It’s a multisystemic condition that affects the immune system, nervous system, joints, mitochondria, hormones, and the psyche. At St. George Hospital, we approach this complexity with multimodal therapy: an integrated, science-based protocol that addresses not just Borrelia, but the whole human system. Each therapy is chosen for its unique effect and sequenced for synergy, creating a healing process that’s greater than the sum of its parts.
Lyme disease progresses in stages and hides in tissues, joints, and even cells. It’s often accompanied by co-infections (Babesia, Bartonella, Ehrlichia), neurotoxins, and immune dysfunction. Antibiotics alone are often insufficient. That’s why we combine multiple proven therapies — hyperthermia, detox, immune support, hormone balancing, and mind-body care — into a structured plan. Our protocol has been developed over 30+ years and continuously refined based on real patient outcomes.
Lyme spirochetes (Borrelia) are related to Treponema pallidum(syphilis) and highly thermolabile — a fact shown by Wagner-Jauregg’s Nobel-winning work in 1927. We use this to our advantage: controlled fever therapy penetrates tissues where antibiotics fail. Our protocol addresses the pathophysiology of Lyme: intracellular infection, biofilms, mitochondrial shutdown, cytokine storms, and neuroinflammation. It's supported by studies on heat therapy, CXCL13 diagnostics, and the immune dysfunction seen in post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS).
Each therapy we use is supported by clinical research, biological rationale, and over 30 years of experience. Our physicians are certified in both conventional and biological medicine. We regularly collaborate with external labs, universities, and international research initiatives. Unlike fragmented outpatient care, all treatments are coordinated under one roof — ensuring safety, synergy, and outcomes.
Living Microbiom Solution developed in cooperation with the University of Kiel
This intensive program may be condensed or extended depending on each case. More than 3000 international patients have completed this protocol with sustained symptom resolution.
Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, a spirochete that — unlike many pathogens — is capable of persistent infection, immune evasion, and tissue-level latency. Its biology explains why a one-dimensional treatment approach often fails.
In Europe, Lyme borreliosis is caused by at least six genospecies: B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. afzelii, B. garinii, B. spielmani, B. valaisiana, and B. lusitaniae. These strains exhibit tissue tropism — garinii favors neurological tissue, afzelii the skin, burgdorferi s.s. joints — and differ in immune complement resistance, which complicates treatment.
Transmission typically occurs via Ixodes ricinus ticks. While often thought to require >24h for transmission, studies show that Borrelia DNA can be detected in host tissues in as little as 6 hours post-bite, especially in immunocompromised hosts. In Germany, up to 50% of ticks in southern regions carry Borrelia.
Laboratory diagnosis is fraught with challenges. Standard serological testing (ELISA/Western Blot) has <50% sensitivity in chronic cases and cannot distinguish active vs. past infection. Newer immunological markers like CXCL13 in cerebrospinal fluid and CD56/57 counts provide better insight into active disease. Additionally, LTT (Lymphocyte Transformation Test) and Borrelia-specific PCR offer pathogen-specific evidence — though interpretation depends on tissue sample quality.
Persistent Borrelia infections are not extracellular. In the chronic phase, spirochetes can be found intracellularly, in collagen-rich tissues, synovial membranes, the CNS, and within immune-privileged sites. Biofilm formation further protects them from immune attack and antibiotics. This justifies the use of adjunctive therapies such as whole-body hyperthermia, which disrupts biofilms and targets thermolabile pathogens, and Photodynamic Therapy, which penetrates intracellular compartments with reactive oxygen-based damage.
Historical parallels: Borrelia shares evolutionary lineage with Treponema pallidum (syphilis). The Nobel Prize–winning work of Wagner-Jauregg in 1927 showed that fever therapy led to near-complete remission in syphilis patients. This laid the foundation for modern-day thermotherapy, which St. George Hospital has pioneered for Lyme disease on a global scale.cvcbvcbvbvcbcvb
