Mycoplasmas are a specific and unique species of bacteria - the smallest free-living organism known on the planet. The primary differences between mycoplasmas and other bacteria is that bacteria have a solid cell-wall structure and they can grow in the simplest culture media. Mycoplasmas however, do not have a cell wall, and like a tiny jellyfish with a pliable membrane, can take on many different shapes which make them difficult to identify, even under a high powered electron microscope. Mycoplasmas can also be very hard to culture in the laboratory and are often missed as pathogenic causes of diseases for this reason.

The first connection between mycoplasmas and rheumatoid diseases was made in 1939 by Drs. Swift and Brown. Unfortunately, mycoplasmas didn't become part of the medical school curriculum until the late 1950's when one specific strain was identified and proven to be the cause of atypical pneumonia, and named Mycoplasma pneumonia. The association between immunodeficiency and autoimmune disorders with mycoplasmas was first reported in the mid 1970s in patients with primary hypogammaglobulinemia (an autoimmune disease) and infection with four species of mycoplasma that had localized in joint tissue

This single stealth pathogen has been discovered in the urogenital tract of patients suffering from inflammatory pelvic disease, urethritis, and other urinary tract diseases It has been discovered in the heart tissues and fluid of patients suffering from cardititis, pericarditis, tachycardia, hemolytic anemia, and other coronary heart diseases. It has been found in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with meningitis and encephalitis, seizures, ALS, Alzheimer's and other central nervous system infections, diseases and disorders. It has even been found regularly in the bone marrow of children with leukemia. It is amazing that one single tiny bacteria can be the cause of so many seemingly unrelated diseases in humans. But as with all mycoplasma species, the disease is directly related to where the mycoplasma resides in the body and which cells in the body it attaches to or invades.

Today, over 100 documented species of mycoplasmas have been recorded to cause various diseases in humans, animals, and plants. Mycoplasma pneumonia as well as at least 7 other mycoplasma species have now been linked as a direct cause or significant co-factor to many chronic diseases including, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, diabetes, Crohn's Disease, ALS, nongonoccal urethritis, asthma, lupus, infertility, AIDS and certain cancers and leukemia, just to name a few.

"Nonetheless, mycoplasmas by themselves can cause acute and chronic diseases at multiple sites with wide-ranging complications and have been implicated as cofactors in disease. Recently, mycoplasmas have been linked as a cofactor to AIDS pathogenesis and to malignant transformation, chromosomal aberrations, the Gulf War Syndrome, and other unexplained and complex illnesses, including chronic fatigue syndrome, Crohn's disease, and various arthritides."

The Main Human Mycoplasma Pathogens
Pathogen / Implicated Disease ^(1-6)

Mycoplasma genitalium	Arthritis, chronic nongonococcal urethritis, chronic pelvic inflammatory disease, other urogenital infections and diseases, infertility, AIDS/HIV
Mycoplasma fermentans	Arthritis, Gulf War Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Lupus, AIDS/HIV, autoimmune diseases, ALS, psoriasis and Scleroderma, Crohn's and IBS, cancer, endocrine disorders, Multiple Sclerosis, diabetes
Mycoplasma salivarium	Arthritis, TMJ disorders, Eye and ear disorders and infections, gingivitis, periodontal diseases including even cavities.
Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum	Pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, non-gonococcal urethritis, vaginitis, cervicitis, amnionitis, pyelonephritis, post-partum septicemia, neonatal pneumonia, neonatal conjunctivitis, Reiter's syndrome, peritonitis, wound infections (C-section), low birth weight infants, and premature rupture of membranes.
Mycoplasma pneumonia	Pneumonia, asthma, upper and lower respiratory diseases, heart diseases, leukemia, Steven-Johnson syndrome, polyarthritis or septic arthritis, CNS disorders and diseases, urinary tract infections, Crohn's and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Guillain-Barr syndrome, polyradiculitis, encephalitis, and septic meningitis, autoimmune diseases.
Mycoplasma incognitus and Mycoplasma penetrans	AIDS/HIV, urogenital infections and diseases, Autoimmune disorders and diseases
Mycoplasma pirum	Urogenital infections and diseases, AIDS/HIV
Mycoplasma faucium, M. lipophilum and M. buccale	Diseases of the gingival crevices and respiratory tract

physicians and rheumatologists are treating their arthritis, CFISD, fibromyalgia and other mycoplasma infections with long term antibiotic therapy. One of the more popular conventional protocols involves rotating multiple 6 week cycles of Minocycline or Doxycycline (200-300 mg/day), Ciprofloxacin (1,500 mg/day), Azithromycin (250-500 mg/day, and/or Clarithromycin (750-1,000 mg/day) among others.⁽¹⁾ Sometimes the side effects of these strong antibiotics can be as bad as the symptoms of the diseases they are treating since a minimum of 6 months and up to two years of antibiotic therapy may be required

Others are using more natural antibiotics found in plants which can be as effective or more effective with fewer side effects or negative impact on the body. These include olive leaf extract products, urva ursi, and Neem leaf or seed extracts.

One of the main side effects of antibiotics, whether it is a natural plant antibiotic or a chemical antibiotic, is the loss of friendly bacteria that is needed in the gastrointestinal system for proper digestion and elimination. No antibiotic can differentiate a friendly bacteria from a harmful one. Therefore, any time an antibiotic must be taken, especially long term, taking a probiotic formula to replace friendly bacteria is indicated and helpful in avoiding side effects like candida and fungi overgrowth which can cause digestive and elimination difficulties and other side effects. Several probiotic products are widely available over-the-counter which combine these friendly bacteria - live cultures of Lactobacillus acidophilous, Lactobacillus bifidus and other bacteria with FOS (fructoologosaccharides) to promote growth in the gastrointestinal system. It's important to take this type of supplement when taking antibiotics of any kind and best to be taken either 3-4 hours prior to, or after taking the antibiotic dosage. Full live-cultured yogurt contains acidophilous and is a good food source for these friendly bacteria.

Supplementing back the depleted amino acids has been reported to be helpful in some recovering from these infections. These include L-cysteine, L-tyrosine, L-glutamine, L-carnitine, and malic acid. Remember, however, that mycoplasmas thrive on arginine! Avoid L-arginine supplements and multi-amino acid formulas containing L-arginine, as well as foods rich in arginine to avoid feeding the mycoplasmas. The richest food sources of arginine (to avoid) are nuts and seeds, including the oils derived from seeds and nuts which should be eliminated or drastically reduced in the diet.

-----------------------------------------------

http://www.cidpusa.org/FIBROMYALGIA1.html