Whole-Body Hyperthermia
2 sessions at 41.6–41.8 °C (106.9–107.2 °F) for 120 minutes each under continuous medical monitoring. Borrelia spirochetes become structurally compromised and highly vulnerable to antibiotics at these temperatures.
Treatment Protocol
Chronic Lyme Disease Treatment
Our treatment program integrates multiple therapeutic modalities into a coordinated, individualized protocol designed to eliminate persistent Borrelia infection, restore immune function, and support full recovery.
Is this you?
You are past wanting a diagnosis. You want a plan with dates on it.
You know the name of your illness now. What you do not have is a sequence: what happens first, what comes next, how long it takes, and who is watching while it happens. Your last plan was a prescription and “see how it goes.”
This page lays out the treatment protocol for chronic Lyme disease at our hospital, from admission to discharge letter.
Our Treatment Philosophy
Why Single-Modality Treatment Fails
Chronic Lyme disease is not a simple bacterial infection that responds to a single course of antibiotics. It is a complex, multi-systemic illness driven by persistent infection, immune dysregulation, chronic inflammation, and accumulated toxicity.
Standard treatment guidelines recommend 2-4 weeks of oral antibiotics for Lyme disease. While this may be sufficient for early, uncomplicated infections, it consistently fails patients with established chronic disease. The reasons are well-documented:
- Borrelia converts to antibiotic-resistant forms (round bodies, cysts, biofilms)
- Spirochetes sequester in deep tissues with limited antibiotic penetration
- Immune suppression prevents the body from clearing residual bacteria
- Co-infections require different antimicrobial agents
- Accumulated toxins and inflammation perpetuate symptoms independently
Our treatment protocol addresses each of these challenges simultaneously.
Program Structure
The St. George Lyme Treatment Program
Our Lyme treatment is structured into distinct clinical modules. Each module targets a specific aspect of the disease. Patients receive an individualized combination based on their diagnostic findings. Protocols are developed by Dr. Julian Douwes, Chief Medical Officer.
Module 1
2 weeks inpatient
Core Lyme Module
The core treatment module targeting Borrelia elimination through the synergy of controlled hyperthermia and targeted antimicrobial therapy.
Combination Antibiotics
2 weeks of individualized IV and oral antibiotic combinations targeting all morphological forms of Borrelia: active spirochetes, cyst forms, and biofilm communities. Agents are selected based on sensitivity and co-infection profile.
Concurrent Support
Detoxification protocols to manage Herxheimer reactions, immune modulation with micronutrient infusions, and daily physical therapy throughout the 2-week program.
Module 2
2 Weeks · For Co-Infections
Co-Infection Eradication Module
For patients with confirmed co-infections (Bartonella, Babesia, Ehrlichia, Rickettsia, Mycoplasma, and others), this module uses I.V. Laser Therapy (Photodynamic Therapy) combined with apheresis to target pathogens that do not respond to standard antibiotic protocols alone.
Apheresis & Plasma Exchange
Blood purification sessions to remove circulating pathogen fragments, immune complexes, and inflammatory mediators released during laser-induced pathogen destruction. For severe co-infection cases where the infectious and inflammatory burden requires more aggressive blood purification, Plasma Exchange and Red Blood Cell Exchange may be recommended beyond standard H.E.L.P. apheresis.
Concurrent Support
Co-infection-specific antimicrobial agents selected based on identified pathogens. Each co-infection may require different agents and treatment duration.
I.V. Laser Therapy (Photodynamic Therapy)
10 sessions of intravenous low-level laser therapy (LLLT) where laser light is delivered directly into the bloodstream via a fiber-optic catheter in a peripheral vein. The therapy works by stimulating mitochondrial function and activating cellular ATP synthesis, accelerating healing and immune response at the cellular level. Each wavelength targets different complexes of the mitochondrial respiratory chain:
- Blue (405 nm) + Riboflavin — Primary antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory action. Generates reactive oxygen species toxic to Bartonella, Babesia, and other intracellular pathogens. Enhances microcirculation and releases nitric oxide.
