Lyme Disease News & Current Medical Research

The latest publications of scientific medical research, articles and news on Lyme disease from many resources are automatically displayed here. It is powered by Medworm, a search engine based on data collected from the RSS feeds of medical sources like science journals and recent medical news articles.

Note: this automated list may not catch all relevant publications; also it is limited to about the past 6 months. Therefore you may also want to check PubMed, where you can search in a database for thousands of publications from the past decades (highly recommended).

List of latest Lyme news and medical research

Saturday 4 February 2012

Map pinpoints areas of Lyme disease

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Feb. 4 (UPI) -- A tick survey shows a risk of Lyme disease in the Northeast from Maine to Virginia, but most of the South free of Lyme disease-carrying ticks, researchers say. (Source: Health News - UPI.com)

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Friday 3 February 2012

Lyme Disease Ticks Endemic in Northeast, Northern MidwestLyme Disease Ticks Endemic in Northeast, Northern Midwest

Field researchers have generated a detailed map that they hope will guide appropriate diagnosis and more targeted treatment for patients suspected of having Lyme disease. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)


Friday 3 February 2012

New map pinpoints Lyme disease risk areas

Researchers who spent three years dragging sheets of fabric through the woods to snag ticks have created a detailed map they claim could improve ... (Source: USATODAY.com Health)


Friday 3 February 2012

Areas Of Highest Human Risk For Lyme Disease In Eastern United States Detailed On New Map

A new map pinpoints well-defined areas of the Eastern United States where humans have the highest risk of contracting Lyme disease, one of the most rapidly emerging infectious diseases in North America, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As part of the most extensive Lyme-related field study ever undertaken, researchers found high infection risk confined mainly to the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Upper Midwest and low risk in the South. The results were published in the February issue of the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)


Wednesday 1 February 2012

Tick Tally Reveals Lyme Disease Risk

Researchers counted more than 5,000 ticks to calculate the risk of Lyme disease in the Eastern U.S. Turns out the risk is high in the Northeast and nearly zero in the South.» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us (Source: NPR Health and Science)

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Wednesday 1 February 2012

New Map Shows that Most Lyme-Infected Ticks Are in Northeast, Northern Midwest

Female blacklegged tick courtesy of Graham Hickling/University of Tennessee Lyme disease is notoriously tough to diagnose. The symptoms often don’t appear for one or two weeks after a bite and can vary from feeling flu-ish to longer-term neurological damage. And ticks seem to lie in wait throughout much of the U.S., prepared to pounce and infect a passerby. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)


Wednesday 1 February 2012

New map pinpoints areas of highest human risk for lyme disease in eastern United States

(Burness Communications) A new map pinpoints well-defined areas of the Eastern United States where humans have the highest risk of contracting Lyme disease, one of the most rapidly emerging infectious diseases in North America, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)


Friday 27 January 2012

Factors driving the abundance of Ixodes ricinus and the prevalence of zoonotic I. ricinus-borne pathogens in natural foci.

Authors: Ruiz-Fons F, Fernández-de-Mera IG, Acevedo P, Gortázar C, de la Fuente J Abstract Environmental factors may drive tick ecology and therefore tick-borne pathogen (TBP) epidemiology, which determines the risk of animals and humans of getting infected by TBPs. For this reason, the aim of this study was to analyze the influence of environmental factors on the abundance of immature stages of Ixodes ricinus and on the prevalence of two zoonotic I. ricinus-borne pathogens in endemic natural foci. I. ricinus abundance was measured in nine sites in northern Iberian Peninsula by dragging the vegetation with a cotton flannelette and ungulate abundance was measured by means of dung counts. In addition to ungulate abundance, variables related to spatial location, climate and soil wer...


Wednesday 25 January 2012

Study Of Pet Dogs Shows Lyme Disease Risk In UK Bigger Than Previously Thought

The risk of a person living in the UK becoming infected with Lyme disease is much greater than previously thought, according to a study from Bristol University that surveyed pet dogs to find out how many of them harboured the ticks that transmit the disease. The researchers, from Bristol University, reported their findings earlier this month in the journal Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)


Wednesday 25 January 2012

Dogs 'higher Lyme disease risk'

Ticks that can transmit Lyme disease may be more prevalent in the UK than realised, say researchers who have found out how many pet dogs harbour them. (Source: BBC News | Health | UK Edition)

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Wednesday 25 January 2012

Survey of pet dogs indicates Lyme disease risk much greater than previous estimates suggest

Ticks infected with the bacteria that cause Lyme disease may be considerably more prevalent in the UK than expected, according to new research from the University of Bristol that used pet dogs as ‘sentinels’ for human disease risk. (Source: University of Bristol news)


Tuesday 24 January 2012

CD14 cooperates with complement receptor 3 to mediate MyD88-independent phagocytosis of Borrelia burgdorferi [Immunology]

Phagocytosis of Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, is a poorly understood process, despite its importance during the host immune response to infection. B. burgdorferi has been shown to bind to different receptors on the surface of phagocytic cells, including the β2 integrin, complement receptor 3 (CR3). However, whether these receptors mediate the phagocytosis of the spirochete remains unknown. We now demonstrate that CR3 mediates the phagocytosis of the spirochete by murine macrophages and human monocytes. Interaction of B. burgdorferi with the integrin is not sufficient, however, to internalize the spirochete; phagocytosis requires the interaction of CR3 with the GPI-anchored protein, CD14, independently of TLR/MyD88-induced or inside-out signals. Interestingly, ...


Friday 20 January 2012

Spinal anaesthesia for caesarean delivery in a parturient with babesiosis and Lyme disease

We present a case of a parturient with babesiosis and Lyme disease who was scheduled for elective caesarean section. The caesarean section was performed under spinal anaesthesia, and the patient had a coronary artery dissection 4 days postoperatively. Neuraxial anaesthesia and possible mechanisms for the coronary artery dissection in a patient with babesiosis and Lyme disease are discussed. (Source: Anaesthesia)


Friday 20 January 2012

Potential Infectious Etiology of Behçet's Disease.

Authors: Galeone M, Colucci R, D'Erme AM, Moretti S, Lotti T Abstract Behçet's disease is a multisystem inflammatory disorder characterized by recurrent oral aphthous ulcers, genital ulcers, uveitis, and skin lesions. The cause of Behçet's disease remains unknown, but epidemiologic findings suggest that an autoimmune process is triggered by an environmental agent in a genetically predisposed individual. An infectious agent could operate through molecular mimicry, and subsequently the disease could be perpetuated by an abnormal immune response to an autoantigen in the absence of ongoing infection. Potentia bacterial are Saccharomyces cerevisiae, mycobacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, Helicobacter pylori, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Mycoplasma fermentans, but the most...


Tuesday 17 January 2012

Predicted Outcomes of Vaccinating Wildlife to Reduce Human Risk of Lyme Disease

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases)

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Monday 16 January 2012

Estimating Lyme disease risk using pet dogs as sentinels.

Authors: Smith FD, Ballantyne R, Morgan ER, Wall R Abstract The reported number of cases of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, is thought to have increased in the UK over the past decade, but consistent surveillance data are lacking. Here the prevalence of B. burgdorferi in ticks attached to pet dogs was examined - using them as sentinels for human disease risk. Dogs give a good indication of the exposure of their human owners to infected ticks, since they largely share the same environment and visit the same outdoor areas. PCR was used to test 739 tick samples collected from 3534 dogs selected at random as they visited veterinary practices over a period of six months. Overall, the prevalence of infected ticks on all dogs was 0.5% giving an estimated 481 infected ticks ...


Friday 13 January 2012

The toll of TLR1 polymorphism in lyme disease: A tale of mice and men

(Source: Arthritis and Rheumatism)


Thursday 12 January 2012

Lyme Disease as an Underlying Cause of Supraspinatus Tendinopathy in an Overhead Athlete.

