A New Lens on Lyme
A science-based documentary about the latest research on Lyme Disease and the co-infections that are transmitted by ticks.
" A New Lens on Lyme" will provide accurate, updated information on:
- the life cycle of ticks (what the four stages look like)
- how ticks (the disease vector) acquire spirochetes from infected rodents (the disease reservoirs)
- how Borrelia burgdorferi, Babesia, Bartonella and other disease-causing organisms are transmitted to humans ( what happens inside the body)
- how co-infections complicate the medical picture
- the importance of early clinical diagnosis of Lyme
- why Lyme is often misdiagnosed and under-reported
- the efficacy of the standard tests (where these tests are available)
- information on promising new tests
- are researchers close to an accepted "gold standard test"
- is there a "cure" for Lyme Disease and co-infections
- the confusing, sometimes contradictory advice from LLMD's on treatment options
- the risks associated with long-term antibiotic treatment that are central to the debate in the medical community
- immune-boosting strategies
- what appears to have contributed to successful outcomes
- why "chronic Lyme disease" symptoms may persist after treatment
- personal accounts - best cases, worst cases
- importantly, how to minimize the risk of getting Lyme in the first place.
Here on Salt Spring Island, B.C., there have been several confirmed cases of Lyme Disease including my wife, Terri Bibby, who was diagnosed in 2009. Also, my son recently contracted Lyme Disease in Virginia. These life-changing experiences have become my motivation to tackle this difficult and controversial subject. The focus of the documentary is to understand how it might be possible to beat Lyme Disease and also mitigate the risks for those living in areas where ticks are likely to be encountered.
This project will not be driven by the on-going controversy or politics. We feel that it is time to present unbiased information on the current research, which could lead to answers that thousands of people affected by this complex, debilitating disease are desperately seeking.
Alan Bibby
Director/cameraman