxing" with blebbing. This survival technique by which borrelia is able to protect itself not only prevents effective abx therapy but also confuses the immune system. In my opinion, this mechanism seems to be one of the key reason Chronic Lyme patients struggle to improve their condition. Any insight would be much appreciated. Thxs.

Post edited by: Bettyg, at: 12/31/2009 01:25 AM

http://www.google.com/search?q=blebbing+lyme&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Time for some serious reading!

some definitiions of "bleb", but I don't know yet if its the same thing...

This is the first time I've heard of this term. Here's the link:

http://www.actionlyme.org/BARBOURS_STEALTH_BOMBERS.htm

Many researchers believe that the secret to B. burgdorferi's infectivity and inflammatory capacity lies in the interaction of its surface proteins with the host's immunological system. Yale researcher Stephen Barthold, a veterinarian and professor of comparative medicine who developed the first mouse model of Lyme disease, studies the expression of B. burgdorferi surface proteins throughout various stages of the spirochete's life cycle. He finds that during the early stages of infection, B. burgdorferi avoids immune detection by decreasing its expression of surface proteins or cloaking its expressed surface proteins under a layer of slime. "It's using some sort of stealth-bomber-type mechanism," he says. Or, using another diversionary tactic called blebbing, the spirochete can pinch off bits of its membrane in order to release its surface proteins. Explains Barbour: "It's like a bacterial Star Wars defense program," in which released surface proteins might intercept incoming host antibodies, keeping the spirochete safe from immunological attack.

exert from article:

"Or, using another diversionary tactic called blebbing, the spirochete can pinch off bits of its membrane in order to release its surface proteins. Explains Barbour: "It's like a bacterial Star Wars defense program," in which released surface proteins might intercept incoming host antibodies, keeping the spirochete safe from immunological attack. "

I haven't heard the term "blebbing" before,

but here's a link i just found:

http://www.actionlyme.org/BARBOURS_STEALTH_BOMBERS.htm

"Or, using another diversionary tactic called blebbing, the spirochete can pinch off bits of its membrane in order to release its surface proteins. Explains Barbour: "It's like a bacterial Star Wars defense program," in which released surface proteins might intercept incoming host antibodies, keeping the spirochete safe from immunological attack. "

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I'm not sure I'm "replying" to the group correctly. Apologies if more than one response was sent.