DISCUSSION:/b>Many active patients spend time in the outdoors increasing their risk of exposure to a vector for Borrelia burgdorferi. Physical therapists spend a larger portion of time with patients than other health care professionals, and due to this extended contact and musculoskeletal knowledge are able to recognize atypical musculoskeletal disorders or musculoskeletal manifestations of unusual pathologies including Lyme disease. PMID: 22247404 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Physical Therapy)


Monday 9 January 2012

Of ticks, mice and men: understanding the dual-host lifestyle of Lyme disease spirochaetes

Authors: Justin D. Radolf, Melissa J. Caimano, Brian Stevenson & Linden T. Hu In little more than 30 years, Lyme disease, which is caused by the spirochaete Borrelia burgdorferi, has risen from relative obscurity to become a global public health problem and a prototype of an emerging infection. During this period, there has been an extraordinary accumulation (Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology)


Friday 6 January 2012

Cognitive decline can start at 45, research suggests

Brain deterioration starts earlier than previously thoughtRelated items from OnMedicaPublic warned to avoid tick bites and Lyme diseaseMulti-organisation launches new drive on dementiaNew tool "Sweet 16" reliably spots cognitive impairmentMRI can predict brain activity Vaccine linked to earlier onset of seizures in Dravet syndrome (Source: OnMedica Latest News)

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Wednesday 4 January 2012

How can Lyme disease be prevented and controlled?

A new article assesses the potential reasons for the continued lack of success in prevention and control of Lyme disease and identifies areas where additional knowledge could be used to improve Lyme disease prevention and control strategies. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)


Wednesday 4 January 2012

Absence of Lyme Disease Spirochetes in Larval Ixodes ricinus Ticks

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases Jan 2012, Vol. 12, No. 1: 21-27. (Source: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases)


Wednesday 4 January 2012

Genotypic Diversity of an Emergent Population of Borrelia burgdorferi at a Coastal Maine Island Recently Colonized by Ixodes scapularis

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases)


Wednesday 4 January 2012

How can Lyme disease be prevented and controlled?

(Entomological Society of America) A new article appearing in the Journal of Medical Entomology assesses the potential reasons for the continued lack of success in prevention and control of Lyme disease and identifies areas where additional knowledge could be used to improve Lyme disease prevention and control strategies. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

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Sunday 1 January 2012

A Toll‐like receptor 1 polymorphism is associated with heightened T‐helper 1 inflammatory responses and antibiotic‐refractory lyme arthritis

Conclusion.The TLR1‐1805GG polymorphism in B. burgdorferi RST1‐infected patients was associated with stronger TH1‐like inflammatory responses, which may set the stage for antibiotic‐refractory arthritis. (Source: Arthritis and Rheumatism)


Sunday 1 January 2012

Toe dactylitis revealing late Lyme borreliosis

(Source: Arthritis and Rheumatism)


Sunday 1 January 2012

Lyme borreliosis: the challenge of accuracy.

Authors: Klempner MS, Halperin JJ, Baker PJ, Shapiro ED, O'Connell S, Fingerle V, Wormser GP Abstract No abstract available. PMID: 22271807 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: The Netherlands Journal of Medicine)


Friday 30 December 2011

Validation of a Clinical Prediction Rule to Distinguish Lyme Meningitis From Aseptic Meningitis

Available clinical prediction rules to identify children with cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis at low risk for Lyme meningitis include headache duration, cranial nerve palsy, and percent cerebrospinal fluid mononuclear cells. These rules require independent validation. These clinical prediction rules accurately identify patients at low risk for Lyme meningitis in our large multicenter cohort. Children at low risk may be considered for outpatient management while awaiting Lyme serology. (Read the full article) (Source: PEDIATRICS)


Thursday 29 December 2011

Spatially explicit multi-criteria decision analysis for managing vector-borne diseases

We describe the conceptual framework that MCDA offers as well as technical considerations, approaches to implementation and expected outcomes. We conclude that MCDA is a powerful tool that offers tremendous potential for use in public health decision-making in general and vector-borne disease management in particular. (Source: International Journal of Health Geographics)


Friday 23 December 2011

Cardiac MRI of Lyme disease myocarditis

A 41-year-old man presented with chest pain and recent flu-like illness. ECG demonstrated inferolateral ST elevation and troponin I level was raised. A diagnosis of myocardial infarction was made and intravenous thrombolysis was administered. Catheter angiography did not demonstrate significant coronary artery disease, so cardiac MRI was performed to clarify the diagnosis. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) images revealed multiple discreet band-like regions of enhancement in the mid-myocardial left ventricular wall with sparing of the subendocardial layer, suggestive of myocarditis rather than myocardial infarction (figure 1). Figure 1Cardiac MRI during the acute phase of the illness. The four-chamber late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) image (A) demonstrates mid-myocardial LGE in the left v...


Wednesday 21 December 2011

Lyme meningitis prediction rule validated

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A retrospective study confirms that the "Rule of 7's" tool can accurately identify children at low risk for Lyme meningitis. (Source: Modern Medicine)


Monday 19 December 2011

Isolated trochlear palsy secondary to Lyme neuroborreliosis

The objective of the study is to report the first case of isolated trochlear palsy secondary to Lyme neuroborreliosis in an adult. A 22-year-old male presented with history of flu-like illness and headache, accompanied by vertical binocular diplopia, worse on downgaze and better in upgaze and right head tilt. Physical examination revealed trochlear palsy on the left side with a compensatory head tilt to the opposite side. A subsequent workup for trochlear palsy was conducted, including hematological and cerebral spinal fluid serum studies, and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain. Immunoglobulin (Ig)M and IgG antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi were positive in serum and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). Symptoms of double vision completely resolved after 3 weeks of antibiotic ...


Monday 19 December 2011

"Rule of 7s" Shows Accuracy in Lyme Meningitis Prediction"Rule of 7s" Shows Accuracy in Lyme Meningitis Prediction

The tool showed high reliability and simplicity in predicting a low risk for Lyme meningitis in children in a large multicenter cohort. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

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Monday 19 December 2011

First Aid for Lyme Disease After a Tick Bite

They come out in the spring, and each year they spread further – the ticks. Thirty percent of them transmit borrelia pathogens, the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis that can damage joints and organs. The disease often goes undetected. In the future, a new type of gel is intended to prevent an infection – if applied after a tick bite. (Source: Disabled World)


Monday 19 December 2011

First aid after tick bites

They come out in the spring, and each year they spread further – the ticks. Thirty percent of them transmit borrelia pathogens, the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis that can damage joints and organs. The disease often goes undetected. In the future, a new type of gel is intended to prevent an infection – if applied after a tick bite. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)


Thursday 15 December 2011

Compounding for Lyme disease

Lyme disease may be the most rewarding compounding niche that most pharmacists have never considered. (Source: Drug Topics - Top News)


Monday 12 December 2011

Ticks with bacteria that may cause Lyme disease found in N.S.

A community in southwestern Nova Scotia has been added to a list of places where ticks have been found to carry the bacteria that can cause Lyme disease. (Source: CTV Health)


Sunday 11 December 2011

The BB0646 protein demonstrates lipase and haemolytic activity associated with Borrelia burgdorferi, the aetiological agent of Lyme disease

SummaryThe etiological agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, is transmitted by ticks of the Ixodes genus and, if untreated, can cause significant morbidity in affected individuals. Recent reports have shown that polyunsaturated fatty acids in the B. burgdorferi cell envelope are potential targets for oxidative damage, which can be lethal. How B. burgdorferi responds to this assault is not known. Herein we report evidence that bb0646 codes for a lipase that is located within the bosR operon and that has specificity for both saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Specifically, strains harbouring mutated copies of the lipase, either in the form of an insertionally inactivated construct or site‐directed mutations within the active site, demonstrated attenuated lipolytic and ha...


Thursday 8 December 2011

Video: HealthPop: Blemish barriers, ticking timebomb, resting rumps

CBS News.com's Nick Dietz cracks the facts on facial scars' impact on job interviews; also, a record year for Lyme disease; and sitting around a lot gives you a big butt. (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)


Saturday 3 December 2011

Boom and Bust in Acorns Will Affect Many Creatures, Including Humans

A dearth this year of the familiar autumn seeds will probably lead to a steep drop in the population of field mice, and a particularly dangerous season for Lyme disease. (Source: NYT Health)

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Thursday 1 December 2011

Elimination of Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Rodent Reservoirs and Ixodes scapularis Ticks Using a Doxycycline Hyclate-Laden Bait.

Authors: Dolan MC, Schulze TL, Jordan RA, Dietrich G, Schulze CJ, Hojgaard A, Ullmann AJ, Sackal C, Zeidner NS, Piesman J Abstract Abstract. A field trial was conducted in a Lyme disease-endemic area of New Jersey to determine the efficacy of a doxycyline hyclate rodent bait to prophylactically protect and cure small-mammal reservoirs and reduce infection rates in questing Ixodes scapularis ticks for Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. The doxycycline-laden bait was formulated at a concentration of 500 mg/kg and delivered during the immature tick feeding season in rodent-targeted bait boxes. The percentage of infected small mammals recovered from treated areas after 2 years of treatment was reduced by 86.9% for B. burgdorferi and 74% for A. phagocytophilum. Infectio...


