Here is a very technical study concerning the role of manganese in bacterial infection. Many Lyme patients (including me) have abnormal levels of manganese. At times, mine has been too low, while at others times alarmingly high. I say alarmingly because high manganese levels (called manganism) can trigger a syndrome that looks like Parkinson's disease. Some would say it actually is Parkinson's disease. Before reading this study I wasn't aware of the role manganese plays in protecting the human body from bacterial colonization. -- Bob
"Pathogenic bacteria acquire transition metals for cell viability and persistence of infection in competition with host nutritional defenses. The human host employs a variety of mechanisms to stress the invading pathogen with both cytotoxic metal ions and oxidative and nitrosative insults while withholding essential transition metals from the bacterium. For example, the S100 family protein calprotectin (CP) found in neutrophils is a calcium-activated chelator of extracellular Mn and Zn and is found in tissue abscesses at sites of infection by Staphylococcus aureus. In an adaptive response, bacteria have evolved systems to acquire the metals in the face of this competition while effluxing excess or toxic metals to maintain a bioavailability of transition metals that is consistent with a particular inorganic "fingerprint" under the prevailing conditions. This review highlights recent biological, chemical and structural studies focused on manganese (Mn) acquisition and homeostasis and connects this process to oxidative stress resistance and iron (Fe) availability that operates at the human host-pathogen interface."
Read the scientific study at the National Institute of Health, here:
Hello Bob.You might like to look into the late Mark Purdey's theory on how he believed that manganese excess caused copper depletion in the brain,the result being prion disease in cows and humans.I know that prions (they say a non infectious kind) have been found in Lyme,Dementia and Parkinson disease sufferers and I noticed a few years back they started to treat at least one Parkinson patient with copper supplements for high levels of manganese.I also know Lyme eats up a lot of copper but they say it eat ups a lot of manganese too!It would need a better brain than mine to go figure it out-Hilary
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