Lyme Disease Controversy: Use and Misuse of Language
Authors: Raphael B. Stricker
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2002)

Letters5 November 2002Lyme Disease Controversy: Use and Misuse of LanguageRaphael B. Stricker, MDRaphael B. Stricker, MDCalifornia Pacific Medical Center; San Francisco, CA 94108Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-137-9-200211050-00029 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:In dividing physicians who treat Lyme disease into “rationalists” and “empiricists,” Dr. Sigal (1) makes one of the oldest mistakes in science: He assumes that we know practically everything about Lyme disease and that empiricism based on clinical observation, animal modeling, and newer research techniques cannot add to this knowledge. The corollary to this narrow reasoning is that if we could eliminate descriptive terms for empirical observations in chronic Lyme disease, the disease itself would disappear. This deconstructionist view is scientifically irrational.In addition to espousing an untenable philosophy, Sigal makes two fatal clinical errors: He ignores ...References1. Sigal LH. Misconceptions about Lyme disease: confusions hiding behind ill-chosen terminology. Ann Intern Med. 2002;136:413-9. [PMID: 11874324] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Doherty A. Lots of Links on Lyme 2002. Accessed at www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Oasis/6455/lyme-links.html on 27 September 2002. Google Scholar3. Meek JI, Roberts CL, Smith EV, Cartter ML. Underreporting of Lyme disease by Connecticut physicians, 1992. J Public Health Manag Pract. 1996;2:61-5. [PMID: 10186700] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Stricker RB, Winger EE. Decreased CD57 lymphocyte subset in patients with chronic Lyme disease. Immunol Lett. 2001;76:43-8. [PMID: 11222912] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Linder S, Heimerl C, Fingerle V, Aepfelbacher M, Wilske B. Coiling phagocytosis of Borrelia burgdorferi by primary human macrophages is controlled by CDC42Hs and Rac1 and involves recruitment of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein and Arp2/3 complex. Infect Immun. 2001;69:1739-46. [PMID: 11179351] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Raphael B. Stricker, MDAffiliations: California Pacific Medical Center; San Francisco, CA 94108 PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoMisconceptions about Lyme Disease: Confusions Hiding behind Ill-Chosen Terminology Leonard H. Sigal Lyme Disease Controversy: Use and Misuse of Language Leonard H. Sigal Lyme Disease Controversy: Use and Misuse of Language Andrew Lautin Lyme Disease Controversy: Use and Misuse of Language Edward L. McNeil Lyme Disease Controversy: Use and Misuse of Language Kenneth B. Liegner Duration of Antibiotic Therapy for Lyme Disease Raphael B. Stricker and Edward L. McNeil Metrics 5 November 2002Volume 137, Issue 9Page: 776KeywordsAntibioticsBabesiaBartonellaClinical epidemiologyEhrlichiaLyme diseaseReasoningResearch designSpirochetesWheelchairs ePublished: 5 November 2002 Issue Published: 5 November 2002 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2002 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...