Thursday 1 December 2011

High Frequency of False Positive IgM Immunoblots for Borrelia burgdorferi in Clinical Practice

AbstractAlthough it is known that two‐tier serologic testing for Lyme disease may be associated with false positive results on the IgM immunoblot, this problem has never been systematically studied in the clinical practice setting. In a retrospective investigation of patients referred to the private adult practice of an Infectious Diseases physician for possible for Lyme disease, 50 of 182 patients (27.5%, 95% CI: 21.1‐34.6) were found to have a false positive IgM immunoblot. 78.0% of these patients had received unnecessary antibiotic therapy. False positive results were not restricted to any single commercial laboratory. Research on alternative testing strategies that eliminate the IgM immunoblot entirely is warranted. (Source: Clinical Microbiology and Infection)


Monday 21 November 2011

Clinical evidence for rapid transmission of Lyme disease following a tickbite

We describe 3 cases in which transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi, the spirochetal agent of Lyme disease, appears to have occurred in less than 24 h based on the degree of tick engorgement, clinical signs of acute infection, and immunologic evidence of acute Lyme disease. Health care providers and individuals exposed to ticks should be aware that transmission of Lyme disease may occur more rapidly than animal models suggest. A diagnosis of Lyme disease should not be ruled out based on a short tick attachment time in a subject with clinical evidence of B. burgdorferi infection. (Source: Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease)


Thursday 17 November 2011

Identification and characterization of Borrelia antigens as potential vaccine candidates against Lyme borreliosis.

Authors: Poljak A, Comstedt P, Hanner M, Schüler W, Meinke A, Wizel B, Lundberg U Abstract The three Borrelia species, Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia garinii are the main species causing the most common tick-borne zoonosis, Lyme borreliosis. By applying a genomic approach relying on human antibodies we have identified 122 antigenic Borrelia proteins associated with Lyme borreliosis, including already known and published protective antigens. The heterogeneity of the Borrelia species causing Lyme borreliosis makes the search for conserved antigens providing broad protection challenging. Using several in vitro assays we narrowed down the selection to 15 vaccine candidates. These antigens were further analyzed for antigenicity and cross-reactivity using sera from ...


Monday 14 November 2011

Peripheral facial palsy in patients with tick‐borne encephalitis

AbstractAlthough tick‐borne encephalitis (TBE) has been recognized in Europe for more than 70 years and has been the topic of numerous reports, information on the involvement of facial nerve in the course of the disease is limited. Our study conducted at a single medical centre revealed that facial nerve involvement in the course of TBE in Central Europe is a) infrequent – it was found in only 11 of 1218 (0.9%) consecutive adult patients diagnosed with TBE; b) manifests with unilateral or rarely bilateral peripheral facial palsy (PFP) (9 and 2 patients, respectively); c) appears late in the course of acute illness – in our patients 10–20 days after the onset of the meningoencephalitic phase of TBE, and often after defervescence (in 8/11 patients; 6–13 days after normalisation of ...

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Monday 14 November 2011

Evaluation of the preventive capacities of a topically applied azithromycin formulation against Lyme borreliosis in a murine model

Conclusions Our data indicate that topical treatment with a formulation containing azithromycin is a promising approach to prevent Lyme borreliosis shortly after a tick bite. (Source: Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy)


Monday 14 November 2011

Pervasive Recombination and Sympatric Genome Diversification Driven by Frequency-Dependent Selection in Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme Disease Bacterium [Population and Evolutionary Genetics]

How genomic diversity within bacterial populations originates and is maintained in the presence of frequent recombination is a central problem in understanding bacterial evolution. Natural populations of Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterial agent of Lyme disease, consist of diverse genomic groups co-infecting single individual vertebrate hosts and tick vectors. To understand mechanisms of sympatric genome differentiation in B. burgdorferi, we sequenced and compared 23 genomes representing major genomic groups in North America and Europe. Linkage analysis of >13,500 single-nucleotide polymorphisms revealed pervasive horizontal DNA exchanges. Although three times more frequent than point mutation, recombination is localized and weakly affects genome-wide linkage disequilibrium. We show by ...


Wednesday 9 November 2011

Prevalence of Borrelia Burgdorferi Infection in a Series of 98 Primary Cutaneous Lymphomas.

This study does not support a pathogenic role of B. burgdorferi in primary cutaneous B- and T-cell lymphomas from areas nonendemic for this microorganism and the consequent rationale for the adoption of antibiotic therapy in these patients. PMID: 22071292 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: The Oncologist)


Wednesday 2 November 2011

Regulating the regulators: SOCS3 joins the dance

Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells belong to a prototypical regulatory T cell lineage that functions at the interface of innate immunity and adaptive immunity. Unlike peptide-restricted T cells, iNKT cells recognise and respond to various glycolipid antigens presented in the context of the major histocompatibility complex class I-like molecule CD1d.1 iNKT cells possess a number of unique effector functions, including the ability to rapidly secrete large quantities of Th1, Th2 and Th17 cytokines, and, as such, have had a number of regulatory functions assigned to them. Consequently, iNKT cells are able to regulate a large number of bystander cells that form part of the innate and adaptive immune systems, and iNKT cell biology has subsequently been linked to a broad range of diseases, i...


Tuesday 1 November 2011

Patients Have a Right to Safe Surgery

Content Type Journal ArticleCategory EditorialPages 1-2DOI 10.1007/s00266-011-9836-3Authors Catherine B. Foss, International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 45 Lyme Road, Suite 304, Hanover, NH 03755, USA Journal Aesthetic Plastic SurgeryOnline ISSN 1432-5241Print ISSN 0364-216X (Source: Aesthetic Plastic Surgery)

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Tuesday 1 November 2011

Ecology ofBorrelia burgdorferisensu lato in Europe: transmission dynamics in multi‐host systems, influence of molecular processes and effects of climate change.

AbstractThe analysis of different multi‐host systems suggests that even hosts that are not capable of transmitting Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (sl) to the tick vector, Ixodes ricinus, or that are secondary reservoirs for these agents contribute to the intensity of transmission and to the overall risk of Lyme borreliosis, through the process of vector augmentation and pathogen amplification. On the other hand, above certain threshold densities, or in the presence of competition with primary reservoir hosts or low attachment rate of ticks to reservoir hosts, incompetent or less competent hosts may reduce transmission through dilution. The transmission of B. burgdorferi sl is affected by molecular processes at the tick‐host interface including mechanisms for the protection of spiroche...


Tuesday 1 November 2011

Ceftriaxone-Induced Hemolysis in a Child With Lyme Arthritis: A Case for Antimicrobial Stewardship

We report here the case of a young girl treated with intravenous ceftriaxone who subsequently developed drug-induced autoimmune hemolytic anemia and renal failure. Her severe sequelae highlight the importance of antimicrobial stewardship. We review here the goals of antimicrobial stewardship and several strategies for achieving them. In addition, we briefly discuss the rare adverse drug event experienced by our patient. (Source: PEDIATRICS)


Tuesday 1 November 2011

Ecology of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Europe: transmission dynamics in multi‐host systems, influence of molecular processes and effects of climate change

AbstractThe analysis of different multi‐host systems suggests that even hosts that are not capable of transmitting Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) to the tick vector, Ixodes ricinus, or that are secondary reservoirs for these agents contribute to the intensity of transmission and to the overall risk of Lyme borreliosis, through the process of vector augmentation and pathogen amplification. On the other hand, above certain threshold densities, or in the presence of competition with primary reservoir hosts or low attachment rate of ticks to reservoir hosts, incompetent or less competent hosts may reduce transmission through dilution. The transmission of B. burgdorferi s.l. is affected by molecular processes at the tick‐host interface including mechanisms for the protection of spi...


Tuesday 1 November 2011

Lyme disease and the heart in the UK.

Authors: Dubrey SW, Mehta PA, O Connell S Abstract Heart involvement from Lyme disease is uncommon in the UK but, when it does occur, can be rapidly progressive and require intensive therapy. A history of exposure and frequently a characteristic rash (erythema migrans) are the cardinal features in diagnosis. PMID: 22083002 [PubMed - in process] (Source: British Journal of Hospital Medicine)


Monday 31 October 2011

Antiphospholipid antibodies in patients with persistent lyme disease symptoms.

