pathogen
"A pathogen is like a truck runing towards you, if you don't do something its going to run you over so what does the immune system do? It throws arrows at the truck, literally," he says. Although most of those arrows won't have an effect, "the one likely arrow that will hit the tire will stop the truck."
"My bets are on some virus-like or bacteria-like life, which to me is honestly more scary. One can see how we might negotiate with the little green men or even live in harmony. But a virus or similar pathogen is like the honey badger of the microbial world: it just doesn't give a damn as long as it can make more of itself."
"Antibodies are tiny proteins- immunoglobulins, which attach to target areas found on the surface of the germ, Lyme in this case. Finding antibodies directed at a particular pathogen is like finding footprints in the sand. It says "Lyme was here," like a name etched on an old oak tree. It in no way proves that Lyme is still present in the body. This is key to understanding the divergent views held by the IDSA and ILADS."
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