Rob Manten was camping at the Brant Park Conservation Area near Brantford when he caught a black tick biting him. He began experiencing what he thought was a bad case of the flu. Daily migraines, fever, nausea, fatigue and a ringing in his ears (tinnitus) accompanied constant aches and pains. He suffered from dizziness and had difficulty concentrating. His family doctor diagnosed a sinus infection.
Over the next six months 18 doctors, internists and neurologists examined Manten as he launched a frantic effort to find out what was wrong. At one point he was told his problems were all in his head. Along the way he was tested three times for Lyme disease, an illness caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted by certain types of ticks.
But the ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent serum assay) tests, the standard first-level test for Lyme in Canada, were negative. Most Canadian doctors will not order a second test, called the Western Blot, which some consider more accurate.
Borrelia burgdorferi is the name of the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease. These bacteria look like a pig's tail or a corkscrew when examined under a microscope. Lyme Disease is named after Lyme Connecticut where the disease was first diagnosed in 1975. Lyme Disease was later recognized in dogs in 1985. Borrelia burgdoferi (from now on BB) is a specific bacteria that will only allow itself to be transported through a few different types of tick.
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