Authors: Stricker RB, Johnson L PMID: 22040690 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Lupus)

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Monday 24 October 2011

Positive Borrelia burgdorferi serology secondary to intravenous immunoglobulin therapy

We describe a case where misleading positive Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies were caused by the administration of intravenous immunoglobulin. (Source: Journal of Infection)


Sunday 23 October 2011

Alessandra Luchini: nanoparticle traps detect diseases before our bodies do

A brilliant molecular-level test for signs of cancers developed by Alessandra Luchini promises far-reaching applicationsAlessandra Luchini is an engineer at George Mason University, Washington DC. Enabled by a grant from the Italian health service, she travelled to the US to study the molecular signs that some cancers release into the bloodstream. She was recently named in Popular Science's 'Brilliant 10' – an award for the achievements of scientists under 30.Why did you choose this line of research? We know that cancers have biomarkers that exist in the blood and body fluid in very low concentration, but they are volatile and degrade very quickly. So we were looking for something that current technology did not allow us to seek. We needed to figure out some kind of answer to that.Why di...


Saturday 22 October 2011

Presence of Borrelia burgdorferi“Sensu Lato” in patients with morphea from the Amazonic region in Brazil

Conclusion  Our data confirm the presence of borreliosis cases in the Amazon. (Source: International Journal of Dermatology)


Wednesday 19 October 2011

Coinfection with Rickettsia helvetica and Herpes Simplex Virus 2 in a Young Woman with Meningoencephalitis

Herpes virus type 2 DNA was detected by PCR in the cerebrospinal fluid in a young woman presenting with headache, stiff neck and pleocytosis, and serological findings consistent with reactivation. Since she was exposed to ticks, Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis were excluded. Further investigation in an ongoing project, using PCR and sequencing of the amplified products, showed the presence of Rickettsia helvetica in the cerebrospinal fluid. The bacteria were also isolated in Vero cell culture, and microimmunofluorescence confirmed the development of antibodies against Rickettsia spp. with predominance of IgM reactivity consistent with recent infection. She was treated with antibiotics and improved rapidly. The patient could easily have been judged to have isolated herpes meningiti...


Monday 17 October 2011

Hepoxilins in cancer and inflammation—use of hepoxilin antagonists

Abstract  Cancer is often accompanied with inflammatory, thrombotic, and diabetic complications. Alternatively, chronic inflammation is believed to be a causative factor in several cancers. This review article brings together reported biological actions in these areas of the unstable naturally derived hepoxilins (HX), metabolites of arachidonic acid formed through the 12-LO pathway, and those of their synthetically derived stable HX antagonists (PBT; proprietary bioactive therapeutics). Although the HX pathway has been known for some three decades since its discovery by the author with much data originating from the author’s laboratory, studies by others over the past few years have confirmed early findings of the actions of HX as potent pro-inflammatory chemoattractant m...

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Saturday 15 October 2011

European neuroborreliosis: neuropsychological findings 30 months post‐treatment

Conclusions:  As a group, LNB‐treated patients scored lower on four NP subtasks assessing processing speed, visual and verbal memory, and executive/attention functions, as compared to matched controls. The distribution of NP dysfunctions indicates that most LNB‐treated patients perform comparable to controls, whilst a small subgroup have a debilitating long‐term course with cognitive problems. (Source: European Journal of Neurology)


Friday 14 October 2011

Chronic Lyme Disease: The Controversies and the ScienceChronic Lyme Disease: The Controversies and the Science

Chronic lyme disease lacks an accepted clinical definition and objective evidence of the infection, yet patients are still seeking treatment. Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)


Friday 14 October 2011

Carbon storage regulator A (CsrABb) is a repressor of Borrelia burgdorferi flagellin protein FlaB

In this report, we deciphered the regulatory role of CsrABb on FlaB synthesis and the mechanism involved by analyzing two mutants, csrABb‐ (a deletion mutant of csrABb) and csrABb+ (a mutant conditionally over‐expressing csrABb). We found that FlaB accumulation was significantly inhibited in csrABb+ but was substantially increased in csrABb‐. In contrast, the levels of other flagellar proteins remained unchanged. Cryo‐electron tomography and immuno‐fluorescence microscopic analyses revealed that the altered synthesis of CsrABb in these two mutants specifically affected flagellar filament length. The leader sequence of flaB transcript contains two conserved CsrA‐binding sites, with one of these sites overlapping the Shine‐Dalgarno sequence. We found that CsrABb bound to the fl...


Thursday 13 October 2011

Neuroborreliosis mimicking brachial amyotrophic diplegia

We describe a patient who presented with a “polio-like” syndrome with brachial diplegia caused by neuroborreliosis. (Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery)


Saturday 1 October 2011

Humans Infected with Relapsing Fever Spirochete Borrelia miyamotoi, Russia.

We report 46 cases of B. miyamotoi infection in humans and compare the frequency and clinical manifestations of this infection with those caused by B. garinii and B. burgdorferi infection. All 46 patients lived in Russia and had influenza-like illness with fever as high as 39.5°C; relapsing febrile illness occurred in 5 (11%) and erythema migrans in 4 (9%). In Russia, the rate of B. miyamotoi infection in Ixodes persulcatus ticks was 1%-16%, similar to rates in I. ricinus ticks in western Europe and I. scapularis ticks in the United States. B. miyamotoi infection may cause relapsing fever and Lyme disease-like symptoms throughout the Holarctic region of the world because of the widespread prevalence of this pathogen in its ixodid tick vectors. PMID: 22000350 [PubMed - in process] (Sou...


Saturday 1 October 2011

Molecular characterization of the Borrelia burgdorferi in vivo-essential protein PncA.

Authors: Jewett MW, Jain S, Linowski AK, Sarkar A, Rosa PA Abstract The conversion of nicotinamide to nicotinic acid by nicotinamidase enzymes is a critical step in maintaining NAD(+) homeostasis and contributes to numerous important biological processes in diverse organisms. In Borrelia burgdorferi, the nicotinamidase enzyme, PncA, is required for spirochaete survival throughout the infectious cycle. Mammals lack nicotinamidases and therefore PncA may serve as a therapeutic target for Lyme disease. Contrary to the in vivo importance of PncA, the current annotation for the pncA ORF suggests that the encoded protein may be inactive due to the absence of an N-terminal aspartic acid residue that is a conserved member of the catalytic triad of characterized PncA proteins. Herein, we ha...


Saturday 1 October 2011

Epitope mapping of antibodies to VlsE protein of Borrelia burgdorferi in post-Lyme disease syndrome.

Authors: Chandra A, Latov N, Wormser GP, Marques AR, Alaedini A Abstract The VlsE lipoprotein of Borrelia burgdorferi elicits a strong immune response during the course of Lyme disease. The present study was aimed at characterization of the epitopes of VlsE targeted by the antibody response in patients with post-Lyme disease syndrome, a condition characterized by persisting symptoms of pain, fatigue, and/or neurocognitive impairment despite antibiotic treatment of B. burgdorferi infection. Epitope mapping was carried out using microarrays that contained synthesized overlapping peptides covering the full sequence of VlsE from B. burgdorferi B31. In addition to the previously characterized IR6 region in the variable domain, specific sequences in the N- and C-terminal invariable domai...

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Saturday 1 October 2011

Infection Prevalences of Common Tick-borne Pathogens in Adult Lone Star Ticks (Amblyomma americanum) and American Dog Ticks (Dermacentor variabilis) in Kentucky.

Authors: Fritzen CM, Huang J, Westby K, Freye JD, Dunlap B, Yabsley MJ, Schardein M, Dunn JR, Jones TF, Moncayo AC Abstract Abstract. Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, and ehrlichiosis are tick-borne diseases that are reported annually in Kentucky. We conducted a survey to describe infection prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in Amblyomma americanum and Dermacentor variabilis ticks collected in Kentucky. During 2007-2008, we collected 287 ticks (179 D. variabilis and 108 A. americanum) from canine, feral hog, horse, raccoon, white-tailed deer, and human hosts in six counties in Kentucky. Ticks were screened for Rickettsia spp., Borrelia spp., and Ehrlichia spp. by using polymerase chain reaction. Forty-one (14.3%) ticks (31 A. americanum and 10 D. variabilis) were polymer...


Saturday 1 October 2011

Peromyscus maniculatus , a Possible Reservoir Host of Borrelia garinii from the Gannet Islands Off Newfoundland and Labrador.

