June 27-30 Lyme-Autism Conference News Release

[Guest guest]

Autism and Lyme Disease are Connected, Study Finds

http://www.lymebook.com/lyme-autism-connection

SUMMARY: Cases of Lyme disease and autism are skyrocketing in the

United States. Is there a link between the two disorders? Research

spurred by non-profit foundation says " Yes. "

NEWS RELEASE

Lyme disease may play a role in causing autism according to a recent

study published in Medical Hypothesis, a peer-reviewed scientific

journal.

A team of five physicians led by Bransfield, M.D., analyzed

the two diseases and discovered a connection based on epidemiological

findings, symptom similarities, case reports, and laboratory test

results.

The Lyme-Induced Autism (LIA) Foundation has paved the way for

studies such as this one. Led by Tami Duncan, herself the mother of

an autistic child, the LIA Foundation was established in 2006 by a

group of parents who suspected the connection but recognized the need

for scientific research.

Collaboration on the Medical Hypothesis study began during one of the

LIA Foundation national conferences, which have attracted top

physicians from around the country.

Ray , M.D., considered the nation's leading pediatric

Lyme specialist, was one of nine presenters at a recent LIA

Foundation conference held on April 12, 2008 in Fort Lee, New

Jersey. " I've treated over 10,000 children with Lyme disease, "

said during his presentation. " A good many of the children, we've

found, have had autism-spectrum disorder. "

Warren Levin, M.D., was also present at the New Jersey conference. He

described the case of " a terribly ill autistic kid…who tested

positive for Lyme disease. " Subsequent to that case, Dr.

Levin " started screening all autistic patients…and nine in a row

tested positive for Lyme disease. "

The LIA Foundation hosted their most recent conference on June 27-29,

2008 in Indian Wells, California.

To educate the public about the Lyme-autism connection, LIA

Foundation president and co-founder Tami Duncan recently co-authored

a book on the topic with author Rosner. Rosner had previously

written three books on Lyme disease.

" Lyme disease is not the only causative factor in autism, " Rosner

says. " We know that many other environmental and genetic triggers are

involved. However, Lyme disease is the fastest spreading infectious

disease in the United States, with an estimated 200,000 new cases per

year. Autism cases are also exploding. If Lyme disease can contribute

to the onset of autism, then we are onto something big here. "

In their book, Duncan and Rosner describe a correlation between the

geographic incidences of the two diseases. " The ten states with the

highest incidence of Lyme disease are the same states with the

highest incidence of autism, " Duncan says.

" Research also suggests that Lyme disease can be congenitally

transferred from mother to child during pregnancy, even if the mother

is unaware that she is infected, " Duncan continues. " This can account

for the early onset of Lyme-induced autism in young children. "

Duncan and Rosner do not believe that the Lyme-autism connection

hypothesis is new. Their book states that parents, caretakers, and

researchers have long suspected the link. But the recent conferences

and peer-reviewed studies are important because they attract the

attention of the medical community, which can lead to life-saving

research.

" New medical truths do not have significant impact until they are

packaged and presented according to accepted guidelines, " Rosner

says. " The connection is not new, but it is finally receiving proper

attention. "

To learn more, visit the LIA Foundation website at

www.liafoundation.org.

Rosner and Duncan's book, " The Lyme-Autism Connection, " can be

ordered from www.lymebook.com/lyme-autism-connection or

www.amazon.com. The publisher is BioMed Publishing Group, South Lake

Tahoe, California, (530) 541-7200.