- Green (532 nm) — Binds to hemoglobin, improving cell function, oxygen uptake, and blood rheology. Enhances oxygen availability in tissues harboring infection.
- Yellow (589 nm) — Detoxifying properties. Stimulates serotonin and vitamin D metabolism. Supports liver detoxification pathways during antimicrobial treatment.
- Red (635 nm) — Deepens tissue penetration. Anti-inflammatory, improves microcirculation, enhances mitochondrial ATP production. Stimulates immune response and blood flow.
- Infrared (810 nm) — Deepest tissue penetration (5–7 cm). Activates stem cell production and growth factors. Optimal for reaching deep-tissue infections.
- UV light — Immune activation and direct pathogen inactivation. Stimulates reactive oxygen species for antimicrobial effect.
Sessions combine multiple wavelengths in a protocol individualized to the patient’s co-infection profile. The therapy is scientifically validated, nearly side-effect-free, and minimally invasive.
Module 3
1 Week · Gut Restoration
Microbiome Restore Week
Extended antibiotic therapy disrupts the gut microbiome. This dedicated module restores gastrointestinal health through direct microbiome transplantation and targeted detoxification, supporting long-term immune recovery.
Gastroscopy & Colonoscopy
Endoscopic procedures to assess the state of the gastrointestinal tract and deliver a living microbiome cocktail directly to the upper and lower GI tract for optimal colonization.
Bacterial Restoration
3 days of targeted bacterial enemas to reinforce microbiome diversity and support re-colonization of beneficial bacterial communities throughout the colon.
Detoxification
Concurrent detoxification protocols to clear residual antibiotic metabolites and support the liver, kidneys, and lymphatic system during the restoration phase.
Additional Therapies
Available for All Lyme Patients
Depending on individual diagnostic findings, any of the following therapies may be recommended in addition to or alongside the core modules:
- H.E.L.P. Apheresis — Blood purification to remove fibrinogen, lipids, and inflammatory mediators
- Immunoadsorption — Selective removal of pathogenic antibodies and immune complexes
- Therapeutic Plasma Exchange — Full plasma replacement for severe inflammatory burden
- Neural Therapy (Procaine) — Injection of procaine at specific neural points to modulate autonomic nervous system dysfunction and pain
- Ozone Therapy — Major autohemotherapy to improve oxygenation and antimicrobial activity
- High-Dose Vitamin C Infusions — Immune support and antioxidant protection
- Fever Therapy — Controlled fever induction to activate the full immune cascade
- Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation— Daily physiotherapy, lymphatic drainage, and movement therapy
Core Treatment Modalities
The Therapies That Make the Difference
Whole-Body Hyperthermia
Our flagship therapy for chronic Lyme. 2 sessions per Lyme Package at 41.6–41.8 °C (106.9–107.2 °F) for 120 minutes each under continuous medical monitoring. Borrelia spirochetes become structurally compromised at these temperatures, while concurrent IV antibiotics achieve dramatically higher tissue penetration. Heat shock proteins activate powerful immune responses.
IV Antibiotic Protocols
We use carefully selected combination IV antibiotic regimens that target all three morphological forms of Borrelia. Cephalosporins and macrolides address active spirochetes, while agents such as tinidazole and hydroxychloroquine target cyst forms. Biofilm-disrupting agents are used to enhance antibiotic penetration into protected bacterial communities.
How the Lyme therapies combine →H.E.L.P. Apheresis
This blood filtration technology selectively removes harmful proteins, lipoproteins, fibrinogen, and inflammatory mediators from the bloodstream. In Lyme patients, apheresis reduces the circulating toxic burden, removes immune complexes, and improves blood flow to tissues that harbor persistent infection. Patients typically experience rapid symptom improvement after sessions.