Peromyscus maniculatus , a Possible Reservoir Host of Borrelia garinii from the Gannet Islands Off Newfoundland and Labrador. J Parasitol. 2011 Oct;97(5):792-4 Authors: Baggs EM, Stack SH, Finney-Crawley JR, Simon NP Abstract abstract :  Thirty-five deer mice, Peromyscus maniculatus , were trapped on Gannet Cluster 2 (GC-2), one of a group of islands numbered by convention in the Gannet Island Archipelago, and examined for ectoparasites. One species each of Acari ( Ixodes uriae ) and Siphonaptera ( Orchopeas leucopus ) were recovered. Samples of mice favored males to females (3.4∶1). Twenty-nine percent (10) of the mice were free of ectoparasites. Males were more heavily parasitized than females when both parasites were considered. No ticks were recovered from the fema...


Saturday 1 October 2011

Lyme disease testing in children in an endemic area.

CONCLUSION: This study found that some clinicians in an LD-endemic area do not follow guidelines for diagnosing children suspected to have Lyme disease. PMID: 22164580 [PubMed - in process] (Source: WMJ)

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Friday 30 September 2011

Evaluation of skin thickness lesions in patients with Lyme disease measured by modified Rodnan total skin score

Abstract  Recently, a possible etiological connection between infection with Borrelia burgdorferi and various skin lesions, including morphea and systemic sclerosis (SSc), has been discussed. The aim of our study was the evaluation of frequency of skin thickening typical of SSc or morphea in the group of patients with Lyme disease (LD) with frequent exposition to tick bites. The group consisted of 110 patients with LD frequently exposed to tick bites form the northeastern Poland, which is an endemic area for this disease. To measure the skin lesions, the modified Rodnan total skin score (RTSS) was used. In the analyzed group, no skin changes typical of morphea or skin thickening were found. According to RTSS, all patients scored 0 points. Raynaud’s phenomenon in all patien...


Friday 30 September 2011

Nervous System Lyme Disease: Is There a Controversy?

Semin Neurol 2011; 31: 317-324DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1287652ABSTRACTInfection with the tick-borne spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, affects the nervous system in well-defined ways. Accurate diagnostic tools and effective therapeutic regimens are now well established. Persistent misconceptions about (1) the role and interpretation of laboratory tests, (2) what is and is not evidence of nervous system infection, and (3) what constitutes an expected response to treatment have fostered widespread perceptions that this disease is highly controversial. Infection causes the classically described triad of meningitis, radiculoneuritis, and cranial neuritis; however, virtually every known neurologic disorder has been blamed on this infection. For most (multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,...


Thursday 29 September 2011

Host races in Ixodes ricinus, the European vector of Lyme borreliosis.

Authors: Kempf F, De Meeûs T, Vaumourin E, Noel V, Taragel'ová V, Plantard O, Heylen DJ, Eraud C, Chevillon C, McCoy KD Abstract Ixodes ricinus is a European tick that transmits numerous pathogenic agents, including the bacteria that cause Lyme disease (some genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex). This tick has been considered as a classic example of an extreme generalist vector. However, host-associations in such vector species are difficult to determine from field observations alone and recent work suggests that host specificity may be more frequent in ticks than previously thought. The presence of host-associated vector groups can significantly alter the circulation and evolutionary pathway of associated pathogens. In this paper, we explicitly test for host-as...


Sunday 25 September 2011

The job: Head of biodevelopment

Frank Milward has developed a number of vaccines, including one to control Lyme disease in dogs, and is working on several others (Source: FT.com - Drugs and Healthcare)


Tuesday 20 September 2011

Anaplasmataceae and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in the sand lizard Lacerta agilis and co-infection of these bacteria in hosted Ixodes ricinus ticks

In this paper we show the role of sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) in the transmission cycle of important tick-borne pathogens, Anaplasmataceae and Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. Moreover, we found a significant correlation between numbers of ticks infected with Anaplasmataceae and with B. burgdorferi s.l. living on the same lizard. Image: Ticks (Ixodes ricinus) feeding on a sand lizard. (Source: Parasites and Vectors)

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Tuesday 20 September 2011

Retraction: Detection and differentiation of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in ticks collected from sheep and cattle in China

This article [1] has been regretfully retracted due to plagiarism by the authors. The method for the identification of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato species in ticks presented in the article was originally developed and published by Sjoerd Rijpkema and colleagues [2]. The authors apologise to all affected parties for the inconvenience caused.References1. Niu Q, Guan G, Yang J, Fu Y, Xu Z, Li Y, Miling Ma1, Liu Z, Liu J, Liu A, Ren Q, Jorgensen W, Luo J, Yin H: Detection and differentiation of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in ticks collected from sheep and cattle in China. BMC Veterinary Research 2011, 7:172. Rijpkema SG, Molkenboer MJ, Schouls LM, Jongejan F, Schellekens JF: Simultaneous Detection and Genotyping of Three Genomic Groups of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato in Dutch Ixodes...


Monday 19 September 2011

New Tick-Borne Disease, Distantly Related to Lyme, Is Found

The disease is caused by a spirochete bacterium called Borrelia miyamotoi, which is distantly related to Borrelia burgdorferi, the spirochete that causes Lyme disease. (Source: NYT Health)


Friday 16 September 2011

Absence of Lyme Disease Spirochetes in Larval Ixodes ricinus Ticks

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases)


Friday 16 September 2011

When Ticks Transmit Dangerous Pathogens Local Antibiotic Therapy Stops Lyme Disease

Blood-sucking ticks are not just a nuisance, they can also transmit dangerous diseases. One of them is Lyme disease, which is caused by bacteria of the genus Borrelia, and requires a course of treatment with antibiotics lasting several weeks. LMU researchers have come up with a quicker alternative. Lyme disease is a dangerous disease which is transmitted by ticks. Blood-sucking ticks ingest the agents that cause the disease bacteria of the species Borrelia burgdorferi and its relatives during a blood meal, and subsequently transmit them to the next victim they feast on, often a person... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)


Friday 16 September 2011

The coenzyme A disulphide reductase of Borrelia burgdorferi is important for rapid growth throughout the enzootic cycle and essential for infection of the mammalian host

SummaryIn a microarray analysis of the RpoS regulon in mammalian host‐adapted Borrelia burgdorferi, bb0728 (cdr) was found to be dually transcribed by the sigma factors σ70 and RpoS. The cdr gene encodes a coenzyme A disulphide reductase (CoADR) that reduces CoA‐disulphides to CoA in an NADH‐dependent manner. Based on the abundance of CoA in B. burgdorferi and the biochemistry of the enzyme, CoADR has been proposed to play a role in the spirochaete's response to reactive oxygen species. To better understand the physiologic function(s) of BbCoADR, we generated a B. burgdorferi mutant in which the cdr gene was disrupted. RT‐PCR and 5′‐RACE analysis revealed that cdr and bb0729 are co‐transcribed from a single transcriptional start site upstream of the bb0729 coding sequenc...


Friday 16 September 2011

Lyme disease-associated glomerulonephritis

We report two cases of Lyme disease-associated glomerulonephritis. A 57-year-old female presented with rash, volume overload, hypertension and rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. Biopsy confirmed an immune complex-mediated, membranoproliferative lesion. She was treated successfully with steroids and antibiotics. In a second case, a 40-year-old male, with a previously known microscopic hematuria, presented with rash, arthralgias, new proteinuria and gross hematuria following a tick bite. Biopsy revealed focal proliferative IgA nephropathy. Treatment with steroids and antibiotics resulted in rapid resolution of findings. Acute Lyme disease may contribute to the development of de novo, or activation of previously quiescent, immune-mediated glomerular disease. (Source: Nephrology Dialysis ...

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Thursday 15 September 2011

Seabirds and the Circulation of Lyme Borreliosis Bacteria in the North Pacific

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases)


Thursday 15 September 2011

Prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Coinfection with Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato in the Hard Tick Ixodes ricinus in the City of Hanover (Germany)

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases)


Thursday 15 September 2011

When ticks transmit dangerous pathogens

(Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München) Blood-sucking ticks are not just a nuisance, they can also transmit dangerous diseases. One of them is Lyme disease, which is caused by bacteria of the genus Borrelia, and requires a course of treatment with antibiotics lasting several weeks. LMU researchers have come up with a quicker alternative. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)


Wednesday 14 September 2011

Reservoir Targeted Vaccine for Lyme Borreliosis Induces a Year Long, Neutralizing Antibody Response to OspA in White-footed Mice.

