I'm pleased to pass along a bright spot of news for chronic Lyme disease sufferers. According to an article in today's MarketWatch, researchers at a biotechnology company were gifted by an anonymous donor with $25,000 towards a new study to try to unlock the mystery of Lyme disease. Why do antibiotics only cure some cases of Lyme?

Researchers at Viral Genetics, Inc., are hoping to answer that question and more.

The article continues:
Research on chronic Lyme Disease, including symptoms related to the central nervous system and arthritis, has generated inconclusive and controversial results. Some researchers contend Lyme is driven by chronic infection and recommend patients be treated with antibiotics for the long term. Others support the hypothesis that the disease is the result of autoimmune T-cell activation that occurs subsequent to the initial infection or after the infection has cleared.

"Our hopes are that the information acquired from this very important study, may act as a bridge between those who contend that Lyme Disease is an active chronic infection and those who feel it is an autoimmune trigger. The answer to this question is of great importance for all those suffering in the Lyme community. Only through this information can we begin to formulate more successful treatment regimens for the chronically ill," said Dr. Steven Harris, co-investigator, Associate Professor Stanford University.