I.V. Laser Therapy (PDT)
Intravenous laser therapy delivers multiple wavelengths of light directly into the bloodstream via a fiber-optic catheter. Blue laser (405 nm) with Riboflavin generates reactive oxygen species toxic to intracellular pathogens. Red laser (635 nm) provides anti-inflammatory and mitochondrial support. Green laser (532 nm) improves blood rheology. UV laser activates immune function. This multi-wavelength approach reaches pathogens in tissues where antibiotics have limited penetration.
Immune Therapy
Thymus peptide therapy, high-dose IV vitamin C, glutathione infusions, and targeted micronutrient support are used to restore immune competence. Chronic Borrelia infection suppresses key immune pathways, and recovery requires active immune restoration. We monitor immune markers throughout treatment to guide therapy intensity.
Fever Therapy
Controlled therapeutic fever using bacterial lysates to stimulate the body's natural fever response. Unlike hyperthermia, fever therapy activates the full immunological cascade associated with natural fever, including cytokine production, immune cell mobilization, and enhanced phagocytosis. This therapy has been used at St. George Hospital for decades.
What to Expect
Your Treatment Journey
Treatment at St. George Hospital is delivered as a structured inpatient program. Here is what a typical treatment journey looks like:
Weeks 1–2: Core Lyme module
Comprehensive diagnostics, followed by 2 whole-body hyperthermia sessions at 41.6–41.8 °C (106.9–107.2 °F) for 120 minutes each, concurrent combination antibiotics for the full 2 weeks, daily detoxification, immune support infusions, and physical therapy.
Weeks 3–4: Co-Infection Module (if indicated)
For patients with confirmed co-infections: 10 I.V. Laser Therapy (PDT) sessions using multiple wavelengths (blue 405 nm + Riboflavin, red 635 nm, green 532 nm, UV) delivered directly into the bloodstream via fiber-optic catheter. Combined with apheresis blood purification (including Plasma Exchange or RBC Exchange for severe cases) and targeted antimicrobial agents specific to the identified co-infections (Bartonella, Babesia, Ehrlichia, etc.).
Week 5: Microbiome Restore (recommended)
Gastroscopy and colonoscopy with transfer of a living microbiome cocktail, followed by 3 days of targeted bacterial enemas and concurrent detoxification. Restores gut health disrupted by extended antibiotic therapy.
Ongoing: Follow-Up Care
Structured outpatient protocol with oral medications, repeat laboratory testing at 3, 6, and 12 months, remote video consultations, and coordination with your home physicians. Additional blood purification (apheresis) or Neural Therapy (procaine) can be scheduled as needed.
Evidence
Clinical Results
Our treatment outcomes are tracked through serial laboratory testing and standardized symptom assessments. While individual results vary based on disease duration, co-infection burden, and prior treatment history, the majority of our patients experience meaningful clinical improvement.
Common outcome patterns include:
- Significant reduction in fatigue, pain, and cognitive symptoms
- Improvement in CD57+ NK cell counts over 3-12 months
- Normalization of inflammatory markers
- Reduction or elimination of positive ELISpot results
- Improved functional capacity and quality of life
- Resolution of neurological symptoms in many patients
We are transparent with patients: chronic Lyme disease treatment is a process, not a single event. Most patients require ongoing management and may benefit from multiple treatment cycles. Full symptom resolution varies by case, and we set realistic expectations while working toward the best possible outcome for each patient.
Treatment Program Details
- Lyme Package: 2 weeks inpatient
- Co-Infection Module: +2 weeks (if needed)
- Microbiome Restore: +1 week (recommended)
- Hyperthermia: 41.6–41.8 °C / 106.9–107.2 °F
- Supervised by Dr. Angelina Svircev and team
- Protocols developed by Dr. Julian Douwes
- International patient coordination available
- Remote follow-up consultations included
- Reports in English and German
Request a consultation
A video consultation in English before you travel. A physician reviews your findings first; we reply by email within one business day (Mon–Fri).
Mon–Thu 08:00–17:00, Fri 08:00–14:00 (CET/CEST)+49 8061 398-0info@clinicum-stgeorg.de
St. George Hospital is a specialist hospital, not an emergency department. In a medical emergency in Germany, dial 112.