Authors: Meirelles Richer L, Aroso M, Contente-Cuomo T, Ivanova L, Gomes-Solecki M Abstract Lyme disease is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. The enzootic cycle of this pathogen requires that Ixodes spp. acquire B. burgdorferi from infected wildlife reservoirs and transmit it to other uninfected wildlife. At present, there are no effective measures to control B. burgdorferi; there is no human vaccine available, and existing vector control measures are generally not acceptable to the public. However, if B. burgdorferi could be eliminated from its reservoir hosts or from the ticks that feed on them, the enzootic cycle would be broken, and the incidence of Lyme disease would decrease. We developed a reservoir targeted bait vaccine (RTV) based on the immunogenic outer surf...

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Thursday 8 September 2011

Chronic pain: Watch out before accepting diagnosis and treatment

Experts argue that patients should be diligent in demanding proof of safety and benefit before beginning chronic pain treatment, as some medications have little evidence that they alleviate conditions for which they are prescribed. The experts dispel myths surrounding chronic Lyme disease, using it as an example of why patients ensure that diagnostic and treatment tools are approved by the FDA and not just recommended by other patients and physicians. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)


Tuesday 6 September 2011

Cerebrospinal fluid findings in adults with acute Lyme neuroborreliosis

The objective of the study was to investigate the CSF changes during acute LNB. Routine CSF parameters [leukocyte count, protein, lactate and albumin concentrations, CSF/serum quotients of albumin (QAlb), IgG, IgA and IgM, and oligoclonal IgG bands] and the Borrelia burgdorferi (BB)-specific antibody index were retrospectively studied in relation to the clinical presentation in patients diagnosed with acute LNB. A total of 118 patients with LNB were categorized into the following groups according to their symptoms at presentation; group 1: polyradiculoneuritis (Bannwarth’s syndrome), group 2: isolated facial palsy and group 3: predominantly meningitic course of the disease. In addition to the CSF of patients with acute LNB, CSF of 19 patients with viral meningitis (VM) and 3 with n...


Thursday 1 September 2011

Differential Risk for Lyme Disease along Hiking Trail, Germany.

Authors: Richter D, Matuschka FR Abstract To estimate relative risk for exposure to ticks infected with Lyme disease-causing spirochetes in different land-use types along a trail in Germany, we compared tick density and spirochete prevalence on ruminant pasture with that on meadow and fallow land. Risk was significantly lower on pasture than on meadow and fallow land. PMID: 21888798 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases)

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Thursday 1 September 2011

Canine serology as adjunct to human lyme disease surveillance.

Authors: Mead P, Goel R, Kugeler K Abstract To better define areas of human Lyme disease risk, we compared US surveillance data with published data on the seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies among domestic dogs. Canine seroprevalence >5% was a sensitive but nonspecific marker of human risk, whereas seroprevalence <1% was associated with minimal risk for human infection. PMID: 21888800 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases)


Thursday 1 September 2011

Orbital Inflammation and Lyme Disease

Sclerosing orbital inflammation is a poorly understood entity that frequently results in visual morbidity. Herein, we report a case of sclerosing orbital inflammation manifesting as dacryoadenitis with bony erosion associated with Lyme disease. (Source: Ophthalmology)


Wednesday 31 August 2011

Serum CXCL13 Chemokine is Not a Marker for Active Lyme Borreliosis.

Authors: Wutte N, Berghold A, Krainberger I, Aberer E PMID: 21879246 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Acta Dermato-Venereologica)


Saturday 27 August 2011

[Personal View] Antiscience and ethical concerns associated with advocacy of Lyme disease

SummaryAdvocacy for Lyme disease has become an increasingly important part of an antiscience movement that denies both the viral cause of AIDS and the benefits of vaccines and that supports unproven (sometimes dangerous) alternative medical treatments. Some activists portray Lyme disease, a geographically limited tick-borne infection, as a disease that is insidious, ubiquitous, difficult to diagnose, and almost incurable; they also propose that the disease causes mainly non-specific symptoms that can be treated only with long-term antibiotics and other unorthodox and unvalidated treatments. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)


Friday 26 August 2011

Acute life threatening cerebellitis presenting with no apparent cerebellar signs

Acute cerebellitis is an inflammatory syndrome which can occur as either a primary infectious, para or post infectious disorder. Infectious pathogens that have been reported to be causal or associated with acute cerebellitis include varicella, measles, mumps, rubella, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, influenza virus, parainfluenza virus, poliovirus, coxsackie virus, salmonella typhi, Borrelia burgdorferi, Coxiela burnetii, bordetella pertussis and mycoplasma pneumoniae . The incidence of acute cerebellitis is unknown and the literature has consisted primarily of a collection of case reports. Acute cerebellitis may also occur without evidence of preceding or concurrent infection . (Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery)


Thursday 25 August 2011

Agents of Human Anaplasmosis and Lyme Disease at Camp Ripley, Minnesota

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases)


Wednesday 24 August 2011

Why Our Thoughts Keep Us Lost

Two weeks after I move to Westchester, I meet a suburban mom who tells me about an amazing meditation teacher in town I just have to meet.read more (Source: Psychology Today Depression Center)

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Wednesday 24 August 2011

Widespread dispersal of Borrelia burgdorferi-infected ticks collected from songbirds across Canada.

We report transstadial transmission (larva to nymph) of B. burgdorferi in I. auritulus. Data suggest a possible 4-tick, i.e., I. angustus, I. auritulus, I. pacificus, and I. spinipalpis enzootic cycle of B. burgdorferi on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Our results suggest that songbirds infested with B. burgdorferi-infected ticks have the potential to start new tick populations endemic for Lyme disease. Because songbirds disperse B. burgdorferi-infected ticks outside their anticipated range, health-care providers are advised that people can contract Lyme disease locally without any history of travel. PMID: 21864130 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: The Journal of Parasitology)


Monday 22 August 2011

Asymptomatic Macrothrombocytopenia in a Young Pure-Bred Beagle Dog: A Case Report.

Authors: Bodié K, Gagne GD, Sramek MK, Desmond DJ, Abel SJ, Fagerland JA Abstract During baseline evaluation prior to a preclinical safety study, a 10-month-old male pure-bred Beagle dog was found to have marked thrombocytopenia (6 × 103 platelets [PLT]/µL) associated with a mean platelet volume (MPV) of 17.9 fL. Tests for Rickettsia rickettsii, Ehrlichia canis, and Borrelia burgdorferi were negative. Buccal bleeding time was normal. Over 3 months, PLT were 4 to 141 × 103 PLT/µL, and MPV was 11.4 to 25.1 fL; however, PLT were <50 × 103 PLT/µL and MPV was >16 fL during most of this period. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) and anti-PLT antibody tests were negative. Genotyping for the presence of a beta 1-tubulin mutation demonstrated the normal wild-type gene. Treatment with p...


Saturday 20 August 2011

Following a Tick Bite: Double Infections by Tick‐Borne Encephalitis Virus and the Spirochete Borrelia and Other Potential Multiple Infections

SummaryIn Central Europe and large parts of Asia, tick‐borne‐encephalitis (TBE) and Lyme borreliosis caused by the spirochetal bacterium of the genus Borrelia are among the most common diseases transmitted by the bite of a tick. When in regions with overlapping TBE virus and Borrelia endemicity, a tick bite causes the victim to become ill, it is important that appropriate serological and other laboratory investigations form part of the differential diagnosis. Account must always be taken of the fact that a tick bite may be followed by a double infection with the TBE virus and Borrelia. For this reason, a comprehensive diagnostic work‐up aimed at detecting co‐infection by both pathogens, even when the tick bite occurs in an endemic region for both pathogens but the initial clinical ...


Friday 19 August 2011

Abnormal corneal nerves in a patient with Lyme disease

Authors: X Ricaud, J-P Rozenbaum, S Landowski, C Baudouin & A Labbé (Source: Eye)


Friday 19 August 2011

Bioluminescent imaging of Borrelia burgdorferi in vivo demonstrates that the fibronectin binding protein BBK32 is required for optimal infectivity

SummaryThe etiologic agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, is transmitted via infected Ixodes spp. ticks. Infection, if untreated, results in dissemination to multiple tissues and significant morbidity. Recent developments in bioluminescence technology allow in vivo imaging and quantification of pathogenic organisms during infection. Herein, luciferase‐expressing B. burgdorferi and strains lacking the decorin adhesins DbpA and DbpB, as well as the fibronectin adhesin BBK32, were quantified by bioluminescent imaging to further evaluate their pathogenic potential in infected mice. Quantification of bacterial load was verified by quantitative PCR (qPCR) and cultivation. B. burgdorferi lacking DbpA and DbpB were only seen at the 1 h time point post‐infection, consistent with its low...

