Good news for Montana
Infectious disease doctors wrote in the Missoulian:
Fortunately for Montana, there is no evidence of endemic Lyme disease or Lyme-related ticks in our state. From 2003-2012, only 49 cases of Lyme disease were reported in Montana and all of the confirmed cases occurred in persons with a history of travel to areas with endemic Lyme disease.
It is essential when seeking care for a potential tick-borne ailment that you and your physician are aware that Lyme disease is not known to occur in Montana.
The black legged (Ixodes) ticks that transmit Lyme disease are not present in Montana, according to the Montana State University.
Even though there is no Lyme disease in Montana, the cause of Lyme disease was famously discovered by scientist Willy Burgdorfer at Montana’s Rocky Mountain Laboratory. The bacteria was name Borrelia Burgdorferi after Burgdorfer.
Willy Burgdorfer stated in 2001:
As far as I know, there has never been a case of Lyme disease in Montana. The only cases seen in Montana are those that have been contracted back east in areas where Lyme disease is present.
Fake Lyme travels anywhere
Advocates falsely claim that almost any illness is really Lyme disease. When patient have mysterious symptoms, they may become vulnerable to believing that their symptoms are caused by “Chronic Lyme disease.”
Sadly, Montana licenses the fake doctors known as naturopaths. According to former naturopath Britt Hermes:
Naturopaths use a cornucopia of pseudoscientific methods in clinical practice that have been disproven by the scientific and medical communities or not shown to be plausible. These include homeopathy, herbal medicine, dietary supplements, saliva testing, bio-identical hormone replacement, blood allergy testing, applied kinesiology, and intravenous therapies of high-dose vitamins, minerals, ozone gas, and hydrogen peroxide. They also mis-characterize any plausible mechanisms by which these treatments could work and the evidence supporting safety and effectiveness.
In 2018, LymeScience found four naturopaths in Montana who had some sort of association with the pseudoscience group ILADS.
Britt Hermes explains in writing and in a fascinating talk how she sold a detox scam.
Youtube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srcvHDbBN2M
Resources
Infectious Disease Doctors: Lyme Disease Not Endemic to Montana
Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services: Tick-borne Illnesses
