A groundbreaking and controversial narrative investigation into the science, history, medical politics, and patient experience of Lyme disease told by a science journalist whose entire family contracted the disease.
Pamela Weintraub paints a nuanced picture of the intense controversy and crippling uncertainty surrounding Lyme disease and sheds light on one of the angriest medical disputes raging today. She also reveals her personal odyssey through the land of Lyme after she, her husband and their two sons became seriously ill with the disease beginning in the 1990s.
From the microbe causing the infection and the definition of the disease, to the length and type of treatment and the kind of practitioner needed, Lyme is a hotbed of contention. With a CDC-estimated 200,000-plus new cases of Lyme disease a year, it has surpassed both AIDS and TB as the fastest-spreading infectious disease in the U.S. Yet alarmingly, in many cases, because the disease often eludes blood tests and not all patients exhibit the classic "bulls-eye" rash and swollen joints, doctors are woefully unable or unwilling to diagnose Lyme. When that happens, once-treatable infections become chronic, inexorably disseminating to cause disabling conditions that may never be cured.
Weintraub reveals why the Lyme epidemic has been allowed to explode, why patients are dismissed, and what can be done to raise awareness in the medical community and find a cure. The most comprehensive book ever written about the past, present and future of Lyme disease, this exposes the ticking clock of a raging epidemic.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
A masterpiece of medical journalism.:
This book is a masterpiece that not only unravels the confusing history of the raging medical debate about chronic Lyme disease, but successfully tracks ongoing research to better understand the disease and ultimately find a cure. If you suffer with Lyme disease, be prepared for a very frustrating project as you try to follow the chapters that jump from story, to story, to interview and back again. Important dates are hard to remember and research chapters packed so full of critical facts that you will... more info
The best non-fiction book of the year!:
Pamela Weintraub's book about Lyme disease is a well written page turner. It is a must-read book for anyone interested in learning more about Lyme disease.
Very well done book.:
This book is very well written and explains Lyme from its discovery to its presnet state of debate over treatment protocols. The information is presented in a intersting way so you can get this important data without getting bogged down in things that are irrelevant. As other reviewers have pointed out it does not list Alternative or adjuncitive treatments to antibiotics so any reader would have to seach elsewhere for this data. With that said "Cure Unknown" is an appropriate title for this book.
A Must Read:
"Cure Unknown" is a must read for those with Lyme disease, those diagnosed with CFS, FMS,MS and many other "mystery" illnesses. If your doctor says, "It is all in your head","There is no such thing as Chronic Lyme", please read this book. If you wonder why the medical profession and insurance companies want to pretend Lyme disease does not exist, read this book. Pamela Weintraub tells the real story behind Lyme disease and gives real hope to sufferers and those who care.