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Friday 19 August 2011

Bioluminescent imaging of Borrelia burgdorferi in vivo demonstrates that the fibronectin‐binding protein BBK32 is required for optimal infectivity

SummaryThe aetiological agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, is transmitted via infected Ixodes spp. ticks. Infection, if untreated, results in dissemination to multiple tissues and significant morbidity. Recent developments in bioluminescence technology allow in vivo imaging and quantification of pathogenic organisms during infection. Herein, luciferase‐expressing B. burgdorferi and strains lacking the decorin adhesins DbpA and DbpB, as well as the fibronectin adhesin BBK32, were quantified by bioluminescent imaging to further evaluate their pathogenic potential in infected mice. Quantification of bacterial load was verified by quantitative PCR (qPCR) and cultivation. B. burgdorferi lacking DbpA and DbpB were only seen at the 1 h time point post infection, consistent with ...


Thursday 18 August 2011

Tick salivary proteins offer the lyme disease spirochetes an easy ride and another way to hide.

Authors: Marconi RT, McDowell JV Abstract The ability of the Lyme disease spirochetes to establish an infection in mammals is dependent in part on proteins of tick origin. Schuijt et al. (2011) investigate the role of the tick-derived protein, TSLPI, in spirochete transmission and in the evasion of killing by the lectin complement pathway. PMID: 21843866 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Cell Host and Microbe)


Thursday 18 August 2011

A tick mannose-binding lectin inhibitor interferes with the vertebrate complement cascade to enhance transmission of the lyme disease agent.

Authors: Schuijt TJ, Coumou J, Narasimhan S, Dai J, Deponte K, Wouters D, Brouwer M, Oei A, Roelofs JJ, van Dam AP, van der Poll T, Van't Veer C, Hovius JW, Fikrig E Abstract The Lyme disease agent Borrelia burgdorferi is primarily transmitted to vertebrates by Ixodes ticks. The classical and alternative complement pathways are important in Borrelia eradication by the vertebrate host. We recently identified a tick salivary protein, designated P8, which reduced complement-mediated killing of Borrelia. We now discover that P8 interferes with the human lectin complement cascade, resulting in impaired neutrophil phagocytosis and chemotaxis and diminished Borrelia lysis. Therefore, P8 was renamed the tick salivary lectin pathway inhibitor (TSLPI). TSLPI-silenced ticks, or ticks exposed ...


Wednesday 17 August 2011

BORRELIA REMEDY (Borrelia Burgdorferi,) Liquid [Apotheca Company]

Updated Date: Aug 17, 2011 EST (Source: DailyMed Drug Label Updates for the last seven days (since May 20, 2007 EST))


Monday 15 August 2011

Quantitation of cell-associated borrelial DNA in the blood of Lyme disease patients with erythema migrans

This study was designed to measure the level of Borrelia burgdorferi in the plasma of Lyme disease patients and correlate these levels with selected clinical and laboratory findings. Nested and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was employed to detect cell-associated flaB gene DNA in the plasma of untreated early Lyme disease patients with erythema migrans (EM). Twenty-nine (45.3%) of 64 patients had evidence of B. burgdorferi in their plasma by at least one of the PCR methods. For the 22 qPCR-positive patients, the mean number of flaB gene copies per mL of plasma was 4,660, with a range of 414 to 56,000. The number of flaB gene copies did not significantly correlate with any of the clinical, demographic, or laboratory variables assessed. For reasons discussed, we suggest ca...

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Saturday 13 August 2011

Presence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato antibodies in the serum of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms

Abstract  Infectious agents are likely to play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases, including abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). The goal of this study was to determine if Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (sl), a microorganism responsible for Lyme disease, is involved in the etiology of AAAs. The presence of serum antibodies against B. burgdorferi sl was measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and confirmed by Western blotting in 96 AAA and 108 peripheral artery disease (PAD) patients. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for the detection of Borrelia-specific DNA in the aneurysm wall. Among AAA patients 34% and among PAD patients 16% were seropositive for B. burgdorferi sl antibodies (Fisher’s exact test, p = 0.003; odds ratio ...


Saturday 13 August 2011

NMR structure of an acyl-carrier protein from Borrelia burgdorferi

Nearly complete resonance assignment and the high-resolution NMR structure of the acyl-carrier protein from Borrelia burgdorferi, a target of the Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease (SSGCID) structure-determination pipeline, are reported. This protein was chosen as a potential target for drug-discovery efforts because of its involvement in fatty-acid biosynthesis, an essential metabolic pathway, in bacteria. It was possible to assign >98% of backbone resonances and >92% of side-chain resonances using multidimensional NMR spectroscopy. The NMR structure was determined to a backbone r.m.s.d. of 0.4 Å and contained four α-helices and two 310-helices. A structure-homology search revealed that this protein is highly similar to the acyl-carrier protein from Aquifex aeol...


Thursday 11 August 2011

Lyme borreliosis in Europe.

Authors: Rizzoli A, Hauffe H, Carpi G, Vourc H G, Neteler M, Rosa R PMID: 21794218 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Euro Surveill)


Thursday 11 August 2011

The Jurassic coastline of Lyme Regis – in pictures

Guardian photographer Graeme Robertson travels to Lyme Regis in Dorset to photograph the Jurassic coastGraeme Robertson (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)


Thursday 11 August 2011

Tracking Lyme Disease in Dogs May Help Protect Humans

Title: Tracking Lyme Disease in Dogs May Help Protect HumansCategory: Health NewsCreated: 8/10/2011 2:06:00 PMLast Editorial Review: 8/11/2011 (Source: MedicineNet Arthritis General)

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Wednesday 10 August 2011

Canine Serology as Adjunct to Human Lyme Disease Surveillance, P. Mead et al.

(Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal)


Wednesday 10 August 2011

Canine Serology as Adjunct to Human Lyme Disease Surveillance, P. Mead et al.

(Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal)


Wednesday 10 August 2011

Differential Risk for Lyme Disease along Hiking Trail, Germany, D. Richter and F.-R. Matuschka

(Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal)


Wednesday 10 August 2011

Differential Risk for Lyme Disease along Hiking Trail, Germany, D. Richter and F.-R. Matuschka

(Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal)


Wednesday 10 August 2011

Tracking Lyme Disease in Dogs May Help Protect Humans

Canine blood tests can indicate high-risk areas for people, CDC researchers say Source: HealthDay Related MedlinePlus Page: Lyme Disease (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)

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Wednesday 10 August 2011

Clinical characteristics and cerebrospinal fluid parameters in patients with peripheral facial palsy caused by Lyme neuroborreliosis compared with facial palsy of unknown origin (Bell's palsy)

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Tuesday 9 August 2011

Spatial distribution of seroprevalence for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi, Ehrlichia canis, and Dirofilaria immitis in dogs in Washington, Oregon, and California

Conclusions: Seropositivity for vector‐borne pathogens is broadly but patchily distributed in dogs in CA, OR, and WA. (Source: Veterinary Clinical Pathology)


Sunday 7 August 2011

Lyme Disease Research - More Aggressive Treatments

Lyme Disease Research, Legislation Allows More Aggressive Treatments for Sufferers. (Source: Disabled World)


Friday 5 August 2011

Antibodies Linked to Long-Term Lyme Disease Symptoms

By Amy Maxmen of Nature magazine Some patients with Lyme disease still show symptoms long after their treatment has finished. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

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Friday 5 August 2011

Identification of membrane associated drug targets in Borrelia burgdorferi ZS7- subtractive genomics approach.

In this study, 272 essential proteins were identified out of which 42 proteins were unique to the microorganism. The study identified 15 membrane localized drug targets. Amongst these 15, molecular modeling and structure validation of the five membrane localized drug target proteins could only be achieved because of the low sequence identity of the remaining proteins with RCSB structures. These 3D structures can be further characterized by invitro and invivo studies for the development of novel vaccine epitopes and novel antibiotic therapy against Borrelia burgdorferi. PMID: 21814395 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Bioinformation)


Friday 5 August 2011

Population genetics, taxonomy, phylogeny and evolution of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato.

Authors: Margos G, Vollmer SA, Ogden NH, Fish D Abstract In order to understand the population structure and dynamics of bacterial microorganisms, typing systems that accurately reflect the phylogenetic and evolutionary relationship of the agents are required. Over the past 15years multilocus sequence typing schemes have replaced single locus approaches, giving novel insights into phylogenetic and evolutionary relationships of many bacterial species and facilitating taxonomy. Since 2004, several schemes using multiple loci have been developed to better understand the taxonomy, phylogeny and evolution of Lyme borreliosis spirochetes and in this paper we have reviewed and summarized the progress that has been made for this important group of vector-borne zoonotic bacteria. PMID: ...


Friday 5 August 2011

Antibodies linked to long-term Lyme symptoms

Researchers find molecules that might mark elusive syndrome. (Source: news@nature.com)


Thursday 4 August 2011

Interferon-γ Influences the Composition of Leukocytic Infiltrates in Murine Lyme Carditis.

Authors: Sabino GJ, Hwang SJ, McAllister SC, Mena P, Furie MB Interferon (IFN)-γ is present in lesions of patients with Lyme disease and positively correlates with the severity of manifestations. To investigate the role of IFNγ in the development of Lyme carditis, wild-type and IFNγ-deficient C57BL/6 mice were infected with the causative bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi. Histological analysis revealed no change in the severity of carditis between wild-type and IFNγ-deficient mice at 14, 21, 25, and 28 days after infection. However, a distinct shift in the types of leukocytes within the hearts of IFNγ-deficient mice was observed at 25 days. In the absence of IFNγ, the number of neutrophils in the heart was increased, whereas the number of T lymphocytes was decreased. Bacterial load...

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Wednesday 3 August 2011

New Tick-Borne Illness Infects Midwesterners

Experts expect ehrlichiosis, like Lyme disease, will spread across U.S. (Source: Primary Care News - Doctors Lounge)


Wednesday 3 August 2011

New Strain of Tick-Borne Disease Discovered

A new strain of ehrlichiosis, a tick-borne disease, is being spread by deer ticks, the same ticks that spread Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. (Source: WebMD Health)


Wednesday 3 August 2011

New Tick-Borne Illness Infects Midwesterners

Experts expect ehrlichiosis, like Lyme disease, will spread across U.S. Source: HealthDay Related MedlinePlus Pages: Lyme Disease, Tick Bites (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)


Wednesday 3 August 2011

New Strain of Tick-Borne Disease Discovered

A new strain of ehrlichiosis, a tick-borne disease, is being spread by deer ticks, the same ticks that spread Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. (Source: WebMD Health)


Monday 1 August 2011

Burden and viability of Borrelia burgdorferi in skin and joints of patients with erythema migrans or lyme arthritis

ConclusionB burgdorferi in the skin lesions of EM patients were active and viable, whereas those in the SF of LA patients were moribund or dead at any time point. Thus, detection of B burgdorferi DNA in SF is not a reliable test of active joint infection in Lyme disease. (Source: Arthritis and Rheumatism)

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Friday 29 July 2011

Video: Dr. Ashton answers viewer health questions

CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton answers viewer health questions on issues like high blood pressure, hydrating in the heat, lyme disease and food allergies. (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)


Thursday 28 July 2011

Two Cases of Orbital Myositis as a Rare Feature of Lyme Borreliosis

We report the case of two patients who presented with focal orbital myositis which are rare localization for Lyme disease. Myositis were confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging. Diagnosis criteria for Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi) infection was supported by (i) medical history (tick bite in an endemic area), (ii) systemic clinical findings (Erythema migrans, neurological manifestation or arthritis), (iii) positive Lyme serology and/or the detection of B. burgdorferi DNA by polymerase chain reaction, as well as (iv) exclusion of other infectious and inflammatory causes. The current cases are reviewed in the context of findings fr...


Tuesday 26 July 2011

LYME (Baptisia Tinctoria, Echinacea, Hydrastis Canadensis, Arsenicum Album, Bryonia, Chelidonium Majus, Colchicum Autumnale Kalmia Latifolia,) Liquid [Apotheca Company]

Updated Date: Jul 26, 2011 EST (Source: DailyMed Drug Label Updates for the last seven days (since May 20, 2007 EST))


Saturday 23 July 2011

[Clinical Picture] Dermacentor tick attached to tympanic membrane

In June, 2008, a 47-year-old woman presented to us with a 1-day history of crackling sensations in her left ear. On otoscopic examination, a tick was seen on the left tympanic membrane (). An otorhinolaryngologist removed the tick with endoscopic-guided forceps. There was no bleeding, perforation, hearing loss, or other sequelae. The crackling sensations resolved immediately. The tick was identified as Dermacentor variabilis, commonly known as the American dog tick. Our patient lived in a rural area of Minnesota, USA where the tick-borne diseases lyme and human anaplasmosis are endemic. (Source: LANCET)


Thursday 21 July 2011

Molecular characterization of the Borrelia burgdorferi in vivo essential protein, PncA.

Authors: Jewett M, Jain S, Linowski AK, Sarkar A, Rosa PA The conversion of nicotinamide to nicotinic acid by nicotinamidase enzymes is a critical step in maintaining NAD+ homeostasis and contributes to numerous important biological processes in diverse organisms. In B. burgdorferi, the nicotinamidase enzyme, PncA, is required for spirochete survival throughout the infectious cycle. Mammals lack nicotinamidases and therefore PncA may serve as a therapeutic target for Lyme disease. Contrary to the in vivo importance of PncA, the current annotation for the pncA open reading frame suggests that the encoded protein may be inactive due to the absence of an N-terminal aspartic acid residue that is a conserved member of the catalytic triad of characterized PncA proteins. Herein we used geneti...

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Wednesday 20 July 2011

Antibody profiling Borrelia burgdorferi infection in horses.

Authors: Burbelo PD, Bren KE, Ching KH, Coleman A, Yang X, Kariu T, Iadarola MJ, Pal U Infection with Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) is common in horses and ponies from the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Here, we evaluated Luciferase Immunoprecipitation Systems (LIPS) for profiling antibody responses against three different antigenic targets for the diagnosis of equine Bb infection. LIPS testing of horse serum samples suspected of Lyme infection revealed that approximately 75% of the horse samples (114/159) were seropositive against the synthetic VOVO antigen comprising repeated immunodominant C6 epitopes, as well as OspC immunodominant epitopes. Comparison of VOVO with immunofluorescence assay (IFA) showed that 51% of the samples were co-positive in both assays,...


Tuesday 19 July 2011

Lyme disease detected in the province

Albertans should take precautions against Lyme disease as ticks carrying the disease have been identified in the province. So far this year, 5 ticks have tested positive for Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. The ticks were found on 4 dogs and a cat. These pets live in the Calgary and Edmonton areas and the ticks were submitted by veterinarians to Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) for testing. A bite by an infected tick can cause illness in people, wildlife and domestic animals if the tick remains attached for longer than 24 hours. (Source: Alberta.ca from- Health and Wellness)


Wednesday 13 July 2011

Lyme doctor with troubled past offers controversial treatment

Banned from surgery, ex-Illinois physician now specializes in disease that's doubted by key medical groupsWhen Dr. Jeffrey Piccirillo moved to Grinnell, Iowa, the surgeon had been sued multiple times over allegations of malpractice, personal injury and negligence. (Source: L.A. Times - Health)


Monday 11 July 2011

Clue to What Makes Lyme Bacteria Tick

Mice infected with the Lyme bacteria exhibited an unusual immune response that may explain why Lyme disease recurs in some people, researchers found. (Source: WSJ.com: Health)


Monday 11 July 2011

Heads Up For Lyme Disease This Season And Ways To Defend

Watch out for ticks! The Tick is a cartoon, a square-jawed, muscular, bright blue-costumed figure with antennae sticking up from his head, but we are actually talking about the bugs which happen to be the leading cause of lyme disease (LD). LD manifests itself as a multisystem inflammatory disease that affects the skin in its early, localized stage, and spreads to the joints, nervous system and, to a lesser extent, other organ systems in its later, disseminated stages. If diagnosed and treated early with antibiotics, LD is almost always readily cured... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Monday 11 July 2011

Lyme disease on rise in Wisconsin

MILWAUKEE, July 10 (UPI) -- With the infection rate of Lyme disease climbing, some Wisconsin residents say doctors in the state need to step up their game when it comes to treatment. (Source: Health News - UPI.com)


Friday 8 July 2011

A deadly new reason to avoid deer ticks

Move over, Lyme disease: Another tick-borne illness is on the rise in various parts of the country, and this one can kill. (Source: USATODAY.com Health)


Thursday 7 July 2011

Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Small Mammals and Ectoparasites in Hungary

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases)