The latest publications of scientific medical research, articles and news on Lyme disease from many resources are automatically displayed here.
Thursday 21 September 2017
(Natural News) According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported yearly. As only a small fraction of cases actually gets reported, the agency adds that the actual incidence of this disease in likely much higher. On top of that, emerging studies show that Bartonella disease,... (Source: NaturalNews.com)
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Wednesday 20 September 2017
Conclusion Through relatively small amounts of grant support over the last 6 y, CRSCI has helped local public health agencies in sixteen states and two cities—whose combined population reaches half of the U.S. total—identify critical climate impacts and vulnerable populations. In the process, the program has helped to integrate health more fully into local climate change efforts. As a result of CRSCI support, these local public health agencies—the backbone of public health climate response capacity—have tools to enhance real-life adaptive capacity and increase the effectiveness of existing interventions, such as heat response plans. They are also better prepared to take the next steps toward developing climate and health adaptation plans. However, the CRSCI program is only a start;...
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Wednesday 20 September 2017
Phagocytosis of the Lyme disease-causing pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi has been shown to be important for generating an inflammatory response to the pathogen. As a result, understanding the mechanisms of phagocytosis has been an area of great interest in the field of Lyme disease. Several cell surface receptors that participate in B. burgdorferi phagocytosis have been reported, including the scavenger receptor MARCO and integrin α3β1. We sought to define the mechanisms by which these receptors mediate phagocytosis and to identify signaling pathways activated downstream of these receptors upon contact with B. burgdorferi. We identified both Syk and Src signaling pathways as ones that participate in B. burgdorferi phagocytosis and the resulting cytokine activation. In our studies,...
Tuesday 19 September 2017
(NEW YORK) — One-time pop-punk princess Avril Lavigne has beaten superstar Beyonce at something, but she may not be totally happy with her victory — she’s been named the most dangerous celebrity on the internet. Cybersecurity firm McAfee said Tuesday that Lavigne, whose last album came out in 2013, was the most likely celebrity to land users on websites that carry viruses or malware. Searches for Lavigne have a 14.5% chance of landing on a web page with the potential for online threats, a number that increases to 22% if users type her name and search for free MP3s. Bruno Mars was second in his debut on the list, followed closely behind by Carly Rae Jepsen. Zayn Malik (No. 4), Celine Dion (No. 5), Calvin Harris (No. 6), Justin Bieber (No. 7), Sean “Diddy” Comb...
Tuesday 19 September 2017
Authors: Drecktrah D, Samuels DS Abstract The spirochetes Borrelia (Borreliella) burgdorferi and Borrelia hermsii, the etiologic agents of Lyme disease and relapsing fever, respectively, cycle in nature between an arthropod vector and a vertebrate host. They have extraordinarily unusual genomes that are highly segmented and predominantly linear. The genetic analyses of Lyme disease spirochetes have become increasingly more sophisticated, while the age of genetic investigation in the relapsing fever spirochetes is just dawning. Molecular tools available for B. burgdorferi and related species range from simple selectable markers and gene reporters to state-of-the-art inducible gene expression systems that function in the animal model and high-throughput mutagenesis methodologies, des...
Tuesday 19 September 2017
Publication date: Available online 17 September 2017 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Scott J. Layzell, Daniel Bailey, Mick Peacey, Patricia A. Nuttall Borrelia miyamotoi is a spirochete bacterium related to Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, the cause of Lyme borreliosis, and vectored by ticks. In 2014, B. miyamotoi was identified in three questing Ixodes ricinus collected in the UK. We sought to confirm the presence of B. miyamotoi in the UK. Ticks were collected from four locations not previously investigated for B. miyamotoi or B. burgdorferi s.l. and of which two are considered as Lyme borreliosis “hotspots” based on hospital records of the disease. We independently confirm that B. miyamotoi is present in the UK and support the view that B. miyamotoi is likely to hav...
Monday 18 September 2017
The Dutch model, 53, who lives in New York, reveals that her six-year battle with Lyme disease began with a misdiagnosis of ME. Yolanda reveals all in her new book, Believe Me, which is out next month. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Monday 18 September 2017
Whether age at time of diagnosis impacts the clinical presentation or long-term outcome of early Lyme disease is unknown. Subjects enrolled in this study had culture-confirmed early Lyme disease and were followed annually in a long-term prospective study. Subjects ≤50years of age were compared with those who were ≥51years of age at time of study entry. Of the 283 enrolled subjects, the ≥51year old age group was significantly more likely to be female (p=0.0095) and to be compliant with long-term follow-up of at least 11years duration (p=0.0119). (Source: Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease)
Friday 15 September 2017
Future Microbiology, Ahead of Print. (Source: Future Microbiology)
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Tuesday 12 September 2017
Sam, Lotte and Caroline Parenting is a messy adventure – it tests our patience, our will and our energy, but never our concern, love or passion for our children. With three kids under 10, my wife, Caroline, and I have managed broken noses, split lips, cuts and bruises too numerous to count … even Lyme disease, skin disorders, and serious fevers – most seem to come with the territory. But there have been rare moments when one of our kids was sick and we didn’t know what was wrong or how to ease the pain, and in those moments, we felt pretty desperate. One of those times was when our 4-year-old daughter Charlotte or “Lotte” came down with a high fever when she was 10 months old. While this was not a new experience for us, the part that made us nervous was that the fever, despite ...
Tuesday 12 September 2017
Publication date: Available online 11 September 2017 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Mónica Nunes, Ricardo Parreira, Teresa Carreira, João Inácio, Maria Luísa Vieira Nowadays, at least four clinically important B. burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) genospecies (B. afzelii, B. garinii, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) and B. lusitaniae) circulate in Portugal. Each genospecies have different tropism that result in a diverse array of clinical manifestations. The standard diagnostic procedure used is normally simple, nevertheless, during the “window-period” phase, in which specific antibodies cannot yet be detected, diagnosis becomes difficult, and calls for reliable, sensitive and specific laboratory methods, such as molecular tests. The aim of this study was to develop...
Monday 11 September 2017
(Source: International Journal of General Medicine)
Friday 8 September 2017
(Natural News) Lyme disease cases are on the rise in the Western world, and pharmaceutical companies are hoping to cash in on the illness with the help of a new vaccine. In the U.S., the number of confirmed cases of the tick-borne illness in 2015 was nearly 29,000, compared to 23,000 ten years earlier. Lyme... (Source: NaturalNews.com)
Friday 8 September 2017
We report an atypical case of European LCLB, suggesting that ACA is not the only possible presentation of LCLB. The diagnosis of ACA is often clinically missed for months or years, and may be mistaken at the inflammation phase for vascular disorders, erysipelas or bursitis/arthritis, and at the atrophic phase for lichen sclerosus atrophicus, morphoea or anetoderma. To our knowledge, no such tumorous LCLB has previously been described. (Source: British Journal of Dermatology)
Friday 8 September 2017
Publication date: Available online 7 September 2017 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Kathleen LoGiudice, Kathryn Kurchena, Katherine Christopher, Natasha Scott Due to the problem of tick-borne diseases, there is a need to better understand the importance of different host species in maintaining enzootic disease cycles. We explored the utility of stable isotope analysis to identify the larval hosts of questing ixodid ticks. In laboratory experiments, we used Ixodes scapularis and two host species that are important in the Lyme disease system in eastern North America. First, we tested how effectively a short-term dietary tracer (13C in corn) was reflected in molted ticks. Second, we attempted to identify the host species (either white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) or eas...
Thursday 7 September 2017
Publication date: October 2017 Source:Microbial Pathogenesis, Volume 111 Author(s): Hua Zhao, Aihua Liu, Yuhui Cui, Zhang Liang, Bingxue Li, Fukai Bao Lyme neuroborreliosis is a nervous system infectious disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi). It has been demonstrated that cytokines induced by B. burgdorferi are related to Lyme neuroborreliosis. Microglia is known as a key player in the immune responses that occur within the central nervous system. In response to inflammation, it will be activated and generate cytokines and chemokines. Experiments in vitro cells have showed that B. Burgdorferi membrane protein A (BmpA), a major immunogen of B. Burgdorferi, could induce Lyme arthritis and stimulate human and murine lymphocytes to produce inflammatory cytokines. In our ...
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Wednesday 6 September 2017
Authors: Kadkhoda K, Dumouchel C, Brancato J, Gretchen A, Krause PJ Abstract BACKGROUND: Hard tick-borne relapsing fever caused by Borrelia miyamotoi has been reported in Russia, the Netherlands, Germany, Japan and the northeastern and upper midwestern United States. We sought to investigate the presence of B. miyamotoi infection in humans in Manitoba, Canada. METHODS: Two hundred fifty sera collected from residents of Manitoba with suspected Lyme disease between 2011 and 2014 were tested for Borrelia burgdorferi antibody using a C6 peptide enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) followed by Western blot. Residual sera were then anonymized, stored at -80°C and subsequently thawed and tested for B. miyamotoi antibody using a 2-step glycerosphosphodiester phosphodiesterase-bas...
Wednesday 6 September 2017
The castor bean tick (Ixodes ricinus) transmits infectious diseases such as Lyme borreliosis, which constitutes an important ecosystem disservice. Despite many local studies, a comprehensive understanding of the ... (Source: BMC Ecology)
Wednesday 6 September 2017
In this study we looked at the availability and type of content represented in a (n = 700) selection of YouTube videos on the subject of Lyme disease. We classified video content into a small number of content areas, and studied the relationship between these content areas and 1) video views and 2) video likeability. We found very little content uploaded by government or academic institutions; the vast majority of content was uploaded by independent users. The most viewed videos tend to contain celebrity content and personal stories; videos with prevention information tend to be of less interest, and videos with science and medical information tend to be less liked. Our results suggest that important public health information on YouTube is very likely to be ignored unless it is made more...
Monday 4 September 2017
Authors: Stewart PE, Rosa PA Abstract Borrelia burgdorferi is a symbiont of ticks of the Ixodes ricinus complex. These ticks serve as vectors to disseminate the spirochete to a variety of susceptible vertebrate hosts, which, in turn, act as reservoirs for naïve ticks to become infected, perpetuating the infectious life cycle of B. burgdorferi. The pivotal role of ticks in this life cycle and tick-spirochete interactions are the focus of this chapter. Here, we describe the challenging physiological environment that spirochetes encounter within Ixodes ticks, and the genetic factors that B. burgdorferi uses to successfully infect, persist, and be transmitted from the vector. PMID: 28864829 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology)
Monday 4 September 2017
(Source: International Journal of General Medicine)
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Saturday 2 September 2017
U.S. health officials warn that cases of the illness are on the rise Source: HealthDay Related MedlinePlus Pages: Lyme Disease, Pet Health (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)
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Saturday 2 September 2017
In this study, we evaluated two mouse models - the C3H/N and Balb/c strains for susceptibility to infection and ability to transmit the pathogens via tick vector and to reveal the potential interactions between various bacterial tick-borne agents. Our results indicated that the C3H/N and Balb/c mice are well-accepted models of B. afzelii infection. However, they are not suitable for interaction studies with R. helvetica since the animals did not acquire rickettsiemia and do not transmit Rickettsia sp. to feeding ticks. PMID: 28854805 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Acta Virologica)
Saturday 2 September 2017
10 hours ago ... Boomers are skipping needed vaccines · Explore the full list of benefits available to you as an AARP Member · Should you record your next ... (Source: AARP.org News)
Friday 1 September 2017
Abstract Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) is the causative agent of Lyme disease in the US, a disease that can result in carditis, and chronic and debilitating arthritis and/or neurologic symptoms if left untreated. Bb survives in the midgut of the Ixodes scapularis tick, or within tissues of immunocompetent hosts. In the early stages of infection, the bacteria are present in the bloodstream where they must resist clearance by the innate immune system of the host. We have found a novel role for OspC from B. burgdorferi and B. garinii in interactions with the complement component C4b and bloodstream survival in vivo. Our data show that OspC inhibits the classical and lectin complement pathways and competes with complement protein C2 for C4b binding. Resistance to complement is important for mainte...
Thursday 31 August 2017
Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) is a frequent manifestation of Lyme disease in children and its current diagnosis has limitations. The elevation of the chemokine CXCL13 in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of adult pa... (Source: Journal of Neuroinflammation)
Tuesday 29 August 2017
Only four years ago, ex-Army fitness instructor Lorraine Murray, 46, from Montrose, Angus, had completed four Olympic-length triathlons, ran her own businesses and was raising two children. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Monday 28 August 2017
Conclusions: Borrelia whole blood PCR was bundled to a pre-existing tick-borne panel to potentially account for unexplained fevers and other nonlocalizing symptoms in high-risk patients. Treatment recommendations for B. miyamotoi are based on case reports of successful treatments in other causes of relapsing fever, and the same antibiotics regimens are used for both. The utility of B. miyamotoi PCR in first-line screening of patients with unexplained fever may be minimal, given the low positivity rate observed and uniform effective empiric treatments prescribed. (Source: Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice)
Monday 28 August 2017
A team of researchers has found that the Lyme disease bacterium is ancient in North America, circulating silently in forests for at least 60,000 years. (Source: Yale Science and Health News)
Monday 28 August 2017
In this study, ticks were collected from dogs by veterinarians participating in a U.K.‐wide tick surveillance programme. The ticks were subjected to polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis for detection of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and Babesia spp. pathogens, the distributions of which were mapped. DNA of B. burgdorferi s.l. and Babesia spp. was detected in 2.0% and 1.5% of the ticks analysed, respectively. The results map a widespread distribution of the two pathogens in the U.K. (Source: Medical and Veterinary Entomology)
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Sunday 27 August 2017
Authors: Verhaegh D, Joosten LAB, Oosting M Abstract Lyme disease is a zoonosis caused by infection with bacteria belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi species after the bite of an infected tick. Even though an infection by this bacterium can be effectively treated with antibiotics, when the infection stays unnoticed B. burgdorferi can persist and chronic post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome is able to develop. Although a cellular and humoral response is observed after an infection with the Borrelia bacteria, these pathogens are still capable to stay alive. Several immune evasive mechanisms have been revealed and explained and much work has been put into the understanding of the contribution of the innate and adaptive immune response. This review provides an overview with the late...
Sunday 27 August 2017
In 2015, there were more than 700 cases of Lyme disease reported to the Public Health Agency of Canada, up from roughly 130 in 2009. (Source: CBC | Health)
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Saturday 26 August 2017
Publication date: Available online 26 August 2017 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Sanne C. Ruyts, Wesley Tack, Evy Ampoorter, Elena C. Coipan, Erik Matthysen, Dieter Heylen, Hein Sprong, Kris Verheyen The human pathogens Borrelia afzelii, which causes Lyme borreliosis and B. miyamotoi, which causes relapsing fever, both circulate between Ixodes ricinus ticks and rodents. The spatiotemporal dynamics in the prevalence of these pathogens have not yet been fully elucidated, but probably depend on the spatiotemporal population dynamics of small rodents. We aimed to evaluate the effect of different forest types on the density of infected nymphs in different years and to obtain more knowledge about the spatial and temporal patterns of ticks and tick-borne pathogens. We analysed u...
Saturday 26 August 2017
Publication date: 26 August 2017 Source:New Scientist, Volume 235, Issue 3140 (Source: New Scientist)
Friday 25 August 2017
Lyme disease, caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, is the most common tick-borne infection in the US. Recent studies have demonstrated that the incidence of human Lyme disease would have been even greater were it not for the presence of strain specific immunity, which protects previously infected patients against subsequent infections by the same B. burgdorferi strain. Here, spatial heterogeneity is incorporated into epidemiological models to accurately estimate the impact of strain specific immunity on human Lyme disease incidence. (Source: Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease)
Thursday 24 August 2017
Lyme disease is commonly caused by ticks. Another lesser known risk of tick bites is babesia, a dangerous microparasite that can infect human blood. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Thursday 24 August 2017
Lyme disease is on the rise. How can you prevent it? What are the symptoms, and what should you do if you think you or your pet have it? (Source: FDA Consumer Health Information Updates)
Thursday 24 August 2017
-- Lyme disease, caused by the bacterium B. burgdorferi, is transmitted by biting deer ticks that are quite small and may be difficult to see. Within 30 days of a deer tick bite, a circular red patch of about five inches'diameter often appears. The... (Source: Drugs.com - Daily MedNews)
Wednesday 23 August 2017
The clip shows a doctor removing a tick embedded inside an unnamed patient's eardrum. Ticks can cause Lyme disease, caused Matt, 44, to need heart surgery after suffering complications. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Wednesday 23 August 2017
The clip shows a doctor removing a tick embedded inside an unnamed patient's eardrum. Ticks can cause Lyme disease, caused Matt, 44, to need heart surgery after suffering complications. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
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Wednesday 23 August 2017
Publication date: Available online 23 August 2017 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Bruno Dall’Agnola, Thaís Michel, Bárbara Weck, Ugo Araújo Souza, Anelise Webster, Bruna Ferreira Leal, Guilherme Marcondes Klafke, João Ricardo Martins, Ricardo Ott, José Manuel Venzal, Carlos Alexandre Sanchez Ferreira, José Reck Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) complex includes the agents of Lyme disease/borreliosis in North America, Europe, and Asia, such Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia garinii, Borrelia bavariensis, Borrelia spielmanii, Borrelia bissettiae, and Borrelia mayonii. In 2013 B. burgdorferi s.l. was reported for the first time in the Neotropical region, from Ixodes aragaoi ticks in Uruguayan Pampa. In addition, from 2011 to 2016, 17 ...
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Tuesday 22 August 2017
The recently published article by Shapiro et al1 hoped to be topical in this age of “alternative facts” but fell short, providing mainly biased viewpoints that prevent independent assessment of existing research in chronic Lyme disease. Defined here as “…patients with persistent, unexplained subjective symptoms with no documented his tory of Lyme disease and without credible laboratory evidence—past or present—of infection with Borrelia burgdorferi…,” this definition is a disservice to those who suffer from this affliction. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Tuesday 22 August 2017
Rugby star Matt Dawson, 44, developed a rash and fever after being bitten by a tick while working out at a park in Chiswick, West London in July 2015. He was eventually diagnosed with Lyme Disease. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Monday 21 August 2017
INSECT bites are usually harmless but can sometimes require hospital treatment. These include ticks, which left former rugby player Matt Dawson with Lyme disease. (Source: Daily Express - Health)
Monday 21 August 2017
A QUESTION of Sport team captain and former England rugby captain Matt Dawson has revealed how he underwent heart surgery after being bitten by a tick. (Source: Daily Express - Health)
Friday 18 August 2017
Researchers Developing Test For Lyme Disease (Source: WebMD Health)
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Friday 18 August 2017
Publication date: Available online 18 August 2017 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Sándor Szekeres, Jenny Lügner, Volker Fingerle, Gabriele Margos, Gábor Földvári The hard tick Ixodes ricinus is the most important vector of tick-transmitted pathogens in Europe, frequently occurring in urban parks and greenbelts utilized for recreational activities. This species is the most common vector of the causative agents of Lyme borreliosis in Europe. Similarly, the species spreads Borrelia miyamotoi, causing a relapsing-fever like illness. A total of 1774 Ixodes ricinus (50 females, 68 males, 840 nymphs and 818 larvae) were collected with flagging between March and September 2014 in a coniferous forest patch in Niederkaina near the town of Bautzen in Saxony, Germany. To measure ...
Thursday 17 August 2017
Scientists are developing a new way to test early for Lyme disease, using a "signature" of molecules in patients' blood (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)
Thursday 17 August 2017
Dr. Jennifer Ashton brings all the details on a new study on Lyme disease that is creating a buzz within the medical community. (Source: ABC News: Health)
Thursday 17 August 2017
Researchers differentiated Lyme disease from similar tick-borne illnesses. (Source: ABC News: Health)
Wednesday 16 August 2017
Lyme disease needs to be treated quickly, but it can be hard to tell it apart from other conditions. Now a test could help diagnose the infection (Source: New Scientist - Health)
Wednesday 16 August 2017
Diagnosing if a tick bite caused Lyme or something else can be difficult but scientists are developing a new way to catch the disease early _ using a "signature" of molecules in patients' blood (Source: ABC News: Health)
Wednesday 16 August 2017
(Colorado State University) A team of researchers led by Colorado State University has identified a way to distinguish Lyme disease from similar conditions. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
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Wednesday 16 August 2017
Lyme disease, the most commonly reported vector-borne disease in the United States, results from infection with Borrelia burgdorferi. Early clinical diagnosis of this disease is largely based on the presence of an erythematous skin lesion for individuals in high-risk regions. This, however, can be confused with other illnesses including southern tick–associated rash illness (STARI), an illness that lacks a defined etiological agent or laboratory diagnostic test, and is coprevalent with Lyme disease in portions of the eastern United States. By applying an unbiased metabolomics approach with sera retrospectively obtained from well-characterized patients, we defined biochemical and diagnostic differences between early Lyme disease and STARI. Specifically, a metabolic biosignature consis...
Thursday 10 August 2017
LYME Disease is a growing problem in the UK. (Source: Daily Express - Health)
Thursday 10 August 2017
Lisa Vallo, 49, from Bradford, would fall asleep anywhere and moving left her gasping for breath. She first became 'fluey' after a bite from deer tick brought home by her cat in 2002. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Wednesday 9 August 2017
Publication date: 15 September 2017 Source:Veterinary Parasitology, Volume 244 Author(s): Saran Davies, Swaid Abdullah, Chris Helps, Séverine Tasker, Hannah Newbury, Richard Wall In a study of tick and tick-borne pathogen prevalence, between May and October 2016, 278 veterinary practices in Great Britain examined 1855 cats. Six-hundred and one cats were found to have attached ticks. The most frequently recorded tick species was Ixodes ricinus (57.1%), followed by Ixodes hexagonus (41.4%) and Ixodes trianguliceps (1.5%). Male cats, 4–6 years of age living in rural areas were most likely to be carrying a tick; hair length and tick treatment history had no significant association with attachment. For cats that were parasitized by ticks in large urban areas, I. hexagonus was the most frequ...
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Monday 7 August 2017
Conclusions: The results of detection and attribution studies can inform evidence-based risk management to reduce current, and plan for future, changes in health risks associated with climate change. Gaining a better understanding of the size, timing, and distribution of the climate change burden of disease and injury requires reliable long-term data sets, more knowledge about the factors that confound and modify the effects of climate on health, and refinement of analytic techniques for detection and attribution. At the same time, significant advances are possible in the absence of complete data and statistical certainty: there is a place for well-informed judgments, based on understanding of underlying processes and matching of patterns of health, climate, and other determinants of human...
Monday 7 August 2017
This study aims to estimate the incidence of PTLDS in patients with Lyme borreliosis and to quantify the disease burden and economic costs associated with the different clinical mani festations of Lyme borreliosis in Belgium.MethodsThe project is a prospective cohort study in which about 600 patients with an erythema migrans and 100 patients with disseminated Lyme borreliosis will be followed up. Questionnaires, including the SF-36 vitality and pain subscale, the Cognitive Failure Questionnaire and the EQ-5D-5L, will be used to collect information on acute and persisting symptoms and the impact on quality of life. Symptom frequency and severity will be compared with self-reported pre-Lyme health status, a control group and existing Belgian population norms. Additionally, information on the...
Friday 4 August 2017
The bacterium that causes Lyme disease may have some help from a gene found in the guts of infected ticks. (Source: Yale Science and Health News)
Friday 4 August 2017
Find out what there is to know about the ED management of patients with Lyme disease.The Journal of Emergency Medicine (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)
Friday 4 August 2017
Authors: Zhou W, Brisson D Abstract The population dynamics of pathogens within hosts result from interactions between host immune responses and mechanisms of the pathogen to evade or resist immune responses. Vertebrate hosts have evolved adaptive immune responses to eliminate the infection, while many pathogens evade immune clearance through altering surface antigens. Such interactions can result in a characteristic pattern of pathogen population dynamics within hosts consisting of population growth after infection, rapid population decline following specific immune responses, followed by persistence at low densities during a chronic infection stage. Despite the medical importance of chronic infections, little is known about the conditions of the interactions between variable anti...
Wednesday 2 August 2017
New data suggests the rise of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases may be tied to a scarcity of traditional mouse predators. (Source: NYT Health)
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Wednesday 2 August 2017
An infectious disease specialist at the University of Alberta Hospital says the risk of contracting Lyme disease from a tick bite is overblown. (Source: CBC | Health)
Tuesday 1 August 2017
A 23-year-old woman presented with a 2-week history of progressive blurring of vision in her left eye, associated with fever, fatigue, and myalgia. The patient had a pet cat and reported incidents of being scratched. Her fundus examination revealed optic disc edema and macular satellite exudates/star bilaterally (Figure). Laboratory test results revealed a normal complete blood count and liver enzymes. Screening results for human immunodeficiency virus, Lyme disease, syphilis, and tuberculosis were negative. (Source: Mayo Clinic Proceedings)
Saturday 29 July 2017
In this report we review the validity of three studies that reported the recovery of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato from the blood of a high proportion of patients for whom no evidence was presented, and no claim was made, that the patients had untreated early Lyme disease. In two of the studies the patients had been treated extensively with antibiotics for Lyme disease before the cultures were obtained. (Source: Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease)
Saturday 29 July 2017
In this report we review the validity of three studies that reported the recovery of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato from the blood of a high proportion of patients for whom no evidence was presented, and no claim was made, that the patients had untreated early Lyme disease. In two of the studies the patients had been treated extensively with antibiotics for Lyme disease before the cultures were obtained. (Source: Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease)
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Thursday 27 July 2017
(FAIR Health) Although Lyme disease historically has been concentrated in the Northeast and upper Midwest, our data suggest that it is spreading. In the United States in 2007 (as shown in the heat map below), claim lines with Lyme disease diagnoses as a percentage of all claim lines with all diagnoses in the state were highest in the Northeast. The states with the highest percentages of such claim lines were (in order from highest to lowest) New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Tuesday 25 July 2017
Zooloist Stacey Venzel, 29, from Seattle, suddenly became ill and too weak to lift her arms or stand but vowed to continue her animal sanctuary work after being spurred on by paralyzed sheep Rocky. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Tuesday 25 July 2017
Authors: Tylewska-Wierzbanowska S, Rogulska U, Lewandowska G, Chmielewski T Abstract The aim of our studies was to invent a reliable method for detection of the bactericidal activity of disinfectants against Borrelia burgdorferi in suspension (in vitro) and in cell line cultures (in vivo). In the suspension method, 0.01% octenidine at 20°C and 35°C was bactericidal to Borrelia afzeli; Borrelia garini, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto after 5 minutes treatment. Increase of the temperature to 35°C speed up the bactericidal effect to 1 minute. The bactericidal action of octenidine towards B. burgdorferi spirochetes growing in fibroblasts was less effective and needed a longer time to kill them than in the suspension. PMID: 28735308 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Polish Journal of M...
Tuesday 25 July 2017
The CDC is fieldingreports of serious bacterial infections resulting from treatments prescribed for “chronic Lyme disease”—a misleading diagnosis sometimes given for vague symptoms such as fatigue, generalized pain, or neurologic disorders. (Source: JAMA)
Tuesday 25 July 2017
In this study, we evaluated a novel assay for the direct detection of three species of Borrelia spirochetes in whole blood. The T2 magnetic resonance (T2MR) assay platform was used to amplify Borrelia DNA released from intact spirochetes and to detect amplicon. Analytical sensitivity was determined from blood spiked with known concentrations of spirochetes, and the assay's limit of detection was found to be in the single-cell-per-milliliter range: 5 cells/ml for B. afzelii and 8 cells/ml for Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia garinii. Clinical samples (n = 66) from confirmed or suspected early LD patients were also analyzed. B. burgdorferi was detected using T2MR in 2/2 (100%) of blood samples from patients with confirmed early LD, based on the presence of erythema migrans and documentation...
Monday 24 July 2017
This study is an extension of previous work published in 20141 showing the predicted expansion of the distribution of the Lyme disease tick vector into Canada,” says Maria Diuk-Wasser, a professor at Columbia University who focuses on the emergence of vector-borne diseases. “Although the results are not qualitatively different, it represents an improvement on the previous study by incorporating the full range of and most up-to-date climate models and emission scenarios.” Importantly, she says, the new study accounts for the inherent uncertainty in such models and scenarios but also indicates that an increased risk can be expected in any event. Canada’s public health officials track the leading edge of the tick’s range expansion in several ways: through laboratory identification o...
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Monday 24 July 2017
The disease-carrying blood suckers are spreading more pathogens and putting more Americans at risk, even for more rare illnesses. (Source: NYT Health)
Monday 24 July 2017
(Source: Journal of Infection)
Thursday 20 July 2017
Nearly 16 years ago, a former co-worker of mine at the San Jose Mercury News was found dead in the back of her car. She had been shot in the head by her estranged husband. I remember being confused upon hearing the news and not quite believing what had happened. Luci Houston, who was 43 […]Related:Unapproved stem-cell treatments touted on federal database ClinicalTrials.gov, study says‘How did this happen to a 10-year-old?’: Child dies with heroin and fentanyl in his systemWhy this adorable mouse is to blame for the spread of Lyme disease (Source: Washington Post: To Your Health)
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Thursday 20 July 2017
AbstractFor laboratory diagnostics of Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB), the recomBead Borrelia antibody index (AI) assay has shown promising results in a mixed age population, but has not previously been evaluated with specific focus on paediatric patients. The aim of the study was to evaluate the recomBead Borrelia AI assay in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for the laboratory diagnosis of LNB in children. We also wanted to explore whether early markers, such as CXCL13 in CSF and/or total IgM index could be useful as complementary diagnostic tools. Children being evaluated for LNB in a Swedish Lyme endemic area were included in the study (n = 146). Serum and CSF were collected on admission. Patients with other specific diagnoses were controls (n = 15). The recomBead Borrelia AI assay and the rec...
Thursday 20 July 2017
Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases)
Thursday 20 July 2017
ConclusionsAutonomic dysfunction may be responsible for additional morbidity in some infectious diseases. (Source: Clinical Autonomic Research)
Wednesday 19 July 2017
Stem cell clinics offering unapproved treatments for ailments from hip pains to autism to erectile dysfunction increasingly are using a federal clinical-trials database as a marketing tool — a strategy that confuses patients and exposes them to “unjustifiable” safety risks and high costs, according to a new study. At least 18 purported clinical trials — […]Related:‘How did this happen to a 10-year-old?’: Child dies with heroin and fentanyl in his systemWhy this adorable mouse is to blame for the spread of Lyme diseaseNew NIH report finds low morale, continued patient safety concerns (Source: Washington Post: To Your Health)
Wednesday 19 July 2017
A gunshot wound to the face left a teenager with so much damage that for years doctors knew plastic surgery could only help so much to give her back a regular life. In May, the now-21-year-old woman joined the small but growing ranks of face transplant recipients, doctors announced Tuesday. For the woman, now the youngest to receive […]Related:‘How did this happen to a 10-year-old?’: Child dies with heroin and fentanyl in his systemDiet drinks are associated with weight gain, new research suggestsWhy this adorable mouse is to blame for the spread of Lyme disease (Source: Washington Post: To Your Health)
Tuesday 18 July 2017
A Florida state attorney is voicing alarm after a 10-year-old boy died with a dangerous opioid mixture in his system — making him one of the state's youngest victims in the nationwide drug epidemic. The Miami Herald reported that Alton Banks started vomiting June 23 after he returned to his Miami home from a community pool. Authorities said the boy was later found […]Related:Why this adorable mouse is to blame for the spread of Lyme diseaseNew NIH report finds low morale, continued patient safety concernsHalf a million Medicare recipients were prescribed too many opioid drugs last year (Source: Washington Post: To Your Health)
Tuesday 18 July 2017
A Florida state attorney is voicing alarm after a 10-year-old boy died last month with a dangerous opioid mixture in his system — making him one of the youngest victims in the state's drug epidemic. The Miami Herald reported that Alton Banks started vomiting June 23 after he returned to his Miami home from a community pool. Authorities said the boy was later […]Related:Why this adorable mouse is to blame for the spread of Lyme diseaseNew NIH report finds low morale, continued patient safety concernsHalf a million Medicare recipients were prescribed too many opioid drugs last year (Source: Washington Post: To Your Health)
Tuesday 18 July 2017
Over the past decade, Americans have soured on artificial sweeteners. Once heralded as sweet substitutes for sugar without as many belt-busting calories, people once couldn't get enough sucralose and aspartame. But recently, people have started looking at the molecules with increasing suspicion, amid founded studies that linked them to increased belly fat — and bogus but widespread […]Related:Why this adorable mouse is to blame for the spread of Lyme diseaseNew NIH report finds low morale, continued patient safety concernsHalf a million Medicare recipients were prescribed too many opioid drugs last year (Source: Washington Post: To Your Health)
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Tuesday 18 July 2017
T2 Biosystems Inc. (NSDQ:TTOO) said today it won CE Mark approval in the European Union for its T2Bacteria Panel magnetic resonance-based bacterial detector, and said that it has entered the final stages of its FDA pivotal trial as it seeks 510(k) approval from the agency. The T2Bacteria Panel is designed to run on the company’s T2Dx instrument, a miniaturized MR diagnostic device, to provide species-specific test results of targeted bacterial infections in approximately 3.5 hours, the Lexington, Mass.-based company said. The T2Bacteria Panel is designed to identify 6 of the deadliest prevalent bacteria species not covered by empiric therapy. The company said the system can identify approximately 90% of gram-negative infections coming in through ER departments and 70% of community-a...
Tuesday 18 July 2017
Recognition of the erythema migrans rash and other symptoms can aid prompt identification of Lyme disease. (Source: GP Online Education)
Monday 17 July 2017
The critters run through forest floors throughout the eastern United States, snatching up acorns and other tree seeds, berries and bugs. White-footed mice — known for their wide eyes and ears, long tails and snow-white bellies and the feet from which they get their name — are often overlooked by humans, hiding out by the billions in […]Related:New NIH report finds low morale, continued patient safety concernsHalf a million Medicare recipients were prescribed too many opioid drugs last yearNovel cancer treatment wins endorsement of FDA advisers (Source: Washington Post: To Your Health)
Monday 17 July 2017
(Natural News) The vast majority of general practitioners in the United Kingdom are ill-equipped to handle Lyme disease. So much so that, according to Lyme Disease UK, a mere three percent of general practitioners have completed the free online course on Lyme disease being offered by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP). Taking into... (Source: NaturalNews.com)
Saturday 15 July 2017
Authors: Zhang RZ, Zhu WY Abstract A 45-year-old Chinese man had begun to show asymmetry of the face 30 years previously. Subsequently, he developed visual extinction of the right eye, slight numbness, and weakness of the left extremities. Simultaneously, multiple atrophic brownish patches occurred on his side. He denied prior trauma or tick bites at those sites. There was no report of preceding redness, induration, or a history of trauma. The atrophic lesions extended and enlarged slowly. Ten years previously, some brownish patches with normal texture had appeared on the right side of the trunk. There was no further progression of the lesions. In November 2010, the patient consulted our department for the final diagnosis and prognosis of his disease. He did not suffer from epilept...
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Friday 14 July 2017
Stevia, a common sugar alternative, could be a potential cure for Lyme disease following ongoing clinical trials. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
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Thursday 13 July 2017
Conclusions The combined biochip-based immunoassay, as a potential substitution of ELISA, provided a promising approach to extend the detection spectrum of infectious antibodies against a panel of Borrelia antigens. (Source: Clinica Chimica Acta)
Wednesday 12 July 2017
Experts at UMass Medical School in Boston have stopped mice getting the disease. Lyme disease is one of the fastest growing illnesses in the Western World. It could take 2-3 years to be available. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Monday 10 July 2017
PURPOSE: The aim of this paper is to investigate the association between suicide and Lyme and associated diseases (LAD). No journal article has previously performed a comprehensive assessment of this subject. INTRODUCTION: Multiple case reports and... (Source: SafetyLit)
Monday 10 July 2017
LYME DISEASE is a bacterial infection spread to human when they are bitten by an infected tick. Symptoms of the disease can include one very distinctive rash which patients might not associated with the condition. (Source: Daily Express - Health)
Monday 10 July 2017
(Source: International Journal of Infectious Diseases)
Monday 10 July 2017
A 54 year-old healthy woman presented to the emergency department with a right sided facial paralysis. About 3 weeks ago, she woke up and noticed an attached engorged tick in her right lower extremity. A week later, she noticed a mild to moderate right jaw pain which progressed to a severe right facial pain so she visited her doctor. On physical, II to XII cranial nerve examination was unremarkable. Doppler ultrasound did not show any vascular abnormalities in temporal artery. Her inflammatory markers were within normal limits (C-reactive protein:0.3mg/dL; sedimentation rate:6mm/h). (Source: International Journal of Infectious Diseases)
Saturday 8 July 2017
CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook and CBS News contributor Dr. Tara Narula join "CBS This Morning: Saturday" to discuss a new type of bacteria that can cause Lyme disease, PSAPs (personal sound amplification products), and the search for tuberculosis treatments in ocean life. (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)
Saturday 8 July 2017
Did Canadians consume more high-fructose corn syrup after the North American free trade deal lowered tariffs on the sweetener? Also two immunotherapy trials for multiple myeloma patients are cancelled and a new pathogen is linked to Lyme disease. (Source: CBC | Health)
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Saturday 8 July 2017
LYME DISEASE is a bacterial infection spread to human when they are bitten by an infected tick. Symptoms of the disease can include one very distinctive rash which patients might not associated with the condition. (Source: Daily Express - Health)
Friday 7 July 2017
Having a pet dog or cat more than doubles the odds that humans will find a tick on themselves, and that could raise the risk of contracting tick-borne diseases like Lyme, researchers say. (Source: Reuters: Health)
Friday 7 July 2017
Publication date: Available online 6 July 2017 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Viktor Zöldi, Topi Turunen, Outi Lyytikäinen, Jussi Sane Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and Lyme borreliosis (LB) are endemic in Finland, with tens and thousands of cases, respectively, reported annually. We performed a field survey to investigate people’s knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding ticks, tick-borne diseases, and prevention strategies. The KAP were assessed using a pre-validated anonymous questionnaire consisting of 39 questions and statements. On two consecutive days in July 2016, convenience sampling was used in the cities of Parainen and Kotka, located in high-risk areas of tick-borne diseases, particularly of TBE. In attitudes and practices sections, each question...
Friday 7 July 2017
Authors: Stein E, Elbadawi LI, Kazmierczak J, Davis JP Abstract Babesiosis is an emerging zoonotic disease caused primarily by Babesia microti, an intraerythocytic protozoan. Babesia microti, like the causal agents for Lyme disease and anaplasmosis, is endemic to the northeastern and upper midwestern United States where it is usually transmitted by the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis. Although babesiosis is usually a mild to moderate illness, older or immunocompromised persons can develop a serious malaria-like illness that can be fatal without prompt treatment. The most common initial clinical signs and symptoms of babesiosis (fever, fatigue, chills, and diaphoresis) are nonspecific and present diagnostic challenges that can contribute to delays in diagnosis and effective trea...
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Thursday 6 July 2017
In conclusion, our model provided an insight into mechanisms underlying the relative frequency of different Borrelia genospecies, as observed in field studies. PMID: 28690096 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Theoretical Population Biology)
Thursday 6 July 2017
Authors: van den Wijngaard CC, Hofhuis A, Simões M, Rood E, van Pelt W, Zeller H, Van Bortel W Abstract Lyme borreliosis (LB) is the most prevalent tick-borne disease in Europe. Erythema migrans (EM), an early, localised skin rash, is its most common presentation. Dissemination of the bacteria can lead to more severe manifestations including skin, neurological, cardiac, musculoskeletal and ocular manifestations. Comparison of LB incidence rates in the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) and Balkan countries are difficult in the absence of standardised surveillance and reporting procedures. We explored six surveillance scenarios for LB surveillance in the EU/EEA, based on the following key indicators: (i) erythema migrans, (ii) neuroborreliosis, (iii) all human LB mani...
Thursday 6 July 2017
Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) is a life-threatening condition in which patients may present to the Emergency Department in respiratory distress leading to death. The early identification and treatment of such a condition is paramount in preventing mortality. While there are many infections associated with GBS, the association with Lyme disease is uncommon. Through our case we aim to highlight Borrelia burgdorferi as an important antecedent infection associated with the development of GBS. In this case we report a 31-year-old male who was diagnosed with Lyme disease and GBS with relevant clinical presentation including progressive numbness and weakness in bilateral hands and feet for the past 1week along with areflexia. (Source: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine)
Thursday 6 July 2017
Lyme borreliosis (LB) is the most prevalent tick-borne disease in Europe. Erythema migrans (EM), an early, localised skin rash, is its most common presentation. Dissemination of the bacteria can lead to more severe manifestations including skin, neurological, cardiac, musculoskeletal and ocular manifestations. Comparison of LB incidence rates in the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) and Balkan countries are difficult in the absence of standardised surveillance and reporting procedures. We explored six surveillance scenarios for LB surveillance in the EU/EEA, based on the following key indicators: (i) erythema migrans, (ii) neuroborreliosis, (iii) all human LB manifestations, (iv) seroprevalence, (v) tick bites, and (vi) infected ticks and reservoir hosts. In our opinion, neu...
Wednesday 5 July 2017
This article looks at diseases other than Lyme spread by ticks, such as Powassan virus and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. (Source: WebMD Health)
Wednesday 5 July 2017
Is this a bad year for ticks and Lyme disease? The evidence is patchy and the science complicated (Source: ABC News: Health)
Wednesday 5 July 2017
With a bumper crop of ticks possible this season, experts are tackling the problem across entire neighborhoods with fungal sprays and bait boxes (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)
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Wednesday 5 July 2017
These cases highlight the serious risks of prolonged antibiotic treatment often given for chronic Lyme disease, despite the fact that there is no accepted definition or treatment for this condition.Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)
Wednesday 5 July 2017
Researchers in a Lyme disease-plagued part of New York's Hudson Valley are tackling tick problems across entire neighborhoods with fungal sprays and bait boxes (Source: ABC News: Health)
Wednesday 5 July 2017
(Entomological Society of America) A new species of bacteria that causes Lyme disease needs the same amount of time for transmission after a tick bite compared to previously implicated bacteria, according to new research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Existing guidelines for frequent tick checks and prompt removal of attached ticks remain the same. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Wednesday 5 July 2017
AbstractPurpose of ReviewLyme disease is a tick-borne zoonosis transmitted through a bite of a tick carrying a spirochete belonging toBorrelia species. In the last 20 years, the reported incidence of Lyme disease is increased by three times in Europe. Clinically, the illness develops through a primary stage with a typical skin rash (erythema marginatum), then a secondary stage with possible neurologic or cardiac involvement. The last stage (chronic Lyme disease ) is mainly represented by arthritis or late neurological complications but nowadays is rarely seen due to precocious antibiotic use.Recent FindingsThe diagnosis of Lyme disease is essentially based on history in agreement with tick exposure (living/recent traveling in endemic area or tick bite) and clinical findings compatible wi...
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Tuesday 4 July 2017
This impressive ‘bull’s eye’ rash (pictured) was caused by a tiny tick and is a clear sign of Lyme disease, which is one of the fastest-growing infections in the Western world. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Tuesday 4 July 2017
In conclusion, there seem to be a gap between evidence-based recommendations and treatment practice of LNB in Norway. (Source: Journal of Neurology)
Monday 3 July 2017
Diseases carried by ticks are on the rise and some scientists predict this summer could be the worst tick season in years. More than 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported nationwide each year but studies suggest the actual number is closer to 300,000. Dr. David Agus joins "CBS This Morning" from Los Angeles to discuss what might be the reason for the trend and tips for tick bite prevention. (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)
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Monday 3 July 2017
Everybody knows about Lyme. But other tick-borne diseases, including the Powassan virus, can cause lasting damage. (Source: NYT Health)
Monday 3 July 2017
Authors: Koetsveld J, Draga ROP, Wagemakers A, Manger A, Oei A, Visser CE, Hovius JW Abstract Hard tick-borne relapsing fever (HTBRF) is an emerging infectious disease throughout the temperate zone caused by the relapsing fever spirochete Borrelia miyamotoi Antibiotic treatment of HTBRF is empirically based on the treatment of Lyme borreliosis, however antibiotic susceptibility of B. miyamotoi has not been studied to date. Thus, we set out to determine the in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility of B. miyamotoiA microdilution method with 96-well microtiter plates was used to determine antibiotic susceptibility of two B. miyamotoi strains isolated on two different continents (Asia and North America), two Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) strains and one Borrelia hermsii isolate f...
Saturday 1 July 2017
Publication date: Available online 1 July 2017 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Lars Eisen, Dominic Rose, Robert Prose, Nicole E. Breuner, Marc C. Dolan, Karen Thompson, Neeta Connally Summer-weight clothing articles impregnated with permethrin are available as a personal protective measure against human-biting ticks in the United States. However, very few studies have addressed the impact of contact with summer-weight permethrin-treated textiles on tick vigor and behavior. Our aim was to generate new knowledge of how permethrin-treated textiles impact nymphal Ixodes scapularis ticks, the primary vectors in the eastern United States of the causative agents of Lyme disease, human anaplasmosis, and human babesiosis. We developed a series of bioassays designed to: (i) clarify ...
Saturday 1 July 2017
CONCLUSIONS: The combined biochip-based immunoassay, as a potential substitution of ELISA, provided a promising approach to extend the detection spectrum of infectious antibodies against a panel of Borrelia antigens. PMID: 28676442 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: International Journal of Clinical Chemistry)
Saturday 1 July 2017
Authors: Szekeres S, Lakos A, Földvári G Abstract Borrelia miyamotoi is a recently described relapsing fever spirochete transmitted by ticks of the Ixodes ricinus complex. This pathogen is different from Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (the Lyme borreliosis spirochetes) in its epidemiology, ecology and also genetics. Over 50 patients have been described worldwide with Borrelia miyamotoi disease, and three immunocompromised patients were reported with neurological symptoms. Our knowledge about Borrelia miyamotoi infection in ticks and its distribution in different habitats and also the mechanism of the infection is limited. The most common symptom is fever; thus it can be easily confused with other tick-borne diseases. Due to the intensive research in recent years, Borrelia miyamo...
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Friday 30 June 2017
The CDC is telling ABC News that the public should be cautious with false-negative results from Lyme disease tests after getting a tick bite. (Source: ABC News: Health)
Thursday 29 June 2017
Small RNAs of Borrelia burgdorferi: Characterizing Functional Regulators in a Sea of sRNAs . Yale J Biol Med. 2017 Jun;90(2):317-323 Authors: Lybecker MC, Samuels DS Abstract Borrelia (Borreliella) burgdorferi and closely related genospecies are the causative agents of Lyme disease, the most common tick-borne disease north of the equator. The bacterium, a member of the spirochete phylum, is acquired by a tick vector that feeds on an infected vertebrate host and is transmitted to another vertebrate during subsequent feeding by the next tick stage. The precise navigation of this enzootic cycle entails the regulation of genes required for these two host-specific phases as well as the transitions between them. Recently, an expansive swath of small RNAs has been identifie...
Thursday 29 June 2017
H. M. Frost et al. (Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal)
Wednesday 28 June 2017
Standard methods often fail to catch infections during the first month -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com (Source: Scientific American)
Wednesday 28 June 2017
Authors: Guarino C, Asbie S, Rohde J, Glaser A, Wagner B Abstract Borrelia burgdorferi can induce Lyme disease. Approved Lyme vaccines for horses are currently not available. In an effort to protect horses, veterinarians are using Lyme vaccines licensed for dogs. However, data to assess the response of horses to, or determine the efficacy of this off-label vaccine use are missing. Here, antibodies against outer surface protein A (OspA), OspC, and OspF were quantified in diagnostic serum submissions from horses with a history of vaccination with canine Lyme vaccines. The results suggested that many horses respond with low and often short-lasting antibody responses. Subsequently, four experimental vaccination trials were performed. First, we investigated antibody responses to three c...
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Wednesday 28 June 2017
CONCLUSION: The seroprevalence of B. burgdorferi among our patients with uveitis was 7.9% compared with6%â€"8.5% in the general French population which leads to a low predictive value of serological testing. Its use should be reserved for patients with unexplained uveitis, an exposure history, systemic findings suggestive of Lyme disease and steroids resistance. PMID: 28659389 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: The British Journal of Ophthalmology)
Tuesday 27 June 2017
This study evaluated canine antibody responses to the A. phagocytophilum p44 peptides APH-1 and APH-4 as well as the B. burgdorferi C6 peptide before and after doxycycline treatment. A total of eight dogs were infested with wild-caught I. scapularis for 1 week. Blood was collected prior to tick attachment and from Days 3-77 and 218-302 with doxycycline treatment beginning on Day 218. Blood was assayed for A. phagocytophilum DNA by PCR assay. Sera was assessed for antibodies by IFA and ELISA. Anaplasma phagocytophilum DNA was amplified from blood of all dogs by day seven. Antibodies to APH-4 were detected in serum as early as 14days after tick exposure and six dogs had APH-4 antibodies detected three to seven days before antibodies against APH-1. All dogs were seropositive for A. phagocytop...
Tuesday 27 June 2017
Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato), the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis is a bacterium transmitted by hard ticks, Ixodes spp. Bacteria are injected into ... (Source: Parasites and Vectors)
Monday 26 June 2017
Lyme borreliosis is associated with memory deficits. While this may be related to cerebral infection by Borrelia bacteria, it may also be caused by concomitant co-infection by Babesia protozoa. The anti-malarial artemisinin-derivative artesunate has been shown to be effective against a number of Babesia species and to have efficacy against human cerebral malaria. We hypothesised that concomitant administration of artesunate in Lyme borreliosis patients would help alleviate the severity of self-reported short-term memory impairment. (Source: Medical Hypotheses)
Monday 26 June 2017
CONCLUSION: PET/CT imaging with [(18)F]FDG is a reliable method to longitudinally monitor the development and progression of B. burgdorferi infection-induced inflammation in vivo in mouse joints. PMID: 28649922 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology)
Friday 23 June 2017
(Children's National Health System) Mattia Chason, M.D., and colleagues in infectious disease examined how quickly Lyme disease symptoms typically resolve in children, a research question that has received little prior study. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Friday 23 June 2017
Conclusions: These results show that a specific combination of flavones might play a supporting role in combating Borrelia spp. through either synergistic or additive anti‐borreliae effects. Significance and Impact of Study: Presented here in vitro results might help advancing our knowledge and improving the approach to target Borrelia spp. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. (Source: Journal of Applied Microbiology)
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Thursday 22 June 2017
Prolonged antibiotics or other treatments for patients diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease are unproven and can lead to serious complications and death, the CDC warns.Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines)
Wednesday 21 June 2017
-- A bite from an infected tick can cause a number of ills, including Lyme disease. But taking precautions before going outside can help protect you. Here are suggestions from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Know where ticks... (Source: Drugs.com - Daily MedNews)
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Wednesday 21 June 2017
Grant applications to advance Lyme and tick-borne disease research now available online.(PRWeb June 21, 2017)Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/06/prweb14446935.htm (Source: PRWeb: Medical Pharmaceuticals)
Tuesday 20 June 2017
Natalie Walsh, of West Virginia, shared an alarming post on Facebook recounting how her daughter woke up with a headache,104-degree fever, and a quarter-size bump on her head. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Tuesday 20 June 2017
(Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post)
Tuesday 20 June 2017
(MedPage Today) -- Also: worldwide obesity prevalence now tops 10% (Source: MedPage Today Public Health)
Tuesday 20 June 2017
By Megan Molteni for WIRED. First comes the unscratchable itching, and the angry blossoming of hives. Then stomach cramping, and — for the unluckiest few — difficulty breathing, passing out, and even death. In the last decade and a half, thousands of previously protein-loving Americans have developed a dangerous allergy to meat. And they all have one thing in common: the lone star tick. Red meat, you might be surprised to know, isn’t totally sugar-free. It contains a few protein-linked saccharides, including one called galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose, or alpha-gal, for short. More and more people are learning this the hard way, when they suddenly develop a life-threatening allergy to that pesky sugar molecule after a tick bite. Yep, one bite from the lone star tick &mdash...
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Tuesday 20 June 2017
E. Sajanti et al. (Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal)
Tuesday 20 June 2017
This article presents the results of a comprehensive survey of the burden of tick-borne infectious diseases (TBIDs) in the Altai region of Russia. Official data for TBID incidence were analyzed and 201 samples from patients with suspected TBID were studied. Furthermore, questing ticks and ticks recovered from humans were examined to estimate prevalence of TBID-causative agents. The Altai region was determined to have a heightened risk for TBIDs in Russia. The most epidemiologically significant tick-borne illness in this area is spotted fever group rickettsiosis, while nationally in Russia, the leading TBID is Lyme borreliosis. The prevalence of mixed infection was 12.4% among the studied cases. Additionally, the prevalence of poorly studied pathogens − Kemerovo virus (KEMV) and Rickettsi...
Monday 19 June 2017
Background: Lyme arthritis (LA) of the hip can present similarly to septic arthritis (SA) and transient synovitis (TS). The primary purpose of this study was to determine clinical and laboratory parameters differentiating LA of the hip from SA or TS among children who had undergone hip aspiration during the evaluation of hip pain. Methods: This was a retrospective review of all patients who underwent hip aspiration for the evaluation of hip pain at a tertiary care children’s hospital in a Lyme endemic area. Clinical and laboratory data were reviewed and comparative analyses were performed between those diagnosed with LA, SA, and TS. Independent samples t test, ANOVA, and χ2 test were used to compare clinical and laboratory variables as appropriate. Multivariable logistic regression was...
Saturday 17 June 2017
Actress Carrie Fisher was unabashedly vocal about her lifelong battles with mental illness and drug abuse. She once defiantly told ABC News, “I am mentally ill. I can say that. I am not ashamed of that. I survived that, I’m still surviving it. But bring it on.” Her candor inspired a generation of women. If a cool and […]Related:Why a single gunshot to Steve Scalise’s hip can be a life-threatening injuryEnvironmental watchdog group warns of lead in baby foodDangerous unproven treatments for ‘chronic Lyme disease’ are on the rise (Source: Washington Post: To Your Health)
Saturday 17 June 2017
Erin Hills ’ s thick fescue presents a challenge to players, but is also a hospitable spot for ticks, prompting concern about Lyme disease. (Source: NYT Health)
Friday 16 June 2017
(Source: Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment)
Friday 16 June 2017
The position of the victim, speed of the bullet and path it follows all are critical in how severe injuries will be. Related:Environmental watchdog group warns of lead in baby foodDangerous unproven treatments for ‘chronic Lyme disease’ are on the riseFever during pregnancy may increase autism risk in offspring (Source: Washington Post: To Your Health)
Friday 16 June 2017
Authors: Brown CR, Dennis EA Abstract Experimental Lyme arthritis provides a mouse model for exploring the development of pathology following infection of C3H mice with Borrelia burgdorferi. Infected mice develop a reliable inflammatory arthritis of the ankle joint with severity that typically peaks around two to three weeks post-infection and then undergoes spontaneous resolution. This makes experimental Lyme arthritis an excellent model for investigating the mechanisms that drive both the development and resolution phases of inflammatory disease. Eicosanoids are powerful lipid mediators of inflammation and are known to regulate multiple aspects of inflammatory processes. While much is known about the role of eicosanoids in regulating immune responses during autoimmune disease and...
Friday 16 June 2017
Publication date: Available online 15 June 2017 Source:Microbes and Infection Author(s): Jorge Cervantes Lyme disease is a zoonosis caused by infection with Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb). A great amount of research has attempted to elucidate the mechanisms by which Bb causes inflammation and chronic symptomatology in some patients. Patients often seek unconventional treatments that lack scientific evidence, as medical care is unable to effectively explain and treat their illness. Bb-DNA can persist for long periods of time in some individuals, even after antibiotic therapy. Herein, scientific rationale is presented for a new therapeutic approach against remaining bacterial DNA, and/or increasing the ability of human macrophages to remove extracellular Bb DNA. (Source: Microbes and Infection)
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Friday 16 June 2017
This report describes cases of septic shock, osteomyelitis, Clostridium difficile colitis, and paraspinal abscess resulting from treatments for chronic Lyme disease. Patients, clinicians, and public health practitioners should be aware that treatments for chronic Lyme disease can carry serious risks. PMID: 28617768 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] (Source: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkl...)
Friday 16 June 2017
By Cara Adler Edited by William E. Chavey, MD, MS Use of unproven treatments for patients given a diagnosis of " chronic Lyme disease " can cause serious adverse events, including death, according to an MMWR … (Source: Physician's First Watch current issue)
Thursday 15 June 2017
When parents think about the dangers of lead, paint and water often come to mind as potential sources. But a report published Thursday by the Environmental Defense Fund raises questions about another, surprising possibility: food. More specifically, baby food. The group looked at data from more than 12,200 food samples that were analyzed from 2003 to 2013 as part […]Related:Why a single gunshot to Steve Scalise’s hip could be life-threateningDangerous unproven treatments for ‘chronic Lyme disease’ are on the riseFever during pregnancy may increase autism risk in offspring (Source: Washington Post: To Your Health)
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Thursday 15 June 2017
The position of the victim, speed of the bullet and path it follows all are critical in how severe injuries will be. Related:Environmental watchdog group warns of lead in baby foodDangerous unproven treatments for ‘chronic Lyme disease’ are on the riseFever during pregnancy may increase autism risk in offspring (Source: Washington Post: To Your Health)
Thursday 15 June 2017
An increasing number of Americans with medically ambiguous symptoms are being misdiagnosed with “chronic Lyme disease” and prescribed dangerous and often expensive treatments that do not work, according to a new report. In some instances, patients have died after receiving intensive, long-term and inappropriate courses of intravenous antibiotics that led to septic shock. In other […]Related:Fever during pregnancy may increase autism risk in offspringUNC oncologist and researcher named head of the National Cancer InstituteZika risk for birth defects drops for each trimester, CDC finds (Source: Washington Post: To Your Health)
Thursday 15 June 2017
(Source: CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report)
Wednesday 14 June 2017
In order to study the antibody seroprevalence of the causal agent of Lyme borreliosis, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), and the history of tick bites at a geographical distribution limit of Ixodes ricinus, we compared healthy blood donors in geographically extreme regions: the borreliosis‐endemic Vestfold County (59°N) and the region of northern Norway. Blood samples were screened using IgG/VlsE ELISA, and positive/borderline samples were confirmed using C6 ELISA and immunoblot assays. Also, donors completed a questionnaire consisting of several items including the places they have lived, and whether they owned any pets. The seroprevalence was 0.48% (5/1048) in northern Norway and 9.25% (48/519) in Vestfold County. Seven donors (of 1048) had experienced a single tick bite in the ...
Monday 12 June 2017
By Jessica Migala It’s a heartbreaking story: an Indiana girl just shy of her third birthday has died of organ failure caused by Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF). Doctors didn’t realize Kenley Ratliff contracted the tick-borne illness until it was too late for the antibiotics to work. Now, her devastated family, along with health officials, are sounding the alarm about this sometimes lethal infection, which despite its name isn’t limited to the Rocky Mountains. “If we could save one child’s life then we will have done our job,” Jordan Clapp, Kenley’s aunt told Today. RELATED: 15 Important Facts You Must Know About Ticks While you dry your eyes, consider Kenley’s story to be a wakeup call about RMSF, cases of which have been on th...
Saturday 10 June 2017
The CDC is warning of a particularly severe season for tick-borne diseases. The number of cases of Lyme diseases has spiked in recent years, and experts say the ticks that carry it are spreading to other areas of the country. Anna Werner reports. (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)
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Friday 9 June 2017
BOSTON (CBS) – Managing a chronic illness can be difficult, especially with many medications, but a company located in Boston has developed an app that could make a world of difference. “I have chronic neurological Lyme disease and co-infections,” says Emily Levy of Charlestown. The 23-year old takes more medications than most 80-year-olds. “On a daily basis, I’m taking anywhere from 20 to 30 pills and then I do anywhere from two to four IV infusions per day,” says Emily. (WBZ-TV) Staying on top of all of her antibiotics, supplements, probiotics, and infusions was a real challenge until she was introduced to Medisafe. “Medisafe gives patients a tool, a medication management tool, to get their medications organized,” says Jon Michaeli, Medisafe Executive Vice Presid...
Thursday 8 June 2017
As it gets warmer and people start spending more time outside, I have more and more patients coming into my office and complaining of a “sun allergy.” A sun allergy is really a layman’s term, which refers to a number of conditions when a rash occurs on skin that has been exposed to the sun. These are also referred to as photosensitive disorders or photodermatoses, and can be broadly categorized into the following medical terms: idiopathic photodermatoses, exogenous photodermatoses, photoexacerbated dermatoses, genetic photodermatoses, and metabolic photodermatoses. Sounds complicated, right? A sun allergy refers to a number of conditions when a rash occurs on skin that has been exposed to the sun. Let’s break it down: If, after spending a few hours in...
Monday 5 June 2017
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. (Source: Protein Science)
Monday 5 June 2017
Borrelia mayonii is currently the latest species belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) complex to be discovered. Interestingly it is involved in human pathology causing a ... (Source: Parasites and Vectors)
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Monday 5 June 2017
Scott J. Mellis, M.D., Ph.D. and Utpal Pal, Ph.D. bring their expertise and experience to GLA’s Scientific Advisory Board whose members have all made valuable contributions to the understanding,...(PRWeb June 05, 2017)Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/06/prweb14394555.htm (Source: PRWeb: Medical Pharmaceuticals)
Sunday 4 June 2017
(Natural News) What seemed like a run-of-the-mill case of headaches and joint pain turned out to be chronic Lyme disease in an eight-year old girl, who now has to live with the effects of the debilitating disease for the rest of her life. The girl’s mother, Jamie Buss, shared in a story on KHou.com that her daughter... (Source: NaturalNews.com)
Saturday 3 June 2017
This study opens up promising perspectives and reinforces the need for additional studies to determine the epidemiological characteristics of the disease, as well as the impact of the prevalence of Brazilian borreliosis in Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. (Source: Revista Brasileira de Reumatologia)
Thursday 1 June 2017
This study shows strong evidence that Lyme disease-causing bacteria exist transiently in blood,” co-author Dr. Thomas Fritsche said in prepared remarks. “T2MR is the only technology proven sensitive enough to directly detect these bacteria.” Traditionally, researchers use serology to diagnose Lyme disease by detecting antibodies that are triggered by the disease. There is no FDA-approved diagnostic based on direct measurement of Lyme disease-causing bacteria. Regulatory agencies recommend a 2-tiered approach to diagnose Lyme disease, but the technique detects 2 antibodies that require 1-2 weeks and 4-6 weeks to reach detectable levels, leaving a window where diagnosis of early Lyme disease is not possible. T2MR detected both confirmed cases of Lyme disease tested in the s...
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Thursday 1 June 2017
We examined whether pet ownership increased the risk for tick encounters and tickborne disease among residents of three Lyme disease‐endemic states as a nested cohort within a randomized controlled trial. Information about pet ownership, use of tick control for pets, property characteristics, tick encounters and human tickborne disease were captured through surveys, and associations were assessed using univariate and multivariable analyses. Pet‐owning households had 1.83 times the risk (95% CI = 1.53, 2.20) of finding ticks crawling on and 1.49 times the risk (95% CI = 1.20, 1.84) of finding ticks attached to household members compared to households without pets. This large evaluation of pet ownership, human tick encounters and tickborne diseases shows that pet owners, whether of c...
Thursday 1 June 2017
AbstractAppropriate, critical application of evidence-based diagnostic criteria enables both a clear definition of what constitutes neuroborreliosis —nervous system infection withBorrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto in the US,B garinii and less commonlyB. afzelii and other species in Europe —and recognition that this disorder is quite similar in Europe and the US. Most commonly evidenced by lymphocytic meningitis and/or multifocal inflammation of the peripheral (common; cranial neuropathy, radiculopathy, mononeuropathy multiplex) or central (rare) nervous system, it is readily diagno sed and highly antibiotic responsive. Encephalopathy—altered cognition or memory—can occur as part of the systemic infection and inflammatory state, but is not evidence of neuroborreliosis. Post treatmen...
Thursday 1 June 2017
In conclusion, the findings of the present study show that a fenced freeway may contribute to differences in tick species diversity and tick-borne pathogen prevalence along its two sides, and this effect is most likely a consequence of its barrier role preventing deer movements. PMID: 28605964 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Acta Veterinaria Hungarica)
Wednesday 31 May 2017
By Anthea Levi Warmer months don’t just bring sunshine — they can also present serious health hazards for our favorite furry friends. “Summer is the busiest time of year in the veterinary ER,” says Justine Lee, DVM, a board-certified veterinary emergency critical care specialist in Minneapolis. “Pet owners are jogging, picnicking, and enjoying the outdoors, and unfortunately we see more animals experience trauma because of it.” Follow this advice so your dog has a safer summer. Nix ticks and fleas Ticks, fleas and mosquitoes are much more common this time of year, and they cause all kinds of illnesses. “At the very least, ticks leave an itchy bite that can become infected, and at worst they can transmit diseases like Lyme,” says Kathryn ...
Wednesday 31 May 2017
Conclusion: Our results highlight the potential for climate change to have an effect on future Lyme disease risk in Canada even if the Paris Agreement’s goal to keep global warming below 2°C is achieved, although mitigation reducing emissions from RCP8.5 levels to those of RCP6.0 or less would be expected to slow tick invasion after the 2030s. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP57 Received: 02 March 2016 Revised: 26 August 2016 Accepted: 30 August 2016 Published: 31 May 2017 Address correspondence to H. Beltrami, Earth Science Department, Physical Sciences Center, PO Box 5000, 1 West St, Antigonish, NS B2G 1W5. Telephone: (902) 870-4547. E-mail: hbeltram@stfx.ca Supplemental Material is available online (https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP57). The authors declare they have no actual or potential ...
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Tuesday 30 May 2017
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences said Tuesday that Mark Smeltzer has been awarded $11 million in federal funding for Phase II of a program that supports microbiology and immunology research. Phase I of the Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) grant was awarded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2012 at $10 million. Phase II began May 1 and is $11 million. The first COBRE grant allowed Smeltzer to establish the UAMS Center for Microbial Pathogenesis and Host Inflammatory Responses. Its focus is pathogens – bacteria, viruses and microorganisms – and the disease responses they cause in humans. The latest award continues funding of the center, with individual projects on cancer, Lyme disease, pneumonic plague and chlamydial infection. Smeltzer...
Tuesday 30 May 2017
The federal government is spending $4 million to aid research into Lyme disease. Health Minister Jane Philpott unveiled Canada's plan to establish a Lyme disease research network this morning. (Source: CBC | Health)
Tuesday 30 May 2017
In previous studies, human oligodendrocytes were demonstrated to undergo apoptosis in the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi under an inflammatory milieu. Subsequently, we determined that the MEK/ERK pathway played... (Source: Journal of Neuroinflammation)
Thursday 25 May 2017
The population dynamics of vector-borne pathogens inside the arthropod vector can have important consequences for vector-to-host transmission. Tick-borne spirochete bacteria of the Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lat... (Source: Parasites and Vectors)
Wednesday 24 May 2017
(MedPage Today) -- Lyme may be an overlooked public health problem (Source: MedPage Today Pediatrics)
Wednesday 24 May 2017
Authors: Tomassone L, Ceballos LA, Ragagli C, Martello E, De Sousa R, Stella MC, Mannelli A Abstract During the investigations on ticks and tick-borne pathogens (TBP) range expansion in the Northern Apennines, we captured 107 Podarcis muralis lizards. Sixty-eight animals were infested by immature Ixodes ricinus, Haemaphysalis sulcata and H. punctata. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. was detected in 3.7% of I. ricinus larvae and 8.0% of nymphs. Together with the species-specific B. lusitaniae, we identified B. garinii, B. afzelii and B. valaisiana. Rickettsia spp. (18.1% larvae, 12.0% nymphs), namely R. monacensis, R. helvetica and R. hoogstraalii, were also found in I. ricinus. R. hoogstraalii was detected in H. sulcata nymphs as well, while the two H. punctata did not harbour any bacteri...
Wednesday 24 May 2017
Publication date: Available online 24 May 2017 Source:Joint Bone Spine Author(s): Marie Schmitt, Benoît Daubail, Amélie Bohm (Source: Joint Bone Spine)
Tuesday 23 May 2017
The recommended laboratory diagnostic approach for Lyme disease is a standard two-tiered testing (STTT) algorithm where the first tier is typically an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) that if positive or equivocal is reflexed to Western immunoblotting as the second tier. bioMérieux manufactures one of the most commonly used first-tier EIAs in the United States, the combined IgM/IgG Vidas test (LYT). Recently, bioMérieux launched its dissociated first-tier tests, the Vidas Lyme IgM II (LYM) and IgG II (LYG) EIAs, which use purified recombinant test antigens and a different algorithm than STTT. The dissociated LYM/LYG EIAs were evaluated against the combined LYT EIA using samples from 471 well-characterized Lyme patients and controls. Statistical analyses were conducted to assess the p...
Tuesday 23 May 2017
This study reveals disparate results in terms of dog exposure to fleas and ticks in the studied communities, which may be related to factors such as the owners’ capability/willingness to afford the use of ectoparasiticides on their dogs and level of restriction. Further research is needed to establish the relationship between dog owners’ socioeconomic situation and the level of exposure to ectoparasites and their transmitted pathogens. (Source: Veterinary Parasitology)
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Monday 22 May 2017
Lyme disease (LD), a multisystem infection caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (B. burgdorferi), is the most reported vector-borne disease in North America, and by 2020, 80% of the populat... (Source: BMC Family Practice)
Saturday 20 May 2017
Publication date: Available online 19 May 2017 Source:Pathology - Research and Practice Author(s): V. Krenn, G. Perino, W. Rüther, V.T. Krenn, M. Huber, T. Hügle, A. Najm, S. Müller, F. Boettner, F. Pessler, W. Waldstein, J. Kriegsmann, R. Casadonte, T. Häupl, S. Wienert, M.G. Krukemeyer, S. Sesselmann, S. Sunitsch, R. Tikhilov, L. Morawietz The histopathological synovitis score evaluates the immunological and inflammatory changes of synovitis in a graduated manner generally customary for diagnostic histopathological scores. The score results from semiquantitative evaluation of the width of the synovial surface cell layer, the cell density of the stroma and the density of the inflammatory infiltration into 4 semiquantitative levels (normal 0, mild 1, moderate 2, severe 3). The additio...
Friday 19 May 2017
“This year, there are worse ticks than many of us have ever seen in our lives,” says Janet Foley, an epidemiologist at the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Ticks are roaming American forests in greater numbers this year than any in recent memory leaving thousands of humans at risk for lyme disease, say public health officials. And things could get much worse through the summer if weather conditions remain humid, spelling trouble for the people who roam in their habitat. The prevalence of ticks—and the diseases they carry—has been on the rise in recent decades as reforestation and climate change expanded the range of the eight-legged bacterial vectors. Public health officials have attributed the pervasiveness of ticks so far this year to ...
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Friday 19 May 2017
A 33-year-old male with cystic fibrosis 220 days removed from bilateral lung transplantation presented with 1 week of intermittent fevers (maximum 102 °F), malaise, bilateral lower extremity edema, unintentional weight gain (8 pounds), and 2 days of dyspnea on exertion. His post-transplant course was complicated by persistent leukopenia with intermittent neutropenia attributed to his anti-rejection regimen of mycophenolate mofetil and tacrolimus. On presentation, his temperature was 98.9°F, his heart rate was 84 beats per minute, his blood pressure was 148/83 mmHg, and he was breathing 20 times per minute with an oxygen saturation of 98% on room air. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Thursday 18 May 2017
The objectives of this study were to investigate the prevalence, intensity of infestation, and aggregation of hard ticks on this deer species, and to determine the presence of borrelial pathogens in the ticks. Sixty-six deer were examined over a two-year period. A total of 179 ticks of two species, I. stilesi and Ixodes taglei, were collected. Of those, 100 were adults, 78 were nymphs, and one was a larva. Ixodes stilesi was the most prevalent tick (47%) and was highly aggregated (D=0.77) on the deer. Deer body weight was positively associated with tick burden. Borrelia spirochetes were detected in two (6.45%) of the examined I. stilesi ticks. Phylogenetic analyses of 16S and flaB gene sequences positioned these samples in the same clade with Borrelia chilensis VA1 previously described fro...
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Tuesday 16 May 2017
Publication date: August 2017 Source:Microbial Pathogenesis, Volume 109 Author(s): Seema Patel Zoonotic diseases are a subset of infectious diseases, which account for enormous morbidity and mortality. Pathologies like malaria, rabies, Lyme disease, leptospirosis, avian flu etc. are microbe- and parasite-caused ailments, where the etiological agents are introduced into or on the human body via ticks, mosquitoes, birds, rodents, bats, and deer, among other members of kingdom Animalia. While some of the zoonotic diseases are well-investigated and caution taken against, a lot many are yet to be recognized. This ignorance costs health, and lives, especially in developing countries. To promote awareness regarding the risks of immunogenicity and pathogen dissemination by hitherto unknown non-pl...
Monday 15 May 2017
Dr. Dan Rahn and Dr. Robert Hopkins Jr. of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock have been awarded Mastership in the American College of Physicians, the national organization of internists. Rahn and Hopkins were two of 53 internists from across the world to receive the honor at the ACP’s annual scientific conference held in San Francisco this year and were the only two Arkansans to achieve Mastership this year. Just more than 0.5 percent of the 148,000 ACP members worldwide have been awarded Mastership of the College. “Mastership is the highest honor the college bestows, and it comes only after a long, arduous process during which they carefully vet the credentials of all nominees and ensure that the recipients deserve it,” Dr. Omar Atiq, a profes...
Monday 15 May 2017
(Source: Journal of Vector Ecology)
Monday 15 May 2017
(Source: Journal of Vector Ecology)
Monday 15 May 2017
(Source: Journal of Vector Ecology)
Sunday 14 May 2017
LYME DISEASE is a bacterial infection spread to human when they are bitten by an infected tick. One woman who is battling the disease has spoken out about the symptoms and coping with the chronic pain it can cause. (Source: Daily Express - Health)
Sunday 14 May 2017
LYME DISEASE is a bacterial infection spread to human when they are bitten by an infected tick. One woman who is battling the disease has spoken out about the symptoms and coping with the chronic pain it can cause. (Source: Daily Express - Health)
Sunday 14 May 2017
Publication date: Available online 13 May 2017 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): H. Quarsten, A. Grankvist, L. Høyvoll, I.B. Myre, T. Skarpaas, V. Kjelland, C. Wenneras, S. Noraas The most common tick-borne human disease in Norway is Lyme borreliosis. Ticks in Norway also harbour less known disease-causing agents such as Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis, Borrelia miyamotoi and Rickettsia helvetica. However, human infections caused by these pathogens have never been described in Norway. The main aims of the study were to evaluate the contribution of several tick-borne bacterial agents, other than Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, to zoonotic diseases in Norway and to determine their clinical pictures. Blood samples from 70 symptomatic tick-bitten adults from the Agder count...
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Saturday 13 May 2017
BOSTON (CBS) – Here in New England we are at a higher risk of getting Lyme disease. Despite the danger there is no vaccine. But UMass researchers are closing in on a treatment that could prevent the debilitating illness. It’s an illness Jennifer Crystal knows all too well. It took eight years of feeling rundown with flu-like symptoms before Jennifer was finally diagnosed with Lyme disease. “Basically lost the whole second half of my twenties to Lyme disease,” Jennifer explained. She was bedridden for months at a time, she had to quit her job, and move back in with her parents. “It was hard to get up a flight of stairs, I couldn’t empty the dishwasher, I mean basic tasks,” she said. Even after the official diagnosis and treatment Jennifer relapsed...
Saturday 13 May 2017
Publication date: Available online 13 May 2017 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Patrick Waindok, Sabine Schicht, Volker Fingerle, Christina Strube Lyme borreliosis (LB) is the most important human tick-borne disease, but Borrelia genospecies cause different clinical manifestations. Ticks of the genus Ixodes removed from humans between 2006 and 2012 were analysed for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (sl) infections. The majority of ticks originated from the Greater Hanover region in Northern Germany. The engorgement status varied over the entire spectrum from unengorged (no evidence of started blood feeding) to fully engorged. In the present study, prevalence data for B. burgdorferi sl 2011 and 2012 were obtained by quantitative real-time PCR and compared to those from a form...
Friday 12 May 2017
Only 3 per cent of GPs in the UK have taken the recommended module on Lyme disease which teaches them how to spot early symptoms. A charity says there may be 45,000 UK cases a year. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
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Friday 12 May 2017
(Natural News) Scientists have urged those in the Northeastern United States to prepare for a rise in Lyme disease cases this year. The forecast comes at the heels of a population surge among white-footed mice which serve as hosts for Lyme-bearing ticks, USAToday.com reported. Scientists trace the upsurge in ticks to an acorn abundance in 2015, which caused the... (Source: NaturalNews.com)
Thursday 11 May 2017
New research offers veterinarians a forecasting map that tells them which parts of the country are most at risk of Lyme disease infections in dogs, which could also help track and predict Lyme disease in people. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Thursday 11 May 2017
A. Egizi et al. (Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal)
Thursday 11 May 2017
In North America, Lyme disease is principally caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, hereafter referred to as B. burgdorferi. It is acquired by the bite of an infected Ixodes tick. The most common clinical manifestation is a skin lesion, referred to as erythema migrans, which is due to cutaneous infection with B. burgdorferi. Other objective manifestations may involve the nervous system, heart, or joints. Treatment with antibiotics typically resolves the objective clinical manifestation. Accompanying subjective symptoms, such as fatigue and joint or muscle pain, often persist for many weeks. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Wednesday 10 May 2017
GPs must consider Lyme disease in patients with bull's-eye rash or if they become unwell following a tick bite, campaigners have warned as modelling suggests the disease is set to reach epidemic levels. (Source: GP Online News)
Wednesday 10 May 2017
Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases)
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Wednesday 10 May 2017
Authors: Maija Laaksonen, Eeva Sajanti, Jani J Sormunen, Ritva Penttinen, Jari Hänninen, Kai Ruohomäki, Ilari Sääksjärvi, Eero J Vesterinen, Ilppo Vuorinen, Jukka Hytönen & Tero Klemola (Source: Emerging Microbes and Infections)
Monday 8 May 2017
(MedPage Today) -- Review finds most Lyme symptoms resolved within 6 months of starting therapy (Source: MedPage Today Infectious Disease)
Monday 8 May 2017
The Lyme arthritis is a common manifestation of infection with Borrelia burgdorferi spirochete. Despite its infectious background, the inflammation clinically and histopatologically resembles juvenile idiopathic ... (Source: Pediatric Rheumatology)
Monday 8 May 2017
It's transmitted faster and can be more disabling and deadly than Lyme Disease. How can you prevent and treat it? (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)
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Sunday 7 May 2017
We all know that bee stings are incredibly painful and best avoided. But Ingrid Watt of Scotland subjects herself to 30 every week in a bizarre bid to beat the life-threatening Lyme disease. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Saturday 6 May 2017
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. (Source: British Journal of Dermatology)
Friday 5 May 2017
Lyme disease isn't the only reason you'll want to take extra precautions to avoid ticks (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)
Friday 5 May 2017
Lyme disease is increasing in areas around the country, and researchers warn that's not the only tick-borne disease to watch out for. One called Powassan virus is rare but can be deadly. Dave Delozier of WISC-TV reports. (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)
Friday 5 May 2017
Tick season is upon us, and it’s shaping up to be a real doozy. Scientists predict 2017 will bear the highest number of ticks in recent years, with a jump in reported cases of tick-borne illnesses in some regions of the U.S. Ticks are thriving thanks to a recent explosion of the white-footed mice population, which carry Lyme disease, Powassan virus and other tick-borne illnesses. Meanwhile, warmer winters caused by climate change are allowing ticks to remain active longer and carry diseases into new regions of the U.S. Experts suggest people living in regions where these diseases are most prevalent ― the Northeast, mid-Atlantic and upper Midwest ― should learn about common tick misconceptions and best practices to avoid bites. Black-legged ticks are the common carriers...
Friday 5 May 2017
It's a mysterious and dangerous disease in humans, but did you know it poses a serious threat to pets as well? (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)
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Friday 5 May 2017
Lyme disease or Lyme borreliosis (LB) in man is caused by a spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) which is introduced into the body by bites of (Source: Annals of Saudi Medicine)
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Thursday 4 May 2017
Authors: Silverman ED Abstract The 72nd Annual Meeting of The Canadian Rheumatology Association (CRA) was held at The Westin Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, February 8-11, 2017. The program consisted of presentations covering original research, symposia, awards, and lectures. Highlights of the meeting include the following 2017 award winners: Dr. Vinod Chandran, Young Investigator; Dr. Jacques P. Brown, Distinguished Investigator; Dr. David Robinson, Teacher-Educator; Dr. Michel Zummer, Distinguished Rheumatologist; Ms. Rebecca Gole, Best Abstract on SLE Research by a Trainee - Ian Watson Award; Ms. Bailey Russell, Best Abstract on Clinical or Epidemiology Research by a Trainee - Phil Rosen Award; Dr. Sahil Koppikar and Dr. Henry Averns, Practice Reflection Award; Dr. Shirine Usma...
Thursday 4 May 2017
Researchers say they expect it to be a "particularly bad year" for Lyme disease for an unlikely reason (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)
Thursday 4 May 2017
Authors: Izac JR, Oliver LD, Earnhart CG, Marconi RT Abstract The lipoprotein OspA is produced by the Lyme disease spirochetes primarily in unfed ticks. OspA production is down-regulated by the blood meal and it is not produced in mammals except for possible transient production during late stage infection in patients with Lyme arthritis. Vaccination with OspA elicits antibody (Ab) that can target spirochetes in the tick midgut during feeding and inhibit transmission to mammals. OspA was the primary component of the human LYMErix™ vaccine. LYMErix™ was available from 1998 to 2002 but then pulled from the market due to declining sales as a result of unsubstantiated concerns about vaccination induced adverse events and poor efficacy. It was postulated that a segment of OspA that ...
Wednesday 3 May 2017
Emma Horlock, 42, from Liverpool has raised £25,000 to travel to America in the hope antibiotics will cure her from Lyme disease. Says the condition has stopped her having children. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Wednesday 3 May 2017
CBS Local – There are a few drawbacks to the calendar shifting to the summer months, like the influx of ticks and infections like Lyme Disease. Now doctors are cautioning of another, potentially fatal tick-borne disease: Powassan Virus. Powassan virus is even more serious than Lyme, as it causes inflammation to the brain. For the reported cases, 15 percent of those infected have died and another 50 percent have had some form of a neurological disability. As of right now, there’s no cure. Symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, loss of coordination, speech difficulties and seizures. “About 15 percent of patients who are infected and have symptoms are not going survive,” Dr. Jennifer Lyons, chief of the division of neurological and inflamm...
Wednesday 3 May 2017
Summer is nearly here, and it's bringing fears of a rare tick-borne disease called Powassan. This potentially life-threatening virus is carried and transmitted by three types of ticks, including the deer tick that transmits Lyme disease. (Source: CNN.com - Health)
Wednesday 3 May 2017
[Fifteen years of the histopathological synovitis score : Review and further developments of a diagnostic score]. Z Rheumatol. 2017 May 03;: Authors: Krenn V, Perino G, Rüther W, Krenn VT, Huber M, Hügle T, Najm A, Müller S, Boettner F, Pessler F, Waldstein W, Kriegsmann J, Häupl T, Wienert S, Krukemeyer MG, Sesselmann S, Tikhilov R, Morawietz L Abstract The histopathological synovitis score evaluates in a graded approach, as is largely usual for diagnostic histopathological scores, the immunological and inflammatory changes caused by synovitis. A synovitis score of between 1 and ≤ 4 is classified as low-grade (osteoarthritis-related synovitis, post-traumatic synovitis, meniscopathy-related synovitis and synovitis in hemochromatosis). Synovitis scores of be...
Tuesday 2 May 2017
This study showed that although PCPs of the Franche-Comté region manage tick bites as per current guidelines, they need further training on Lyme serology limitations and availability of tick-borne encephalitis vaccination. PMID: 28457701 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Medecine et Maladies Infectieuses)
Tuesday 2 May 2017
For as long as Maeve Sheehy can remember, she’s had short spells of feeling like she was about to fall over. “It wasn’t like feeling faint, it was more like my knees would buckle underneath me,” says Maeve, now 16. “I would instinctually try to keep from falling by bracing myself.” Sometimes the bracing didn’t work and Maeve would topple over. If she was with friends, she’d pretend she had tripped, to cover it up. But she secretly worried something was wrong with her. When she tried to explain the falling feeling to her parents and doctors, she was told she was probably dehydrated. More mysterious symptoms As she entered middle school, Maeve started to have other symptoms. She felt exhausted all the time, despite regular naps. Sometimes, she was so tired in class that she c...
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Tuesday 2 May 2017
LYME disease symptoms could be very similar to those of the common flu virus, Dr Chris Steele has warned. (Source: Daily Express - Health)
Tuesday 2 May 2017
CONCLUSIONS: The role of the PHCC doctor is essential for achieving an early diagnosis of Lyme disease, as a higher percentage of seropositives was detected in samples submitted from PHCC. Furthermore, most early localised LD patients were diagnosed in PHCC, avoiding the appearance of sequelae. Therefore, detection of Borrelia specific antibodies using an ELISA assay is a useful screening test for patients at risk of LD. PMID: 28476293 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Atencion Primaria)
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Monday 1 May 2017
To the Editor I appreciate the Teachable Moment by Marks and colleagues in a recent issue ofJAMA Internal Medicine on chronic Lyme disease. However, I disagree with their statement about the lack of objective evidence regarding the existence of chronic Lyme disease. (Source: JAMA Internal Medicine)
Monday 1 May 2017
In Reply We appreciate the Letter in Reply from Dr Lee highlighting his research on the detection of persistent borreliosis by novel gene-sequencing methods. However, we contend that persistent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positivity forBorrelia burgdorferi does not signify the presence of active infection or bacteremia that merits prolonged antibiotic treatment. To this point, Marques et al tested a cohort of patients with treated Lyme disease and posttreatment Lyme disease syndrome (PLTDS) for the presence of viableB burgdorferi. Using a xenodiagnostic technique wherein laboratory-raisedIxodes scapularis ticks fed on patients and subsequently attempted to infect immunodeficient mice, both ticks and mice were tested for the presence ofB burgdorferi by PCR and culture. Despite detecting...
Friday 28 April 2017
This study determines the wide spectrum of tick-borne bacterial and protozoal pathogens that can be encountered in Austria. Surveillance of (putative) pathogenic microorganisms occurring in the environment is of medical importance, especially when those agents can be transmitted by ticks and cause disease. The observation of significant co-infections of certain microorganisms in field-collected ticks is an initial step to an improved understanding of microbial interactions in ticks. In addition, we show that variations in molecular detection methods, such as in primer pairs and target genes, can considerably influence the final results. For instance, certain genospecies of borreliae can be better or worse detected by one or the other method; a fact of great importance for future screening ...
Wednesday 26 April 2017
Key Clinical Message Timely diagnosis and prompt initiation of treatment is essential in Lyme carditis to achieve favorable prognosis. Externalized permanent pacemaker with an active fixation lead as supportive pacing modality is a feasible option till complete resolution of conduction block with continued antibiotic therapy. Timely diagnosis and prompt initiation of treatment is essential in Lyme carditis to achieve favorable prognosis. Externalized permanent pacemaker with an active fixation lead as supportive pacing modality is a feasible option till complete resolution of conduction block with continued antibiotic therapy. (Source: Clinical Case Reports)
Tuesday 25 April 2017
Bacterial dissemination via the cardiovascular system is the most common cause of infection mortality. A key step in dissemination is bacterial interaction with endothelia lining blood vessels, which is physically challenging because of the shear stress generated by blood flow. Association of host cells such as leukocytes and platelets with... (Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)
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Monday 24 April 2017
Scientists have built a large body of knowledge about Lyme disease over the past 40 years, yet controversies remain and the number of cases continues to rise. In the United States, reported cases of Lyme disease, which is transmitted from wild animals to humans by tick bites, have tripled in the past 20 years. A multitude of interacting factors are driving the increase in Lyme disease cases, but their relative importance remains unclear. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Monday 24 April 2017
Simtee Few, 32, from Harlow, Essex, developed flu-like symptoms days after a family gathering in July 2015. Doctors eventually diagnosed her with Lyme disease after a year of testing. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Monday 24 April 2017
Simtee Few, 32, from Harlow, Essex, developed flu-like symptoms days after a family gathering in July 2015. Doctors eventually diagnosed her with Lyme disease after a year of testing. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Monday 24 April 2017
(University of California - Santa Cruz) Scientists have built a large body of knowledge about Lyme disease over the past 40 years, yet controversies remain and the number of cases continues to rise. In the United States, reported cases of Lyme disease, which is transmitted from wild animals to humans by tick bites, have tripled in the past 20 years. A multitude of interacting factors are driving the increase in Lyme disease cases, but their relative importance remains unclear. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
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Monday 24 April 2017
Conclusion: LB leads to a substantial societal cost. Further research should therefore focus on additional preventive interventions. (Source: The European Journal of Public Health)
Monday 24 April 2017
We present a case of neuroretinitis as presenting and the only presentation of Lyme disease in a 25-year-old female who visited hilly areas in the Himalayas of North India. She presented with right eye sudden and painless blurring of vision. Her vision at presentation was 20/60. She had fundus examination; fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging showed classical features of neuroretinitis. No other organ was involved. Oral steroids were prescribed and relevant investigations sent for noninfective and infective causes. Worsened visual acuity (VA) to hand movement and positive IgM titers for Borrelia burgdorferi led to the diagnosis of Lyme disease-associated neuroretinitis. Treatment with oral doxycycline plus oral steroids for 4 weeks revealed VA...
Monday 24 April 2017
Listen: Mayo Clinic Radio 4/22/17 On the Mayo Clinic Radio podcast, orthopedic surgeon?Dr. Norman Turner III?discusses treatment for common foot problems and ways to prevent them. Also on the program, parasitologist Dr. Bobbi Pritt has an update on the Lyme disease predictions for 2017. And critical care physician and sleep medicine expert Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler?tries [...] (Source: News from Mayo Clinic)
Sunday 23 April 2017
Canadian Journal of Zoology, e-First Articles. Ixodes scapularis Say, 1821 (the black-legged tick) is becoming established in Canada. The northwards expansion of I. scapularis leads to contact between I. scapularis and Ixodes cookei Packard, 1869, a well-established tick species in Eastern Canada. Examination of I. cookei and I. scapularis collected from New Brunswick revealed ticks with ambiguous morphologies, with either a mixture or intermediate traits typical of I. scapularis and I. cookei, including in characteristics typically used as species identifiers. Genetic analysis to determine if these ticks represent hybrids revealed that four had I. cookei derived mitochondrial DNA but I. scapularis nuclear DNA. In one case, the nuclear sequence showed evidence of heterozygosity for I. scap...
Saturday 22 April 2017
When my son Dan was diagnosed with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder, his psychiatrist informed me and my husband that Dan was “borderline psychotic.” In other words, our son was out of touch with reality. For most people, psychosis usually presents in one of two ways: Hallucinations – consist of seeing, hearing or feeling things that are not actually there. A common example is hearing voices. Delusions – consist of beliefs that are not likely to be true and that seem irrational or nonsensical to other people. A typical example involves believing that outside forces are controlling your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. At the time we were told of our son’s issues, my thoughts immediately turned to schizophrenia, as that is the illness typically associated with psychosis. A...
Saturday 22 April 2017
Summary Lyme disease (LD) is a common tick‐borne disease in New Hampshire (NH). While LD is a reportable condition and cases are counted for public health surveillance, many more people receive care for tick bites or diagnoses of LD than are reflected in surveillance data. NH's emergency department (ED) data system was queried for tick bite and LD‐related encounters. Chief complaint text was queried for words related to LD or tick bites. International Classification of Diseases 9th Revision (ICD‐9) codes were queried for the LD diagnosis code (088.81). Emergency department patient data were matched to reportable disease data to determine the proportion of ED patients reported to the health department as a suspected LD case. Data were analysed to calculate frequencies for key demograp...
Thursday 20 April 2017
Adam Garkowski, Joanna Zajkowska, Agata Zajkowska, Alina Ku łakowska, Olga Zajkowska, Bożena Kubas, Dorota Jurgilewicz, Marcin Hładuński, Urszula Łebkowska (Source: Frontiers in Neurology)
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Thursday 20 April 2017
Lyme disease is among the most common vector-borne illnesses in North America, Europe, and some parts of Asia. A spirochete bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi causes the disease, and blacklegged ticks are responsible for the majority of North American transmissions. In a new paper, researchers present a mathematical model of Lyme disease that incorporates seasonality and climate factors. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Thursday 20 April 2017
Celeste Clancy, 28, from, Georgia, contracted Lyme disease after being bitten by a tick during a trip two years ago. It caused her to suffer from uncontrollable shaking and stroke-like symptoms. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Thursday 20 April 2017
(Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics) Lyme disease is among the most common vector-borne illnesses in North America, Europe, and some parts of Asia. A spirochete bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi causes the disease, and blacklegged ticks are responsible for the majority of North American transmissions. In a paper publishing next week in the SIAM Journal on Applied Dynamical Systems, Xiunan Wang and Xiao-Qiang Zhao present a mathematical model of Lyme disease that incorporates seasonality and climate factors. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
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Thursday 20 April 2017
Xuwu Xiang, Youyun Yang, Jimei Du, Tianyu Lin, Tong Chen, X. Frank Yang, Yongliang Lou (Source: Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology)
Thursday 20 April 2017
CONCLUSION: The current study further validates that the monovalent and multivalent LB vaccines result in mild local side effects and self-limiting systemic adverse effects, with the multivalent vaccine slightly more tolerable than the monovalent one. Both vaccine classes were similarly highly immunogenic. A new vaccine with high safety standards, better efficacy, low cost, and public acceptance is yet to be developed. Meanwhile, personal protection limiting exposure to ticks is recommended. PMID: 28425901 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Canadian Journal of Public Health)
Wednesday 19 April 2017
We read with great interest the article by Goddard,1 “Not All Erythema Migrans Lesions Are Lyme Disease,” in the September issue of The American Journal of Medicine and congratulate the authors. Erythema migrans usually is easily diagnosed, making serology useless. However, according to the author's study, all erythema migrans lesions might not be due to the agent of Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi). (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
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Wednesday 19 April 2017
I thank Perronne et al for their thoughtful response to my brief observation, “Not All Erythema Migrans Lesions Are Lyme Disease,” published in the September issue of The American Journal of Medicine.1 The authors point out that there may be issues with serologic tests for Lyme disease, leading to false-negatives . Incidentally, other readers also have responded to my original article by e-mail, saying that Lyme disease is present—even widespread—in the southern United States and that this article does a disservice both to patients and to physicians alike. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Wednesday 19 April 2017
Regarding the article entitled “Errancy on Lyme Diagnosis,”1 we want to add some comments regarding the therapy issues in Lyme disease we mentioned in response to Goddard's article.2 (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Tuesday 18 April 2017
LYME DISEASE cases are set to soar in the UK - an expert has warned. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread by ticks, but few people know the symptoms of the condition - which (Source: Daily Express - Health)
Monday 17 April 2017
Researchers at Yale University found perceived risk of contracting Lyme disease causes many in the northeast United States to skip going outside. (Source: Health News - UPI.com)
Monday 17 April 2017
(Natural News) Biologists say that 2017 is going to be a big year for Lyme disease, and that the condition could ravage the United States and other parts of North America. The culprit? An explosion in mice populations across the country, but particularly in the Northeast. But what do mice have to do with Lyme... (Source: NaturalNews.com)
Monday 17 April 2017
(Yale School of Forestry& Environmental Studies) In a new study, Yale researchers find that perceived risks of contracting Lyme disease on average cause a person in the Northeast to forego eight 73-minute outdoor trips per year -- exacting a total cost roughly $2.8 billion to $5 billion annually in the densely populated region. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:This case highlights how Lyme disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis for multiple cranial neuropathies. Further, as prior case reports of CNS Lyme patients have shown polyclonal and monoclonal lymphocyte expansion, this case demonstrates the diagnostic uncertainty regarding whether flow cytometry reflects a reactive process to infection or a new lymphoma. Treatment with antibiotics and clinical improvement helped to clarify the etiology in this case.Disclosure: Dr. Perrone has nothing to disclose. Dr. Xu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ganguly has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kurowski has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mullen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pruitt has received research support from Teva. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:This study provides an overview of NNICU acquired VAP that could help clinicians while treating such patients by early identification of those at risk and wisely choosing antibiotic regimen.Disclosure: Dr. Mehndiratta has nothing to disclose. Dr. Nayak has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ali has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:With this review we intend to demonstrate the wide range of neurological symptoms that LN can cause, and enhance that epidemiological context and clinical suspicion are important factors to the diagnosis.Disclosure: Dr. Espírito Santo has nothing to disclose. Dr. Almendra has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mendes has nothing to disclose. Dr. Veiga has nothing to disclose. Dr. Costa has nothing to disclose. Dr. Velon has nothing to disclose. Dr. Guimarães has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
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Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:This case series illustrates important features currently attributed to neurosyphilis, which remains an important disease in Neurology, especially in some epidemiological risk groups.Disclosure: Dr. Borges has nothing to disclose. Dr. Germiniani has nothing to disclose. Dr. Koslyk has nothing to disclose. Dr. Teive has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:Infectious myositis should be considered in a patient with febrile focal myositis. Although uncommon, TB can infect muscle in immunocompromised patients before typical pulmonary manifestations.Disclosure: Dr. Stein has nothing to disclose. Dr. Shin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zhou has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:Neuroimaging findings of neurosyphilis commonly are cerebral infarctions, leptomeningeal enhancement or nonspecific white matter lesions. Less common features on a fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequences are cortical atrophy and mesial temporal parenchymal signal changes. It is prudent to keep Neurosyphilis in differential of mesial temporal lobe white matter changes as early diagnosis and treatment results in better prognosis.Study Supported by: NoneDisclosure: Dr. Tiwana has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ahmed has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:TB meningitis is a severe and frequently fatal cause of meningitis and vasculopathy. While well characterized and often on the initial differential for chronic meningitis, it is rarely encountered as a cause of acute meningitis in an immunocompetent population in the US. In this particular case rapid progression and likely secondary vasculopathy with brainstem infarcts precluded timely diagnosis and directed treatment.Disclosure: Dr. Utigard has nothing to disclose. Dr. Katyshev has nothing to disclose. Dr. Isada has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dani has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:New-onset focal neurological deficits in immunocompromised patients with basal ganglia and cerebellar lesions may be infectious or neoplastic in etiology. Previously described pathogens associated with this presentation include Cryptoccocus, Candida, Toxoplasmosis, Mycobacterium, Coccidioides, Nocardia, and Listeria. Our case demonstrates unusual microbiology, with Klebsiella and Curvularia species as likely causative organisms. Awareness of these uncommon causes of CNS infection may allow for more prompt diagnosis and treatment.Disclosure: Dr. Das has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pohlen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kass has received personal compensation for activities as an expert witness in litigation. Dr. Kass has received personal compensation as a speaker at non-commercial CM...
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Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:Focal neurologic deficits are not a common early presentation of IE. The visual field cut in this case was typical for a retinal artery occlusion and represented an embolic event. The diplopiawas likely caused by the thalamic infarct, with involvement of the corticomesencephalic tract. In characteristic fashion for IE, time required for bacterial culture growth was lengthy. Prompt recognition of focal deficits in a patient with signs and symptoms of systemic inflammation may allow for earlier recognition of IE.Study Supported by:Disclosure: Dr. Stephens has nothing to disclose. Dr. Frattalone has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:Diagnostic approach to bilateral FNP should evaluate for: traumatic (skull fractures), infectious (classically Lyme disease), metabolic (diabetes), autoimmune (sarcoidosis, Guillain-Barré syndrome), congenital (Moebius syndrome) and neoplastic (brainstem tumors) entities. WM is a rare cause, a condition due to low-grade B cell lymphoma where lymphoplasmacytoid cells infiltrate different tissues and secrete monoclonal IgM. Peripheral neuropathy develops in 15–30% of the cases, usually a chronic, progressive, symmetric, predominantly distal polyneuropathy. Facial nerve impairment is unusual, caused by anoxic damage as a result of an increased blood viscosity from IgM monoclonal gammopathy, direct nerve infiltration of tumorous cells and an antibody (anti-MAG) mediate...
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:Our patient shows a chronological dissociation of Tolosa-Hunt clinical features but otherwise he fits ICHD-3 criteria for Tolosa-Hunt syndrome. This case teach us to think about this rare syndrome if the patient develops a typical pain after the presentation of the oftalmoplegia when other causes have been appropriately excluded and the response to corticoid therapy is rapid and complete.Disclosure: Dr. Pire has nothing to disclose. Dr. Villa has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pareja has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lillo has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:Spinal cord compression from extradural/extramedullary lesions has a broad differential even for patients with tuberculosis. This case presented with radiological and pathological findings that were atypical for spinal tuberculosis. In case of idiopathic inflammatory compression myelopathy, surgical intervention with close monitoring is warranted to improve functional outcome.Disclosure: Dr. Agashe has nothing to disclose. Dr. Fang has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:Mycoplasma infection should be considered in cases of brainstem skew deviation with associated encephalitis. In these cases, administration of azithromycin and IvIG can lead to rapid clinical improvement.Disclosure: Dr. Lin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Levin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gupta has nothing to disclose. Dr. Urday has nothing to disclose. Dr. Albin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Venna has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:Antibiotic treatment for S. pneumoniae meningitis correlated with improvement in clinical status and TCD hemodynamics. Serial TCDs may be a potentially useful strategy in the management of bacterial meningitis.Disclosure: Dr. Idris has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tai has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tan has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:The current clinical observation serves to remind clinicians of the challenges faced in diagnosing brain ring-enhancing lesions, especially in patients with pre-existing brain disorders. Furthermore, it highlights the difficulty in treating invasive fungal infections in immunocompromised hosts. More studies are needed to establish the incidence and clinical course of invasive fungal infections in patients with sarcoidosis and infliximab therapy.Disclosure: Dr. Van Sanford has nothing to disclose. Dr. Obeidat has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zabeti has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen, Genzyme, and Acorda Therapeutics as a speaker. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:This case highlights the importance of considering acute CMV infection in the differential of transverse myelitis. The patient received a course of oral steroids shortly before onset of symptoms which may have influenced the course of the illness and explained the lack of enhancement on MRI. It also highlights the benefit of prompt treatment with appropriate anti-viral agents to ensure resolution.Disclosure: Dr. O'Donnell has nothing to disclose. Dr. Iyer has nothing to disclose. Dr. Togher has nothing to disclose. Dr. Nduwke has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tubridy has received research support from Bayer-Schering, the Health Research Board of Ireland and MS Ireland. Dr. Feeney has received personal compensation for activities with Gilead and Abbvie as an Advisory Board Member. Dr...
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Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:While back pain is a common symptom following LP, physicians should also be aware of discitis as a rare, but potential, complication in patients with persistent pain even in the absence of focal neurological deficits and laboratory abnormalities. Our case also supports the hypothesis that multiple attempts during an LP may be a risk factor for post-LP discitis.Disclosure: Dr. Doherty has nothing to disclose. Dr. Saylor has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:By education and restricted use initiatives, inappropriate CSF Lyme PCR testing for diagnosing neuroborreliosis was significantly affected. This initiative led to reduced healthcare costs for the institution and patient while improving evidence based medical practices.Disclosure: Dr. Vanino has nothing to disclose. Dr. Baldwin has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:Focal thickening and enhancement of affected cranial nerve is seen in the majority of pediatric ROCN. These findings are best seen with thin MRI cuts and gadolinium infusion. Recognizing this pattern is important in establishing the diagnosis.Disclosure: Dr. Alawadhi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Saint-Martin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Oskoui has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
We describe a patient with subacute radiculopoliomyelitis-myelitis matching the selective involvement of the anterior horns and roots of the cervical spinal cord seen on MRI and on electrodiagnostic studies. We demonstrate positive CSF Lyme antibodies and document a near-complete recovery with antibiotics. This case highlights the importance of recognizing an atypical presentation of Lyme disease in the setting of initial radiculitis and or myelitis, particularly given the potential for favorable outcomes with appropriate treatment. (Source: Journal of the Neurological Sciences)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:This case highlights the importance of early recognition of VKHS syndrome in patients who present with focal neurological signs associated with a history of ocular disease and cutaneous findings. VKH is considered a severe inflammatory disease that requires prompt recognition and early initiation of immunosuppresive treatment to preserve visual acuity. Early diagnosis can facilitate appropriate tailoring of therapy for recurrent episodes which can occur in as many as 25% of patients with VKH syndrome.Disclosure: Dr. Lai has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pyburn has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:Based on literature review, the transient splenial lesion of corpus callosum has never been reported in patients with CNS tuberculosis. The mechanisms underlying transient splenial lesions may due to intramyelinic edema and inflammatory cell infiltration. This hypothesis supported by the MR spectroscopy findings in our patient. Since early diagnosis and treatment can reduce mortality and morbidity, patients with isolated splenial lesion warrant diagnostic tests for CNS tuberculosis.Study Supported by:The authors report no disclosures relevant to the manuscript.Disclosure: Dr. Wu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chen has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
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Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:An emerging condition, acute opthalmoparesis without ataxia and/or areflexia, was described in a handful of publications as "atypical MFS.4" The diagnostic criteria include acute onset of opthalmoplegia, presence of anti GQ1B IgG, and exclusion of other causes3. Other neurological symptoms such as blepharoptosis, bilateral facial paresis, and oropharyngeal palsy have been demonstrated with this condition.4 IVIG and plasmapharesis are not yet a well established treatment5. The diagnosis of acute opthalmoparesis without ataxia and/or areflexia underscores the vast clinical presentations associated with Gq1b spectrum disorders1.Disclosure: Dr. Suresh has nothing to disclose. Dr. Schutt has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tumkur has nothing to disclose. Dr. Suradi has nothing to disclose....
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:Silent neuritis should be recognized early to prevent leprosy disability, and it is based on clinical parameters. NCS is a sensitive tool to study leprous nerve damage. It can provide information concerning clinically undetected alterations. Most recent studies have conveyed the idea that early electrophysiological changes of leprosy patients are discordant from the initiation and type of the predominant injury, which is considered by most authors as demyelination. If treatment with corticosteroids is indicated to prevent further disability in these cases is a question that remains to be answered. A better comprehension about the physiopathology of leprosy neuropathy and its follow up is necessary to better clarify this question.Disclosure: Dr. Pitta has nothing to disclose. Dr...
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:LE is an uncommon manifestation of neurosyphilis requiring prompt recognition and treatment. It can present with a clinical syndrome and MRI appearance similar to other causes of LE. In contrast to autoimmune/paraneoplastic LE, brain PET imaging reveals hypometabolism of the affected temporal lobe and may be a useful adjunct.Disclosure: Dr. Al-Louzi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mason has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rondeau has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rubin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lyons has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bhattacharyya has received personal compensation for activities with Advance Medical. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:Although mechanical causes are high in the differential diagnosis of cervical radiculopathy, Lyme disease is well-known to have symptoms of radiculitis and should be considered in the assessment of cervical pain. A typical early syndrome due to neuroborreliosis has been characterized as a triad of the symptoms mentioned above including radicular pain, cranial or peripheral paresis, and lymphocytic meningitis and is called "Bannwarths syndrome" (Bannwarth, 1941).Disclosure: Dr. Hannoun has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gudin has received personal compensation for activities with Purdue, Endo, Astra Zeneca, Daiichi Sankyo, Collegium, and Kaleo Pharmaceuticals as a consultant. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:In this series, EVD tract hemorrhage was associated more often with gram negative ventriculitis. This finding needs to be further studied in larger cohorts to determine whether patients with EVD tract hemorrhages should be on gram negative specific antibiotic prophylaxis.Disclosure: Dr. Feng has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chartrain has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kim has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sobotka has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pain has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dangayach has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mayer has received personal compensation for activities with Bard Medical. Dr. Gordon has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:This study documents worse clinical outcomes and significantly increased mortality in the hospitalized patients with community acquired pneumonia and associated cerebrovascular disease.Disclosure: Dr. SirDeshpande has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kolikonda has nothing to disclose. Dr. Peyrani has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ramirez has nothing to disclose. Dr. Arnold has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wiemken has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:Knowledge of NP characteristics could be used to develop more effective therapeutic approaches for a pain condition that is notoriously difficult to treat.Disclosure: Dr. Giesel has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pitta has nothing to disclose. Dr. Silveira has nothing to disclose. Dr. Andrade has nothing to disclose. Dr. Vital has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sarno has nothing to disclose. Dr. Jardim has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
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Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:AIDP following Lyme infection is a rare entity that should be considered in patients who present with findings atypical for CNS Lyme Disease, such as a progressive weakness or symmetric loss of reflexes despite antibiotic therapy.Disclosure: Dr. Li has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hocquard has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sorenson has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:Our case demonstrates that rapidly progressive acute axonal polyneuropathy is a serious neurological manifestation of porphyria and if not diagnosed early, can lead to irreversible axonal injury and severe disability. This diagnosis should be considered in all cases of acute ascending weakness with minimal sensory deficits when electrodiagnostic features of demyelination are lacking.Disclosure: Dr. Sharma has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kumbham has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sahaya has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sasapu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gundogdu has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:Neuroinfections can masquerade as dementia and strong suspicion should be there while evaluating dementia especially in endemic regions. In our study SSPE, PML and Neurosyphilis were the most common infectious causes of dementiaDisclosure: Dr. Patil has nothing to disclose. Dr. Vishnu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Naheed has nothing to disclose. Dr. Goyal has nothing to disclose. Dr. Modi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lal has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:Tetanus is a clinical diagnosis and its incidence is on the decline in developed countries like U.S. It is thus important to know the epidemiology, presentation, management and prognosis. Clear delineation of tetanus spasms with seizure spells is required for effective management.Disclosure: Dr. Kolikonda has nothing to disclose. Dr. Doddamani has nothing to disclose. Dr. Khattak has nothing to disclose. Dr. Palade has received personal compensation for activities with BlueCross BlueShield as an advisory board member. Dr. Jayakumar has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
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Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:This case establishes the importance of clinical reasoning. Neurological exam suggested multilevel radiculopathy/plexopathy. Normal SNAPS argue against plexopathy, MRI, and CSF analysis confirmed the diagnosis of secondary CNS lymphoma invading the meninges and nerve roots.Disclosure: Dr. Datta has nothing to disclose. Dr. Roy has nothing to disclose. Dr. Meira Benchaya has nothing to disclose. Dr. Boland has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
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Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:Zika can induce GBS after a brief viral illness. Neuropathy can be a mixture of demyelinating and axonal. Dysautonomia may also be present including severe dysphagia, orthostatics and retention.Zika RNA has a short detection window in serum and CSF making a diagnosis time sensitive. Serological assays using IgM and IgG cross-react with other flaviviruses making them unable to differentiate between recent Zika exposure and cross reactivity with Dengue and Chikungunya. Our pt likely had prior exposure to Dengue, being from an endemic area. Prior Dengue exposure may possibly modulate the response to Zika via antibody dependent enhancement or via unknown immune mechanisms.Disclosure: Dr. Tantillo has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sclar has nothing to disclose. Dr. Vasa has nothing to di...
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:There was no report describing CIDP related to leprosy reverse reaction in the literature. This case could be attributed to cell injury caused by type 1reaction that exposed the neural antigens and incited an autoimmune reaction.Disclosure: Dr. Andrade has nothing to disclose. Dr. Vital has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pitta has nothing to disclose. Dr. Silveira has nothing to disclose. Dr. Giesel has nothing to disclose. Dr. Olmo has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sarno has nothing to disclose. Dr. Jardim has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusion:CNS manifestations are relatively common in patients with HME but GBS has not been previously reported. Our case illustrates the importance of a high index of clinical suspicion which will facilitate early diagnosis and initiate timely therapy, thus avoiding potentially life-threatening complications.Background:Not applicableDesign/Methods:Not applicableResults:Not applicableConclusions:Not applicableDisclosure: Dr. Zhu, MD has nothing to disclose. Dr. Arukala, MD has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sheikh, MD has nothing to disclose. Dr. Uprety, MD has nothing to disclose. Dr. McCrary, MD has nothing to disclose. Dr. Silverman, MD has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cranston, MD has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Monday 17 April 2017
Conclusions:Together, our results suggest that understanding the regulatory pathways associated with IL-6 could be an interesting lead to novel therapeutic strategies for neuropathic pain in leprosy patients.Disclosure: Dr. Jardim has nothing to disclose. Dr. Silveira has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pitta has nothing to disclose. Dr. Giesel has nothing to disclose. Dr. Andrade has nothing to disclose. Dr. Vital has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sarno has nothing to disclose. Dr. Olmo has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Saturday 15 April 2017
LYME DISEASE is a bacteria infection spread to human when they are bitten by an infected tick. (Source: Daily Express - Health)
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Friday 14 April 2017
We describe the case of fulminant myocarditis due to Lyme disease and use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) for the treatment of the Lyme carditis associated with refractory cardiogenic shock. Fulminant Lyme myocarditis in young adult male patient led to a sudden onset of acute, severe biventricular heart failure with progressive cardiogenic shock, and multiorgan failure immediately after admission. PMID: 28409501 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Croatian Medical Journal)
Friday 14 April 2017
We describe a case of bilateral simultaneous facial nerve palsy associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in a 3-year-old boy. Several symptoms led to the diagnosis of EBV infection: the clinical situation (fever, stomachache, and throat infection), white blood cell count (5300/mm(3) with 70% lymphocyte count), seroconversion with EBV-specific antibodies, lymphocytic meningitis, and a positive blood EBV polymerase chain reaction (9.3×10(3) copies of EBV-DNA). An MRI brain scan showed bilateral gadolinium enhancement of the facial nerve. A treatment plan with IV antibiotics (ceftriaxone) and corticosteroids was implemented. Antibiotics were stopped after the diagnosis of Lyme disease was ruled out. The patient's facial weakness improved within a few weeks. Bilateral facial nerve p...
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Thursday 13 April 2017
IN the run up to the Easter bank holiday, pet owners across the UK are being warned of a potential increase in the risk of their pet picking up a tick. Bayer Animal Health says that a favourable spring climate allows ticks to begin feeding earlier and for longer throughout the year. This increase in tick activity could lead to a greater risk of zoonotic diseases such as Lyme disease. ‘Easter time is perfect parasite season,’ said Jenny Helm, a veterinary clinician from the University of Glasgow. ‘Tick bites are painful, irritating and can cause anxiety as well as distress to our pets. It's important for pet owners to be aware that tick bites can lead to other more harmful problems such as anaemia especially in young dogs.’ Bayer is also warning that increased pet tr...
Tuesday 11 April 2017
Marie Vancov á, Nataliia Rudenko, Jiří Vaněček, Maryna Golovchenko, Martin Strnad, Ryan O. M. Rego, Lucie Tichá, Libor Grubhoffer, Jana Nebesářová (Source: Frontiers in Microbiology)
Tuesday 11 April 2017
Authors: Ohn J, Park SY, Moon J, Choe YS, Kim KH Abstract Morgellons disease is a rare disease with unknown etiology. Herein, we report the first case of Morgellons disease in Korea. A 30-year-old woman presented with a 2-month history of pruritic erythematous patches and erosions on the arms, hands, and chin. She insisted that she had fiber-like materials under her skin, which she had observed through a magnifying device. We performed skin biopsy, and observed a fiber extruding from the dermal side of the specimen. Histopathological examination showed only mild lymphocytic infiltration, and failed to reveal evidence of any microorganism. The polymerase chain reaction for Borrelia burgdorferi was negative in her serum. PMID: 28392653 [PubMed] (Source: Annals of Dermatology)
Monday 10 April 2017
(University of Massachusetts at Amherst) The LMZ at UMass Amherst earned a two-year, renewable contract for up to $112,000 per year to test several thousand ticks for six bacterial and one protozoan pathogen using DNA-based assays. UMass Amherst microbiology professor and LMZ director Stephen Rich says these tests will detect the pathogens that cause Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis and Babesiosis, among others. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Monday 10 April 2017
(Source: International Journal of General Medicine)
Monday 10 April 2017
CONCLUSION: Healthcare practitioners should have a high index of suspicion for Lyme disease following travel in the areas shown, particularly in the summer months. The authors suggest that patients presenting with facial palsy should be tested for Lyme disease. PMID: 28396367 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: The British Journal of General Practice)
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Saturday 8 April 2017
Authors: Yaldiz M, Erdem T, Dilek FH PMID: 28387204 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Hong Kong Medical Journal)
Friday 7 April 2017
As the spring weather approaches, many common winter infections recede. However, warmer temperatures can introduce a new set of health challenges. As trees and flowers bloom and grass grows, susceptible children will start to display symptoms of seasonal allergies, triggering flares of asthma and eczema. And, As children spend more time outdoors, parents also need to watch for exposure to ticks, poison ivy and excess sun. Here are a few tips to keeping your child healthy this spring. Seasonal allergies: What can you do? During allergy season: have your child bathe after spending time outdoors to remove allergens from the skin and reduce symptoms keep your child with bad allergies indoors on days with high-pollen counts close windows and turn on air conditioning to help remove allerg...
Monday 3 April 2017
Discussion Inflammation of the middle layer of the eye, or uvea, is termed uveitis. Uveitis can be divided into anterior, intermediate or posterior uveitis by involving the anterior (iris and ciliary body), intermediate (vitreous) or posterior (choroid and usually retina) compartments. Panuveitis involves all 3 compartments. Duration can also be used to classify uveitis. Acute is 6 weeks and > 3 months is chronic persistent uveitis. Episodic periods of inactivity and reactivity that last more than 3 months are called recurrent uveitis. A third way to characterize uveitis is if it is granulomatous or not. Uveitis increases with age with the highest incidence and prevalence in > 65 year olds. Only ~10% of uveitis occurs in the pediatric age group. Uveitis can be difficult to identify i...
Saturday 1 April 2017
Publication date: 1 April 2017 Source:New Scientist, Volume 234, Issue 3119 Author(s): Chelsea Whyte Lyme disease is set to explode in the US this year, and there's no vaccine. How worried should you be, asks Chelsea Whyte (Source: New Scientist)
Saturday 1 April 2017
Authors: Loh SM, Gillett A, Ryan U, Irwin P, Oskam C Abstract Recently, a novel species of the genus Borreliawas identified in Bothriocroton concolor and Ixodes holocyclus ticks from echidnas. Analyses of 16S rRNA and flaB genes identified three closely related genotypes of this bacterium (Borrelia sp. Aus A-C) that were unique and distinct from previously described borreliae. Phylogenetic analyses of flaB (763 bp), groEL (1537 bp), gyrB (1702 bp) and glpQ (874 bp) gene sequences and concatenated sequences (3585 bp) of three gene loci (16S rRNA, flaB and gyrB) were consistent with previous findings and confirm that this novel species of the genus Borrelia is more closely related to, yet distinct from, the Reptile-associated (REP) and Relapsing Fever (RF) groups. At the fl...
Saturday 1 April 2017
A 49-year-old man from Minnesota presented to the emergency department in October with acute-onset diplopia and a 1-month history of progressive erythematous rash (Figure 1), fatigue, and myalgias. Pertinent exposure history included tick removal from his outdoor cat 1 month previously. On presentation, his vital signs were stable, and results of a complete blood cell count and electrolyte panel were unremarkable. Electrocardiography revealed new second-degree Mobi tz type I heart block (Supplemental Figure 1, available online at http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org). (Source: Mayo Clinic Proceedings)
Wednesday 29 March 2017
A new prediction says 2017 and 2018 will see major Lyme disease outbreaks in new areas. This could lead to lifelong health consequences, so where's the vaccine? (Source: New Scientist - Health)
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Wednesday 29 March 2017
A new prediction says 2017 and 2018 will see major Lyme disease outbreaks in new areas. This could lead to lifelong health consequences, so where's the vaccine? (Source: New Scientist - Health)
Monday 27 March 2017
Title: Lyme Disease Quiz: Symptoms& SignsCategory: MedicineNet QuizCreated: 6/15/2010 12:00:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 3/27/2017 1:47:19 PM (Source: MedicineNet Arthritis General)
Monday 27 March 2017
Title: Lyme Disease Is on the RiseCategory: Doctor's& Expert's views on SymptomsCreated: 4/29/2000 12:00:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 3/27/2017 12:00:00 AM (Source: MedicineNet Arthritis General)
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Monday 27 March 2017
(Source: Journal of Neurology)
Thursday 23 March 2017
The objective of this study was to identify local abiotic and biotic factors of significance for the invasion of I. scapularis in Ontario. The presence of ticks was determined by drag sampling at 154 sites in southern, eastern and central Ontario from May to October in 2014 and 2015. At each site, data on site aspect, forest cover, understory density and composition, soil moisture and composition, and the depth of litter layer were collected. Cumulative degree days above zero °C, total precipitation and elevation were attributed to each site using a geographic information system. A mixed multi-variable logistic regression model was created to assess the impact of the ecological factors on the presence of I. scapularis. In total, I. scapularis was found at 29 sites (18.8%) across the study...
Wednesday 22 March 2017
CONCLUSIONS: The obtained results show that the pheasants had developed antibodies to the investigated tick-borne agents. For this reason, they seem to be involved in the epidemiology of the studied tick-borne bacteria. PMID: 28378988 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine : AAEM)
Tuesday 21 March 2017
Global warming already widens the footprint of Lyme disease while Zika virus exacerbates asthma and lung diseases and increases the risks posed by violent weather and wildfires. Now, new research suggests rising temperatures lead to a surge in diagnoses of type-2 diabetes. The study, published Monday in the BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care, compared annual average temperatures across the United States from 1996 to 2009 with reported new cases of type-2 diabetes. The disease, which typically develops later in life, prevents the body from absorbing glucose needed to produce energy. In particularly hot years, the number of new diagnoses spiked. “When it gets warmer, there is higher incidence of diabetes,” Lisanne Blauw, the study’s co-author and a PhD candidate at the N...
Tuesday 21 March 2017
In conclusion, co-infections with various pathogens in D. reticulatus ticks seem to be relatively rare and mostly not significant. PMID: 28378977 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine : AAEM)
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Friday 17 March 2017
This piece by Michelle Marie Wallace originally appeared on The Establishment, an independent multimedia site founded and run by women. “Maybe I should stop my periods.” It wasn’t something I had ever before considered and I had, in fact, wondered if there could be potential, unknown, long-term ramifications when friends of mine stopped theirs. I had never considered my periods an inconvenience or gross or annoying; in fact, I had liked the rhythm of them. The times I had been on birth control I resented how it made me feel divorced from my body. When I asked this question, I was sitting in my doctor’s office, nine months into antiviral treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome, 11 years after starting treatment for Lyme disease. The previous year had be...
Thursday 16 March 2017
Cases of Lyme disease in Michigan have risen dramatically in recent years, and a new study links that trend to larger and more widespread tick populations. Researchers collected data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on 1,057 Lyme disease cases diagnosed between 2000 and 2014, and aligned them with a new analysis of tick distribution across the state. Results showed that not only did the number of yearly infections in the state increase significantly over the 15-year period, but so did the number of counties where ticks had been seen, or found to be established. And the number of infected people may be much higher than the records indicate, the researchers said. Because Lyme disease is frequently misdiagnosed as other illnesses, reported cases likely represent only ...
Wednesday 15 March 2017
For SELF, by Amy Marturana. Regardless of your skin type, chances are you’ve had an itchy, red, bumpy rash at one time or another. It’s like the international sign of skin irritation. If it’s not affecting your daily life or covering whole body, and you’re not feeling sick otherwise, chances are it’s nothing to worry about and will clear up on its own, Rebecca Kazin, M.D., dermatologist and associate director at the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery, tells SELF. Treating it with over-the-counter hydrocortisone itch relief cream until it goes away may be sufficient. “But if it lasts for over two weeks, or goes away and comes back” or if your itch cream is not bringing you relief, it’s a good idea to visit your dermatologist &...
Wednesday 15 March 2017
One morning in July 2011, Samantha Ahdoot’s 9-year-old son, Isaac, grabbed his clarinet, trekked up the hilly road to the bus stop and set off for another day at the band camp near his home in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. Within an hour, Ahdoot’s phone rang: Isaac had collapsed and was en route to the emergency room on a stretcher. Her otherwise healthy son suffered heat exhaustion and dehydration from the blistering heat of a summer that regularly broke temperature records. July alone shattered two daytime high temperature records in just the D.C. area. Concerned, Ahdoot, a pediatrician, volunteered to be camp physician. As temperatures soared, she was forced to cut soccer games short and limit campers to swimming and indoor activities. “That was the experience ...
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Monday 13 March 2017
The human face of climate change is its impact on our health. Higher temperatures intensify air pollution and respiratory illness. Changing weather patterns lead to drought and then famine, while increasing rains in other areas will create the breeding ground for disease and pandemics. While the policy changes needed to blunt climate change are surely substantial, the cost of ignoring the science behind climate change will be felt through its harmful effects on our health. Recently, the CDC cancelled its Climate and Health Summit out of fear of retribution from the Trump administration. Working with Al Gore and others, Harvard worked to revive the meeting, which was held in Atlanta on February 16. This meeting reminded us that universities have a unique responsibility that we ensure ...
Sunday 12 March 2017
Dr. Conover, a chemist, developed tetracycline, a powerful chemically altered antibiotic with fewer side effects than the drug from which it was derived. (Source: NYT Health)
Sunday 12 March 2017
Researchers are saying this year is shaping up to be another big Lyme disease season in Vermont (Source: ABC News: Health)
Saturday 11 March 2017
The world is seeing more and more new diseases, and the U.S. is no exception. We're living in a hot spot for tick-borne diseases. Some are deadly. The key to stopping them may be an unlikely critter.(Image credit: Kayana Szymczak for NPR) (Source: NPR Health and Science)
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Friday 10 March 2017
This reporting is brought to you by HuffPost’s health and science platform, The Scope. Like us on Facebook and Twitter and tell us your story: scopestories@huffingtonpost.com. -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. (Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post)
Thursday 9 March 2017
Lyme disease (LD) is the most common vector-borne illness in North America. Reported cases of LD have increased from approximately 10,000 cases annually in 1991 to>25,000 cases in 2014. Greater recognition, enhanced surveillance, and public education have contributed to the increased prevalence, as have geographic expansion and the number of infected ticks. Cases are reported primarily in the Northeastern United States, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, with children having the highest incidence of LD among all age groups. (Source: The Journal of Emergency Medicine)
Wednesday 8 March 2017
8 hours ago ... Experts expect an increase in Lyme disease cases due to an influx of infected ticks. Lyme disease, if untreated, can lead to fever and joint pain. (Source: AARP.org News)
Tuesday 7 March 2017
Authors: Scott JD, Foley JE, Anderson JF, Clark KL, Durden LA Abstract We document the presence of blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis, in the Grand River valley, Centre Wellington, Ontario. Overall, 15 (36%) of 42 I. scapularis adults collected from 41 mammalian hosts (dogs, cats, humans) were positive for the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.). Using real-time PCR testing and DNA sequencing of the flagellin (fla) gene, we determined that Borrelia amplicons extracted from I. scapularis adults belonged to B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), which is pathogenic to humans and certain domestic animals. Based on the distribution of I. scapularis adults within the river basin, it appears likely that migratory birds provide an annual influx of I. scapularis ...
Tuesday 7 March 2017
European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) are urban dwellers and host both Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes hexagonus. These ticks transmit several zoonotic pathogens like Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato), Anaplasma pha... (Source: Parasites and Vectors)
Monday 6 March 2017
Ray, from Sussex, has suffered from several serious illnesses including Lyme disease and malaria during his expeditions for programmes such as 'Ray Mears' Bushcraft' and 'World of Survival'. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Monday 6 March 2017
One scientist is predicting a risky year for tick-borne Lyme disease in the Northeast, and it's spreading. But don't panic. We've got tips.(Image credit: Stephen Reiss for NPR) (Source: NPR Health and Science)
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Monday 6 March 2017
Lyme disease is spreading, and this summer is shaping up as a whopper. Why has the tick-borne illness gotten so bad? The answer traces back to something the colonists did more than 200 years ago.(Image credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) (Source: NPR Health and Science)
Monday 6 March 2017
Discussion Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a Flavivirae, arbovirus that is endemic to many areas of Asia and the Pacific. It is estimated to affect ~70,000 people/year with ~10-15,000 deaths yearly in 20 countries, with a fatality rate of 35-40%. It can cause encephalitis and irreversible neurological morbidity. JEV is spread by Culex mosquitos which feed on swine. Increased environmental temperature and increased humidity (warm air is more moist) increases mosquito numbers, their survivability and ultimate dissemination. China has the highest rates of JEV with particular areas being more prone, as some areas co-farm rice and swine and the families live closely to the rice paddies and livestock which encourages transmission. JEV’s range has expanded over the past few decades inc...
Monday 6 March 2017
Everyone agrees that ticks are exceedingly nasty creatures. For hundreds of millions of years, they have survived on Earth by sucking blood from their victims for days, often leaving behind terrible diseases as a thank-you note. In humans, these diseases include many unpleasant and dangerous illnesses, such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, babesiosis, Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever, and tularemia, to name a few. (Source: University of Maryland School of Medicine News Headlines)
Friday 3 March 2017
Spring is in the air a little earlier this year, but don’t go celebrating just yet. This year’s weather is shattering norms. Washington, D.C., for example, not only had the warmest February on record, but last month’s temps already surpassed the average records for March, too. The situation is similar for a lot of other spots across the country, and that could be bad news when it comes to public health. Experts theorize climate change may be part of the cause of this year’s early spring phenomenon, and warn the overall warming of the planet can have physical and mental health consequences. Below are just a few ways the rising temperatures can take a toll on our wellbeing. An earlier spring could lead to an increase in illness. When the weather is co...
Thursday 2 March 2017
Publication date: Available online 27 February 2017 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Maria N. Saracho Bottero, Patrick S. Sebastian, Luis A. Carvalho, Leonor Guardia Claps, Mariano Mastropaolo, Atilio J. Mangold, José M. Venzal, Santiago Nava This work was performed to evaluate the presence of Borrelia in different populations of Ixodes pararicinus from northwestern Argentina (Jujuy, Salta and Tucumán provinces). Questing adults and nymphs of I. pararicinus were collected from vegetation, and I. pararicinus nymphs were also collected on birds. Eighty-two ticks were tested for Borrelia presence by PCR targeting the gene flagellin and the rrfA-rrlB intergenic spacer region. Pools of ticks positive to Borrelia were formed by two nymphs collected on Turdus rufiventris in Tucu...
Thursday 2 March 2017
Ashley L. Marcinkiewicz, Peter Kraiczy, Yi-Pin Lin (Source: Frontiers in Microbiology)
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Wednesday 1 March 2017
We present a case of a patient working in Africa, who returned with fever, constitutional symptoms, headache, and blurred vision. An initial diagnosis of malaria was made, and additional workup revealed Borrelia burgdorferi co‐infection and antiphospholipid syndrome. The differential diagnosis of fever in a returned traveler is wide and challenging. We present a case of a patient working in Africa, who returned with fever, constitutional symptoms, headache, and blurred vision. An initial diagnosis of malaria was made, and additional workup revealed Borrelia burgdorferi co‐infection and antiphospholipid syndrome. (Source: Clinical Case Reports)
Wednesday 1 March 2017
Authors: Khan J, Mathias P PMID: 28339873 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: American Journal of Clinical Pathology)
Wednesday 1 March 2017
CONCLUSIONS: An increased frequency of depressive and neurotic disorders was observed in patients with LB, particularly in patients with neuroborreliosis. Neurotic disorders, mainly adaptive, were most common in males with LB, while depressive disorders were more frequent in females. An increased frequency of cognitive deficits was observed in patients with neuroborreliosis, particularly in females. PMID: 28378969 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine : AAEM)
Tuesday 28 February 2017
This study demonstrates that LTB4 promotes macrophage phagocytosis of bacteria via BLT1, and that BLT2 can fulfill this role in the absence of BLT1. (Source: The Journal of Lipid Research)
Tuesday 28 February 2017
Lyme carditis poses a challenge to physicians given dramatic clinical presentations like the one presented in this case. Quite frequently, these young patients are implanted with permanent pacemakers; given lack of knowledge on the transient nature of the cardiac conduction system inflammation. This is the first case in the literature that has captured the electrocardiographic evolution of Lyme carditis, day by day until complete resolution. (Source: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine)
Tuesday 28 February 2017
Conclusions By using a strict cut-off value, it was possible to exclude B. miyamotoi infection in LB and TBE patients and to serologically confirm B. miyamotoi infection in 44% to 94% of the PCR-positive BMD patients (95% confidence interval). Thus, sensitive serological assays should not solely rely on rGlpQ, to support the diagnosis of acute BMD. (Source: Journal of Microbiological Methods)
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Tuesday 28 February 2017
Untitled by PublicDomainPictures is licensed under CC0. Recently, the Arkansas Department of Health announced it had discovered two diagnosed cases of tickborne diseases, which meet the surveillance definition for Lyme disease–this is the first time the state has had cases that meet this definition in 10 years. Arkansas is generally considered a low-incidence state for Lyme disease, but several other tickborne diseases are more prevalent in the state, including tularemia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Ehrlichia, all of which can be fatal. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted to humans by infected blacklegged ticks. The symptoms are similar to flu and include fever, headache, and fatigue as well as a bullseye rash. If you observe any of these symptoms and have recent...
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Monday 27 February 2017
Authors: Harman MW, Hamby AE, Boltyanskiy R, Belperron AA, Bockenstedt LK, Kress H, Dufresne ER, Wolgemuth CW Abstract Borrelia burgdorferi, the spirochete that causes Lyme disease, is a tick-transmitted pathogen that requires motility to invade and colonize mammalian and tick hosts. These bacteria use a unique undulating flat-wave shape to penetrate and propel themselves through host tissues. Previous mathematical modeling has suggested that the morphology and motility of these spirochetes depends crucially on the flagellar/cell wall stiffness ratio. Here, we test this prediction using the antibiotic vancomycin to weaken the cell wall. We found that low to moderate doses of vancomycin (≤2.0 μg/mL for 24 h) produced small alterations in cell shape and that as the dose was increa...
Monday 27 February 2017
Publication date: Available online 27 February 2017 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Maria N. Saracho Bottero, Patrick S. Sebastian, Luis A. Carvalho, Leonor Guardia Claps, Mariano Mastropaolo, Atilio J. Mangold, José M. Venzal, Santiago Nava This work was performed to evaluate the presence of Borrelia in different populations of Ixodes pararicinus from northwestern Argentina (Jujuy, Salta and Tucumán provinces). Questing adults and nymphs of I. pararicinus were collected from vegetation, and I. pararicinus nymphs were also collected on birds. Eighty two ticks were tested for Borrelia presence by PCR targeting the gene flagellin and the rrfA-rrlB intergenic spacer region. Pools of ticks positive to Borrelia were formed by two nymphs collected on Turdus rufiventris in Tucu...
Monday 27 February 2017
Authors: Glatz M, Müllegger RR Abstract Serology, the detection of B. burgdorferi-specific IgM and IgG serum antibodies, is the most common laboratory test to diagnose cutaneous manifestations of Lyme disease. In a two-tiered approach, an ELISA is used as a screening test. A positive or equivocal ELISA result needs confirmation by a specific immunoblot. The sensitivity of this approach reaches 80-95%. The diagnosis of erythema migrans is based on its typical clinical appearance. Serology is only indicated in atypical cases. In contrast, serology is mandatory in the diagnostic workup of borrelial lymphocytoma and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans. A positive serology can persist for many years, even after adequate antibiotic treatment. A positive serology is no indication ...
Friday 24 February 2017
Helena P ětrošová, Azad Eshghi, Zoha Anjum, Nataliya Zlotnikov, Caroline E. Cameron, Tara J. Moriarty (Source: Frontiers in Microbiology)
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Wednesday 22 February 2017
Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease, responds to numerous host-derived signals to alter adaptive capabilities during its enzootic cycle in an arthropod vector and mammalian host. Molecular mechanisms that enable B. burgdorferi to detect, channel, and respond to these signals have become an intense area of study for developing strategies to limit transmission/infection. Bioinformatic analysis of the borrelial genome revealed the presence of polyamine transport components (PotA, PotB, PotC, and PotD), while homologs for polyamine biosynthesis were conspicuously absent. Although potABCD is cotranscribed, the level of PotA was elevated under in vitro growth conditions mimicking unfed ticks compared to the level in fed ticks, while the levels of PotD were similar under the aforement...
Tuesday 21 February 2017
Jenny A. Hyde (Source: Frontiers in Immunology)
Tuesday 21 February 2017
ABSTRACT Daylight photodynamic therapy has been used in countries with high latitudes during the summer for actinic keratoses treatment with reports of similar efficacy to conventional photodynamic therapy. We evaluate its safety in 20 patients in the city of Fortaleza, a local with low latitude and high brightness. Sixteen patients did not report any discomfort due to the procedure. Daylight photodynamic therapy is an easy application method with great tolerability by the patient and has the possibility of being performed throughout the year in these regions. It can mean a promising tool in the control of skin cancer. (Source: Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia)
Monday 20 February 2017
Publication date: Available online 20 February 2017 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Kateřina Kybicová, Kateřina Baštová, Marek Malý The aim of the present study is to compare the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in questing ticks by using molecular methods from spring to autumn 2007. A total of 526 Ixodes ricinus ticks were collected from vegetation in three different sampling sites, representing an urban area (city park), a suburban area (village) and a natural montane habitat. The prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. was 17.3% (7.5% in males, 18.7% in females and 20.2% in nymphs), while 4.4% of ticks (13.1% of males, 3.7% of females and 1.6% of nymphs) tested positive for A. phagocytophilum. We found higher rates of An...
Monday 20 February 2017
Karen E. Tracy, Nicole Baumgarth (Source: Frontiers in Immunology)
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Friday 17 February 2017
The Labour candidate for the key Stoke-on-Trent Central by-election believes that his day job with UNISON – “at the coalface of public services” – has had a major impact on his campaign. Gareth Snell (pictured with Labour MPs Angela Rayner, left, and Ruth Smeeth) is in the last stages of a high-profile election fight, in which his chief rival is UKIP leader Paul Nuttall. One of the key differences between the Mr Snell and Mr Nuttall is that only one of them is a local. While the UKIP leader recently moved to the constituency in order to contest it, Mr Snell has lived in the Potteries for the past 13 years. He is a former leader of the nearby Newcastle-under-Lyme council and has worked with UNISON since 2014 – first as an organiser and now as a manager for the West Midlands regio...
Wednesday 15 February 2017
Recently, there has been considerable interest in the topic of fake news. For infectious diseases physicians, false and misleading information about the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease is not new. It is increasing in frequency and prominence, creating much confusion among primary care physicians and their patients. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Wednesday 15 February 2017
We report here a comparative analysis of the nucleotide sequences of 236 plasmids present in fourteen independent isolat... (Source: BMC Genomics)
Wednesday 15 February 2017
There has been an emergence and expansion of tick-borne diseases in Europe, Asia and North America in recent years, including Lyme disease, tick-borne encephalitis and human anaplasmosis. The primary vectors i... (Source: Parasites and Vectors)
Wednesday 15 February 2017
Substance P (SP) is produced at high levels in the central nervous system (CNS), and its target receptor, neurokinin 1 receptor (NK-1R), is expressed by glia and leukocytes. This tachykinin functions to exacer... (Source: Journal of Neuroinflammation)
Tuesday 14 February 2017
For hundreds of millions of years, ticks have survived on Earth by sucking blood from their victims for days, often leaving behind terrible diseases as a thank-you note. But no one has ever looked at why ticks, themselves, are able to survive while harboring bacteria, viruses and parasites. Now, for the first time, scientists have decoded how the ingenious tick immune system fights a myriad of microbes. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Tuesday 14 February 2017
(University of Maryland School of Medicine) For hundreds of millions of years, ticks have survived on Earth by sucking blood from their victims for days, often leaving behind terrible diseases as a thank-you note. But no one has ever looked at why ticks, themselves, are able to survive while harboring bacteria, viruses and parasites. Now, for the first time, scientists have decoded how the ingenious tick immune system fights a myriad of microbes. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Monday 13 February 2017
Publication date: Available online 14 February 2017 Source:Veterinary Parasitology Author(s): Víctor M. Montenegro, Marta C. Bonilla, Darwin Kaminsky, Juan José Romero-Zúñiga, Susanne Siebert, Friederike Krämer In a study in Costa Rica 314 serum samples from dogs throughout all seven provinces were tested using a commercial kit for the detection of circulating antibodies against Anaplasma spp., Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Ehrlichia canis, and of circulating antigen of Dirofilaria immitis. A total of 6.4% (20/314) and 38.2% (120/314) were positive for Anaplasma spp. (An) and E. canis (Ec) antibodies. Overall, 8.0% (25/314) were positive for D. immitis (Di) antigen. One single dog reacted positive with B. burgdorferi s.l. (Bb) antigen (0.3%, 1/314). E. canis positive dogs were ...
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Thursday 9 February 2017
We report the most complete version of lp150, and this study indicates that the plasmid likely facilitates vector colonization and establishing early mammalian infection (Source: GEO: Gene Expression Omnibus)
Wednesday 8 February 2017
Skills for Communicating in Veterinary Medicine Cindy L. Adams and Suzanne Kurtz 310 pages, paperback, £35. Otmoor Publishing. 2017. ISBN 978 1 910303 12 2 Ecology and Prevention of Lyme Borreliosis: Ecology and Control of Vector Borne Diseases, Vol 4 Edited by Marieta A. H. Braks, Sipke E. van Wieren, Willem Takken and Hein Sprong 462 pages, hardback, 99. Wageningen Academic Publishers. 2016. ISBN 978 90 8686 293 1 Diseases of the Goat, 4th edn John G. Matthews 424 pages, paperback, £44.99. Wiley-Blackwell. 2016. ISBN 978 1 119 07351 2 (Source: Veterinary Record)
Tuesday 7 February 2017
We thank Drs. Halperin and Greenberg for their interest in our recent article that provided a critical appraisal of what has been termed the mild axonal peripheral neuropathy of late neurologic Lyme disease [1 –3]. Dr. Halperin is correct that this entity was described in papers published over 20years ago [4–7]. Essentially, no recent articles have provided any new data affirming this entity in North America, but no systematic and rigorously conducted studies have been conducted to refute the existenc e of this entity in North America as well. (Source: Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease)
Tuesday 7 February 2017
It can only be hoped that the paper by Wormser et al.(Wormser& Strle, 2016) can accomplish what a quarter century of deliberate neglect has not – the elimination of the concept of a symmetric diffuse axonal neuropathy as a distinct nosologic entity in Lyme disease. As the authors point out, this concept was introduced early in our understanding of Lyme disease –before 2 tier serologic testing - and included some patients diagnosed on th e basis of T cell testing – a procedure then advocated by one of Dr. (Source: Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease)
Tuesday 7 February 2017
I read with great interest the article by Wormser et al. but found that many of the authors' stated reasons for questioning the existence and frequency of this type of Lyme neuropathy require critical appraisal themselves. (Source: Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease)
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Monday 6 February 2017
by Eva Ru žić-Sabljić, Vera Maraspin, Daša Stupica, Tereza Rojko, Petra Bogovič, Franc Strle, Tjaša Cerar The isolation ofB.burgdorferi sensu lato requires the use of complex cultivation media. The aim of the study was to compare the usefulness of BSK-H (a commercial medium produced by HiMedia, India) and MKP medium. MKP and BSK-H media were prepared in accordance with the relevant protocols.Borrelia strains and skin culture biopsies were simultaneously inoculated into both media, incubated and checked for growth. Borrelial growth characteristics, isolation rates and characteristics of the isolated borreliae were analysed and compared. Initially, numbers of spirochaetes were higher in BSK-H than in MKP; however, in comparison with MKP, the strains subcultured in BSK-H medium were mo...
Monday 6 February 2017
Authors: Dersch R, Rauer S Abstract Lyme neuroborreliosis is a tick-borne infectious disease caused by the spirochete bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. Clinical manifestations are classified as early and late Lyme neuroborreliosis. Early manifestations are much more common than late manifestations. Serological testing should only be performed when typical neurological symptoms are present because false positive results are common due to a high seroprevalence in the population. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis should be performed if Lyme neuroborreliosis is suspected. A systematic review found similar effects of beta-lactam antibiotics and doxycycline regarding the outcome of neurological symptoms and adverse effects. The prognosis after antibiotic treatment is usually...
Monday 6 February 2017
Wild hosts are commonly co-infected with complex, genetically diverse, pathogen communities. Competition is expected between genetically or ecologically similar pathogen strains which may influence patterns of... (Source: Parasites and Vectors)
Monday 6 February 2017
There are only few cases of renal pathology induced by Lyme borreliosis in the literature, as this damage is rare and uncommon in humans. This patient is the first case of minimal change glomerular disease ass... (Source: BMC Nephrology)
Thursday 2 February 2017
Mritunjay Kumar, Ragini Singh, Mohsin RashidJournal of Pediatric Neurosciences 2016 11(4):384-385 (Source: Journal of Pediatric Neurosciences)
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Thursday 2 February 2017
George Mason University spinoff Ceres Nanosciences Inc. has raised $3 million in Series A funding. The round, announced Thursday, was led by Concord, Massachusetts-based GreyBird Ventures, an early stage venture firm that committed up to $5.5. million over the next year to Ceres. The firm is also working to help raise up to $9 million to complete the Series A round, which will be used to accele rate the market release of a highly sensitive diagnostic test for Lyme disease. The Manassas company has… (Source: bizjournals.com Health Care News Headlines)
Thursday 2 February 2017
(University of Texas at San Antonio) Janakiram Seshu, associate professor of biology and associate dean of The Graduate School at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), has received a $404,250 grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease to support his research to better understand and prevent the spread of Lyme disease. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
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Thursday 2 February 2017
Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB), caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), affects both the central and peripheral nervous systems. Previously, we reported that in a model of acute LNB in rhesus monkeys, tr... (Source: Journal of Neuroinflammation)
Wednesday 1 February 2017
(Source: Arthritis and Rheumatism)
Wednesday 1 February 2017
B cell immunity, including the chemokine CXCL13, has an established role in Lyme neuroborreliosis, and also, T helper (Th) 17 immunity, including IL-17A, has recently been implicated. (Source: Journal of Neuroinflammation)
Tuesday 31 January 2017
The purpose of this study was to assess the seroprevalence of C6 ELISA antibodies in healthy blood donors in Kalmar County, Sweden, in relation to age, sex and time of year (peak season vs off season). In addition, we wanted to assess serological status over time in a group of C6 ELISA seropositive blood donors. Sera were collected from 273 (131 women, 142 men) blood donors in autumn 2011 and 300 (144 women, 156 men) in winter 2014. All sera were analysed in the C6 ELISA and the results were interpreted according to the manufacturer′s instructions. The seroprevalence was 22% (females 16%, males 28%) in 2011 and 24% (females 15%, males 33%) in 2014. The seroprevalence was significantly higher in males and increased with age. The highest seroprevalence was observed among elderly men, 60–...
Monday 30 January 2017
Publication date: Available online 31 January 2017 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Carolina K. Rangel, Luís F. Parizi, Gabriela A. Sabadin, Evenilton P. Costa, Nelilma C. Romeiro, Masayoshi Isezaki, Naftaly W. Githaka, Adriana Seixas, Carlos Logullo, Satoru Konnai, Kazuhiko Ohashi, Itabajara da Silva Vaz Cystatins are cysteine peptidase inhibitors that in ticks mediate processes such as blood feeding and digestion. The ixodid tick Ixodes persulcatus is endemic to the Eurasia, where it is the principal vector of Lyme borreliosis. To date, no I. persulcatus cystatin has been characterized. In the present work, we describe three novel cystatins from I. persulcatus, named JpIpcys2a, JpIpcys2b and JpIpcys2c. In addition, the potential of tick cystatins as cross-protective anti...
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Monday 30 January 2017
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. (Source: Protein Science)
Monday 30 January 2017
Conclusions: The OspA vaccine against Lyme disease is safe and its immunogenicity and efficacy have been verified. Instead of stagnating or giving up, further research on improving the vaccine is needed. On the foundation of preliminary studies, we can attempt to develop new vaccines for human use. (Source: The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries)
Sunday 29 January 2017
We describe a case of early Lyme borreliosis in American woman diagnosed in a Colombian hospital. (Source: Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease)
Friday 27 January 2017
Publication date: Available online 28 January 2017 Source:Best Practice & Research Clinical Haematology Author(s): Maurilio Ponzoni, Andrés JM. Ferreri In the last decades some bacteria have been associated with a various extent with marginal zone (extra nodal, nodal and splenic types) lymphomas are frequently associated with chronic infections, with important clinical, molecular, biological, and therapeutic implications. The well-known correlation between Helicobacter pylori and gastric MALT-lymphoma, the recently reported links between Chlamydia psittaci and ocular adnexal MALT-lymphoma and Borrelia burgdorferi and cutaneous MALT lymphoma constitute the most studied examples; in addition, Campylobacter jejuni and some more recent associations encompassing Achromobacter xylosoxi...
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Thursday 26 January 2017
Authors: Barbour AG, Adeolu M, Gupta RS Abstract This rebuttal Letter responds to a Letter in the IJSEM by Margos et al. challenging division of the genus Borrelia into two genera. We discuss here point-by-point the issues raised by Margos et al. and show that much of their criticism is unfounded and in several cases based on misreading of the presented results. We summarize here the extensive evidence based on genomic, genetic and phenotypic properties showing that the members of the family Borreliaceae (containing mainly the genus Borrelia) comprises two distinct and cohesive groups of microbes, differing in diseases they cause and other phenotypes. Prior to the proposed division, Borrelia spp. causing Lyme disease (LD) were already functionally treated as a distinct group, refer...
Wednesday 25 January 2017
We recently identified the Borrelia burgdorferi outer membrane protein (OMP) BB0406 and found that the gene encoding this OMP was cotranscribed with the gene encoding the OMP BB0405. Interestingly, BB0405 and BB0406 share 59% similarity and are grouped into the same B. burgdorferi paralogous gene family. Given their overall similarity, it is plausible that both OMPs have similar or overlapping functions in this pathogenic spirochete. BB0405 was recently shown to be required for mammalian infection despite the observations that BB0405 is poorly immunogenic and not recognized during mouse or human infection. BB0405 orthologs have also been shown to bind the complement regulator protein factor H. Therefore, to better elucidate the role of BB0405 and its paralog BB0406 during infection and in ...
Wednesday 25 January 2017
In this study, we investigated whether B. burgdorferi infection affects bone health in mice. In mice inoculated with B. burgdorferi or vehicle (mock infection), we measured the presence of B. burgdorferi DNA in bones, bone mineral density (BMD), bone formation rates, biomechanical properties, cellular composition, and two- and three-dimensional features of bone microarchitecture. B. burgdorferi DNA was detected in bone. In the long bones, increasing B. burgdorferi DNA copy number correlated with reductions in areal and trabecular volumetric BMDs. Trabecular regions of femora exhibited significant, copy number-correlated microarchitectural disruption, but BMD, microarchitectural, and biomechanical properties of cortical bone were not affected. Bone loss in tibiae was not due to increased os...
Wednesday 25 January 2017
No abstract available (Source: Lippincott's Bone and Joint Newsletter)
Tuesday 24 January 2017
Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) is a disease of the nervous system caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies, which is transmitted by the bite of infected ticks. Approximately 15% of patients with Lyme borreliosis develop neurological manifestations; most frequently meningitis, cranial neuritis or polyradiculitis [1]. Ischemic stroke due to cerebral vasculitis is rarely ( (Source: Journal of the Neurological Sciences)
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Tuesday 24 January 2017
(TellMed Strategies) Bay Area Lyme Foundation, a national organization funding research to make Lyme disease easy to diagnose and simple to cure, announces the launch of the Lyme Disease Biobank, which is the first program to provide researchers with blood and urine samples from people with acute Lyme disease from multiple regions across the country, including the East Coast, West Coast and Upper Midwest. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Monday 23 January 2017
To the authors of “The ‘Normal’ Heart: Fascicular Ventricular Tachycardia”1: Tell us more about your 51-year-old man with unexplained right bundle branch block and regular broad complex fascicular tachycardia. At what time of year did he develop the arrhythmia? If he had dogs or enjoyed the great outdoors, mi ght he have Lyme carditis due to Borrelia spirochetes? If so, amiodarone and anti-arrhythmic drugs might be given with Lyme antibiotics, such as intravenous ceftriaxone and at least 3 weeks of oral doxycycline. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Monday 23 January 2017
Discussion Fatigue is a subjective feeling of decreased energy, tiredness or feeling of exhaustion. Lethargy is often used synonymously, but lethargy is a state of being drowsiness or sleepy, and implies mental status changes. Both can cause the person to be apathetic or less active. Fatigue is a common state that almost everyone experiences multiple times in his or her lifetime. For most people it is a relatively acute or short-term chronic problem, often with a relatively easily identifiable problem cause, such as inadequate sleep, acute illness, or overexertion. For some, it can be less readily identifiable such as depression, anemia, or hypothyroidism or because of a chronic illness with its waxing and waning natural history or being under- or over-treated. Chronic fatigue and cause d...
Thursday 19 January 2017
Brandee L. Stone, Catherine A. Brissette (Source: Frontiers in Immunology)
Wednesday 18 January 2017
U.S. National Park Service and CDC advise using insect repellents on clothes and skin (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)
Tuesday 17 January 2017
HealthDay News Planning a hiking trip in an eastern U.S. national park? Better pack tick repellent -- a new study found these parks are home to ticks that carry Lyme disease. (Source: Health News - UPI.com)
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Tuesday 17 January 2017
U.S. National Park Service and CDC advise using insect repellents on clothes and skin (Source: WebMD Health)
Tuesday 17 January 2017
U.S. National Park Service and CDC advise using insect repellents on clothes and skin Source: HealthDay Related MedlinePlus Pages: Lyme Disease, Tick Bites (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)
Tuesday 17 January 2017
Dr Paul Auwaerter discusses a scientist's proposal to rid areas prone to Lyme disease by making the mice immune to infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, thus breaking the transmission cycle.Medscape Infectious Diseases (Source: Medscape Infectious Diseases Headlines)
Tuesday 17 January 2017
TUESDAY, Jan. 17, 2017 -- Planning a hiking trip in an eastern U.S. national park? Better pack tick repellent -- a new study found these parks are home to ticks that carry Lyme disease. Blacklegged ticks -- also known as deer ticks -- carrying Lyme... (Source: Drugs.com - Daily MedNews)
Monday 16 January 2017
Publication date: Available online 16 January 2017 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Danielle Wroblewski, Linda Gebhardt, Melissa A. Prusinski, Lisa J. Meehan, Tanya A. Halse, Kimberlee A. Musser Borrelia miyamotoi (Bm) is a recently emerging bacterial agent transmitted by several species of ixodid ticks. Diagnosis of Bm infection can be challenging, as the organism is not easily cultivable. We have developed and validated a multiplex real-time PCR to simultaneously identify Bm infection and the agents causing human granulocytic anaplasmosis and human monocytic ehrlichiosis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Ehrlichia chaffeensis, respectively. The assay is 100% specific; highly sensitive, detecting 11 gene copies of Bm DNA in both whole blood and cerebral spinal fluid; and prov...
Friday 13 January 2017
(Reuters Health) – It may one day be possible to spot illness the same way many of us already track our exercise habits and sleep patterns: with wearable sensors, researchers say. In a new study, 60 people wore devices that collected more than 250,000 measurements a day on things like heart rate, oxygen in the blood, activity levels, calories expended, sleep patterns and skin temperature. After researchers got a baseline idea of normal readings for each person in the study, they looked for deviations from these typical patterns to see whether changes might be tied to new environmental conditions, illness, or other factors that can impact health. The goal is a health dashboard that does for people what dashboards already do for cars, said senior study author Dr. Michael Snyder, direct...
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Thursday 12 January 2017
Can your smart watch detect when you are becoming sick? A new study indicates that this is possible. By following 60 people through their everyday lives, researchers found that smart watches and other personal biosensor devices can help flag when people have colds and even signal the onset of complex conditions like Lyme disease and diabetes. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Thursday 12 January 2017
After sensors alerted a researcher to Lyme disease symptoms he was unaware he had, his team have shown that smartwatches can tell if a wearer is getting ill (Source: New Scientist - Health)
Thursday 12 January 2017
When it's hot and not too muggy, Lyme disease-bearing black-legged ticks avoid desiccation by hiding out where people don't tread. Scientists say that's why the illness is rare in the South, and may eventually fade out along the Mason-Dixon line. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Thursday 12 January 2017
(PLOS) Can your smart watch detect when you are becoming sick? A new study from Stanford, publishing Jan. 12, 2017, in PLOS Biology, indicates that this is possible. By following 60 people through their everyday lives, Stanford researchers found that smart watches and other personal biosensor devices can help flag when people have colds and even signal the onset of complex conditions like Lyme disease and diabetes. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)
Wednesday 11 January 2017
by Xiao Li, Jessilyn Dunn, Denis Salins, Gao Zhou, Wenyu Zhou, Sophia Miryam Sch üssler-Fiorenza Rose, Dalia Perelman, Elizabeth Colbert, Ryan Runge, Shannon Rego, Ria Sonecha, Somalee Datta, Tracey McLaughlin, Michael P. Snyder A new wave of portable biosensors allows frequent measurement of health-related physiology. We investigated the use of these devices to monitor human physiological changes during various activities and their role in managing health and diagnosing and analyzing disease. By recording over 250,000 da ily measurements for up to 43 individuals, we found personalized circadian differences in physiological parameters, replicating previous physiological findings. Interestingly, we found striking changes in particular environments, such as airline flights (decreased perip...
Wednesday 11 January 2017
This study corroborates the presence of B. turdi and B. valaisiana in ticks from birds in the north of Spain. The presence of these bacteria in larval specimens could suggest the role of birds as their reservoirs, or the occurrence of the cofeeding phenomenon. In addition, the detection of B. turdi and B. valaisiana in H. punctata and I. frontalis ticks, respectively, is reported for the first time. (Source: Journal of Medical Entomology)
Wednesday 11 January 2017
Local knowledge of when humans are at elevated risk for exposure to tick vectors of human disease agents is required both for the effective use of personal protection measures to avoid tick bites and for implementation of control measures to suppress host-seeking ticks. Here, we used previously published data on the seasonal density of host-seeking Ixodes pacificus Cooley and Kohls nymphs, the primary vectors of Lyme disease spirochetes in the far western USA, collected across a broad habitat and climate gradient in northwestern California to identify predictors of periods of time within the year when questing nymphal density is elevated. Models based on calendar week alone performed similarly to models based on calendar week and woodland type, or meteorological variables. The most suitabl...
Wednesday 11 January 2017
Borrelia mayonii, a recently recognized species within the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, has been detected in host-seeking Ixodes scapularis Say ticks and found to be associated with Lyme disease in the Upper Midwest. This spirochete has, to date, not been documented from the Northeast, but we previously demonstrated that I. scapularis ticks originating from Connecticut are capable of serving as a vector of B. mayonii. In this follow-up study, we compared the vector efficiency for B. mayonii (strain MN14-1420) of I. scapularis ticks originating from Minnesota in the Upper Midwest and Connecticut in the Northeast. CD-1 outbred white mice previously infected with B. mayonii via tick bite were exposed to simultaneous feeding by Minnesota and Connecticut larvae contained within sepa...
Wednesday 11 January 2017
The objective of our study was to identify patterns of Lyme disease reporting after multistate inclusion to mitigate potential border effects. County-level human Lyme disease surveillance data were obtained from Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia state health departments. Rate smoothing and Local Moran's I was performed to identify clusters of reporting activity and identify spatial outliers. A logistic generalized estimating equation was performed to identify significant associations in disease clustering over time. Resulting analyses identified statistically significant (P=0.05) clusters of high reporting activity and trends over time. High reporting activity aggregated near border counties in high incidence states, while low reporting aggregated near sha...
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Wednesday 11 January 2017
In endemic areas, the bite of an Ixodes tick confers a risk of transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. Bedside identification of the Ixodes species is a clinically relevant exercise that subsequently requires further testing and/or treatment for Lyme disease. Herein we describe a highly specific bedside exam with the use of dermoscopy that allows for identification of the Ixodes species. (Source: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology)
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Wednesday 11 January 2017
(US Geological Survey) When it's hot and not too muggy, Lyme disease-bearing black-legged ticks avoid desiccation by hiding out where people don't tread. Scientists say that's why the illness is rare in the South, and may eventually fade out along the Mason-Dixon line. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
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Tuesday 10 January 2017
Authors: Butler T Abstract Within 24 hours after antibiotic treatment of the spirochetal infections syphilis, Lyme disease, leptospirosis, and relapsing fever (RF), patients experience shaking chills, a rise in temperature, and intensification of skin rashes known as the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction (JHR) with symptoms resolving a few hours later. Case reports indicate that the JHR can also include uterine contractions in pregnancy, worsening liver and renal function, acute respiratory distress syndrome, myocardial injury, hypotension, meningitis, alterations in consciousness, seizures, and strokes. Experimental evidence indicates it is caused by nonendotoxin pyrogen and spirochetal lipoproteins. Mediation of the JHR in RF by the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF...
Tuesday 10 January 2017
Conclusions: During active infection, microRNA expression in SF reflected an immune response associated with bacterial killing, whereas in post‐infectious LA, microRNA expression in SF and synovial tissue reflected chronic inflammation, synovial proliferation, and breakdown of wound repair processes, showing that the nature of the arthritis was altered after spirochetal killing. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. (Source: Arthritis and Rheumatism)
Tuesday 10 January 2017
Publication date: Available online 10 January 2017 Source:Microbes and Infection Author(s): Wei Zhou, Dustin Brisson Many parasites have evolved antigenic variation systems that alter surface proteins in order to evade recognition by presently expressed antibodies and subsequent death. Although the amino acid positions in antigens to which antibodies most commonly target are expected to be the most variable, this assumption has not been investigated. Using the vls antigenic variation system of Borrelia burgdorferi as a model, we first investigated this assumption computationally and then developed a sensitive immunoassay to experimentally validate the computational results. There was a strong correlation between variability at an amino acid position and each of the computational metrics a...
Monday 9 January 2017
ConclusionsThe functional changes of the visual system in neurologically asymptomatic virally suppressed HIV patients displayed higher motion-onset VEP sensitivity than in standard pattern-reversal VEP examinations. This promising marker, however, has no significant association with clinical conditions. Further exploration is warranted. (Source: Documenta Ophthalmologica)
Sunday 8 January 2017
Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases)
Sunday 8 January 2017
Publication date: January 2017 Source:Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology, Volume 61 Author(s): Alan G. Barbour The widely-distributed North American species Peromyscus leucopus and P. maniculatus of cricetine rodents are, between them, important natural reservoirs for several zoonotic diseases of humans: Lyme disease, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, babesiosis, erhlichiosis, hard tickborne relapsing fever, Powassan virus encephalitis, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, and plague. While these infections are frequently disabling and sometimes fatal for humans, the peromyscines display little pathology and apparently suffer few consequences, even when prevalence of persistent infection in a population is high. While these Peromyscus spp. are unable to clear some of the infections...
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Sunday 8 January 2017
We report a case of a 66-year-old male, with a subacute extensive transverse myelitis, secondary to Borrelia burgdorferi infection. The patient underwent antibiotic therapy filed for neuroborreliosis with a good clinical outcome. The rareness in clinical symptoms and imaging presentation, based on a treatable infectious disease, highlights the importance of the inclusion of neuroborreliosis in the differential diagnosis of longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis. PMID: 28060695 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Acta Medica Portuguesa)
Thursday 5 January 2017
Tick-borne diseases, particularly Lyme disease, are emerging across the northern hemisphere. In order to manage emerging diseases and predict where emergence will likely occur, it is necessary to understand th... (Source: Parasites and Vectors)
Wednesday 4 January 2017
Purpose of review: Lyme disease is a multistage and multisystem disease. Neurological manifestations [termed Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB)] occur in about 10% of patients with Lyme disease. Diagnostics and treatment of early and late LNB are widely established. However, the management of persistent symptoms is still fraught with controversies, and therefore is the focus of this review. Recent findings: The incidence of Lyme disease seems to be much higher than previously assumed. Laboratory methods (namely serological tests) are essential for diagnosing LNB, but only when performed according to the guidelines of scientific medical societies. Most patients treated for LNB have good outcomes. However, some patients remain with nonspecific symptoms despite conventional therapy, a syndrome call...
Tuesday 3 January 2017
. (Source: Infectious Diseases)
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Tuesday 3 January 2017
Lyme disease has been spreading across the United States over the past several decades, and a new study has confirmed that ticks carrying the disease are present in eastern national parks. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Tuesday 3 January 2017
Annapolis, MD; January 3, 2017 —Lyme disease has been spreading across the United States over the past several decades, and a new study has confirmed that ticks carrying the disease are present in eastern national parks. (Source: ESA News)
Tuesday 3 January 2017
(Entomological Society of America) Lyme disease has been spreading across the United States over the past several decades, and a new study has confirmed that ticks carrying the disease are present in eastern national parks. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Monday 2 January 2017
Authors: Alam MZ, Alam Q, Kamal MA, Jiman-Fatani AA, Azhar EI, Khan MA, Haque A Abstract Recent studies have shown that bacterial and viral infections are risk factors for various neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Lyme disease (LD). However, it is still controversial how the infections play a role in neurological diseases progression. Infections in central nervous system may lead multiple damages in infected and neighboring cells. The infection leads to the activation of inflammatory processes and host immune responses, which acts as defense mechanism and also causes damage to the host neuronal functions and viability. Several bacterial and viral pathogens have been reported for neurodegene...
Saturday 31 December 2016
Authors: Roaldsnes E, Eikeland R, Berild D PMID: 28127071 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Tidsskrift for den Norske Laegeforening)
Saturday 31 December 2016
Authors: Mygland Å PMID: 28127063 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Tidsskrift for den Norske Laegeforening)
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Saturday 31 December 2016
CONCLUSION: Foresters and farmers are exposed to B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum coinfection in the study area. Therefore, it is probable that these pathogens may severely interfere with the clinical course of Lyme borreliosis. PMID: 28035112 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Journal of Vector Borne Diseases)
Saturday 31 December 2016
CONCLUSION: The results confirm that there is a risk of exposure to different pathogens in the forested areas in eastern Poland and that hunters are highly vulnerable to infection with the examined zoonotic agents. A significant proportion of co-occurring antibodies against different pathogens was noticed. Thus, hunters have to take special care of their health status evaluation and mitigate the exposure risk by using adequate prophylaxis measures. PMID: 28035113 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Journal of Vector Borne Diseases)
Friday 30 December 2016
Publication date: Available online 30 December 2016 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Alex Wagemakers, Seta Jahfari, Bob de Wever, Lodewijk Spanjaard, Markus V Starink, Henry JC de Vries, Hein Sprong, Joppe W. Hovius Ixodes ticks transmit Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis (LB). These tick species also transmit Borrelia miyamotoi, which was recently found to cause infections in humans. We were interested in the prevalence of B. miyamotoi infection in ticks and natural hosts in the Netherlands, and to what extent ticks are co-infected with B. burgdorferi. In addition, erythema migrans has been sporadically described in B. miyamotoi-infected patients, but these skin lesions might as well represent co-infections with B. burgdorferi s...
Wednesday 28 December 2016
Lyme disease (LD), the most prevalent tick-borne illness in North America, is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. The long-term survival of B. burgdorferi spirochetes in the mammalian host is achieved though VlsE-mediated antigenic variation. It is mathematically predicted that a highly variable surface antigen prolongs bacterial infection sufficiently to exhaust the immune response directed toward invariant surface antigens. If the prediction is correct, it is expected that the antibody response to B. burgdorferi invariant antigens will become nonprotective as B. burgdorferi infection progresses. To test this assumption, changes in the protective efficacy of the immune response to B. burgdorferi surface antigens were monitored via a superinfection model over the course of 70 days. B. burgdorf...
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Wednesday 28 December 2016
The requirements for bacterial chemotaxis and motility range from dispensable to crucial for host colonization. Even though more than 50% of all sequenced prokaryotic genomes possess at least one chemotaxis signaling system, many of those genomes contain multiple copies of a chemotaxis gene. However, the functions of most of those additional genes are unknown. Most motile bacteria possess at least one CheY response regulator that is typically dedicated to the control of motility and which is usually essential for virulence. Borrelia burgdorferi appears to be notably different, in that it has three cheY genes, and our current studies on cheY2 suggests that it has varied effects on different aspects of the natural infection cycle. Mutants deficient in this protein exhibit normal motility and...
Tuesday 27 December 2016
ConclusionSystemic autoimmune joint diseases (i.e., RA, PsA, SpA) may follow Lyme disease. Development of polyarthritis after antibiotic‐treated EM, previous psoriasis, or low‐titer B burgdorferi antibodies may provide insight into the correct diagnosis. (Source: Arthritis and Rheumatism)
Tuesday 27 December 2016
Authors: Jahfari S, Krawczyk A, Coipan EC, Fonville M, Hovius JW, Sprong H, Takumi K Abstract Both early localized and late disseminated forms of Lyme borreliosis are caused by Borrelia burgdorferi senso lato. Differentiating between the spirochetes that only cause localized skin infection from those that cause disseminated infection, and tracing the group of medically-important spirochetes to a specific vertebrate host species, are two critical issues in disease risk assessment and management. Borrelia burgdorferi senso lato isolates from Lyme borreliosis cases with distinct clinical manifestations (erythema migrans, neuroborreliosis, acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans, and Lyme arthritis) and isolates from Ixodes ricinus ticks feeding on rodents, birds and hedgehogs were typed t...
Tuesday 27 December 2016
This study shows the utility of long read sequencing for full genome assembly of Bbsl genomes, identifies putative genome regions ofB.mayonii that may be linked to clinical manifestation or tissue tropism, and provides a valuable resource for pathogenicity, diagnostic and vaccine studies. (Source: PLoS One)
Monday 26 December 2016
Publication date: Available online 26 December 2016 Source:Epidemics Author(s): S.L. States, C.I. Huang, S. Davis, D.M. Tufts, M.A. Diuk-Wasser Coexistence of multiple tick-borne pathogens or strains is common in natural hosts and can be facilitated by resource partitioning of the host species, within-host localization, or by different transmission pathways. Most vector-borne pathogens are transmitted horizontally via systemic host infection, but transmission may occur in the absence of systemic infection between two vectors feeding in close proximity, enabling pathogens to minimize competition and escape the host immune response. In a laboratory study, we demonstrate this co-feeding transmission can occur for a rapidly-cleared strain of Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme disease agent, betwe...
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Monday 26 December 2016
The first data of Lyme carditis, a relatively rare manifestation of Lyme disease, were published in eighties of the last century. Clinical manifestations include syncope, light-headedness, fainting, shortness of breath, palpitations, and/or chest pain. Atrioventricular (AV) electrical block of varying severity presents the most common conduction disorder in Lyme carditis. Although is usually mild, AV block can fluctuates rapidly and progress from a prolonged P-R interval to a His-Purkinje block within minutes to hours and days. (Source: International Journal of Cardiology)
Monday 26 December 2016
In this study, we established a succinyl-β-CD modified gold biochip for improvement of seroimmunological detection sensitivity of Lyme disease. We found that the CD modified biochip platform presented a stronger affinity property for VlsE protein in conjugation with >0.000475 μg/mL of antigen immobilization concentration, which was sensitive enough for fluorescence based assay. Detection limit for anti-VlsE IgG antibody was 0.39 μg/mL. Specificity of VlsE assay on the succinyl-β-CD modified biochip was successfully confirmed by an immunological block assay. Furthermore, the correlation coefficient (R(2)) between the fluorescence values by the biochip and the OD values by ELISA assay was 0.904, indicating this biochip-based immunological assay might be a potential substitute with t...
Wednesday 21 December 2016
Publication date: Available online 21 December 2016 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Kayleigh M. Hansford, Manoj Fonville, Emma L. Gillingham, Elena Claudia Coipan, Maaike E. Pietzsch, Aleksandra I. Krawczyk, Alexander G.C. Vaux, Benjamin Cull, Hein Sprong, Jolyon M. Medlock Ticks are becoming increasingly recognised as important vectors of pathogens in urban and peri-urban areas, including green space used for recreational activities. In the UK, the risk posed by ticks in such areas is largely unknown. In order to begin to assess the risk of ticks in urban/peri-urban areas in southern England, questing ticks were collected from five different habitat types (grassland, hedge, park, woodland and woodland edge) in a city during the spring, summer and autumn of 2013/2014 and s...
Tuesday 20 December 2016
An antibiotic gel based on azithromycin, an antibiotic with antibacterial properties, helps to prevent the onset of Lyme borreliosis following a tick bite, finds new research. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Monday 19 December 2016
Authors: Huang Z, Toledo AM, Benach JL, London E Abstract Co-existing disordered and ordered (raft) membrane domains exist in Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. However, although B. burgdorferi contains cholesterol lipids, it lacks sphingolipids-a crucial component of rafts in eukaryotes. To define the principles of ordered lipid domain formation in Borrelia, the domain forming properties of vesicles composed of its three major lipids, acylated cholesteryl galactoside (ACGal), monogalactosyl diacyglycerol (MGalD), and phosphatidylcholine (PC) and/or their mixtures were studied. Anisotropy and fluorescence resonance energy transfer measurements were used to assay membrane order and ordered-domain formation. ACGal had the highest potential to form ordered dom...
Sunday 18 December 2016
Authors: Hamšíková Z, Coipan C, Mahríková L, Minichová L, Sprong H, Kazimírová M Abstract Borrelia miyamotoi causes relapsing fever in humans. The occurrence of this spirochete has been reported in Ixodes ricinus and wildlife, but there are still gaps in the knowledge of its eco-epidemiology and public health impact. In the current study, questing I. ricinus (nymphs and adults) and skin biopsies from rodents captured in Slovakia were screened for the presence of B. miyamotoi and Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. DNA. The prevalence of B. miyamotoi and B. burgdorferi s.l. in questing ticks was 1.7 and 16.9%, respectively. B. miyamotoi was detected in Apodemus flavicollis (9.3%) and Myodes glareolus (4.4%). In contrast, B. burgdorferi s.l. was identified in 11.9% of rodents, with the...
Sunday 18 December 2016
In areas where Lyme borreliosis is endemic, bites from Ixodes spp ticks are common. For instance, 25 –30% of people from endemic areas of the USA have reported that a member of the household had been bitten by a tick in the preceding year.1 Thus, developing Lyme borreliosis after being bitten by infected ticks is an important concern. One dose of 200 mg doxycycline given orally effectively preven ts development of Lyme borreliosis after tick bites, but this drug may not be used in pregnant women or children younger than 8 years. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)
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Saturday 17 December 2016
(Source: Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health)
Saturday 17 December 2016
Henry Heimlich, the medical maverick who came up with a maneuver credited with saving thousands of choking victims but who damaged his standing as a proponent of the curative powers of malaria, died on Saturday at the age of 96. Heimlich, a doctor who developed a life-saving technique to dislodge airway blockages, died at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati of complications from a massive heart attack he suffered on Monday, his family said in a statement. A thoracic surgeon who often feuded with the established medical community, Heimlich said the maneuver which was named after him saved more than 100,000 lives. He claimed to have used it himself last May on another resident of the Cincinnati retirement home where he lived. “It made me appreciate how wonderful it has been to be able to sav...
Friday 16 December 2016
CONCLUSION: Co-infections with Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bartonella spp. and Babesia microti had no impact on T-cell percentages in Lyme disease patients. There was a lower baseline percentage of NK cells in patients not responding to antibiotic treatment. PMID: 27007527 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] (Source: Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine : AAEM)
Friday 16 December 2016
Transmission from the vertebrate host to the arthropod vector is a critical step in the life-cycle of any vector-borne pathogen. How the probability of host-to-vector transmission changes over the duration of ... (Source: Parasites and Vectors)
Wednesday 14 December 2016
by Abdullah Inci, Alparslan Yildirim, Onder Duzlu, Mehmet Doganay, Serap Aksoy The importance of tick-borne diseases is increasing all over the world, including Turkey. Global warming, environmental and ecological changes and the existence of suitable habitats increase the impact of ticks and result in frequent emergence or re-emergence of tick-borne diseases (TBDs) with zoo notic characteristics. In Turkey, almost 19 TBDs have been reported in animals and men, involving four protozoa (babesiosis, theileriosis, cytauxzoonosis, hepatozoonosis), one filarial nematode (acanthocheilonemasis), ten bacterial agents (anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, aegyptianellosis, tick-borne typ hus,Candidatus Rickettsia vini, Lyme borreliosis, tick-borne relapsing fever [TBRF], tularaemia, bartonellosis, and hemo...
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Wednesday 14 December 2016
Some Australians have become convinced of the existence of locally acquired Lyme disease (LD). The history of LD, since its recognition in the early 1970s, is reviewed as a model for investigative approaches to unknown syndromes. Australian Management Guidelines for LD include the requirement for diagnostic testing by National Association of Testing Authorities‐accredited laboratories using Therapeutic Goods Administration‐licensed tests, which result in the efficient diagnosis of LD in overseas travellers. Despite this, patients who have not left Australia pay many thousands of dollars for non‐specialist consultations and testing at overseas laboratories. Unproven long‐term therapy with multiple antibiotics has resulted in serious complications, including allergies, line sepsis, p...
Tuesday 13 December 2016
Summary The spirochaete (Borrelia burgdorferi) associated with Lyme disease was detected in questing ticks and rodents during a period of 18 years, 1991–2009, at five locations on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The black‐legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) was collected at varied intervals between 1991 and 2009 and examined for B. burgdorferi. The white‐footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus), house mouse (Mus musculus) marsh rice rat (Oryzomys palustris), marsh rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris), eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) and six‐lined racerunner (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus) were live‐trapped, and their tissues cultured to isolate spirochaetes. Borrelia burgdorferi isolates were obtained from questing adult I. scapularis and engorged I. scapularis removed from P. leuc...
Thursday 8 December 2016
CONCLUSIONS: There is mostly low- to very low-quality clinical evidence from a limited number of mostly small, heterogeneous trials with diverse outcome measures, comparing the relative efficacy of central nervous system-penetrant antibiotics for the treatment of LNB. The few existing randomized studies have limited power and lack consistent and well-defined entry criteria and efficacy endpoints. It is not possible to draw firm conclusions on the relative efficacy of accepted antibiotic drug regimens for the treatment of LNB. The majority of people are reported to have good outcomes, and symptoms resolve by 12 months regardless of the antibiotic used. A minority of participants did not improve sufficiently, and some were retreated. These randomized studies provide some evidence that doxycy...
Thursday 8 December 2016
Authors: Nemeth J, Bernasconi E, Heininger U, Abbas M, Nadal D, Strahm C, Erb S, Zimmerli S, Furrer H, Delaloye J, Kuntzer T, Altpeter E, Sturzenegger M, Weber R, For The Swiss Society For Infectious Diseases And The Swiss Society For Neurology Abstract Lyme borreliosis is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infection, which responds well to antibiotic therapy in the overwhelming majority of cases. However, despite adequate antibiotic treatment some patients report persisting symptoms which are commonly summarised as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS). In 2005, the Swiss Society of Infectious Diseases published a case definition for PTLDS. We aimed to review the scientific literature with a special emphasis on the last 10 years, questioning whether the definitions f...
Tuesday 6 December 2016
Publication date: Available online 7 December 2016 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Michael Reiter, Christian Knecht, Andreas Müller, Anna-Margarita Schötta, Michael Leschnik, Michiel Wijnveld, Herbert Weissenböck, Hannes Stockinger, Gerold Stanek, Wolfgang Sipos The skin lesion erythema migrans is a characteristic early manifestation of Lyme borreliosis in humans. However, the pathomechanisms leading to development of this erythema are not fully understood. Models that mimic human skin would enhance research in this field. Human and porcine skin structures strongly resemble each other. Therefore, we attempted to induce erythema migrans lesions in experimental Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infection in the skin of domestic pigs. The formation of erythema migrans-like l...
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Friday 2 December 2016
At the age of 19, Rachel Battersby (pictured) from the Gold Coast was a bright, fun-loving and healthy young woman, but today the girl who had the world at her feet now has her life in tatters. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Thursday 1 December 2016
Publication date: Available online 23 November 2016 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Amber D. Butler, Meredith L. Carlson, Christina A. Nelson Given the high incidence of tick bites and tick-borne diseases in the United States, it is important for primary care providers to recognize common ticks and the pathogens they may transmit. If a patient has removed and saved an attached tick, identifying the tick helps guide clinical management and determine whether antibiotic prophylaxis for Lyme disease is appropriate. To investigate providers’ ability to recognize common ticks and the pathogens they may transmit, we asked 76 primary care providers from Lyme disease endemic areas to identify the common name or genus of preserved ticks found in their area. At baseline, 10.5%, 46....
Thursday 1 December 2016
This Teachable Moment describes the case of a woman who developed DRESS syndrome after unnecessary treatment for “chronic Lyme disease.” (Source: JAMA Internal Medicine)
Wednesday 30 November 2016
The aim of this study was to determine the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DRB1 alleles in two groups of patients in Latvia: patients with Lyme borreliosis and patients with Lyme neuroborreliosis. The study included 216 patients with Lyme borreliosis, 29 patients with Lyme neuroborreliosis and 282 control persons. All surveyed persons were residents of Latvia. The HLA-DR genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction- sequence specific primer (PCR-SSP). The predisposition to the Lyme borreliosis is associated with the HLA-DRB1*07, -DRB1*17(03), -DRB1*04, -DRB1*15(02) alleles. The allele -DRB1*11(05), -DRB1*14(06) and -DRB1*13(06) were significantly more frequent in controls. In-group with Lyme neuroborreliosis differences were found for the -DRB1*07 and -DRB1*04 alleles, but only HLA-...
Wednesday 30 November 2016
Publication date: January 2017 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, Volume 8, Issue 1 Author(s): Knut Eirik Eliassen, Dag Berild, Harald Reiso, Nils Grude, Karen Sofie Christophersen, Cecilie Finckenhagen, Morten Lindbæk The first stage of Lyme borreliosis (LB) is mainly the typical skin lesion, erythema migrans (EM), which is estimated to comprise 80–90% of all LB cases. However, the reporting of, and the actual incidence of LB varies throughout Europe. Studies from Sweden and Holland have found EM incidences varying from 53 to 464 EM/100,000 inhabitants/year. Under-reporting of LB is common and a coefficient of three to reach a realistic estimate is suggested. In Norway, it is mandatory to report only the second and third LB stages to the National Institute of Public Health. To find...
Tuesday 29 November 2016
Authors: Ružić-Sabljić E, Cerar T Abstract INTRODUCTION: Current laboratory testing of Lyme borreliosis mostly relies on serological methods with known limitations. Diagnostic modalities enabling direct detection of pathogen at the onset of the clinical signs could overcome some of the limitations. Molecular methods detecting borrelial DNA seem to be the ideal solution, although there are some aspects that need to be considered. Areas covered: This review represent summary and discussion of the published data obtained from literature searches from PubMed and The National Library of Medicine (USA) together with our own experience on molecular diagnosis of Lyme disease. Expert commentary: Molecular methods are promising and currently serve as supporting diagnostic testing in Lyme ...
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Monday 28 November 2016
This article reviews the findings within the field of omics relevant to LB and its prospective utility in developing an array of biomarkers that can be employed in LB diagnosis and detection particularly at the early disease stages. (Source: Infectious Diseases and Therapy)
Sunday 27 November 2016
Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases)
Friday 25 November 2016
Authors: Scott JD, Foley JE, Clark KL, Anderson JF, Durden LA, Manord JM, Smith ML Abstract We document an established population of blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis, on Corkscrew Island, Kenora District, Ontario, Canada. Primers of the outer surface protein A (OspA) gene, the flagellin (fla) gene, and the flagellin B (flaB) gene were used in the PCR assays to detect Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), the Lyme disease bacterium. In all, 60 (73%) of 82 adult I. scapularis, were infected with B. burgdorferi s.l. As well, 6 (43%) of 14 unfed I. scapularis nymphs were positive for B. burgdorferi s.l. An I. scapularis larva was also collected from a deer mouse, and several unfed larvae were gathered by flagging leaf litter. Based on DNA sequencing of randomly selected Borrelia ...
Friday 25 November 2016
The incidence of Lyme disease shows high degrees of inter-annual variation in the northeastern United States, but the factors driving this variation are not well understood. Complicating matters, it is also po... (Source: Parasites and Vectors)
Thursday 24 November 2016
Conclusions ACA is more likely to be diagnosed in older individuals than any other manifestation of Lyme borreliosis. ACA is more likely than EM to be localized anatomically to the extremities. Available data favor the hypothesis that ACA occurs most often on the extremities of older individuals because of predisposing age-related anatomic or physiologic changes, but more data are needed to define the latency period and other aspects of the pathogenesis of this skin condition. (Source: Ticks and Tick borne Diseases)
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Thursday 24 November 2016
University of Sydney has discovered 1500 viruses in common insects, spiders, worms. New technology can also answer questions about the controversial Lyme disease. Surprising results released Thursday. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Wednesday 23 November 2016
Publication date: Available online 23 November 2016 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Amber D. Butler, Meredith L. Carlson, Christina A. Nelson Given the high incidence of tick bites and tick-borne diseases in the United States, it is important for primary care providers to recognize common ticks and the pathogens they may transmit. If a patient has removed and saved an attached tick, identifying the tick helps guide clinical management and determine whether antibiotic prophylaxis for Lyme disease is appropriate. To investigate providers’ ability to recognize common ticks and the pathogens they may transmit, we asked 76 primary care providers from Lyme disease endemic areas to identify the common name or genus of preserved ticks found in their area. At baseline, 10.5%, 46....
Tuesday 22 November 2016
In this study, the authors present a 9-year-old girl with linear arrangement of subcutaneous nodules on her left forearm. Microscopic findings from 2 biopsies included lymphocytes at the dermoepidermal junction with mild interface dermatitis, a dense lymphocytic infiltrate that was concentrated around adnexae and subcutaneous fat in concert with thickened collagen bundles and mild widening of fibrous septae surrounding fat lobules. Although the clinical differential diagnosis included panniculitis or a sporotrichoid infection, 1 biopsy showed a dense lymphocytic infiltrate histologically bordered on that of cutaneous lymphoid hyperplasia or a late stage of Lyme disease, and a second also demonstrated more prominent sclerodermoid collagen bundles rendering the diagnosis of linear scleroderm...
Tuesday 22 November 2016
In this study, all dogs treated with NexGard(®) 28days prior to challenge with wild caught I. scapularis ticks were protected from B. burgdorferi infection, while nine out of the ten untreated control dogs were infected. PMID: 27865266 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Comparative immunology, microbiology and infectious diseases.)
Tuesday 22 November 2016
Cases of Lyme borreliosis, a vector-borne zoonosis caused by bacteria in the Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) species group, have increased in recent years in Europe. Knowledge of environmental factors associate... (Source: Parasites and Vectors)
Monday 21 November 2016
Publication date: Available online 21 November 2016 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Małgorzata Adamska, Bogumiła Skotarczak The aim of the present study was to detect Toxoplasma gondii in ticks collected from ponies and field vegetation and to determine the role of Shetland ponies as a potential reservoir host for T. gondii. A total of 1737 feeding Ixodes ricinus collected from 49 horses and 371 questing ticks were tested by PCR and sequencing for the presence and genotyping of T. gondii. All ticks were examined in a previous study to detect and identify pathogenic bacterial species. The aim of this study was also to detect co-infection of ticks with these bacteria and T. gondii. Genotyping of the sequenced B1 gene revealed that detected T. gondii strains represented gen...
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Sunday 20 November 2016
. (Source: Infectious Diseases)
Friday 18 November 2016
(Source: International Journal of General Medicine)
Wednesday 16 November 2016
This study confirms the presence of B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum in deer keds (Lipoptena cervi) removed from white‐tailed deer using PCR. Detection of these pathogens in deer ked represents a potential novel susceptibility of wildlife and also suggests the risk of transmission of these pathogens to humans and animals alike through the bite of an infected ectoparasite. This study represents the first instance in the U.S. of detection of tick‐borne pathogens in a member of the Hippoboscid family. (Source: Journal of Vector Ecology)
Wednesday 16 November 2016
Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases)
Wednesday 16 November 2016
Alternative and Complementary Therapies , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: Alternative and Complementary Therapies)
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Wednesday 16 November 2016
Lyme disease or Lyme borreliosis (LB) is the most common tick-borne disease both in the United States and Europe. Children, in particular, are at high risk of contracting LB. Since child-specific educational t... (Source: BMC Public Health)
Tuesday 15 November 2016
SPECIAL FROM Next Avenue Whether it came on suddenly when you were playing tennis or more gradually over many years, knee pain can keep you from doing even the most basic of activities. At the very least, it can limit your ability to move as easily or quickly, or sit in one place for an extended time. Arthritis is the most common cause of knee pain for older adults, said Dr. Julie Switzer, an orthopedic surgeon at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minn. Arthritis comes in three main forms, she said: osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthritis and post-traumatic arthritis. We’ll examine these types, as well as other causes of knee pain, below. The others include Lyme arthritis, torn cartilage or ligament, tendinitis, bursitis, gout and spontaneous osteonecrosis of the knee. Then, we&...
Monday 14 November 2016
Authors: Spreer A, Rauer S, Wilking H, Fingerle V Abstract Lyme borreliosis is the most frequent tick-borne infection in Europe. It is a multisystemic disease affecting the skin, joints, heart, in rare cases the eyes and regularly the nervous system. Taking current clinical and microbiological guidelines into account, neuroborreliosis can in general be diagnosed and treated successfully. An appropriate guideline-conform antibiotic treatment is effective and in most cases recovery from acute neuroborreliosis is complete. Nevertheless, the evidence base regarding pharmacological treatment needs reform and improvement. Contrary to this scientifically based medical opinion, divergent opinions presented in the media cause uncertainty and confusion among patients and also some physicians...
Monday 14 November 2016
Howard England from Essex consults our expert about his daughters fatigue, which may be connected to a tick bite she got in 2005. She was told the disease can only be treated in Germany. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Friday 11 November 2016
Conclusions. These findings indicate that circulating CRP and SAA levels are highest when the concentration of spirochetes is greatest in skin and/or blood and that levels decline after the dissemination of the organism to extracutaneous sites in subsequent stages of infection. The data also suggest that antibiotic-refractory Lyme arthritis and post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome are associated with elevated CRP responses that are driven by inflammatory mechanisms distinct from those in active infection. (Source: Clinical Infectious Diseases)
Friday 11 November 2016
In older studies, a chronic distal symmetric sensory neuropathy was reported as a relatively common manifestation of late Lyme disease in the United States. However, the original papers describing this entity had notable inconsistencies and certain inexplicable findings, such as reports that this condition developed in patients despite prior antibiotic treatment known to be highly effective for other manifestations of Lyme disease. More recent literature suggests that this entity is seen rarely, if at all. (Source: Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease)
Friday 11 November 2016
The castor bean tick Ixodes ricinus (L.) is the principal vector for a variety of viral, bacterial, and protozoan pathogens causing a growing public-health issue over the past decades. However, a national density map of I. ricinus is still missing. Here, I. ricinus nymphs in Germany were investigated by compiling a high-resolution map depicting the mean annually accumulated nymphal density, as observed by monthly flagging an area of 100 m2. Input data comprise ticks collected at 69 sampling sites. The model domain covers an area of about 357,000 km2 (regional scale). Two negative binomial regression models were fitted to the data to interpolate the tick densities to unsampled locations using bioclimatic variables and land cover, which were selected according to their significance by the Ak...
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Thursday 10 November 2016
DETECTION OF BORRELIA GENOMOSPECIES 2 IN IXODES SPINIPALPIS TICKS COLLECTED FROM A RABBIT IN CANADA. J Parasitol. 2016 Nov 11; Authors: Scott JD, Clark KL, Foley JE, Anderson JF, Durden LA, Manord JM, Smith ML Abstract Lyme disease is a serious health problem with many patients requiring in-depth clinical assessment and extended treatment. In the present study, we provide the first records of the western blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacificus, and Ixodes spinipalpis parasitizing eastern cottontails, Sylvilagus floridanus. We also documented a triple co-infestation of 3 tick species (Ixodes angustus, I. pacificus, I. spinipalpis) feeding on an eastern cottontail. Notably, we discovered a unique member of the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) in ...
Wednesday 9 November 2016
AbstractIn recent years, the number of patients suffering from Lyme Disease (LD) has significantly increased. The most dangerous manifestation of LD is neuroborreliosis associated with invasion of the central nervous system byBorrelia burgdorferi. Phospholipids (PL) and their metabolites are involved in inflammation, which plays a dominant, but still unclear, role in the pathogenesis of neuroborreliosis. We analyzed the plasma PL profiles of neuroborreliosis patients (n = 8) and healthy volunteers (n = 8) using a lipidomic approach. Significant increases in the lysophosphatidylcholines LysoPtdCho 16:0 and LysoPtdCho 18:2 were observed. The plasma of neuroborreliosis patients appeared to have an increased relative abundance of sphingomyelin CerPCho d18:1/24:1 and a decrease in CerPCho d...
Tuesday 8 November 2016
Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases)
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Tuesday 8 November 2016
In this study, the specificity of antibody (Ab) responses to OspC was profiled to define the antigenic determinants during infection and after vaccination. Several OspC variants or ‘types’ were screened with serum from SNAP4Dx C6 positive dogs and with serum from rabbits hyperimmunized with OspC proteins. The OspC type-specific nature of the Ab response revealed that variable domains of OspC are immunodominant during infection and upon vaccination. To assess the potential of OspC to elicit Ab in the context of a bacterin vaccine, OspC production in strains cultivated in vitro was assessed. Immunoblot and indirect immunofluorescent antibody analyses demonstrated that production is low and that only a subset of cells actively produce OspC in vitro, raising questions about the potential o...
Monday 7 November 2016
Journal of Proteome ResearchDOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.6b00386 (Source: Journal of Proteome Research)
Sunday 6 November 2016
ConclusionThis large case–control study provides evidence for a lack of association between B. burgdorferi antibodies and ALS, and therefore does not support the inclusion of routine testing for these antibodies in the diagnostic work‐up in patients with classical ALS. (Source: European Journal of Neurology)
Sunday 6 November 2016
(Source: Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health)
Saturday 5 November 2016
In this study, we demonstrate that an experimental spirochete host, the CD-1 strain outbred white mouse, can maintain active infection with B. mayonii for up to 1year: infected mice consistently yielded ear biopsies containing motile spirochetes from 29–375days after they were first infected via tick bite. Infection rates in resultant nymphal ticks varied greatly both over time for larvae fed on the same individual mouse at different time points after infection (2–42%) and for larvae fed on different mice at a given time point up to 8 months after infection (0–48%). Infection rates were lower in nymphs fed as larvae on mice 10–12 months after infection (2–3% for 5 mice and 9.8% for 1 mouse). In addition to ear biopsies, B. mayonii was detected from bladder, heart, and spinal cord...
Saturday 5 November 2016
Authors: Collignon PJ, Lum GD, Robson JM Abstract There is no convincing evidence that classic Lyme disease occurs in Australia, nor is there evidence that the causative agent, Borrelia burgdorferi, is found in Australian animals or ticks. Lyme disease, however, can be acquired overseas but diagnosed in Australia; most people presenting with laboratory-confirmed Lyme disease in Australia were infected in Europe. Despite the lack of evidence that Lyme disease can be acquired in Australia, growing numbers of patients, their supporters, and some politicians demand diagnoses and treatment according to the protocols of the "chronic Lyme disease" school of thought. Antibiotic therapy for chronic "Lyme disease-like illness" can cause harm to both the individual (eg, cannula-related intrav...
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Friday 4 November 2016
People react very differently to an infection with the Borrelia bacterium that causes Lyme disease. Researchers have investigated this varying response, concluding that age, genetic disposition and previous Lyme infections play an important role. However, despite the large differences observed, the Borrelia bacterium has a clear effect on the immune system ’s energy regulation, opening up opportunities for research into better detection of Borrelia infections. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
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Wednesday 2 November 2016
Carrie E. Lasky, Carmela Louise Pratt, Kinsey A Hilliard, Jacob J Jones, Charles Robert Brown (Source: Frontiers in Immunology)
Wednesday 2 November 2016
In this study, the existence and prevalence of Borrelia sp. in sika deer from four regions of Jilin Province in China was assessed. Seventy-one blood samples of sika deer were collected and tested by nested-PCRs based on 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA), outer surface protein A (OspA), flagenllin (fla), and 5S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer (5S-23S rRNA) genes of B. burgdorferi s.l. Six (8.45%) samples were positive for Borrelia sp. based on sequences of 4 genes. The positive samples were detected 18 for 16S rRNA, 10 for OspA, 16 for fla and 6 for 5S-23S, with the positive rates 25.35 (95% CI=3.8-35.6), 14.08 (95% CI=3.0-21.6), 22.54 (95% CI=4.3-36.9) and 8.45 (95% CI=1.7-22.9), respectively. Sequence analysis of the positive PCR products revealed that the partial 4 genes sequences in this study w...
Wednesday 2 November 2016
Queensland woman Emily Muldoon, 27, has opened up about her long undiagnosed battle with Lyme disease after she endured excruciating pain for a decade. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Tuesday 1 November 2016
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 300 000 new cases of Lyme disease occur each year in the United States and that 10% to 20% of these patients will remain symptomatic despite receiving appropriate antibiotic therapy. Many elements of the disease are poorly understood and have generated considerable controversy. This paper discusses the medical controversies related to posttreatment manifestations and their potential impact on infusion nurses. (Source: Journal of Infusion Nursing)
Tuesday 1 November 2016
Abstract: A wide range of etiologies can cause hemifacial spasm (HFS), including infection. In this case report, a 44-year-old woman developed HFS and was explored surgically 7 years later. No abnormalities were found. Afterward, treatment of a surgical wound infection with an oral cephalosporin resulted in a temporary HFS remission that had never occurred previously. This antibiotic experience prompted further workup for an underlying infection, which ultimately led to diagnosis of Lyme disease. Presentation of HFS due to Lyme disease has not been reported. Because its diagnosis can be occult and antibiotic therapy can be both diagnostic and therapeutic, Lyme disease should be a consideration for cases of HFS. (Source: Clinical Neuropharmacology)
Monday 31 October 2016
In conclusion, functional genomics approaches reveal the architecture of cytokine production induced by Borrelia infection of human primary leukocytes and suggest a connection between cellular glucose metabolism and Borrelia-induced cytokine production. PMID: 27818078 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Cell Host and Microbe)
Monday 31 October 2016
In this study, we investigated the effect of tick (23 °C), mammalian physiological (37 °C) and standard in vitro culture (33 °C) temperatures with the objective of elucidating the effect of temperature on Borrelia biofilm phenotypes invitro using two B. burgdorferisensu stricto strains (B31 and 297). Our findings show increased biofilm quantity, biofilm size, exopolysaccharide content and enhanced adherence as well as reduced free spirochaetes at 37 °C for both strains, when compared to growth at 23 and 33 °C. There were no significant variations in the biofilm nano-topography and the type of extracellular polymeric substance in Borrelia biofilms formed at all three temperatures. Significant variations in extracellular DNA content were observed in the biofilms of both strain...
Monday 31 October 2016
Authors: Weiss D, Weiss MF PMID: 27802470 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Annals of Internal Medicine)
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Monday 31 October 2016
If you're one of the more than 20 million Americans who suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD), your doctor has probably told you there isn't much they can do for you. Mainstream medicine doesn't have a cure for CKD. What they do have is a lot of drugs to treat the symptoms of it. And most of the drugs will leave you worse off than before you started taking them… Like ESAs, which are prescribed to treat anemia caused by chronic kidney disease. These dangerous drugs can cause strokes, heart attacks, blood clots and seizures. And if your kidneys fail, your only options are dialysis or a kidney transplant. It's enough to leave you feeling hopeless… But I'm here to tell you there IS hope. It's called intravenous laser blood therapy, or IV laser treatment. ...
Friday 7 October 2016
Purpose of review: Tick-borne diseases are increasing in incidence and geographic distribution. Several diseases endemic to the United States have ophthalmic manifestations, including the most common tick-borne disease, Lyme borreliosis. As ocular complaints may lead a patient to seek medical evaluation, it is important to be aware of the systemic and ophthalmic manifestations of tick-borne diseases in order to make the correct diagnosis. Recent findings: Vision-threatening ophthalmic manifestations are relatively common in Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Ocular involvement is rare in babesiosis, tick-borne relapsing fever, Powassan encephalitis, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, and Colorado tick fever. There are clear guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease; how...
Thursday 6 October 2016
(Source: Molecular Microbiology)
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Wednesday 5 October 2016
This study reports the evaluation of the technical and clinical validation of the O-DiaBorburg kit (DIA),Borrelia burgdorferi PCR kit, ISEX (GENE), andBorrelia burgdorferi sensu lato Real-TM (SAC) for the diagnosis of neuroborreliosis in cerebrospinal fluid based on bothBorrelia DNA and CSF samples from patients with clinical suspicion of neuroborreliosis. This validation study was done by analysing the kits on the Rotorgene Q (RGQ), CFX96, and LightCycler480 (LC480). For all kits, the linear range was larger on RGQ than on CFX96 and LC480. A good reproducibility was obtained for all assays on all instruments. Storage at −20 °C resulted in a decreased reproducibility for SAC. Results of the limit of detection (LOD95) experiments indicated a better sensitivity than described in the kit ...
Tuesday 4 October 2016
The purpose of this paper is to review information regarding the current guidelines for the clinical laboratory diagnosis of Lyme disease as set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to chiropractic physicians and to discuss the clinical utility of this testing. (Source: Journal of Chiropractic Medicine)
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Tuesday 4 October 2016
ConclusionsBased on molecular detection techniques, the probability of infection with a tick-borne pathogen other than Lyme spirochetes after a tick bite is roughly 2.4%, in the Netherlands. Similarly, among patients with erythema migrans, the probability of a co-infection with another tick-borne pathogen is approximately 2.7%. How often these infections cause disease symptoms or to what extend co-infections affect the course of Lyme borreliosis needs further investigations. (Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases)
Tuesday 4 October 2016
In this study, using whole transcriptome microarray chips, we aimed to compare the transcriptional response of normal human dermal fibroblasts stimulated by 3Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato strains belonging to 3 main pathogenic species (B.afzelii,B.garinii andB.burgdorferi sensu stricto) in order to determine whether “species-related” inflammatory pathways could be identified. The threeBorrelia strains tested exhibited similar transcriptional profiles, and no species-specific fingerprint of transcriptional changes in fibroblasts was observed. Conversely, a common core of chemokines/cytokines (CCL2, CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL6, CXCL10, IL-6, IL-8) and interferon-related genes was stimulated by all the 3 strains. Dermal fibroblasts appear to play a key role in the cutaneous infection withBorrel...
Tuesday 4 October 2016
by William K. Arnold, Christina R. Savage, Catherine A. Brissette, Janakiram Seshu, Jonathan Livny, Brian StevensonBorrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease, differentially expresses numerous genes and proteins as it cycles between mammalian hosts and tick vectors. Insights on regulatory mechanisms have been provided by earlier studies that examinedB.burgdorferi gene expression patterns during cultivation. However, prior studies examined bacteria at only a single time point of cultivation, providing only a snapshot of what is likely a dynamic transcriptional program drivingB.burgdorferi adaptations to changes during culture growth phases. To address that concern, we performed RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis ofB.burgdorferi cultures at early-exponential, mid-exponential, and early-s...
Sunday 2 October 2016
by Lauren M. K. Mason, Alex Wagemakers, Cornelis van ‘t Veer, Anneke Oei, Wouter J. van der Pot, Kalam Ahmed, Tom van der Poll, Teunis B. H. Geijtenbeek, Joppe W. R. HoviusBorrelia burgdorferi is transmitted into the skin of the host where it encounters and interacts with two dendritic cell (DC) subsets; Langerhans cells (LCs) and dermal DCs (DDCs). These cells recognize pathogens via pattern recognition receptors, mature and migrate out of the skin into draining lymph nodes, where they orchestrate adaptive immune responses. In order to investigate the response of skin DCs during the early immunopathogenesis of Lyme borreliosis, we injectedB.burgdorferi intradermally into full-thickness human skin and studied the migration of DCs out of the skin, the activation profile and phenotype of m...
Saturday 1 October 2016
Authors: Forman E, Rice M, Neylon O PMID: 27685494 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Ir Med J)
Friday 30 September 2016
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Rrp2 acts in concert with BosR to activate σ54‐dependent rpoS transcription in Borrelia burgdorferi. In contrast to canonical bacterial enhancer binding proteins, Rrp2 is essential for the growth of B. burgdorferi. We demonstrate that the Walker A and B motifs constituting ATP binding and hydrolysis activities of Rrp2 are required for borrelial growth, suggesting that the Walker motifs are involved in Rrp2's control over another unknown RpoS‐independent gene product(s) associated with cell replication. (Source: Molecular Microbiology)
Friday 30 September 2016
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Swimming with sugar: We demonstrate that the flagellar filament proteins of oral bacterium Treponema denticola are modified with a novel glycan (a C7‐acylated pseudaminic acid derivative, m/z 451.2) and that such a modification is essential for flagellar assembly and motility. (Source: Molecular Microbiology)
Friday 30 September 2016
Abstract Climate change refers to variation in the climate of a specific region or globally over time. A change has been reported in the epidemiology of tick‐ and mosquito‐borne diseases in recent decades. Investigators have postulated that this effect may be associated with climate change. We reviewed the English‐language literature describing changes in the epidemiology of specific tick‐ and mosquito‐borne diseases, including the tick‐borne diseases of Lyme disease, tularemia, Crimean‐Congo hemorrhagic fever, Mediterranean spotted fever, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever and the mosquito‐borne diseases of dengue, malaria, West Nile virus infection, Ross River virus disease, and Barmah Forest virus disease. We postulate that the changing epidemiology of tick‐ and mosquito...
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Thursday 29 September 2016
We read with great interest the review of Borie et al. [1] on pulmonary lymphoma of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT). We agree with the hypothesis that chronic antigen stimulation of microbial origin may lead to the development of pulmonary MALT lymphoma. Indeed, MALT lymphoma has been associated with various chronic infections in extrapulmonary localisations. This link has previously been demonstrated between Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric MALT lymphoma, and suggested with Campylobacter jejuni, Chlamydia psittaci and Borrelia burgdorferi with small intestine lymphoma, ocular annexa lymphoma and cutaneous lymphoma, respectively. Similarly a link has recently been suggested between infection with Achromobacter xylosoxidans and pulmonary MALT lymphoma [2]. (Source: Eur...
Thursday 29 September 2016
Conclusions: Bilateral facial palsy is a rare medical condition, and treatment often requires a multidisciplinary approach. The authors outline diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms of a tertiary care center to provide clinicians with a systematic approach to managing these complicated patients. (Source: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery)
Thursday 29 September 2016
Many aspects of pharmacological treatment of Lyme neuroborreliosis in children, such as choice of drug, dosage, and duration are subject to intense debates, leading to uncertainties in patients ’ parents and he... (Source: BMC Neurology)
Wednesday 28 September 2016
In this study, all dogs treated with NexGard® 28days prior to challenge with wild caught I. scapularis ticks were protected from B. burgdorferi infection, while nine out of the ten untreated control dogs were infected. (Source: Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases)
Tuesday 27 September 2016
Peter Kraiczy (Source: Frontiers in Immunology)
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Monday 26 September 2016
(MedPage Today) -- Persistent joint symptoms may represent a new-onset autoimmune disease (Source: MedPage Today Geriatrics)
Saturday 24 September 2016
Publication date: Available online 24 September 2016 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Katherine Sayler, Jessica Rowland, Carisa Boyce, Emma Weeks Tick-borne diseases are an emerging public health threat in the United States. In Florida, there has been public attention directed towards the possibility of locally acquired Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, the causative agent of Lyme disease, in association with the lone star tick. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of ticks and the pathogens they carry and potentially transmit, such as B. burgdorferi, in a highly utilized teaching and research forest in North Central Florida. Ticks were collected by dragging and flagging methods over a four month period in early 2014, identified, and tested by PCR for mul...
Friday 23 September 2016
Today, 1989 may be most associated with Taylor Swift: It is the album that won her a second Grammy for Album of the Year. Not only that, it happens to be the year Swift was born--such a long, long time ago! People under 35 have no personal memory of 1980s pop culture, which is ironic since Swift's album in part pays homage to it. In the real 1989 (no offense to Swift and the 10 co-producers who made the album), all sorts of revolutions took place: Mr. Gorbachev tore down that pesky wall, for example. America's greatest antagonist, the Soviet Union, collapsed in 1989. Brazil conducted its first democratic presidential election since 1960. And so on. Today, it's hard to say whether America's greatest existential threat may be Vladimir Putin or his Number-One American Fan, Donald Trump...
Friday 23 September 2016
The bacteria of the Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) (BBG) complex constitute a group of tick-transmitted pathogens that are linked to many vertebrate and tick species. The ecological relationships between the pathoge... (Source: Parasites and Vectors)
Thursday 22 September 2016
Canon U.S.A. (NYSE:CAJ) said today it made a $40 million dollar equity investment into diagnostic developer T2 Biosystems Inc. (NSDQ:TTOO), giving Canon a 19.9% stake. Canon said it purchased approximately $40 million of T2’s stock at $6.56 per share through a private placement. The investment isn’t the 1st pairing for Canon and T2, as both companies have been collaborating to develop a diagnostic test panel for rapidly detecting Lyme disease since February 2015. “We recognize that both T2 Biosystems and Canon U.S.A. are aligned in working towards the same goal and as such, we are pleased to strengthen our relationship and look forward to bringing future innovative diagnostic products to market that can improve patient health. Investments to companies like T2 is anot...
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Wednesday 21 September 2016
This study sets the stage for future research to examine the prospective tissue targets identified in order to resolve the physiological roles of this family of peptides in Ixodid ticks. (Source: Peptides)
Monday 19 September 2016
We evaluated the diagnostic performance of two assays, one bead‐based assay and one enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), for the determination of CXCL13 levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with suspected Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB). Patients investigated for LNB were retrospectively included (n = 132): 35 with definite LNB, 8 with possible LNB with CSF pleocytosis but normal antibody index (AI), 6 with possible LNB with elevated AI but no CSF pleocytosis and 83 non‐LNB patients. CSF samples had been drawn before antibiotic treatment and were analysed for CXCL13 by Quantikine ELISA (R&D Systems) and recomBead (Mikrogen). Receiver operating characteristic analyses based on the definite LNB and non‐LNB groups revealed a best performance cut‐off of 56 pg/mL fo...
Monday 19 September 2016
Authors: Vieira TS, Vieira RF, Krawczak FS, Soares HS, Guimarães AM, Barros-Filho IR, Marcondes M, Labruna MB, Biondo AW, Vidotto O Abstract Although well established in dogs, Ehrlichia sp. infection has been scarcely reported in horses. The aim was to perform a comprehensive serological and molecular survey for the detection of Ehrlichia spp. in carthorses from Southern Brazil. Blood samples from 190 carthorses from Paraná State were sampled. Horses were also tested for Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Anti-Ehrlichia sp. antibodies were detected by a commercial rapid ELISA, and immunofluorescence antibody assays (IFA) with E. chaffeensis and E. canis as crude antigens. The molecular and phylogenetic analysis of Ehrlichia sp. was based on 16S rRNA and dsb genes...
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Saturday 17 September 2016
Publication date: Available online 18 September 2016 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Cécile Aenishaenslin, Catherine Bouchard, Jules K. Koffi, Yann Pelcat, Nicholas H. Ogden Lyme disease (LD) is emerging in Canada. A key preventive strategy is promoting the adoption by the general public of personal preventive behaviors regarding tick bites. The aim of this study was to measure the changes in public awareness toward ticks and LD before and after the launch of a national communication campaign in Canada using data from two surveys conducted in March and December 2014. The results show a significant increase in awareness of LD after compared to before the campaign, but also suggest that the importance of this increase is not equal amongst Canadian regions. Moreover, respond...
Saturday 17 September 2016
Publication date: Available online 13 September 2016 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Salima Gasmi, Nicholas H. Ogden, Patrick A. Leighton, L. Robbin Lindsay, Karine Thivierge Ixodes scapularis, the main vector of Borrelia burgdorferi, the spirochetal agent of Lyme disease, is expanding its range in southern Canada and bringing risk to the public from Lyme disease. The aims of this study were to (i) describe how risk of Lyme disease in Quebec, Canada, has changed from 2008 to 2014 by analysis of the number of tick submissions, the geographic scope of ticks submitted and the prevalence of B. burgdorferi in ticks removed from people and submitted through the Quebec passive tick surveillance program and (ii) explore whether exposure to ticks is influenced by age and sex. Ticks...
Thursday 15 September 2016
Conclusion: Systemic autoimmune joint diseases, RA, PsA/SpA, may follow Lyme disease. Development of polyarthritis after antibiotic‐treated erythema migrans, previous psoriasis, or low‐titer B. burgdorferi antibodies are clues to the correct diagnosis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. (Source: Arthritis and Rheumatism)
Thursday 15 September 2016
CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that rodents have a high prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. infection, and both species of rodents, M. musculus and R. rattus, might be playing an important role in the maintenance of this bacterium in rural communities of Yucatán, México. PMID: 27622631 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biomedica : Revista del Instituto Nacional de Salud)
Thursday 15 September 2016
DR SARA KAYAT has given a second opinion to a caller concerned she could be suffering with Lyme disease. (Source: Daily Express - Health)
Wednesday 14 September 2016
Authors: Levy M, Abi-Warde MT, Rameau AC, Fafi-Kremer S, Hansmann Y, Fischbach M, Higel L Abstract Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is an arbovirus induced by tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) transmitted by tick bite. The disease is rare in France (two to three cases per year) but endemic zones extend from Western Europe to the east coast of Asia (10,000-15,000 cases per year). An 8-year-old boy was admitted to our pediatric ward in Strasbourg (France) for febrile headache with diplopia. Four days after a tick bite, he declared a febrile headache together with maculopapular rash on the elbows, knees, and cheeks. Fourteen days after the outbreak of symptoms, he showed confusion, drowsiness, and binocular diplopia. Brain MRI was normal and the electroencephalogram found diffuse slow...
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Wednesday 14 September 2016
Hey, Sugar, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. Today, the Journal of the American Medical Association dropped an alleged bombshell when it disclosed that the sugar industry lobby influenced research on coronary heart disease by effectively bribing Harvard researchers to promote the theory that dietary fat, and not sugar, causes heart disease. The story is trending on Facebook at this very moment, and the JAMA Facebook post states that "Policymaking committees should consider giving less weight to food industry-funded studies, and include mechanistic and animal studies as well as studies appraising the effect of added sugars on multiple CHD biomarkers and disease development." All of this is well and good (actually, no, not really), but I've got to ask you--are you really s...
Tuesday 13 September 2016
Publication date: Available online 13 September 2016 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Salima Gasmi, Nicholas H. Ogden, Patrick A. Leighton, L. Robbin Lindsay, Karine Thivierge Ixodes scapularis, the main vector of Borrelia burgdorferi, the spirochetal agent of Lyme disease, is expanding its range in southern Canada and bringing risk to the public from Lyme disease. The aims of this study were to i) describe how risk of Lyme disease in Quebec, Canada, has changed from 2008 to 2014 by analysis of the number of tick submissions, the geographic scope of ticks submitted and the prevalence of B. burgdorferi in ticks removed from people and submitted through the Quebec passive tick surveillance program and ii) explore whether exposure to ticks is influenced by age and sex. Ticks w...
Tuesday 13 September 2016
(Source: Infection and Drug Resistance)
Sunday 11 September 2016
Conclusions. For children and adolescents undergoing evaluation for Lyme disease, the C6 EIA could guide initial clinical decision making, although a supplemental immunoblot should still be performed. (Source: Clinical Infectious Diseases)
Sunday 11 September 2016
Conclusions. BL is a rare manifestation of early localized LB. Fourteen-day antibiotic treatment, as used for erythema migrans, is effective. (Source: Clinical Infectious Diseases)
Friday 9 September 2016
This morning, I awoke to find that I had been copied on dozens of Twitter message exchanges among several people who were discussing the pathology of Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, among human beings and mice. My first thought was "Seriously?! It's too early for this!" My second thought was "well, David, your Twitter sure has evolved from your pre-Lyme days when you used it mostly to promote vapid celebrity interviews." As I began my morning caffeine ritual and read through each of the messages, I gained a new appreciation for some of the real complexities of "invisible" illnesses. If you are connected with anyone on social media who lives with a chronic ailment, you've probably seen memes such as the ones peppered throughout this post. People who suf...
Thursday 8 September 2016
With more than 300,000 new infections of Lyme disease each year, a vaccine is warranted, argues researcher. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)
Wednesday 7 September 2016
Authors: Hansmann Y, Chirouze C, Tattevin P, Alfandari S, Caumes E, Christmann D, Salomon J, Michelet C, Rabaud C, Roblot F, Société de pathologie infectieuse de langue française PMID: 27592140 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Medecine et Maladies Infectieuses)
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Wednesday 7 September 2016
Travis J. Bourret, Kevin A. Lawrence, Jeff A. Shaw, Tao Lin, Steven J. Norris, Frank C. Gherardini (Source: Frontiers in Microbiology)
Tuesday 6 September 2016
Researchers have found that patients who were prescribed corticosteroids as part of treatment for Lyme disease-associated facial paralysis had worse long-term outcomes of regaining facial function than those who were prescribed antibiotic therapy alone. Based on these findings the researchers urge caution in prescribing corticosteroids to patients with acute Lyme disease-associated facial paralysis. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
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Tuesday 6 September 2016
AbstractThe similarity of Lyme borreliosis to other diseases and its complex pathogenesis present diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties. The changes that occur at the cellular and molecular levels after aBorrelia sp. infection still remain poorly understood. Therefore, the present study focused on the expression ofTLR andTLR-signaling genes in human dermal fibroblasts in the differentiation of an infection withBorrelia burgdorferi sensu lato spirochetes. Normal human dermal fibroblasts were cultured with the spirochetes ofBorrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto,Borrelia afzelii andBorrelia garinii. Total RNA was extracted from the cells using TRIzol reagent. The analysis of the expression profiles ofTLRs andTLR-related genes was performed using commercially available oligonucleotide microarra...
Tuesday 6 September 2016
New England Journal of Medicine,Volume 375, Issue 10, Page 911-913, September 2016. (Source: New England Journal of Medicine)
Tuesday 6 September 2016
New England Journal of Medicine,Volume 375, Issue 10, Page 997-998, September 2016. (Source: New England Journal of Medicine)
Tuesday 6 September 2016
The following Q&A is a continuation of an interview with Tara Moriarty, proprietor of the Moriarty Lab, an infectious diseases research lab that studies primarily Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. Moriarty is the principal investigator of a new academic paper from the University of Toronto that details the mechanism by which Bb "crawl" through the body -- a scholarly article that turned out to be unexpectedly popular. Tara Moriarty (Photo by Jeff Comber) How do you think your findings about the biomechanics of Lyme disease bacteria may affect treatment of the disease? Your research shows that Bb uses specialized adhesive bonds to "crawl" along the insides of blood vessels. Tara Moriarty: Absolutely, targeting this adhesion mechanism could be very i...
Tuesday 6 September 2016
(Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary) Researchers from Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Harvard Medical School have found that patients who were prescribed corticosteroids as part of treatment for Lyme disease-associated facial paralysis had worse long-term outcomes of regaining facial function than those who were prescribed antibiotic therapy alone. Based on these findings, which were published online today in Laryngoscope, the researchers urge caution in prescribing corticosteroids to patients with acute Lyme disease-associated facial paralysis. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Monday 5 September 2016
Lyme disease is the number one arthropod-transmitted disease in the U.S., and one of the diagnostic criteria for the illness is development of an erythematous bull ’s eye rash around a tick bite which may expand over time, hence the term erythema migrans. However, there are other erythema migrans-like rashes such as those from a condition known as southern tick-associated rash illness. This paper describes a patient with an erythema migrans-like lesion simil ar to that associated with Lyme disease, resulting from a bite by a nymphal stage lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
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Friday 2 September 2016
In addition to serving as vectors of several other human pathogens, the black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say, and western black-legged tick, Ixodes pacificus Cooley and Kohls, are the primary vectors of the spirochete (Borrelia burgdorferi) that causes Lyme disease, the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. Over the past two decades, the geographic range of I. pacificus has changed modestly while, in contrast, the I. scapularis range has expanded substantially, which likely contributes to the concurrent expansion in the distribution of human Lyme disease cases in the Northeastern, North-Central and Mid-Atlantic states. Identifying counties that contain suitable habitat for these ticks that have not yet reported established vector populations can aid in targeting limite...
Friday 2 September 2016
The nymphal stage of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say, is considered the primary vector to humans in the eastern United States of the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto. The abundance of infected host-seeking nymphs is commonly used to estimate the fundamental risk of human exposure to B. burgdorferi, for the purpose of environmental risk assessment and as an outcome measure when evaluating environmentally based tick or pathogen control methods. However, as this tick-based risk measure does not consider the likelihoods of either human encounters with infected ticks or tick bites resulting in pathogen transmission, its linkage to the occurrence of Lyme disease cases is worth evaluating. In this Forum article, we describe different tick-based risk measures,...
Friday 2 September 2016
In the 1980s, the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say, and rodents were recognized as the principal vector and reservoir hosts of the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi in the eastern United States, and deer were incriminated as principal hosts for I. scapularis adults. These realizations led to pioneering studies aiming to reduce the risk for transmission of B. burgdorferi to humans by attacking host-seeking ticks with acaricides, interrupting the enzootic transmission cycle by killing immatures infesting rodent reservoirs by means of acaricide-treated nesting material, or reducing deer abundance to suppress tick numbers. We review the progress over the past three decades in the fields of: 1) prevention of human–tick contact with repellents and permethrin-treated cloth...
Friday 2 September 2016
"Who knew there would be so much interest in a biomechanics paper??!!" Those are the words--and the multiple exclamation points--of Tara Moriarty, proprietor of the Moriarty Lab, an infectious diseases research lab that studies primarily Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. Moriarty is the principal investigator of a new academic paper from the University of Toronto that details the mechanism by which Bb "crawl" through the body. Scientific American is among the many mainstream outlets that discussed the findings, which may represent a major step in making the ever-gray world of Lyme disease science more black and white. Understanding the movement of an infectious disease agent may seem unnecessarily technical to many people, but Lyme disease patients a...
Thursday 1 September 2016
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Borrelia burgdorferi encodes a TamB‐like protein. TamB proteins from Proteobacteria interact with TamA to form the translocation and assemble module (TAM). Spirochetes and many other organisms, however, do not contain a TamA protein, although they encode TamB homologs. Here, we show that the TamB homolog from B. burgdorferi interacts with the BamA protein of the β‐barrel assembly machine (BAM) and suggest this may be a common interaction in organisms that lack TamA and a TAM. (Source: Molecular Microbiology)
Thursday 1 September 2016
The Question: When does a bug bite require serious medical attention? The Answer: Sometimes that pesky mosquito bite just needs a little hydrocortisone cream and time to heal. But occasionally, it’s not so simple. While most bug bites and stings are harmless, some can be dangerous if not treated properly — especially if you have an undiagnosed allergy to a particular bug venom or if that bug is a disease carrier. The summer months seem to be stocked with extra critters crawling and buzzing around us, upping the chances that you, a friend or a family member might need a dermatologist’s expertise. Here’s how the experts determine the difference between a nuisance and a health concern that requires attention. One of the first steps to differentiating between a ...
Wednesday 31 August 2016
This study examines the pathogen prevalence rate of Borrelia in adult Ixodes scapularis (Ixodida: Ixodidae), the black‐legged tick, collected from white‐tailed deer and compares it with pathogen prevalence rates in adult ticks gathered by dragging vegetation in two contiguous counties west of the Hudson Valley in upstate New York. In both Broome and Chenango Counties, attached and unattached ticks harvested from white‐tailed deer had significantly lower prevalences of B. burgdorferi than those collected from vegetation. No attached ticks on deer (n = 148) in either county, and only 2.4 and 7.3% of unattached ticks (n = 389) in Broome and Chenango Counties, respectively, were harbouring the pathogen. This contrasts with the finding that 40.8% of ticks in Broome County and 46...
Wednesday 31 August 2016
Summary Despite the mandatory nature of Lyme disease (LD) reporting in New York State (NYS), it is believed that only a fraction of the LD cases diagnosed annually are reported to public health authorities. Lack of complete LD case reporting generally stems from (i) lack of report of provider‐diagnosed cases where supportive laboratory testing is not ordered or results are negative (i.e. provider underreporting) and (ii) incomplete case information (clinical laboratory reporting only with no accompanying clinical information) such that cases are considered ‘suspect’ and not included in national and statewide case counts (i.e. case misclassification). In an attempt to better understand LD underreporting in NYS, a two‐part study was conducted in 2011 using surveillance data from thre...
Wednesday 31 August 2016
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. (Source: Molecular Microbiology)
Wednesday 31 August 2016
This study assessed the seroprevalence of anti-Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies in New Brunswick dogs. Testing of 699 serum samples from dogs across the province revealed a 6% province-wide seropositivity, more than 6 times higher than that found in 2008. The rapid increase in seropositivity indicates increased Lyme disease risk to both canine and human health. PMID: 27587892 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The Canadian Veterinary Journal)
Wednesday 31 August 2016
ConclusionAn association between corticosteroid use in acute LDFP and worse long‐term facial function outcomes has been demonstrated. Care should be taken in differentiating viral or idiopathic facial palsy (e.g., Bell palsy) from LDFP. Level of Evidence4. Laryngoscope, 2016 (Source: The Laryngoscope)
Wednesday 31 August 2016
Arpit Arora: I Have No Relevant Financial Relationships To Disclose (Source: PM and R)
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Wednesday 31 August 2016
Publication date: Available online 31 August 2016 Source:Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology Author(s): Deborah A. Grosenbaugh, Daniel R. Rissi, Paula M. Krimer Lyme disease in dogs can be effectively prevented by vaccination against antigens expressed by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi during transmission by the tick vector Ixodes sp. Lyme vaccine efficacy has traditionally been based on indicators of infection following wild-caught tick challenge whereas most other types of vaccine are required to demonstrate protection from clinical signs of disease. In this vaccination-challenge study we sought to demonstrate the ability of a nonadjuvanted, outer surface protein A (OspA) vaccine to protect from infection and to prevent synovial lesions consistent with Borreliosis. Thirty, pu...
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Monday 29 August 2016
Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases)
Thursday 25 August 2016
Publication date: Available online 25 August 2016 Source:Cell Reports Author(s): Rhodaba Ebady, Alexandra F. Niddam, Anna E. Boczula, Yae Ram Kim, Nupur Gupta, Tian Tian Tang, Tanya Odisho, Hui Zhi, Craig A. Simmons, Jon T. Skare, Tara J. Moriarty Systemic dissemination of microbes is critical for progression of many infectious diseases and is associated with most mortality due to bacterial infection. The physical mechanisms mediating a key dissemination step, bacterial association with vascular endothelia in blood vessels, remain unknown. Here, we show that endothelial interactions of the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi under physiological shear stress mechanistically resemble selectin-dependent leukocyte rolling. Specifically, these interactions are mediated by tra...
Thursday 25 August 2016
Researchers have developed a live-cell-imaging-based system that provides insights into how Lyme disease bacteria latch onto and move along the inside surface of blood vessels to reach key destinations in the body where they may be able to persist longer and avoid treatment. Ironically, the same strategies that these bacteria use to spread through the body are also used by immune cells to protect against infectious disease. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
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Thursday 25 August 2016
The sneaky germ uses a mechanism like that of white blood cells to reach vulnerable tissues and hide from antibiotics -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com (Source: Scientific American)
Thursday 25 August 2016
Among bacteria, the spirochetes are characterized by their spiral shape and remarkable length — as much 50 times longer than most other bacteria. This can make cell elongation and division a laborious process. One of those spirochetes, Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme Disease, has evolved an unusual way of doing this process: Borrelia cells mark the location where their daughters wi ll divide before dividing themselves. (Source: Yale Science and Health News)
Thursday 25 August 2016
(Cell Press) Researchers have developed a live-cell-imaging-based system that provides insights into how Lyme disease bacteria latch onto and move along the inside surface of blood vessels to reach key destinations in the body where they may be able to persist longer and avoid treatment. Ironically, the same strategies that these bacteria use to spread through the body are also used by immune cells to protect against infectious disease. The study appears Aug. 25 in Cell Reports. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Wednesday 24 August 2016
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — The drought conditions that have gripped much of the Northeastern U.S. this summer appear to have a silver lining — fewer ticks. From Maine to Rhode Island, researchers say they expect tick numbers to be down from previous years especially for the blacklegged ticks, known as deer ticks, which transmit Lyme disease. It’s too early to say, however, whether fewer ticks could mean a decline in Lyme disease cases. About 30,000 confirmed cases are reported each year across the country and those numbers have steadily risen. Scientists and state health agencies say they won’t be able to provide an accurate assessment until later this year. “I’m confident that ticks took it on the chin this summer,” said University of Rhode Island’s Thoma...
Wednesday 24 August 2016
Conclusion: In this small case series of eyes with macular edema secondary to infectious uveitis, treatment with dexamethasone intravitreal implants was not associated with reactivation of the infectious ocular disease. Furthermore, significant improvements in visual acuity and macular thickness were observed in our patients. (Source: RETINA)
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Tuesday 23 August 2016
Authors: Pritt BS, Respicio-Kingry LB, Sloan LM, Schriefer ME, Replogle AJ, Bjork J, Liu G, Kingry LC, Mead PS, Neitzel DF, Schiffman E, Hoang Johnson DK, Davis JP, Paskewitz SM, Boxrud D, Deedon A, Lee X, Miller TK, Feist MA, Steward CR, Theel ES, Patel R, Irish CL, Petersen JM Abstract Lyme borreliosis (LB) is a multisystem disease caused by spirochetes in the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) genospecies complex. We previously described a novel Borrelia species (type strain MN14-1420T) that causes LB among patients with exposures to ticks in the upper midwestern United States. Patients infected with the novel species demonstrated high levels of spirochetemia and differing clinical symptoms as compared to other Bbsl genospecies. The organism was detected from human specimens...
Tuesday 23 August 2016
A previously unreported sign and related symptoms overshadowed the revelatory clue in a patient with early infection. A 25-year-old man from New England awoke with posterior neck pain that progressively worsened over the next 3 days. He sought treatment at a general medicine clinic where he had an unremarkable physical examination and reported no significant medical history. Results from a complete blood count with differential, a complete metabolic panel, and a cervical spine x-ray were normal. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Tuesday 23 August 2016
Conclusions Lyme disease patients showing articular manifestations should be included in the diagnosis of articular affections in areas of high risk of hard tick bite, in order to establish a suitable and early treatment and to avoid sequels. (Source: Reumatologia Clinica)
Tuesday 23 August 2016
Mepron, a thick liquid antimicrobial drug used to treat Babesia and malaria, as well as a fungal infection called Pneumocystitis carinii. In 2011, the United Kingdom stopped requiring that dogs brought into the country be inspected for ticks. Earlier this year, several dogs tested positive for babesia, a malaria-like disease transmitted to ticks that previously had only been found in foreign. These dogs had never left the U.K. While babesiosis is a new worry to U.K. dog owners, it's been a threat to human beings for years -- it just hasn't become a health-scare-of-the-week like Zika, West Nile, avian and swine flu. Most people have never heard of it. Babesia microti, the protozoan that causes babesiosis, occurs throughout continental Europe and Asia, as well as throughout New England a...
Saturday 20 August 2016
Infections have surged, and an out-of-whack ecosystem may be to blame. (Source: NYT Health)
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Thursday 18 August 2016
Borrelia burgdorferi survives in nature through a complex tick-mammalian life cycle. During its transit between ticks and mammalian hosts, B. burgdorferi must dramatically alter its outer surface profile in order to interact with and adapt to these two diverse niches. It has been established that the regulator BosR (BB0647) in B. burgdorferi plays important roles in modulating borrelial host adaptation. However, to date, how bosR expression itself is controlled in B. burgdorferi remains largely unknown. Previously, it has been shown that DNA sequences upstream of BosR harbor multiple sites for the binding of recombinant BosR, suggesting that BosR may influence its own expression in B. burgdorferi. However, direct experimental evidence supporting this putative autoregulation of BosR has bee...
Tuesday 16 August 2016
Serological antibody detection tests are standard diagnostic procedure for Lyme disease. Indirect detection of pathogens is performed by ELISA and Immunoblot technique. A new flow cytometric method was developed, which detects human antibodies in serum and provides quantitative results. Our goal was to test out this method and to compare the results with those of the established methods. 101 sera from patients, who presented at the Department of Dermatology and Allergy Biederstein with a clinical diagnosis of Lyme disease were analysed for Borrelia antibodies using both the Immunoblot method (Borrelia ViraStripe ® IgG, IgM Test) and the flow cytometric method (SERION Multianalyt™ Borrelia burgdorferi IgG, IgM test). (Source: Journal of Investigative Dermatology)
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Tuesday 16 August 2016
This study evaluated antibiotic vs placebo. The study was terminated early due to the determined likelihood that a beneficial effect would not be found. When this was critically analyzed with biostatistical methods, an article was published which I believe demonstrates that Klempner's study was so poorly designed and analyzed that in order for a treatment effect to have been observed, the antibiotic treated patients would have had to improve to a level of health which was a full standard deviation better than the average health of the general population. It's a reasonable hope for antibiotics to return a patient to a somewhat normal life; it's not a reasonable hope that they would improve that patient's health status to better than average. The second study was by Krupp. It showed a reduc...
Monday 15 August 2016
Agents that cause Lyme disease, relapsing fever, leptospirosis, and syphilis belong to the phylum Spirochaetae—a unique lineage of bacteria most known for their long, spiral morphology. Despite the relevance to human health, little is known about the most fundamental aspects of spirochete growth. Here, using quantitative microscopy to track peptidoglycan... (Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)
Thursday 11 August 2016
Publication date: Available online 12 August 2016 Source:Molecular and Cellular Probes Author(s): Sally J. Cutler, Eva Ruzic-Sabljic, Aleksandar Potkonjak Lyme borreliosis (or Lyme disease) has become a virtual household term to the exclusion of other forgotten, emerging or re-emerging borreliae. We review current knowledge regarding these other borreliae, exploring their ecology, epidemiology and pathological potential, for example, for the newly described B. mayonii. These bacteria range from tick-borne, relapsing fever-inducing strains detected in some soft ticks, such as B. mvumii, to those from bat ticks resembling B. turicatae. Some of these emerging pathogens remain unnamed, such as the borrelial strains found in South African penguins and some African cattle ticks. Others, such as...
Thursday 11 August 2016
Authors: Correa-Selm LM, Bronsnick T, Rao BK, Kirkorian AY, Marcus A, Cha J Abstract A 70-year-old man was referred by his rheumatologist to our dermatology clinic for evaluation of dermatitis on his right arm that appeared 3 months earlier. The skin lesion was asymptomatic and the patient denied current systemic symptoms, including fever, chills, and joint pain; however, 10 months prior to this presentation he experienced arthritis in the left knee. At that time, Borrelia serology revealed positive IgG (6.07; <0.8 negative, 0.8 to 0.99 borderline, ≥1 positive) and negative IgM titers. The patient had not received treatment for Lyme disease in the past. He was referred to rheumatology for evaluation of possible Lyme disease but did not follow up until 10 months later. The arth...
Monday 8 August 2016
Summary Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, is a highly motile spirochete, and motility, which is provided by its periplasmic flagella, is critical for every part of the spirochete's enzootic life cycle. Unlike externally flagellated bacteria, spirochetes possess a unique periplasmic flagellar structure called the collar. This spirochete‐specific novel component is linked to the flagellar basal body; however, nothing is known about the proteins encoding the collar or their function in any spirochete. To identify a collar protein and determine its function, we employed a comprehensive strategy that included genetic, biochemical, and microscopic analyses. We found that BB0286 (FlbB) is a novel flagellar motor protein, which is located around the flagellar basal body....
Monday 8 August 2016
The lp28-1 plasmid is required for persistent infection by the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi. Mutational studies on this plasmid have shown that the vls locus is important for antigenic variation ... (Source: BMC Microbiology)
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Thursday 4 August 2016
Authors: Kern A, Zhou CW, Jia F, Xu Q, Hu LT Abstract The incidence of Lyme disease has continued to rise despite attempts to control its spread. Vaccination of zoonotic reservoirs of human pathogens has been successfully used to decrease the incidence of rabies in raccoons and foxes. We have previously reported on the efficacy of a vaccinia virus vectored vaccine to reduce carriage of Borrelia burgdorferi in reservoir mice and ticks. One potential drawback to vaccinia virus vectored vaccines is the risk of accidental infection of humans. To reduce this risk, we developed a process to encapsulate vaccinia virus with a pH-sensitive polymer that inactivates the virus until it is ingested and dissolved by stomach acids. We demonstrate that the vaccine is inactive both in vitro and in ...
Thursday 4 August 2016
Summary Many disease surveillance programs, including the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Minnesota Department of Health, are challenged by marked increases in Lyme disease (LD) reports. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively analyse LD reports from 2005 through 2012 to determine whether key epidemiologic characteristics were statistically indistinguishable when an estimation procedure based on sampling was utilized. Estimates of the number of LD cases were produced by taking random 20% and 50% samples of laboratory‐only reports, multiplying by 5 or 2, respectively, and adding the number of provider‐reported confirmed cases. Estimated LD case counts were compared to observed, confirmed cases each year. In addition, the proportions of cases that were male, we...
Tuesday 2 August 2016
It was a story with a bit of irony, as well as ominous health warnings. Crystal Hefner, the 30-year-old wife of Playboy magazine mogul Hugh Hefner, announced in a story in People magazine last month that she'd had her breast implants removed because they were making her sick. Hefner posted a photo of her post-surgery self on Instagram with the caption, "Using 2016 to reclaim my health and embrace and love myself for the real me." The former model, now a DJ, was diagnosed a few months back with Lyme disease. Her symptoms included intolerance to foods and beverages as well as back, neck, and shoulder pain. Hefner also suffered from cognitive dysfunction (brain fog, memory loss), stunted hair growth, fatigue, burning bladder pain, low immunity, and recurring infections and problems with h...
Sunday 31 July 2016
A 60-year-old man presented with an ataxic and spastic gait with paraparesis, having reported a tick bite. Brain MRI depicted bilateral corticospinal tract hyperintensities (figure). He had a mild lymphocytic meningitis (12 leukocytes/mm3, proteinorachia 1.48 g/L). ELISA was positive for Lyme disease in serum (immunoglobulin G [IgG] 176 UI and immunoglobulin M <4 UI) and CSF (IgG 300 UI) with an intrathecal synthesis (index of CSF/serum-specific antibodies equal to 16 using ELISA [normal value <1.5]). Western blot was positive for Lyme-specific antibodies in serum (18, 22, 32, 41, 60, and 75 kDa) and CSF (41 and 60 kDa). Syphilis serology was negative. After treatment (IV ceftriaxone 2 g daily for 4 weeks), gait improved and brain MRI was normal. This MRI pattern has been previously ...
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Sunday 31 July 2016
Publication date: October 2016 Source:Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Volume 48 Author(s): Thállitha S. Vieira, Rafael F. Vieira, Felipe S. Krawczak, Herbert S. Soares, Ana M. Guimarães, Ivan R. Barros-Filho, Mary Marcondes, Marcelo B. Labruna, Alexander W. Biondo, Odilon Vidotto Although well established in dogs, Ehrlichia sp. infection has been scarcely reported in horses. The aim was to perform a comprehensive serological and molecular survey for the detection of Ehrlichia spp. in carthorses from Southern Brazil. Blood samples from 190 carthorses from Paraná State were sampled. Horses were also tested for Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Anti-Ehrlichia sp. antibodies were detected by a commercial rapid ELISA, and immunofluorescence an...
Sunday 31 July 2016
ABSTRACT Outer surface protein C of Borrelia stimulates remarkable immune responses during early infection and is currently considered as a leading diagnostic and vaccine candidate. Sensitivity and specificity of serological test based on whole protein OspC is still an issue in the diagnosis of Lyme disease. The minimal B‐cell epitopes are key in the development of reliable immunodiagnostic tool. Using OspC fragments displayed on phage particles (phage library) and anti‐OspC antibodies isolated from sera of naturally infected patients we identified six OspC epitopes capable of distinguishing between LD patient and healthy control sera. Three epitopes are located at N‐terminus (OspC E1 aa19‐27, OspC E2 aa38‐53, OspC E3 aa62‐66) and three at C‐terminal end (OspC E4 aa155‐163,...
Sunday 31 July 2016
Publication date: August 2016 Source:Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Volume 47 Author(s): Valentina Virginia Ebani, Guido Rocchigiani, Fabrizio Bertelloni, Simona Nardoni, Alessandro Leoni, Sandro Nicoloso, Francesca Mancianti To estimate the prevalence of some zoonotic tick-borne pathogens in red deer (Cervus elaphus) living in Italian areas with high risk of arthropod exposure, blood samples from 60 red deer were tested by PCR for A. phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., Coxiella burnetii, Francisella tularensis, and piroplasms. Thirty-four (56.67%) animals resulted positive for one or more pathogens. In particular, 24 (40%) red deer were positive for A. phagocytophilum, 16 (26.67%) for Babesia divergens, 6 (10%) for C. burnetii, 2 (3.33%) for B. burg...
Sunday 31 July 2016
Authors: Ebani VV, Rocchigiani G, Bertelloni F, Nardoni S, Leoni A, Nicoloso S, Mancianti F Abstract To estimate the prevalence of some zoonotic tick-borne pathogens in red deer (Cervus elaphus) living in Italian areas with high risk of arthropod exposure, blood samples from 60 red deer were tested by PCR for A. phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., Coxiella burnetii, Francisella tularensis, and piroplasms. Thirty-four (56.67%) animals resulted positive for one or more pathogens. In particular, 24 (40%) red deer were positive for A. phagocytophilum, 16 (26.67%) for Babesia divergens, 6 (10%) for C. burnetii, 2 (3.33%) for B. burgdorferi s.l. No positive reaction was observed for F. tularensis. Thirteen (21.67%) animals resulted co-infected by two or three pathogens. Red deer ...
Friday 29 July 2016
Summary Lyme disease (LD) is the most common vector‐borne disease in Maryland and the United States. Surveillance for LD is valuable for understanding the burden of the disease, particularly to assess whether the disease is spreading and to appreciate who is affected. However, not all cases of LD in Maryland are reported, and surveillance practices vary across each of Maryland's 24 local health departments (LHDs). To better understand this variability and to systematically characterize the surveillance process, we surveyed Maryland's LHDs regarding LD surveillance. The Maryland Local Health Department Lyme Disease Surveillance Survey has been administered annually since 2011. Questions asked each year included whether all LD reports are investigated or only a subset, and how many reports...
Friday 29 July 2016
The C6 Lyme enzyme immunoassay is an effective diagnostic tool for children who are being tested for Lyme disease, according to Susan C. Lipsett, MD, and her associates. Of the 944 samples collected... (Source: Clinical Neurology News)
Friday 29 July 2016
Canine vector-borne diseases (CVBD) have become a major concern for canine and human public health. The aim of the study described here is to add epidemiological data regarding four pathogens responsible for C... (Source: Parasites and Vectors)
Tuesday 26 July 2016
Fatigue is a common symptom in patients with Lyme disease. (Source: Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease)
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Sunday 24 July 2016
Conclusion Three recombinant antigens, OspC B.g, OspC B.a, and VlsE B.a, were useful for ELISAs of LB. Additionally, the interaction between OspC B.a and Fla B.g should be examined in future research. (Source: Biomedical and Environmental Sciences)
Friday 22 July 2016
Growing up a musically-obsessed child in the 80's, Daryl Hall was one of my biggest inspirations. A masterful, inventive songwriter with an ocean of soul, he set me on the path to being an artist, to never waste a word, and to sing because I mean it. With six number ones and five additional top ten hits throughout the 70's and 80's Daryl Hall and John Oates are the number one duo in music history. Still at the top of his game at 69 years old, Daryl has won legions of new fans with his hit MTV Live show Live From Daryl's House. In February of 2015, at my very sickest from chronic Lyme and Bartonella, after it was missed by eleven NYC doctors, I was homebound and in heart failure. On one of those terrifying, bleary days I caught the last half of a Dan Rather interview with Daryl. Near the...
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Friday 22 July 2016
Undetected cases of Lyme disease can leave patients with a mysterious and debilitating array of symptoms years later < div class="feedflare" > < a href="http://feeds.cbsnews.com/~ff/CBSNewsHealth?a=FrWRfhEp_T4:KFYundsh-w0:w--LzT5DBIM" > < img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CBSNewsHealth?i=FrWRfhEp_T4:KFYundsh-w0:w--LzT5DBIM" border="0" > < /img > < /a > < a href="http://feeds.cbsnews.com/~ff/CBSNewsHealth?a=FrWRfhEp_T4:KFYundsh-w0:yIl2AUoC8zA" > < img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CBSNewsHealth?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0" > < /img > < /a > < a href="http://feeds.cbsnews.com/~ff/CBSNewsHealth?a=FrWRfhEp_T4:KFYundsh-w0:F7zBnMyn0Lo" > < img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/CBSNewsHealth?i=FrWRfhEp_T4:KFYundsh-w0:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0" > < /img > < /a > < a href="http://feeds.c...
Thursday 21 July 2016
Imaging findings for the various typical bacteria infecting the CNS are nonspecific and require correlation with laboratory tests to establish a definitive diagnosis. Mycobacterial and spirochetal infections have a clinical presentation and imaging appearance different from those of typical bacteria. Therefore, the following sections first discuss the various stages of pyogenic infections that occur with the majority of bacteria, followed by a description of mycobacterial (tuberculosis) and spirochetal (Lyme disease) infections (Source: Seminars in Roentgenology)
Thursday 21 July 2016
The last decades the disease Lyme borreliosis that is spread by ticks has been increasing, but this increase cannot be explained by the increasing deer population only, say researchers. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Wednesday 20 July 2016
High-temperature requirement protease A (HtrA) represents a family of serine proteases that play important roles in microbial biology. Unlike the genomes of most organisms, that of Borrelia burgdorferi notably encodes a single HtrA gene product, termed BbHtrA. Previous studies identified a few substrates of BbHtrA; however, their physiological relevance could not be ascertained, as targeted deletion of the gene has not been successful. Here we show that BbhtrA transcripts are induced during spirochete growth either in the stationary phase or at elevated temperature. Successful generation of a BbhtrA deletion mutant and restoration by genetic complementation suggest a nonessential role for this protease in microbial viability; however, its remarkable growth, morphological, and structural de...
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Wednesday 20 July 2016
Publication date: July 2016 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, Volume 7, Issue 5 Author(s): Didrik F. Vestrheim, Richard A. White, Ingeborg S. Aaberge, Audun Aase Detection of specific antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato is a useful aid for the diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis. However, antibodies are present in the general population. The seroprevalence increase with age, and varies according to the prevalence of infected ticks. We performed a seroprevalence study of IgM and IgG antibody reactivity against B. burgdorferi sensu lato in Norway by age-groups and geography, in order to provide a reference set of seroprevalence to inform the interpretation of positive test results. We used two commercially available enzyme immuno assays (EIA) and a multiplexed bead assay t...
Wednesday 20 July 2016
In this report, the feasibility of creating a microsieve-based immunoassay platform was explored. Microsieves containing 5μm pores were coupled with poly-acrylic acid chains, and then mounted into a plastic holder to enable rapid reagent exchanges via a wicking mechanism. The mounted microsieves were coated with infectious disease-related antigens at [2.5 and 25μg/mL], [20 and 50μg/mL], and [20 and 100μg/mL] to facilitate detection of serum-derived human antibodies against Rubella (3-day measles), B. burgdorferi (Lyme disease), or T. pallidum (syphilis), respectively. The prototype microsieve-based immunoassay platform was able to distinguish positive control sera containing antibodies against Rubella, T. pallidum, and B. burgdorferi from negative control sera with similar qualitative ...
Wednesday 20 July 2016
The actor/songwriter struggled with memory issues thought to be dementia, but it turned out to be caused by tick-borne illness (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)
Wednesday 20 July 2016
Scientists have tested all sorts of strategies to keep Lyme disease ticks from biting us. One is to make it less likely you'll cross paths with the critters in your yard. Sawdust mulch, anyone? (Source: NPR Health and Science)
Wednesday 20 July 2016
Learn about the transmission, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme disease and its complications in this overview. < br / > < i > U.S. Pharmacist < /i > (Source: Medscape Pathology Headlines)
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Wednesday 20 July 2016
Decades of scientific literature on the effectiveness of various methods of preventing bites and controlling ticks that transmit Lyme disease has been reviewed by a research team, and outlined in a new report. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Wednesday 20 July 2016
Learn about the transmission, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme disease and its complications in this overview. U.S. Pharmacist (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)
Wednesday 20 July 2016
(Entomological Society of America) Dr. Lars Eisen and Marc Dolan of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reviewed decades of scientific literature on the effectiveness of various methods of preventing bites and controlling ticks that transmit Lyme disease. Their findings are published in the Journal of Medical Entomology. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Tuesday 19 July 2016
Military uniforms and mosquito nets are treated with permethrin, a repellent and insecticide used for personal protection against biting flies, mosquitoes, and other disease-carrying insects. Vector-borne diseases such as malaria, leishmaniasis (a parasitic infection spread by sandflies), Zika virus, West Nile virus, Lyme disease, and more can be diminished if treated nets or clothing containing the proper amount of permethrin are utilized. Washing and wear depletes the insecticide on the material, eventually rendering it ineffective. Currently, there are no commercially available colorimetric (color-changing) tests available to gauge the amount of permethrin left in fabrics after use and repeated washes. CDC researchers developed a rapid and simple technique using a reagent to quantify th...
Monday 18 July 2016
Authors: Meyerhoff J PMID: 27429317 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Annals of Internal Medicine)
Monday 18 July 2016
Publication date: Available online 18 July 2016 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Christine B. Graham, Mark A. Pilgard, Sarah E. Maes, Andrias Hojgaard, Rebecca J. Eisen Borrelia miyamotoi is an emerging, tick-borne human pathogen. In North America, it is primarily associated with Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus, two species known to bite humans. Here we describe the development and evaluation of a pair of real-time TaqMan PCR assays designed to detect B. miyamotoi in North American ticks. We sought to achieve sensitivity to B. miyamotoi strains associated with ticks throughout North America, the full genetic diversity of which is unknown, by targeting sequences that are largely conserved between B. miyamotoi strains from the eastern United States and geneticall...
Monday 18 July 2016
T2 Biosystems (NSDQ:TTOO) said today that it inked a deal with Bayer (ETR:BAYN) for research on blood coagulation disorders. The deal calls for T2 to provide its T2MR magnetic resonance-based diagnostic device to Bayer for a research program for drug and biomarker discovery in hemostasis. “We are very enthusiastic about our collaboration with Bayer and the important validation it represents for our T2MR technology in the field of hemostasis,” T2 CEO John McDonough said in prepared remarks. “Together with Bayer, we look forward to continuing the exploration of the clinical potential of our platform to provide improved patient care in this area of significant unmet need.” The companies have been working together for the last year and recently extended the collabo...
Thursday 14 July 2016
Summary Borrelia burgdorferi maintains a complex life cycle between tick and vertebrate hosts. Although some genes have been identified as contributing to bacterial adaptation in the different hosts, the list is incomplete. In this manuscript, we report the first use of transposon mutagenesis combined with high‐throughput sequencing (Tn‐seq) in B. burgdorferi. We utilize the technique to investigate mechanisms of carbohydrate utilization in B. burgdorferi and the role of carbohydrate metabolism during mouse infection. We performed genetic fitness analyses to identify genes encoding factors contributing to growth on glucose, maltose, mannose, trehalose and N‐acetyl‐glucosamine. We obtained insight into the potential functions of proteins predicted to be involved in carbohydrate util...
Thursday 14 July 2016
This study provides the first insight into the presence of B. burgdorferi s.l. DNA in ruminants in Tunisia, and demonstrates that host species such as goats and sheep may play an important role in natural Lyme disease cycles in this country. PMID: 27660865 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine : AAEM)
Thursday 14 July 2016
Conclusions. Our patients had fewer pretreatment neurological complications (PFP, pareses) than reported for Bannwarth syndrome decades ago, probably as the result of earlier recognition and prompt antibiotic treatment. Unfavorable outcome was rare and was predicted by the continued presence of symptoms 14 days after commencement of treatment. (Source: Clinical Infectious Diseases)
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Thursday 14 July 2016
CONCLUSION: Differences in preferences between the two nations appeared in many areas, e.g. the Czechs felt more threatened by all kind of risks and suffered from Lyme disease more frequently. Gaps can still be found in both the knowledge and behaviour among the respondents. It can be expected that the general public knowledge of this issue is rather limited in comparison with the students participating in the study, who are systematically educated in the field. PMID: 27660864 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine : AAEM)
Tuesday 12 July 2016
Late last month, FOX5NY broadcast "Lyme and Reason," a precedent-setting news special dedicated to the Lyme disease epidemic. The show was a success by many measures, including--most importantly by TV production standards--ratings wise. The strong viewership reflects a strong interest in learning more about Lyme disease. More and more, people are discovering that they know someone whose life has been profoundly affected by Lyme. More and more, people are discovering that they themselves have been living with undiagnosed Lyme for years. Now the FOX5NY team is calling on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and prevention to answer questions following up on a conversation between FOX5NY anchor Teresa Priolo and CDC Chief of Epidemiology and Surveillance Activity of The Bacterial Diseases Br...
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Monday 11 July 2016
Authors: Bailey J PMID: 27402647 [PubMed - in process] (Source: cmaj)
Monday 11 July 2016
The chief medical officer of Canada's Public Health Agency says cases of Lyme disease could be much higher than reported. @NightshiftMD talks about the symptoms of Lyme and what could be causing the increase in infections. (Source: CBC | Health)
Monday 11 July 2016
It’s the height of summer — and if you’ve been spending more time outdoors lately, chances are you’ve got a few (or more) bug bites to show for your time in the sun. And while bites from pests are an inevitable part of summer, it’s important to reduce your risk of bug bites from mosquitoes and ticks. That’s because several species of these insects can carry dangerous disease, including Lyme disease and West Nile virus. “The most effective way to avoid West Nile virus disease is to prevent mosquito bites,” wrote the CDC in their summer health guidelines. “Repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, and some oil of lemon eucalyptus and para-menthane-diol products provide longer-lasting protection.” The consumer advocacy org...
Sunday 10 July 2016
LIFE and business coach Janice Haddon describes how a debilitating disease has turned her life upside down. (Source: Daily Express - Health)
Friday 8 July 2016
The prolonged feeding process of ixodid ticks, in combination with bacterial transmission, should lead to a robust inflammatory response at the blood-feeding site. Yet, factors present in tick saliva may down-... (Source: Parasites and Vectors)
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Thursday 7 July 2016
Summary Lyme disease (LD), anaplasmosis, babesiosis and other tick‐borne diseases (TBDs) attributed to Ixodes ticks are thought to be widely underreported in the United States. To identify TBD cases diagnosed in 2009, but not reported to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), diagnostic and procedural billing codes suggestive of tick‐borne diseases were used to select medical charts for retrospective review in medical facilities serving residents of a highly endemic county in Minnesota. Of 444 illness events, 352 (79%) were not reported. Of these, 102 (29%) met confirmed or probable surveillance case criteria, including 91 (26%) confirmed LD cases with physician‐diagnosed erythema migrans (EM). For each confirmed and probable LD, probable anaplasmosis and confirmed babesiosis case...
Thursday 7 July 2016
Summary Lyme disease (LD), anaplasmosis, babesiosis and other tick‐borne diseases (TBDs) attributed to Ixodes ticks are thought to be widely underreported in the United States. To identify TBD cases diagnosed in 2009, but not reported to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), diagnostic and procedural billing codes suggestive of tick‐borne diseases were used to select medical charts for retrospective review in medical facilities serving residents of a highly endemic county in Minnesota. Of 444 illness events, 352 (79%) were not reported. Of these, 102 (29%) met confirmed or probable surveillance case criteria, including 91 (26%) confirmed LD cases with physician‐diagnosed erythema migrans (EM). For each confirmed and probable LD, probable anaplasmosis and confirmed babesiosis case...
Wednesday 6 July 2016
Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases)
Wednesday 6 July 2016
Publication date: Available online 30 June 2016 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Knut Eirik Eliassen, Dag Berild, Harald Reiso, Nils Grude, Karen Sofie Christophersen, Cecilie Finckenhagen, Morten Lindbæk The first stage of Lyme borreliosis (LB) is mainly the typical skin lesion, erythema migrans (EM), which is estimated to comprise 80–90% of all LB cases. However, the reporting of and actual incidence of LB varies throughout Europe. Studies from Sweden and Holland found EM incidences varied from 53–464 EM/100,000 inhabitants/year. Under-reporting of LB is common and a coefficient of three to reach a realistic estimate is suggested. In Norway, it is mandatory to report only the second and third LB stages to the National Institute of Public Health. To find the N...
Wednesday 6 July 2016
Authors: Maximov GK, Maximov KG, Chokoeva AA, Lotti T, Wollina U, Patterson JW, Guarneri C, Tana C, Fioranelli M, Roccia MG, Kanazawa N, Tchernev G Abstract Lyme boreliosis is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burdorferi, which is transmitted by ticks. A 59 year-old woman developed pyrexia, strong headaches, ataxia, dysarthria and tremor of the limbs after a tick bite. She was unable to work and eat on her own. She was hospitalized three times and diagnosed with cerebellar intention tremor, cerebellar ataxia, dysarthria, bilateral horizontal gaze paralysis and a central lesion of the left facial nerve. There were no pyramidal, sensory or psychiatric disturbances. The brain MRI showed multifocal leucoencephalopathy with many hyperintense areas in both hemispheres, as well as in the ...
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Tuesday 5 July 2016
To the Editor Human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA), caused by the rickettsia Anaplasma phagocytophilum, is vectored by the same Ixodes spp ticks that transmit Lyme disease. HGA is associated with fever, headache, cytopenia, and rarely mortality (if the infection occurs in elderly or immunocompromised hosts). HGA is not spread person-to-person by mucocutaneous exposure to the blood of infected patients; does not typically, or perhaps ever, cause bleeding from multiple body sites; is not usually associated with diarrhea; and has never been associated with relative bradycardia. Convalescent phase antibody titers to the etiologic agent reach 640 or greater in more than 90% of culture-confirmed cases in the United States, and morulae are detected on blood smears in more than 70% of such cases....
Sunday 3 July 2016
Lyme disease is endemic in several areas in the United States, including the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states, upper mid-West, and the West Coast. It is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans by ticks of the Ixodes species. The question of how to manage patients who have experienced a tick bite arises frequently in clinical practice and includes whether or not to recommend antibiotics either as a single dose or longer course in an effort to prevent development of acute Lyme disease characterized by systemic symptoms and the rash of erythema migrans. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
Friday 1 July 2016
CONCLUSION: Seropositivity rates were not found to be higher than the expected rates. Further, studies are needed to evaluate the threat of vector borne zoonoses and associated risk factors in the study area. PMID: 27353580 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Journal of Vector Borne Diseases)
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Friday 1 July 2016
Abstract: A previously healthy adolescent girl presented to the emergency department with new onset chest and right upper quadrant abdominal pain. Laboratory studies and imaging were consistent with myocarditis. She developed heart block after admission and required stabilization in the cardiac intensive care unit. Lyme serology returned positive, and her condition was diagnosed as Lyme disease-associated myocarditis. (Source: Pediatric Emergency Care)
Thursday 30 June 2016
Abstract Lyme disease is caused by the spirochetal bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted by ticks in the genus Ixodes. The key reservoirs for the spirochete include rodents and birds, and the primary hosts for ticks include rodents, birds, and lizards for immature stages and large mammal for the adults. Since its recognition in the USA in the 1970s, it has continued to emerge, increasing both in case numbers and geographic distribution. In the last two decades, a number of new findings have been observed, including a vast increase in disease distribution, additional Borrelia species causing disease in humans, and newly recognized clinical presentations of the disease. Areas of greatest need include (1) new diagnostic tests, including tests that detect Borrelia DNA, antigen...
Thursday 30 June 2016
(Source: Acta Neurologica Belgica)
Thursday 30 June 2016
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. (Source: Molecular Microbiology)
Thursday 30 June 2016
A new microscopy technique (LM-method) developed to detect Lyme disease is unable to distinguish infected patients from healthy controls, yielding false-positive results that could lead doctors to over-diagnose a patient, according to new research. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Wednesday 29 June 2016
Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae) is the most important vector of human disease in the United States. Recent efforts by public health officials to determine its presence on a county-by-county basis have been undertaken to assist in Lyme disease risk assessment. Recent modeling efforts show that South Dakota can potentially support populations of I. scapularis based on favorable climatic conditions and presence of suitable hosts to support tick populations within the state. We provide the first documentation of an established population of I. scapularis in Clay County, SD, providing only the third record of the presence of this tick species within the state. (Source: Journal of Medical Entomology)
Wednesday 29 June 2016
Amblyomma americanum (L.), the lone star tick, is an aggressive tick that is expanding its geographic range within the United States. This tick is the vector for the human and veterinary pathogens Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Ehrlichia ewingii and is associated with other microbes of unspecified pathogenicity including Rickettsia amblyommii, Panola Mountain Ehrlichia, and Borrelia lonestari. In Florida, there has been sparse contemporary data on the prevalence of these organisms in host-seeking lone star ticks. To determine the prevalence of this tick and associated microbes in North Central Florida state parks, ~1,500 lone star tick specimens were collected between 2010 and 2012 analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) sequencing. Additionally, 393 white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianu...
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Wednesday 29 June 2016
The most common tick-borne sickness in the U.S. is Lyme disease, but there are other lesser-known illnesses that also can be transmitted by a tick bite. And, although they are sometimes overlooked, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says these tick-borne diseases pose an increasing threat to public health. That's why researchers routinely head into the woods to learn more about ticks. Knowing [...] (Source: News from Mayo Clinic)
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Tuesday 28 June 2016
The objective of this study is to investigate associations between PTLDS and immune mediator levels during acute illness and at several time points following treatment. Seventy-six participants with physician-documented erythema migrans and 26 healthy controls with no history of Lyme disease were enrolled. Sixty-four cytokines, chemokines, and inflammatory markers were measured at each visit for a total of 6 visits over 1 year. An operationalized definition of PTLDS incorporating symptoms and functional impact was applied at 6 months and 1 year following treatment completion, and clinical outcome groups were defined as Return to Health, Symptoms Only, and PTLDS. Significance analysis of microarrays identified 7 of the 64 immune mediators as differentially regulated by group. Generalized lo...
Tuesday 28 June 2016
Authors: Smith AA, Navasa N, Yang X, Wilder CN, Buyuktanir O, Marques A, Anguita J, Pal U Abstract Evolution of hematophagy in blood-sucking parasites likely involves communication with their hosts. We find that Ixodes ticks are responsive to IFNγ acquired in a blood meal from mice infected with the Lyme disease-causing bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, leading to induction of antimicrobial responses. Ixodes ticks parasitizing B. burgdorferi-infected mice upregulated an I. scapularis Rho-like GTPase (IGTPase). IGTPase knockdown enhanced B. burgdorferi levels in post-fed ticks, suggesting this protein controls spirochete survival. Notably, IGTPase was only induced during pathogen acquisition from mice and not upon transmission to naive hosts. Microinjection of ticks with IFNγ indu...
Tuesday 28 June 2016
This study was conducted to detect Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infection in ixodid ticks from the Patagonia region in the south of Argentina. Therefore, ticks were collected on rodents in the provinces of Chubut, Río Negro and Santa Cruz. These ticks were identified as nymphs of Ixodes neuquenensis and Ixodes sigelos. The B. burgdorferi s.l. infection was tested by a battery of PCR methods targeting the gene flagellin (fla) and the rrfA-rrlB intergenic spacer region (IGS). Three pools of I. sigelos nymphs from Chubut and Santa Cruz provinces as well as one pool of I. neuquenensis nymphs from Río Negro province were tested positive in the fla-PCR. The samples of I. sigelos were also positive for the IGS-PCR. Phylogenetically, the haplotypes found in the positive ticks belong to the B....
Friday 24 June 2016
Nancy Shadick, MD, MPH, director of the Lyme Disease Prevention Center in the Division of Rheumatology, Immunology and Allergy, recently received an Award of Recognition in the area of Lyme disease prevention and education at MIT’s Lyme Innovation Ha (Source: BWH News)
Friday 24 June 2016
Species of the genus Borrelia are causative agents of Lyme disease and relapsing fever. Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vector-borne disease in the northern hemisphere. However, in some parts of the wo... (Source: Parasites and Vectors)
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Thursday 23 June 2016
ConclusionWe identified restriction and clonotypic expansions in the JIA Treg cell repertoire with sharing of Treg cell clonotypes across patients. These findings suggest that abnormalities in the Treg cell repertoire, possibly engendered by shared antigenic triggers, may contribute to disease pathogenesis in JIA. (Source: Arthritis and Rheumatism)
Thursday 23 June 2016
Authors: Nelson VA, Clarke BL, Crossland JP, Bemis LT Abstract A method applying high-resolution melt (HRM) analysis to PCR products copied and amplified from extracellular RNA (exRNA) has been developed to distinguish two morphologically similar Peromyscus species: P. leucopus and P. maniculatus. P. leucopus is considered the primary reservoir host of Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent for Lyme disease in North America. In northern Minnesota the habitat ranges of P. leucopus overlaps with that of P. maniculatus. Serum samples from live mice of both species were collected from cheek bleeds, total extracellular RNA (exRNA) was extracted, copied using reverse transcription and amplified by PCR followed by HRM analysis. A circulating ribosomal RNA (rRNA) was identified which di...
Thursday 23 June 2016
ConclusionWe identified restriction and clonotypic expansions in the JIA Treg cell repertoire with sharing of Treg cell clonotypes across patients. These findings suggest that abnormalities in the Treg cell repertoire, possibly engendered by shared antigenic triggers, may contribute to disease pathogenesis in JIA. (Source: Arthritis and Rheumatism)
Wednesday 22 June 2016
Conclusions. Used as recommended, acaricide barrier sprays do not significantly reduce the household risk of tick exposure or incidence of tick-borne disease. Measures for preventing tick-borne diseases should be evaluated against human outcomes to confirm effectiveness. (Source: The Journal of Infectious Diseases)
Wednesday 22 June 2016
Conclusions. Our study indicates that OspA-specific HuMabs can prevent the transmission of Borrelia and that administration of these antibodies could be employed as preexposure prophylaxis for Lyme disease. (Source: The Journal of Infectious Diseases)
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Tuesday 21 June 2016
Study in elderly identifies predictors of remission of depression Meta‐analysis finds omega‐3s effective as adjunctive treatment for depression Citalopram shows effectiveness for range of Alzheimer's disease symptoms Metoclopramide controls hypersalivation associated with clozapine treatment Augmentation therapy with memantine improves symptoms of schizophrenia Cognitive symptoms in Lyme disease fail to respond to antibiotics Psychoactive drug use adds dimension to Islamic terrorist activity (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Tuesday 21 June 2016
10.1080/23744235.2016.1193790Yohan N’Guyen (Source: Infectious Diseases)
Tuesday 21 June 2016
We describe a patient from the United States with PCR- and serology-confirmed Borrelia miyamotoi infection who recovered without antibiotics. Our findings suggest that B. miyamotoi infection may cause relapsing fever, blood monocytosis and antibody reactivity to the C6 peptide. Further studies are required to better define the spectrum of clinical and laboratory findings for this emerging tick-transmitted infection. (Source: Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease)
Tuesday 21 June 2016
We describe a patient from the United States with PCR- and serology-confirmed Borrelia miyamotoi infection who recovered without antibiotics. Our findings suggest that B. miyamotoi infection may cause relapsing fever, blood monocytosis and antibody reactivity to the C6 peptide. Further studies are required to better define the spectrum of clinical and laboratory findings for this emerging tick-transmitted infection. (Source: Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease)
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Tuesday 21 June 2016
Authors: Hahn BL, Padmore LJ, Ristow LC, Curtis MW, Coburn J Abstract Borrelia burgdorferi, B. garinii and B. afzelii are all agents of Lyme disease in different geographic locations. If left untreated, Lyme disease can cause significant and long-term morbidity, which may continue after appropriate antibiotic therapy has been administered and live bacteria are no longer detectable. The increasing incidence and geographic spread of Lyme disease is renewing interest in vaccination of at-risk populations. We took the approach of vaccinating mice with two targeted mutant strains of B. burgdorferi that, unlike the parental strain, are avirulent in mice. Mice vaccinated with both strains were protected against challenge by the parental strain and a heterologous B. burgdorferi strain by e...
Tuesday 21 June 2016
1. Are you sure your patient has Lyme disease? What are the typical findings for this disease? The most common manifestation is the rash, termed erythema migrans (early localized Lyme... (Source: Pediatric News)
Sunday 19 June 2016
This study aimed to describe the association of Borrelia burgdorferi s.s. with ixodid tick cell lines by flow cytometry and fluorescence and confocal microscopy. Spirochetes were stained with a fluorescent membrane marker (PKH67 or PKH26), inoculated into 8 different tick cell lines and incubated at 30°C for 24 h. PKH efficiently stained B. burgdorferi without affecting bacterial viability or motility. Among the tick cell lines tested, the Rhipicephalus appendiculatus cell line RA243 achieved the highest percentage of association/internalization, with both high (90%) and low (10%) concentrations of BSK-H medium in tick cell culture medium. Treatment with cytochalasin D dramatically reduced the average percentage of cells with internalized spirochetes, which passed through a dramatic morph...
Saturday 18 June 2016
We report here that ResT promotes single-strand annealing of both free DNA strands and ssDNA complexed with single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSB). The annealing of complementary strands bound by SSB requires a ResT–SSB interaction that is mediated by the conserved amphipathic C-terminal tail of SSB. These properties of ResT are similar to those demonstrated for the recombination mediator protein, RecO, of the RecF pathway. Borrelia burgdorferi is unusual in lacking identifiable homologs of the RecFOR proteins. We propose that ResT may provide missing RecFOR functions. (Source: Nucleic Acids Research)
Friday 17 June 2016
By the Editors Here's the most clicked-on item we featured from NEJM Group … (Source: Physician's First Watch current issue)
Thursday 16 June 2016
UPMC will cut the ribbon Thursday on its $3 million Center for Care of Infectious Diseases, which houses several existing services in a shared, renovated space. The center includes 12 exam rooms and the tools to evaluate patients with potentially contagious airborne diseases. Health care specialists will work with patients on a range of infectious diseases, including HIV and AIDS, bloodstream infections, Lyme disease and even Zika, according to a representative for UPMC. UPMC invested $4.1 million… (Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Pharmaceuticals headlines)
Wednesday 15 June 2016
Conclusion This paper reviews the literature pertaining to the importance of the phrenic nerve in Lyme disease. (Source: Polish Annals of Medicine)
Wednesday 15 June 2016
Date: July 4, 2016 Issue #: 1498 Summary: Use of insect repellents is strongly recommended by the CDC and the EPA to prevent Zika virus infection and other mosquito- and tickborne diseases. Mosquitoes can transmit chikungunya, dengue, West Nile, and yellow fever viruses, and malaria. Ticks can transmit Lyme disease and rickettsial diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever. (Source: The Medical Letter)
Wednesday 15 June 2016
A. Moore et al. (Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal)
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Tuesday 14 June 2016
This Medical Letter review summarizes antibiotic regimens to treat the dermatological, neurological, cardiac, and rheumatological manifestations of Lyme disease. (Source: JAMA)
Sunday 12 June 2016
Publication date: Available online 13 June 2016 Source:International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife Author(s): Shakirat A. Adetunji, Rosina C. Krecek, Gabrielle Castellanos, John C. Morrill, Alice Blue-McLendon, Walt E. Cook, Maria D. Esteve-Gassent Lyme Disease is caused by the bacterial pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi, and is transmitted by the tick-vector Ixodes scapularis. It is the most prevalent arthropod-borne disease in the United States. To determine the seroprevalence of B. burgdorferi antibodies in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from Texas, we analyzed serum samples (n = 1493) collected during the 2001–2015 hunting seasons, using indirect ELISA. Samples with higher sero-reactivity (0.803 and above) than the negative control group (0.662) ...
Sunday 12 June 2016
Authors: Drenckhahn A, Spors B, Knierim E Abstract Lyme neuroborreliosis is a frequent cause of facial nerve palsy in children, isolated oculomotor nerve palsy due to Borrelia-associated nervous system infection however is rarely seen. Here we report a case of isolated oculomotor nerve palsy due to a nervous system infection with Borrelia burgdorferi in childhood and restitutio in integrum after intravenous antibiotic therapy. PMID: 27323659 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: European Journal of Paediatric Neurology)
Sunday 12 June 2016
By the Editors Edited by Susan Sadoughi, MD, and André Sofair, MD, MPH Here's what's happening on the NEJM Journal Watch blogs right now: Clinical Conversations: What's wrong with … (Source: Physician's First Watch current issue)
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Friday 10 June 2016
Lyme disease (LD) has become the most common vector borne illness in the Northern hemisphere. Prevention relies predominantly on fostering protective behaviors (e.g., avoiding tick areas, using protective clot... (Source: BMC Public Health)
Thursday 9 June 2016
(NaturalNews) More than 300,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease in the United States - each year. Sadly, many more suffer from this disease but get misdiagnosed with fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome or any number of the so-called 'psychiatric' conditions... (Source: NaturalNews.com)
Wednesday 8 June 2016
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Abbreviated Summary This work establishes Tn‐seq as a new tool for performing high‐throughput genetic fitness analyses in Borrelia burgdorferi. We used the technique to perform an in vitro screen exploring mechanisms of mannose, maltose, trehalose, and N‐acetyl‐glucosamine metabolism in B. burgdorferi as well as a complementing in vivo screen in mice. In doing so we obtained insight into the potential functions of genes annotated as encoding carbohydrate transporters and an additional function of the response regulator Rrp1. (Source: Molecular Microbiology)
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Tuesday 7 June 2016
Residents there heard a proposal Monday from a M.I.T. scientist to use genetically engineered mice to stop the spread of the tick-borne disease. (Source: NYT Health)
Monday 6 June 2016
(Source: Acta Neurologica Belgica)
Monday 6 June 2016
A novel combination therapy cures an emerging infectious disease, babesiosis, which is transmitted by the same ticks that transmit the agents of Lyme disease, report researchers. This 'radical' therapy not only clears the infection but also prevents the recurrence that often occurs with existing treatments. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Friday 3 June 2016
The Institute for Systems Biology’s Lyme disease project has received $3 million to continue its work on the chronic disease. On top of the funding received when the project was initiated last year, ISB now has a total of $6.1 million from Jeff and Liesl Wilke, Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos, the Bay Area Lyme Foundation and the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation. Lyme disease is caused by bacteria transmitted to humans through a tick bite and is often misdiagnosed because people don’t know they… (Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Biotechnology headlines)
Thursday 2 June 2016
What is wrong with a lively 67-year-old gardener who develops a daily fever and shaking chills along with chest pain and a dry cough? (Source: NYT)
Thursday 2 June 2016
Authors: Schned ES, Williams DN PMID: 27237181 [PubMed] (Source: Postgraduate Medicine)
Wednesday 1 June 2016
Authors: Jabłońska J, Żarnowska-Prymek H, Stańczak J, Kozłowska J, Wiercińska-Drapało A Abstract The report presents a well-documented case of symptomatic co-infection of Babesia microti and Borrelia burgdorferi in a Polish immunocompetent patient after travelling to Canada and the USA. PMID: 27294655 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine : AAEM)
Wednesday 1 June 2016
CONCLUSIONS: IL-17A, IL-17F and IL-22 are synthesized simultaneously by PBMC stimulated with B. burgdorferi. There is no antagonism between Th17 response and IL-10 expression. The role of Th17 cytokines seems to differ depending on the clinical stage of Lyme borreliosis and on the B. burgdorferi species. PMID: 27294626 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine : AAEM)
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Wednesday 1 June 2016
CONCLUSIONS: Clinical diagnosis of PNGD is difficult, and is based mainly on the histopathological picture. Systemic therapy is incorporated mainly due to the systemic disease. The patient requires further observation in the direction of associated systemic disorders. PMID: 27294654 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine : AAEM)
Wednesday 1 June 2016
Date: June 20, 2016 Issue #: 1497 Summary: A reader commenting on our Treatment of Lyme Disease article (Med Lett Drugs Ther 2016; 58:57) objected to a footnote in the table advising against use of doxycycline in children <8 years old. This warning has been included in the labeling of all tetracyclines since 1970 when it was recognized, after decades of use, that these drugs caused permanent staining and enamel hypoplasia of developing teeth. The CDC recently stated that short courses of doxycycline, which was first marketed in the US in 1967 and has less affnity for calcium than other tetracyclines, have not been shown to cause tooth staining.1 That statement was pr...
Wednesday 1 June 2016
(Institute for Systems Biology) The Institute for Systems Biology has received a transformational, multi-year pledge from the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation to support the Wilke Cohen Lyme Disease Project. In addition to an initial $3.1 million in funding from Jeff and Liesl Wilke, Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos, and the Bay Area Lyme Foundation, the commitments total $6.1 million in pledges and cash. ISB researchers have discovered potential biomarkers, including a set of proteins in the blood known to be important for bone marrow regeneration and stability. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Tuesday 31 May 2016
Authors: Chaaya G, Jaller-Char JJ, Ali SK Abstract A rash occurs in 80% of Lyme disease cases, but only about a third of the rashes develop into a classic bull's-eye lesion. Here's what to look for and how best to treat. PMID: 27474818 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: The Journal of Family Practice)
Tuesday 31 May 2016
Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases , Vol. 0, No. 0. (Source: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases)
Tuesday 31 May 2016
Abstract A 6‐year‐old, male castrated, mixed‐breed dog was referred to the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Colorado State University for bicavitary effusion. On examination, the dog was tachycardic and tachypneic with bilaterally decreased lung sounds. Thoracic and abdominal ultrasonic examination revealed pleural and peritoneal effusions, which were aspirated and submitted for fluid analysis and cytology. Both cavity fluids were classified as exudates with a large population of vacuolated mononuclear cells. Multiplex immunocytochemistry (ICC) for cytokeratin and vimentin demonstrated exclusively cytokeratin expression, indicating these cells were of epithelial origin. A full diagnostic evaluation was performed, including CBC, clinical chemistry, a pet‐side test for h...
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Tuesday 31 May 2016
Modelling the spatial spread of vector-borne zoonotic pathogens maintained in enzootic transmission cycles remains a major challenge. The best available spatio-temporal data on pathogen spread often take the form of human disease surveillance data. By applying a classic ecological approach—occupancy modelling—to an epidemiological question of disease spread, we used surveillance data to examine the latent ecological invasion of tick-borne pathogens. Over the last half-century, previously undescribed tick-borne pathogens including the agents of Lyme disease and human babesiosis have rapidly spread across the northeast United States. Despite their epidemiological importance, the mechanisms of tick-borne pathogen invasion and drivers underlying the distinct invasion trajectories o...
Tuesday 31 May 2016
(Source: Journal of Inflammation Research)
Tuesday 31 May 2016
(Source: Journal of Inflammation Research)
Monday 30 May 2016
Canadian Journal of Zoology, e-First Articles. Occurrence of Lyme disease has increased rapidly in Canada in the past 5 years. The emergence of Lyme disease coincides with the range expansion of the primary host, the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus (Rafinesque, 1818)), in the region. We evaluated the effects of stress level, parasite load, and forest-patch characteristics on P. leucopus movement pattern. We found negative relations between on the one hand the adrenal gland size, a proxy for stress level, and population density, and on the other hand, home-range area and movement rate of mouse individuals, suggesting that stressed mice cannot maintain a large home range. Population density was also related with excursion (outside the forest patch) and exploration (outside the home r...
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Monday 30 May 2016
The study evaluates the clinical significance of CXCL13 (leukocyte chemoattractant synthesized in CSF ) in Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) and other aseptic CNS infections.244 patients with symptoms of neuroinfection and/or LNB were divided into groups: A - patients with LNB-positive antibodies in serum and CSF (96) or CSF only (14); B - patients with aseptic non-borrelial neuroinfections (82); C-negative controls (52). Group A was divided into A1-A4 according to pleocytosis in CSF and AIIgG positivity. (Source: Journal of the Neurological Sciences)
Monday 30 May 2016
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. (Source: Science - The Huffington Post)
Sunday 29 May 2016
Conclusions. Comorbid conditions can play a role in the reporting of long-term symptoms and overall QOL of Lyme disease patients and should be considered in the evaluation of these patients. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT00028080. (Source: Clinical Infectious Diseases)
Saturday 28 May 2016
(MedPage Today) -- Symptoms started 10 months after joint arthroplasty (Source: MedPage Today Geriatrics)
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Friday 27 May 2016
Ecosystem tipping points and climate change warning signs are making headlines. Yesterday I read record breaking heat is melting roads in some of India's busiest cities. Scientists predicted a rise in temperature would lead to an increase in the number of insects worldwide, ushering dire consequences to the farming community. Warnings unheeded to our own detriment as now one of Africa's staple crops, cassava, is reeling from super bug infestation. In short climate change has already altered earth's ecological footprint with unstable fluctuating seasons. A longer season means insects have a higher metabolic rate, quicker gestation and more frequent reproduction. According to an EPA report titled Lyme Disease - Climate Change Indicators In the US stated "Between 1991 and 2013 lyme dise...
Friday 27 May 2016
“You would think it would be things like wildlife, raging rivers and stuff like that,” an official says. But you should worry about little things like ticks. (Source: NYT Health)
Friday 27 May 2016
This study explores the presence of B. burgdorferi s.l. in blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis, collected at Dundas, Ontario (a locality within the region of Hamilton-Wentworth). Using passive surveillance, veterinarians and pet groomers were asked to collect blacklegged ticks from dogs and cats with no history of travel. Additionally, I. scapularis specimens were submitted from local residents and collected by flagging. Overall, 12 (41%) of 29 blacklegged ticks were infected with B. burgdorferi s.l. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing, two borrelial amplicons were characterized as B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), a genospecies pathogenic to humans and certain domestic animals. Notably, three different vertebrate hosts each had two engorged I. scapularis females r...
Thursday 26 May 2016
ABSTRACT Two different genetic loci, flaB and ospC, were employed to assign genospecies and OspC phylogenetic type to 18 strains isolated from ticks collected in Pisárky, a suburban park in the city of Brno, Czech Republic. The RFLP analysis revealed three different genospecies (B. afzelii, B. garinii, and B. valaisiana). Three samples from the collection contained more than one genospecies. In the other 15 strains, nucleotide sequences of flaB and ospC were determined. The following phylogenetic analysis assigned 12 isolates to genospecies B. garinii and three to B. afzelii. These isolates were further subdivided into seven distinct ospC groups. The most related OspC types were G2, G4, and G5 (B. garinii) and A3 and A8 (B. afzelii). (Source: Journal of Vector Ecology)
Thursday 26 May 2016
ABSTRACT Two different genetic loci, flaB and ospC, were employed to assign genospecies and OspC phylogenetic type to 18 strains isolated from ticks collected in Pisárky, a suburban park in the city of Brno, Czech Republic. The RFLP analysis revealed three different genospecies (B. afzelii, B. garinii, and B. valaisiana). Three samples from the collection contained more than one genospecies. In the other 15 strains, nucleotide sequences of flaB and ospC were determined. The following phylogenetic analysis assigned 12 isolates to genospecies B. garinii and three to B. afzelii. These isolates were further subdivided into seven distinct ospC groups. The most related OspC types were G2, G4, and G5 (B. garinii) and A3 and A8 (B. afzelii). (Source: Journal of Vector Ecology)
Thursday 26 May 2016
Researchers were fishing for a new weapon against antibiotic resistance and found one floating in a Connecticut pond. A virus called a bacteriophage, found in Dodge Pond in East Lyme, attacks a common multi-drug resistant bacterial pathogen called Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which can lethally infect people with compromised immune systems. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Tuesday 24 May 2016
Authors: Nataliia Rudenko, Maryna Golovchenko, Kerry Clark, James H Oliver & Libor Grubhoffer (Source: Emerging Microbes and Infections)
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Tuesday 24 May 2016
New Hampshire continues to have one of the highest rates of Lyme disease in the nation. The state's Division of Public Health Services provides advice on diagnosis and treatment. State Health Alerts (Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines)
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Tuesday 24 May 2016
We thank John Scott for his comments regarding our recent Article1 describing the identification of a novel genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Borrelia mayonii) as a new cause of Lyme borreliosis among patients in the upper midwestern USA. We agree with Scott that multiple B burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies can infect human beings. Our wording “nearly all human infections are caused by three B burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies” reflects this, and does not exclude other B burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)
Tuesday 24 May 2016
Bobbi Pritt and colleagues1 reveal that Borrelia mayonii is a new member of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, and show that this spirochete is pathogenic to human beings. However, the authors err on several key points. They state B burgdorferi sensu stricto was previously the only cause of Lyme borreliosis in the USA. With the discovery of B mayonii, they take credit for describing the first non-B burgdorferi sensu stricto in patients in the USA; this assumption is not true. Girard and colleagues2 reported B bissettii in patients in California and Clark and colleagues3 documented B americana and B andersonii in human blood from residents in the southeastern USA. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)
Tuesday 24 May 2016
Jie Feng, Wanliang Shi, Shuo Zhang, David Sullivan, Paul G. Auwaerter, Ying Zhang (Source: Frontiers in Microbiology)
Monday 23 May 2016
Borrelia burgdorferi possesses a sophisticated chemotaxis signaling system; however, the roles of the majority of the chemotaxis proteins in the infectious life cycle have not yet been demonstrated. Specifically, the role of CheD during host colonization has not been demonstrated in any bacterium. Here, we systematically characterized the B. burgdorferi CheD homolog using genetics and biochemical and mouse-tick-mouse infection cycle studies. Bacillus subtilis CheD plays an important role in chemotaxis by deamidation of methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein receptors (MCPs) and by increasing the receptor kinase activity or enhancing CheC phosphatase activity, thereby regulating the levels of the CheY response regulator. Our biochemical analysis indicates that B. burgdorferi CheD significantly...
Monday 23 May 2016
Don't become the next meal for a disease-carrying parasite Source: HealthDay Related MedlinePlus Pages: Lyme Disease, Tick Bites (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)
Monday 23 May 2016
Nationwide surveys have shown a threefold increase in general practitioner (GP) consultations for tick bites and early Lyme borreliosis from 1994 to 2009 in the Netherlands. We now report an update on 2014, wi... (Source: BMC Public Health)
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Sunday 22 May 2016
ConclusionsHorses seropositive to B. burgdorferi are common in Virginia, and older horses are more likely to have a positive test result for OspF than younger horses. Follow‐up testing indicated that the majority of horses that were positive on initial testing did not have a different test result 5–17 months later. (Source: Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine)
Saturday 21 May 2016
Summary Borrelia burgdorferi possesses a sophisticated and complex chemotaxis system but how the organism utilizes this system in its natural enzootic life cycle is poorly understood. Of the three CheY chemotaxis response regulators in B. burgdorferi, we found that only deletion of cheY3 resulted in an altered motility and significantly reduced chemotaxis phenotype. Though ΔcheY3 maintained normal densities in unfed ticks, their numbers were significantly reduced in fed ticks compared to the parental or cheY3‐complemented spirochetes. Importantly, mice fed upon by the ΔcheY3‐infected ticks did not develop a persistent infection. Intravital confocal microscopy analyses discovered that the ΔcheY3 spirochetes were motile, but appeared unable to reverse direction and perform the charact...
Saturday 21 May 2016
Abstract: CD4+ small/medium pleomorphic T-cell lymphoma is a relatively rare subtype of cutaneous lymphoproliferative disorder with an indolent clinical behavior. The place of this condition among lymphomas is debatable. The authors describe a rare case of the direct association of CD4 small/medium pleomorphic T-cell lymphoma–like solitary nodule with Borrelia burgdorferi infection in a 5-year-old boy, discuss the reactive nature of this condition, and emphasize the importance of clinicopathological correlation. (Source: The American Journal of Dermatopathology)
Saturday 21 May 2016
Graduate student Temple Douglas was just a high school intern when she began work on an experimental test that could be a "game-changer" (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)
Saturday 21 May 2016
The young scientist who helped develop the test came up with the idea during her high school internship at a university lab (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)
Thursday 19 May 2016
Ixodes scapularis Say, the black-legged tick, is the primary vector in the eastern United States of several pathogens causing human diseases including Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. Over the past two decades, I. scapularis-borne diseases have increased in incidence as well as geographic distribution. Lyme disease exists in two major foci in the United States, one encompassing northeastern states and the other in the Upper Midwest. Minnesota represents a state with an appreciable increase in counties reporting I. scapularis-borne illnesses, suggesting geographic expansion of vector populations in recent years. Recent tick distribution records support this assumption. Here, we used those records to create a fine resolution, subcounty-level distribution model for I. scapularis us...
Thursday 19 May 2016
Publication date: Available online 20 May 2016 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Beata Wodecka, Jerzy Michalik, Robert S. Lane, Magdalena Nowak-Chmura, Anna Wierzbicka European badgers and raccoon dogs and their associated ticks and lice were assayed for the presence of Lyme borreliosis and relapsing fever-group spirochete DNA in western Poland. Analyses of blood, ear-biopsy and liver samples revealed that 25% of 28 raccoon dogs and 12% of 34 badgers were PCR positive for borreliae. Borrelia garinii was the dominant species in raccoon dogs (62.5%), followed by B. afzelii (25%) and B. valaisiana (12.5%). PCR-positive badgers were infected only with B. afzelii. A total of 351 attached ticks was recovered from 23 (82%) of the raccoon dogs and 13 (38%) of the badgers. Usin...
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Thursday 19 May 2016
After three years and 300 patients, researchers have proof that their early-detection urine test for Lyme disease works. In the case of Lyme disease, some patients may still have active cases but traditional tests don't register it, and these patients may not be receiving the additional round of treatment they need, authors say. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Thursday 19 May 2016
CONCLUSION: In this article, we report pediatric LNB patients, B. burgdorferi should also be considered in patients with atypical or severe neurologic involvement or a history of tick bite; it is known that the prognosis is good with appropriate and early treatment. PMID: 27179572 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Neuroendocrinology Letters)
Wednesday 18 May 2016
Publication date: Available online 19 May 2016 Source:Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology Author(s): Pallavi Bhattaram, Unnikrishnan Chandrasekharan The synovium constitutes the envelope of articular joints and is a critical provider of synovial fluid components and articular cartilage nutrients. Its inflammation is a predominant feature and cause of joint degeneration in diseases as diverse as rheumatoid, psoriatic, juvenile and idiopathic arthritis, and lupus, gout and lyme disease. These inflammatory joint diseases (IJDs) are due to a wide variety of genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors that trigger, promote, and perpetuate joint destabilization. In spite of this variety of causes, IJDs share main pathological features, namely inflammation of the joint synovium...
Wednesday 18 May 2016
This randomised trial has been highlighted by DynaMed as a practice changing update. It concludes that longer-term antibiotics for patients with persistent symptoms attributed to Lyme disease may not improve quality of life. (Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH))
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Wednesday 18 May 2016
(George Mason University) After three years and 300 patients, George Mason University researchers have proof that their early-detection urine test for Lyme disease works. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Tuesday 17 May 2016
Publication date: August 2016 Source:Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, Volume 101 Author(s): Giovanna Carpi, Andrew Kitchen, Hie Lim Kim, Aakrosh Ratan, Daniela I. Drautz-Moses, John J. McGraw, Maria Kazimirova, Annapaola Rizzoli, Stephan C. Schuster In Europe, the Ixodes ricinus tick is the most important vector of the etiological agents of Lyme borreliosis and several other emerging tick-borne diseases. Because tick-borne pathogens are dependent on their vectors for transmission, understanding the vector population structure is crucial to inform public health research of pathogen dynamics and spread. However, the population structure and dynamics of this important vector species are not well understood as most genetic studies utilize short mitochondrial and nuclear sequen...
Tuesday 17 May 2016
Publication date: Available online 17 May 2016 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Jeremy S. Gray, Olaf Kahl, Robert S. Lane, Michael L. Levin, Jean I. Tsao Four members of the Ixodes ricinus species complex, I. pacificus, I. persulcatus, I. ricinus and I. scapularis, have, between them, a worldwide distribution within the northern hemisphere. They are responsible for the transmission of several animal and human pathogens, including the causal agents of Lyme borreliosis, tick-borne encephalitis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis and human babesiosis. Despite the importance of these ticks as vectors, the knowledge and understanding of the role that diapause plays in their complex life cycles are confused and incomplete. In view of the continuing geographic spread of these t...
Tuesday 17 May 2016
It's believed Canada has seen more confirmed cases of Lyme disease because of a combination of greater awareness, increased reporting and climate change. (Source: CBC | Health)
Tuesday 17 May 2016
An increase in Lyme disease cases is a concern for Canada's chief public health officer. (Source: CBC | Health)
Monday 16 May 2016
Publication date: Available online 30 April 2016 Source:Microbes and Infection Author(s): Leena Meriläinen, Heini Brander, Anni Herranen, Armin Schwarzbach, Leona Gilbert Borrelia burgdorferi is the causative agent of tick-borne Lyme disease. As a response to environmental stress B. burgdorferi can change its morphology to a round body form. The role of B. burgdorferi pleomorphic forms in Lyme disease pathogenesis has long been debated and unclear. Here, we demonstrated that round bodies were processed differently in differentiated macrophages, consequently inducing distinct immune responses compared to spirochetes in vitro. Colocalization analysis indicated that the F-actin participates in internalization of both forms. However, round bodies end up less in macrophage lysosomes th...
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Sunday 15 May 2016
Canadians living with Lyme disease say they hope a national conference in Ottawa helps fix the many issues they see with the way Canada diagnoses and treats the disease. (Source: CBC | Health)
Saturday 14 May 2016
A group of Manitobans has challenged Canada's prime minister to post a video of himself sucking on a lime — all in the name of charity. (Source: CBC | Health)
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Thursday 12 May 2016
Septic or infectious arthritis of the knee and Lyme disease have similar symptoms in children but require different immediate treatment to ensure optimal recovery. A new study identifies four symptoms that are predictive of septic arthritis when the condition presents itself in a child's knee -- an important distinction in areas where Lyme disease is prevalent. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Wednesday 11 May 2016
10.1080/17843286.2016.1180829 < br/ > M. De Wilde (Source: Acta Clinica Belgica)
Wednesday 11 May 2016
The most common manifestation of Lyme carditis is a varying degree of atrioventricular (AV) conduction block. This case describes a 45-year-old male with third-degree AV block due to Lyme carditis. Treatment with intravenous antibiotics resulted in complete normalization of AV conduction, thereby averting permanent pacemaker implantation. (Source: Journal of Electrocardiology)
Wednesday 11 May 2016
. (Source: Acta Clinica Belgica)
Wednesday 11 May 2016
The most common manifestation of Lyme carditis is a varying degree of atrioventricular (AV) conduction block. This case describes a 45-year-old male with third degree AV block due to Lyme carditis. Treatment with intravenous antibiotics resulted in complete normalization of AV conduction, thereby averting permanent pacemaker implantation. (Source: Journal of Electrocardiology)
Tuesday 10 May 2016
Medication that is normally used to lower cholesterol could stop the spread of Lyme disease, according to a new study. Statins can reduce the burden in mice and can therefore be exploited to reduce the number of Lyme disease bacteria acquired by the feeding ticks. These investigators believe that this could be one of the many strategies to lower the incidence of Lyme disease by restricting bacterial survival at its source. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Tuesday 10 May 2016
Annapolis, MD; May 10, 2016 – Tick-borne diseases such as Heartland virus, Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever are serious public-health threats. In order to address these threats, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Entomological Society of America, the IPM Institute of North America, and the North Central IPM Center will hold the "Integrated Tick Management Symposium: Solving America’s Tick-Borne Disease Problem" in Washington, DC, May 16-17, 2016. read more (Source: ESA News)
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Tuesday 10 May 2016
(University of Texas at San Antonio) Medication that is normally used to lower cholesterol could stop the spread of Lyme disease, according to a new study co-authored by Janakiram Seshu, associate professor of biology at The University of Texas at San Antonio. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Monday 9 May 2016
Spring has arrived, which means fun in the sun, but it also brings seasonal health concerns for kids. Do you have questions about allergies, ticks and Lyme disease, sun protection or other springtime health concerns? Click on the images below for handy tips to keep your family safe and healthy this spring. var metaslider_29947 = function($) { $('#metaslider_29947').nivoSlider({ boxCols:7, boxRows:5, pauseTime:4000, effect:"fade", controlNav:true, directionNav:true, pauseOnHover:true, animSpeed:600, prevText:"<", nextText:">", slices:15, manualAdvance:false }); }; var ti...
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Sunday 8 May 2016
THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES Hand-washing: Do's and don'ts Done properly, hand-washing is a simple way to avoid getting sick. Find out when to wash and whether hand sanitizers can work in a pinch. Lyme disease Grassy and heavily wooded areas can be home to ticks, which can carry Lyme disease. Get tips on how to [...] (Source: News from Mayo Clinic)
Saturday 7 May 2016
This study focused on the molecular identification of tick-borne pathogens in blood samples of 153 autochthonous asymptomatic dogs in Maio Island, Cape Verde archipelago. Eighty-four (54.9%) dogs were positive for one or more pathogens. Fifty-five (35.9%) dogs were infected with Hepatozoon canis, 53 (34.6%) with Anaplasma platys, five (3.3%) with Ehrlichia canis and Rickettsia monacensis, an emerging human pathogen, was also identified in a single dog (0.7%). The former three pathogens cause important canine tick-borne diseases that are transmitted or potentially transmitted by Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l., the only hard tick identified in Cape Verde. Furthermore, Wolbachia spp. was amplified from the blood of one dog. None of the dogs were positive for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia...
Saturday 7 May 2016
Publication date: Available online 28 April 2016 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Christina A. Nelson, Catherine M. Hayes, Molly A. Markowitz, Jacqueline J. Flynn, Alan C. Graham, Mark J. Delorey, Paul S. Mead, Marc C. Dolan Reducing exposure to ticks can help prevent Lyme disease and other tickborne diseases. Although it is currently recommended to dry clothes on high heat for one hour to kill ticks on clothing after spending time outdoors, this recommendation is based on a single published study of tick survival under various washing conditions and a predetermined one-hour drying time. We conducted a series of tests to investigate the effects of temperature, humidity, and drying time on killing nymphal and adult blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis). Muslin bags ...
Friday 6 May 2016
Although I have a background in writing about health and mental illness, I had never done so from a personal point of view until last fall when I began to discuss Lyme disease here. Within hours of the first article's publication, I had received a dozen emails, tweets and Facebook messages from Lyme patients, researchers, advocates and others. Within a couple of days, at least a hundred people had contacted me. I never expected such a reaction--but the reason I decided to write about Lyme is that when I was in diagnostic hell, I had no idea where to look for information, or even what to look for. (Yes, I ended a sentence with a preposition. Birthday privilege.) Today is my 38th birthday. While I've felt since about age 21 that birthdays aren't such a big deal for adults, I am celebrating...
Thursday 5 May 2016
Ben Baddeley, 11, of Newcastle-under-Lyme, has learned to walk for the first time thanks to £2,000-a-month physiotherapy. He is begging David Cameron for NHS funding for the treatment. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Thursday 5 May 2016
Ben Baddeley, 11, of Newcastle-under-Lyme, has learned to walk for the first time thanks to £2,000-a-month physiotherapy. He is begging David Cameron for NHS funding for the treatment. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Thursday 5 May 2016
No abstract available (Source: Neurology Today)
Thursday 5 May 2016
Summary Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease (along with closely related genospecies), is in the deeply branching spirochete phylum. The bacterium is maintained in nature in an enzootic cycle that involves transmission from a tick vector to a vertebrate host and acquisition from a vertebrate host to a tick vector. During its arthropod sojourn, B. burgdorferi faces a variety of stresses, including nutrient deprivation. Here, we review some of the spirochetal factors that promote persistence, maintenance, and dissemination of B. burgdorferi in the tick, and then focus on the utilization of available carbohydrates as well as the exquisite regulatory systems invoked to adapt to the austere environment between blood meals and to signal species transitions as the bacteria tr...
Thursday 5 May 2016
The blacklegged tick Ixodes scapularis transmits Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu stricto) in eastern North America; however, the agent of Lyme disease is not the sole pathogen harbored by the blacklegged tick. The bl... (Source: Parasites and Vectors)
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Tuesday 3 May 2016
(Source: JBJS)
Tuesday 3 May 2016
We report a patient with features of atypical dementia and normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), who improved dramatically after a single 3-week course of ceftriaxone. (Source: Journal of the Neurological Sciences)
Tuesday 3 May 2016
Conclusions: Although septic arthritis of the knee and Lyme monoarthritis share common features that can make them difficult to distinguish clinically, the presence of pain with short arc motion, C-reactive protein of >4.0 mg/L, patient-reported history of fever, and age younger than 2 years were independent predictive factors of septic arthritis in pediatric patients. The more factors that are present, the higher the risk of having septic arthritis. Level of Evidence: Diagnostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence. (Source: JBJS)
Tuesday 3 May 2016
Borrelia burgdorferi harbors a limited set of transmembrane surface proteins, most of which constitute key targets of humoral immune responses. Here we show that BB0405, a conserved membrane-spanning protein of unknown function, fails to evoke detectable antibody responses despite its extracellular exposure. bb0405 is a member of an operon and ubiquitously expressed throughout the rodent-tick infection cycle. The gene product serves an essential function in vivo, as bb0405-deletion mutants are unable to transmit from ticks and establish infection in mammalian hosts. Despite the lack of BB0405-specific immunoglobulin M or immunoglobulin G antibodies during natural infection, mice immunized with a recombinant version of the protein elicited high-titer and remarkably long-lasting antibody res...
Tuesday 3 May 2016
Purpose of review: We review the current evidence concerning the diagnosis of Lyme disease in children for application in the acute care setting. Recent findings: Recent studies suggest that Lyme disease incidence is substantially higher than previously described. Although efforts are ongoing to identify alternative testing strategies, two-tiered serologic testing remains the diagnostic standard in children with compatible clinical syndromes. Published clinical prediction rules can assist clinicians caring for children with potential Lyme disease. Summary: Two-tiered serologic testing remains the mainstay of the diagnosis of Lyme disease. To minimize the risk of a false positive test, serologic testing should be limited to those children with symptoms compatible with Lyme disease with po...
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Monday 2 May 2016
We present the case of a 35-year-old ranger who had no history of acute or chronic infectious disease or any previous neuropsychiatric symptoms. He arrived at the Psychiatry Clinic and was admitted as an emergency case, displaying bizarre behavior, hallucinations, paranoid ideation, and delusional faults. These symptoms had first appeared 7 days earlier. An objective examination revealed abnormalities of behavior, anxiety, visual hallucinations, choreiform, and tic-like facial movements. After the administration of neuroleptic and antidepressant treatment, he showed an initial improvement, but on day 10 entered into a severe catatonic state with signs of meningeal irritation and was transferred to the intensive care unit. An electroencephalogram showed diffuse irritative changes,...
Monday 2 May 2016
Discussion Benefits and harms of pharmacological treatment in erythema migrans have not yet been adequately assessed. This systematic review will evaluate and summarise available evidence addressing benefits and harms of different pharmacological treatments. In addition, this summary of clinical evidence will inform decision-making between clinicians and patients and will play an important part in patient care. Systematic review registration PROSPERO: CRD42016037932 (Source: Systematic Reviews)
Monday 2 May 2016
Authors: Hu LT Abstract This issue provides a clinical overview of Lyme disease, focusing on prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and practice improvement. The content of In the Clinic is drawn from the clinical information and education resources of the American College of Physicians (ACP), including MKSAP (Medical Knowledge and Self-Assessment Program). Annals of Internal Medicine editors develop In the Clinic in collaboration with the ACP's Medical Education and Publishing divisions and with the assistance of additional science writers and physician writers. PMID: 27136224 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Annals of Internal Medicine)
Monday 2 May 2016
In our cross-sectional sample of 7289 serologic tests for Lyme disease, we identified 167 instances of a positive IgM immunoblot but a negative IgG immunoblot test result. Considering that only 71% (95% CI 64%-78%) of patients had Lyme disease, a positive IgM immunoblot alone should be interpreted with caution to avoid over-diagnosis of Lyme disease. (Source: The Journal of Pediatrics)
Saturday 30 April 2016
A wide array of infectious diseases can occur in pregnancy. Their acquisition, clinical presentation, and course during gestation may be altered due to an impairment of the maternal cellular immunity. Some infectious diseases can lead to serious consequences for the mother or the offspring, including congenital malformations. This review describes in detail the clinical presentation, course, management, and associated maternal and fetal risks of selected viral (varicella-zoster virus infections, condylomata acuminata), fungal (candida vulvovaginitis), bacterial (Lyme borreliosis), and parasitic (scabies) infections. (Source: Clinics in Dermatology)
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Saturday 30 April 2016
CONCLUSION: Three recombinant antigens, OspC B.g, OspC B.a, and VlsE B.a, were useful for ELISAs of LB. Additionally, the interaction between OspC B.a and Fla B.g should be examined in future research. PMID: 27353706 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Biomedical and Environmental Sciences : BES)
Saturday 30 April 2016
Conclusion and Clinical ImportanceDiagnosis of equine NB is challenging due to variable clinical presentation and lack of sensitive and specific diagnostic tests. Negative serology and normal CSF analysis do not exclude the diagnosis of NB. (Source: Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine)
Friday 29 April 2016
(Source: Parasites and Vectors)
Thursday 28 April 2016
Dr Hany Elsheikha, associate professor of parasitology at the University of Nottingham, says Lyme disease is one of the fastest-growing diseases in the Western world. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
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Wednesday 27 April 2016
You may have seen singer Avril Lavigne’s recent media appearances discussing her experience with Lyme disease. What is this mysterious illness, and how can you tell if you have it? -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com (Source: Scientific American)
Tuesday 26 April 2016
A 10-year-old girl’s 2.0-cm annular lesion on the neck persists following 10 days of antifungal therapy, and she undergoes serologic testing for Lyme disease, which shows equivocal enzyme immunoassay results and negative immunoblots. How do you interpret results? (Source: JAMA)
Tuesday 26 April 2016
This narrative review summarizes published evidence about the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of Lyme disease, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. (Source: JAMA)
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Monday 25 April 2016
Conclusions. Our findings suggest that measurement of IFN- after incubating blood with Borrelia antigens could be useful in the laboratory diagnosis of early Lyme disease. Also, after antibiotic treatment, this response appears to be short lived. (Source: Clinical Infectious Diseases)
Monday 25 April 2016
As part of the EU "ID Lyme" project, an infection immunology team is working on developing of a new test for early detection of Lyme disease (borreliosis). This will improve the ability to detect an active infection more easily than before so that healthy people with Lyme disease antibodies in their blood do not receive unnecessary antibiotic treatment and so that appropriate treatments can be initiated at an early stage. The antibody tests that are currently available only provide a reliable result 3 – 4 weeks after infection has occurred. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Monday 25 April 2016
(Bentham Science Publishers) This review summarizes the literature on scleratrophic skin lesions as a manifestation of a Borrelia infection. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Sunday 24 April 2016
In this study we used typing based on the eight multilocus sequence typing scheme housekeeping genes (MLST) and 5S-23S rDNA intergenic spacer (IGS) to explore the population structure of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato isolates from patients with Lyme borreliosis (LB) and to test the association between the B. burgdorferi s.l. sequence types (ST) and the clinical manifestations they cause in humans. Isolates of B. burgdorferi from 183 LB cases across Europe, with distinct clinical manifestations, and 257 Ixodes ricinus lysates from The Netherlands, were analyzed for this study alone. For completeness, we incorporated in our analysis also 335 European B. burgdorferi s.l. MLST profiles retrieved from literature. Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia bavariensis were associated with human cases of LB...
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Sunday 24 April 2016
(Source: Journal of Clinical Microbiology)
Sunday 24 April 2016
Lyme disease prevails as the most commonly transmitted tick-borne infection in the United States, and serologic evaluation for antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi remains the recommended modality for diagnosis. This review presents a brief historical perspective on the evolution of serologic assays for Lyme disease and provides a summary of the performance characteristics for the currently recommended two-tiered testing algorithm (TTTA). Additionally, a recently proposed alternative to the traditional TTTA is discussed, and novel methodologies, including immuno-PCR and metabolic profiling for Lyme disease, are outlined. (Source: Journal of Clinical Microbiology)
Sunday 24 April 2016
Authors: Ständer S, Ständer M, Thomas P, Prinz JC, Wolf R Abstract Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the epidermis, which can be induced by systemic factors, such as streptococci infections or drugs. In addition, psoriasis can be caused by a local cutaneus trauma, known as Koebner phenomenon. Here, we describe a woman with psoriasis in remission, who developed a new psoriatic lesion due to a cutaneous infection with Borrelia burgdorferi. After causal therapy with doxycycline, the erythema migrans and psoriasis lesions disappeared. PMID: 27106503 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Der Hautarzt: Zeitschrift fur Dermatologie, Venerologie, und verwandte Gebiete)
Friday 22 April 2016
Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne infection in the United States with 300,000 estimated cases per year. (Source: Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease)
Friday 22 April 2016
Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne infection in the United States with 300,000 estimated cases per year. (Source: Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease)
Friday 22 April 2016
Springtime temperatures and warmer, sun-filled days are synonymous with outdoor play. Kids of all ages shed their winter jackets; break out their tricycles, bicycles and more, and head outside for playtime. But outdoor activities are also synonymous with tick exposure. So how can you prepare your family for the tick season? The Boston Children’s Hospital’s Director of Infectious Disease Outpatient Practice, Dr. Catherine Lachenauer offers tips on how to avoid tick exposure and steps to take if your child gets a tick bite. “First and foremost, prevention is key,” says Lachenauer. “Avoid areas at the edge of the woods with long grasses. Also, wearing long, light-colored clothing helps keep ticks from getting on the skin and makes it easier to recognize one on your body.” Tic...
Thursday 21 April 2016
Small rodents serve as reservoir hosts for tick-borne pathogens, such as the spirochetes causing Lyme disease. Whether natural coinfections with other macroparasites alter the success of tick feeding, antitick immunity, and the host's reservoir competence for tick-borne pathogens remains to be determined. In a parasitological survey of wild mice in Berlin, Germany, approximately 40% of Ixodes ricinus-infested animals simultaneously harbored a nematode of the genus Heligmosomoides. We therefore aimed to analyze the immunological impact of the nematode/tick coinfection as well as its effect on the tick-borne pathogen Borrelia afzelii. Hosts experimentally coinfected with Heligmosomoides polygyrus and larval/nymphal I. ricinus ticks developed substantially stronger systemic type 2 T helper ce...
Thursday 21 April 2016
Borrelia burgdorferi, a Lyme disease agent, makes different major outer surface lipoproteins at different stages of its mouse–tick infectious cycle. Outer surface protein A (OspA) coats the spirochetes from the time they enter ticks until they are transmitted to a mammal. OspA is required for normal tick colonization and has been shown to bind a tick midgut protein, indicating that OspA may serve as a tick midgut adhesin. Tick colonization by spirochetes lacking OspA is increased when the infecting blood meal is derived from mice that do not produce antibody, indicating that OspA may protect the spirochetes from host antibody, which will not recognize tick-specific proteins such as OspA. To further study the importance of OspA during tick colonization, we constructed a form of B. bur...
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Thursday 21 April 2016
Pritt BS, Mead PS, Hoang Johnson DK, et al. Identification of a novel pathogenic Borrelia species causing Lyme borreliosis with unusually high spirochaetaemia. Lancet Infect Dis 2016; 16: 556–64—In figure 4 of this Article, there were several spelling mistakes. B bisseti DN127 should have read B bissettii DN127, B kurenbachii IL96-255 should have read B kurtenbachii IL96-255, B balaisiana VS116 should have read B valaisiana VS116, B varariensis PZwi should have read B bavariensis PZwi, and B californiensis SCW-22 should have read B carolinensis SCW-22. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)
Wednesday 20 April 2016
Authors: Buffen K, Oosting M, Li Y, Kanneganti TD, Netea MG, Joosten LA Abstract We have previously demonstrated that inhibition of autophagy increased the ITALIC! Borrelia burgdorferiinduced innate cytokine production in vitro, but little is known regarding the effect of autophagy on in vivo models of ITALIC! Borreliainfection. Here, we showed that ATG7-deficient mice that were intra-articular injected with ITALIC! Borreliaspirochetes displayed increased joint swelling, cell influx, and enhanced interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 production by inflamed synovial tissue. Because both interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 are linked to the development of adaptive immune responses, we examine the function of autophagy on ITALIC! Borreliainduced adaptive immunity. Human peripheral blood mon...
Wednesday 20 April 2016
No abstract available (Source: Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology)
Wednesday 20 April 2016
Date: May 9, 2016 Issue #: 1494 Summary: Most cases of Lyme disease in the US occur between May and September in the Northeastern, Mid-Atlantic, and North Central states. (Source: The Medical Letter)
Wednesday 20 April 2016
GENETIC AND IMMUNOLOGICAL EVIDENCES OF BORRELIA BURGDORFERI IN DOG IN THAILAND. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 2016 Jan;47(1):71-7 Authors: Sthitmatee N, Jinawan W, Jaisan N, Tangjitjaroen W, Chailangkarn S, Sodarat C, Ekgatat M, Padungtod P Abstract Lyme disease is a tick-borne zoonotic disease caused by spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. It is transmitted from animals to humans by the bite of infected ticks of the genus Ixodes. Although Lyme disease has been reported in China and Japan, the disease has never been reported in Thailand. Blood samples and ticks were collected from 402 dogs from 7 and 3 animal clinics in Chiang Mai and Phuket Provinces, Thailand, respectively. Blood samples were tested for antibodies against B. burgdorferi, Anaplasma spp, Ehrlic...
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Tuesday 19 April 2016
Publication date: Available online 19 April 2016 Source:Veterinary Parasitology Author(s): Lindsay A. Starkey, Kassie Newton, Jill Brunker, Kelly Crowdis, Emile Jean Pierre Edourad, Pedro Meneus, Susan E. Little Canine vector-borne pathogens are common on some Caribbean islands, but survey data in Haiti are lacking. To determine the prevalence of selected vector-borne pathogens in dogs from Haiti, we tested blood samples collected from 210 owned dogs, 28 (13.3%) of which were infested with Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks at the time of blood collection. No other tick species were identified on these dogs. A commercially available ELISA identified antibodies to Ehrlichia spp. in 69 (32.9%), antibodies to Anaplasma spp. in 37 (17.6%), and antigen of Dirofilaria immitis in 55 (26.2%);...
Tuesday 19 April 2016
Conclusions. The proteoglycan biglycan is a receptor molecule for flow-resistant adhesion of the bacterial pathogen B. garinii on human endothelial cells. (Source: The Journal of Infectious Diseases)
Monday 18 April 2016
Publication date: Available online 2 March 2016 Source:EXPLORE: The Journal of Science and Healing Author(s): Friedrich Molsberger, C. Raak, M. Teuber The case study reports on the effect of pharmacological, complementary, and alternative medicine including YNSA, Applied Kinesiology, and respiratory exercises in a 9-year-old boy with facial paralysis. The boy suffered from borreliosis and one-sided facial paralysis that occurred 3.5 weeks after being bitten by a tick and persisted despite 4 weeks of medication with antibiotics. In the first treatment, muscle function as assessed by the coachman׳s test was normalized, and improvement in the facial paralysis was observed. Within 8 additional treatments over a period of 2 months, the boy showed complete recovery. The case shows a multim...
Wednesday 13 April 2016
This article was produced in partnership with Northeastern University and was originally published on Footnote, a website that brings academic research and ideas to a broader audience. A year ago, a group of scientists led by Dr. Kim Lewis, Director of the Antimicrobial Discovery Center at Northeastern University, announced a major breakthrough. They had identified a new antibiotic, teixobactin, capable of destroying several kinds of bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant strains of tuberculosis and staph (i.e. MRSA).1 Antibiotics are so familiar to us that the discovery of a new one may not seem particularly groundbreaking. Yet in reality, most antibiotics were identified over a half-century ago and new discoveries are quite rare. Teixobactin is actually "the first new antibiotic to be ...
Tuesday 12 April 2016
(Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies) The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation has awarded a $5 million leadership grant to the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies to support a scientific study, being done in partnership with Bard College, that seeks to reduce Lyme disease in neighborhoods. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
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Sunday 10 April 2016
To determine whether routine serologic screening for Borrelia burgdorferi and subsequent aqueous or vitreous humor analysis is useful in patients with uveitis. (Source: American Journal of Ophthalmology)
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Sunday 10 April 2016
To determine whether routine serological screening for Borrelia burgdorferi and subsequent aqueous or vitreous humour analysis is useful in patient with uveitis. (Source: American Journal of Ophthalmology)
Friday 8 April 2016
Lyme disease, caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), is the most common vector-borne illness in the United States. It is a complex disease which may affect the skin, joints, heart, eyes, and central nervous system. Prompt diagnosis and treatment is curative in most instances. However, a significant percentage of patients experience ongoing symptoms after treatment. Currently, there is much controversy regarding the diagnosis, pathophysiology, and treatment of Lyme disease. Pathogen persistence despite treatment lies at the heart of this debate. (Source: Medical Hypotheses)
Friday 8 April 2016
Lyme disease, caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), is the most common vector-borne illness in the United States. It is a complex disease which may affect the skin, joints, heart, eyes, and central nervous system. Prompt diagnosis and treatment is curative in most instances. However, a significant percentage of patients experience ongoing symptoms after treatment. Currently, there is much controversy regarding the diagnosis, pathophysiology, and treatment of Lyme disease. Pathogen persistence despite treatment lies at the heart of this debate. (Source: Medical Hypotheses)
Friday 8 April 2016
This study is a useful contribution to ongoing investigations of how to treat ongoing Lyme disease symptoms among patients who have received the standard 28-day course of doxycycline and continue to experience severe symptoms commonly associated with Lyme disease. This study is also significant because, unlike the majority of Lyme disease-related studies published in peer-reviewed medical journals, it made international headlines in mainstream news outlets. Some publications that specialize in medical and health-related stories covered the story appropriately, such as Medscape, whose headline reads, "Post-Treatment Lyme Disease: Longer Antibiotics May Not Help." Others, perhaps most notably Forbes, created their own exaggerated version of the findings. Forbes contributor Steven Salzberg an...
Friday 8 April 2016
Cases of Lyme disease appear to be rising but there are still many unanswered questions about the condition, its diagnosis and the available treatment options. (Source: The Pharmaceutical Journal)
Thursday 7 April 2016
Conclusion: Off label treatment by biologic disease modifying antirheumatic drugs can be considered in selected patients with severe antibiotic-resistant Lyme arthritis.C. (Source: North American Journal of Medical Sciences)
Thursday 7 April 2016
Title: Lyme DiseaseCategory: Diseases and ConditionsCreated: 12/31/1997 12:00:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 4/7/2016 12:00:00 AM (Source: MedicineNet Arthritis General)
Tuesday 5 April 2016
The arrival of spring means we need to start being careful outside—in more places than ever -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com (Source: Scientific American)
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Monday 4 April 2016
Chronic Lyme Disease is a myth, yet thousands of patients are treated with long-term antibiotics, lasting months or years, by "Lyme literate" doctors who insist that their patients have the disease. A new study examined the question of whether lengthy antibiotic treatments provides any benefit over a simple two-week course, and found no difference. Scientific studies going back to 2001 have found the same thing, but "Lyme literate" docs have banded together to form societies that insist they are right, and that continue to recruit patients, solicit donations, and prescribe antibiotic treatments that last for years. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)
Sunday 3 April 2016
Conclusions: Treatment with intravenous steroids, immunoglobulin and surgical interventions prior to diagnosis of ALS is associated with a significantly prolonged mean ODI.Disclosure: Dr. Kannan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Glass has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Sunday 3 April 2016
We present the interesting case of a 71 year old gentleman, previously diagnosed with metastic prostate cancer, presenting with confusion and Abdominal pain. During his hospital admission he developed Renal Impairment and Spastic paraparesis with a sensory level up to T10 dermatome. Results of Investigations: A wide panel of investigations was performed. The most significant were: Creatinine 329umol/L, Hb 8.4g/dl, platelets 51,000, LDH 395,000. Blood film pointed towards a haemolytic state. MRI spine showed showed abnormal intramedullary T2 signal in the distal cord extends from T8/T9 disk space to the conus likely cord infarct or transverse myelitis. In addition he had stable bony me; MRI brain showed small vessel ischemic changes. CSF was normal. Blood tests were sent for vitamin B12 &am...
Sunday 3 April 2016
Conclusions: We bring to your attention a novel case series of chronic, inflammatory immunoresponsive myeloneuropathy with very unique clinical syndrome.Disclosure: Dr. Mitrabhakdi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Goodman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Laothamatas has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lewis has received personal compensation for activities with CSL Behring, Pharnext, Novartis, and Axelacare. (Source: Neurology)
Sunday 3 April 2016
CONCLUSIONS Viral infection can be the triggering mechanism for the development of NMO disease.Disclosure: Dr. Rothstein has nothing to disclose. Dr. Majidi has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Sunday 3 April 2016
We describe an HIV seroconversion syndrome presenting with facial diplegia and aseptic meningitis. DESCRIPTION: Patient is a 44 year old male with known uncontrolled hypertension. Three weeks prior to presentation he suffered a transient febrile illness while vacationing and was treated presumptively for malaria in Côte d’Ivoire. One week later, he experienced a migrainous headache with pronounced bucco-labial dysarthria, meningismus and dysguesia. Examination revealed hypertensive urgency, bilateral lower motor neuron (LMN) facial paralysis, and mild meningeal irritation. Initial investigations revealed renal impairment (acute on chronic) and left ventricular hypertrophy, both ascribed to presumed chronic hypertension. Gradient echo sequence of brain MRI revealed microhemorrha...
Sunday 3 April 2016
Conclusion: Hypoglossal vertebral entrapment syndrome from a structural vascular anomaly or anomalous vascular course is an extremely rare cause of isolated hypoglossal nerve palsy. Only a few cases have been reported in the literature. Imaging studies and careful exclusion of other potential etiologies is essential to establish the diagnosis.Disclosure: Dr. Roy has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bakradze has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ollenschleger has nothing to disclose. Dr. Felice has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
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Sunday 3 April 2016
Conclusions: Unlike unilateral facial nerve palsy, Bilateral Facial Nerve Palsy is a rarely idiopathic. It has diverse etiologies and includes life threatening conditions. We reinforce the fact that it needs thorough work up and inpatient admission.Disclosure: Dr. Singh has nothing to disclose. (Source: Neurology)
Sunday 3 April 2016
Conclusions: We report a case of autoimmune encephalitis due to antibodies against DPPX, which featured a fluctuating course and prominent abnormal movements, which persisted during sleep. Diarrhea, previously associated with DPPX associated encephalitis, was absent. This case highlights the clinical heterogeneity of autoimmune encephalitis and the diagnostic challenges that can lead to treatment delays.Disclosure: Dr. Gusdon has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kaunzner has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sekar has nothing to disclose. Dr. Jamieson has received personal compensation for activities with Bayer and Boehringer-Ingelheim as a consultant and a speaker. (Source: Neurology)
Saturday 2 April 2016
(MedPage Today) -- This weeks topics include home care and survival, timing of HRT, Lyme disease and long-term antibiotics, and cardiac procedures before surgery (Source: MedPage Today Cardiovascular)
Thursday 31 March 2016
(Source: Acta Neurologica Belgica)
Thursday 31 March 2016
This patient's clinical presentation, with peripheral noninfectious, stromal keratitis, is highly suggestive of and most often associated with an underlying systemic immune-mediated disease, although other etiologies such as neoplasia can masquerade in a similar manner. The contiguous pattern involving several clock hours of the peripheral cornea while maintaining relatively good vision and little inflammation throughout the uninvolved stroma further supports a nonmicrobial cause. Uncommon exceptions to this include ocular tuberculosis, syphilis, leprosy, and Lyme disease, which can all mimic peripheral noninfectious keratitis. (Source: Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery)
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Thursday 31 March 2016
Longer courses of antibiotics do not improve health-related quality of life in patients with post-Lyme-disease syndrome, according to a new study. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Allergy Headlines)
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Thursday 31 March 2016
Steven Reinberg and HealthDay News People with persistent symptoms associated with Lyme disease are unlikely to find relief from longer-term antibiotic therapy, according to a new Dutch study. (Source: Health News - UPI.com)
Thursday 31 March 2016
How long to treat patients with Lyme remains an issue of controversy. With traditional antibiotic therapy, lasting 2-4 weeks, 10-20% of patients will have ongoing symptoms including fatigue, joint pain, insomnia, and complaints of “brain fog.” Indefinite long-term treatment is advocated by ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society), based on a patient’s symptoms. In contrast, IDSA (Infectious Disease Society of America ) only recommends 2-4 weeks treatment. The two groups are bitter adversaries. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)
Wednesday 30 March 2016
Dutch trial is latest to show no benefit from extended treatment, but finding unlikely to end the controversy (Source: WebMD Health)
Wednesday 30 March 2016
By Larry M. Baddour, MD Dr. Baddour is editor-in-chief of NEJM Journal Watch Infectious Diseases, from which this story was adapted. Full coverage is available to subscribers at the link below.Longer-term therapy does not improve quality of life … (Source: Physician's First Watch current issue)
Wednesday 30 March 2016
(Reuters Health) - Twelve weeks of antibiotic therapy proved ineffective at combating the long-term symptoms seen in some people who have had Lyme disease, a new test of 280 sufferers found. (Source: Reuters: Health)
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Wednesday 30 March 2016
Dutch trial is latest to show no benefit from extended treatment, but finding unlikely to end the controversy (Source: U.S. News - Health)
Wednesday 30 March 2016
Dutch trial is latest to show no benefit from extended treatment, but finding unlikely to end the controversy Source: HealthDay Related MedlinePlus Pages: Antibiotics, Lyme Disease (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)
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Wednesday 30 March 2016
(MedPage Today) -- Focus on Lyme and antibiotics for persistent symptoms called unhelpful (Source: MedPage Today Infectious Disease)
Wednesday 30 March 2016
Long-term is no better than standard antibiotic therapy for persistent symptoms of Lyme disease, according to a report published online March 30 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Randomized... (Source: Clinical Neurology News)
Wednesday 30 March 2016
Long-term is no better than standard antibiotic therapy for persistent symptoms of Lyme disease, according to a report published online March 30 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Randomized... (Source: Rheumatology News)
Wednesday 30 March 2016
Long-term is no better than standard antibiotic therapy for persistent symptoms of Lyme disease, according to a report published online March 30 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Randomized... (Source: Family Practice News)
Tuesday 29 March 2016
The beginning of spring often brings warm weather and hours of outdoor fun, and many common winter infections recede. Unfortunately, spring weather can bring its own health challenges. As soon as the trees and flowers bloom, flowers bud and the grass grows, susceptible children will start to display symptoms of seasonal allergies. Seasonal allergies cause sneezing, runny nose and itchy red eyes and can trigger flares of asthma and eczema. As children spend more time outdoors, parents also need to watch for exposure to ticks, poison ivy and excess sun. Read on for the parents’ guide to spring health. Seasonal allergies: symptoms to look for Allergic rhinitis About one in five children develops seasonal allergy symptoms. In New England, tree pollen begins affecting susceptible individuals...
Tuesday 29 March 2016
Background: Our studies undertaken between 2006-2015 have shown that the most frequent species of ticks in Romania is Ixodes ricinus. It was found that I. ricinus is the main vector in Romania for the Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and for the TBEv, but no data were available for Francisella tularensis and CCHFv infectious agents occurrence into I.ricinus and Hyalomma sp. (Source: International Journal of Infectious Diseases)
Tuesday 29 March 2016
(Northeastern University) According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 300,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease in the US each year. University Distinguished Professor Kim Lewis, who leads the Lyme disease research team, is now expanding that therapeutic reach with the help of a $1.5 million grant from the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Monday 28 March 2016
Today, the Boston Globe editorial board spoke out against a bill "that would require insurers in Massachusetts to cover Lyme disease treatments for as long as a doctor says they're needed." The Globe writes: Lawmakers may have good intentions, but they don't possess the expertise to decide whether it's beneficial, cost-efficient, or safe, to keep using strong medicines to treat a condition the medical establishment doubts is real. Such questions should be resolved by a consensus of doctors and researchers -- and buttressed by convincing clinical date [sic] -- not determined by legislative mandate. Who among the Boston Globe editorial board possesses the medical expertise to make this call is not disclosed, but this information would be useful given that the Globe's stance presumes absolute...
Friday 25 March 2016
This study investigates the four separate outcomes of susceptibility, likelihood to be diagnosed, worry, and fear for contracting Lyme disease. University students (n=713) were surveyed about demographics, perceived health, Lyme disease knowledge, Lyme disease preventive behaviors, Lyme disease history, and Lyme disease miscellaneous variables. We found that women were associated with increased susceptibility and fear. (Source: Journal of Infection and Public Health)
Friday 25 March 2016
I just had a flashback. When I was diagnosed with Lyme, I knew little about it. I went to the first infectious disease doctor with my bullseye still present, asking lots of questions. Among them, are you sure this three weeks of doxycycline is enough. He smiled, and with his eyes fixed on his computer, he said, "Yes, it's more than enough. In fact, I could just tell you to take ten days but then you'd come back later if anything went haywire and ask why I didn't give you twenty-one." He looked up, "Call me if anything goes crazy." A month later, I called. I woke up with a very sore throat and fever two days before my brother's wedding and a gland in my neck that felt like a pulsating grape. It was movable but scarily large. He said if it didn't go down in a few weeks, to let him know. It d...
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Friday 25 March 2016
Science is just beginning to understand how important your mitochondria are to warding off the diseases of aging. And, as usual, mainstream medicine is lagging way behind. Along with your telomeres, the cellular time keepers at the ends of your chromosomes, your mitochondria are another key component of the anti-aging equation. You see, these tiny organelles in your cells are the power plants that turn fuel into energy for your body. Healthy mitochondria keep you young and energetic. Research shows that damaged mitochondria can lead to: Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder; Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease; Epilepsy, migraines, and nerve pain; Loss of muscle control and balance; Strokes, heart disease, and coronary artery disease; Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia;...
Friday 25 March 2016
Interpretation of serological assays in Lyme borreliosis requires an understanding of the clinical indications and the limitations of the currently available tests. We therefore systematically reviewed the acc... (Source: BMC Infectious Diseases)
Tuesday 22 March 2016
Clinical introduction An 89-year-old man with a history of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction presented with worsening dyspnoea, reduced exercise capacity and peripheral oedema. His medical history was significant for hypertension, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and Lyme disease (1983). Admission cardiovascular medications included aspirin 75 mg once a day, perindopril 6 mg once a day, furosemide 40 mg two times a day, flecainide 100 mg two times a day and simvastatin 40 mg one a night. On examination, he was normothermic and clinically in heart failure with raised jugular venous pressure, bibasal pulmonary crepitations and oedema up to abdomen. Cardiac markers were negative. Other laboratory tests demonstrate...
Tuesday 22 March 2016
Conclusion The obtained results showed that B. burgdorferi s.l. N. caninum, T. gondii, A. phagocytophilum and Leishmania sp circulate in wild brown hares in Central Italy, suggesting a possible role of L. europaeus as reservoir of these pathogens. The obtained results showed that autochthonous wild brown hares living in Central Italy have been exposed to several pathogens circulating in this area, suggesting a possible role of L. europaeus as reservoir. (Source: Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine)
Tuesday 22 March 2016
T. Cerar et al. (Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal)
Tuesday 22 March 2016
Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes persulcatus are the main vectors of Lyme borreliosis spirochetes and several other zoonotic bacteria in northern Europe and Russia. However, few studies scree... (Source: Parasites and Vectors)
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Monday 21 March 2016
We present a case of HLH triggered by severe infection with Ehrlichia chaffeensis in a patient taking methotrexate for seronegative spondyloarthropathy. A 45-year-old man with a history of ankylosing spondylitis taking methotrexate presented to a community hospital with acute onset of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Physical examination revealed a febrile patient with diffuse abdominal tenderness with splenomegaly and diffuse maculopapular rash involving the trunk and all extremities. Labs showed leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. Clinical course was complicated by development of acute renal failure, altered mental status and hypoxic respiratory failure requiring endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation. Plasmapheresis was initiated due to concern for thrombotic thrombocytopenic pur...
Monday 21 March 2016
Discussion Humans are opportunistic hosts to Babesia when bitten by nymph or adult ticks; the most known ticks are Ixodes. Babesiosis should be considered in patients who have a malaria-like illness in areas endemic for Babesia infection. The symptoms usually begin 2–4 weeks after a tick bite. The presentation includes constitutional symptoms, abdominal pain and dark urine. Labs finding include hemolytic anemia and elevated liver enzymes. Urinalysis reveals hemoglobinuria without red blood cells. The diagnosis of Babesiosis is usually established by microscopic examination of Giems or Wright-stained blood smears, indirect immunofluorescent antibody tests and PCR. In healthy individuals with intact spleens, the symptoms resolve spontaneously without treatment. For mild to moderate bab...
Monday 21 March 2016
A journal article says herpes virus and Lyme disease bacteria are behind the mind-robbing illness, but not all researchers are convinced -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com (Source: Scientific American)
Sunday 20 March 2016
Publication date: Available online 21 March 2016 Source:Advances in Medical Sciences Author(s): Edward Siński, Renata Welc-Falęciak, Joanna Zajkowska Borrelia miyamotoi is a tick-borne bacterium which has only recently been identified in Europe as a human pathogen causing relapsing fever and little is known about its local impact on human health. There are three types of B. miyamotoi: Asian (Siberian), European, and American. B. miyamotoi is transmitted by the same Ixodes ricinus-persulcatus species complex, which also transmits B. burgdorferi s.l., the Lyme borreliosis group. Both Borrelia groups are mostly maintained in natural rodent populations. The aim of this review is to summarize the available literature on B. miyamotoi, with the focus of attention falling on Europe, as well...
Sunday 20 March 2016
Authors: Siński E, Welc-Falęciak R, Zajkowska J Abstract Borrelia miyamotoi is a tick-borne bacterium which has only recently been identified in Europe as a human pathogen causing relapsing fever and little is known about its local impact on human health. There are three types of B. miyamotoi: Asian (Siberian), European, and American. B. miyamotoi is transmitted by the same Ixodes ricinus-persulcatus species complex, which also transmits B. burgdorferi s.l., the Lyme borreliosis group. Both Borrelia groups are mostly maintained in natural rodent populations. The aim of this review is to summarize the available literature on B. miyamotoi, with the focus of attention falling on Europe, as well as to describe its presence in ticks, reservoir hosts, and humans and discuss its potenti...
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Friday 18 March 2016
[Guardian] At present, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is monitoring a couple of infectious diseases, including: Ebola, Lassa fever, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), Haemorrhagic fever, West Nile Virus, and Lyme disease. The rate of re-emergence of infectious disease has been on the increase. Diseases such as cholera, tuberculosis, Influenza (flu), hepatitis and staphylococcus infections thought to have been controlled are re-emerging. A majority of the agents (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)
Wednesday 16 March 2016
Publication date: Available online 16 March 2016 Source:Microbes and Infection Author(s): Tricia A. Van Laar, Camaron Hole, S.L. Rajasekhar Karna, Christine L. Miller, Robert Reddick, Floyd L. Wormley, J. Seshu Lyme disease (LD) is a systemic disorder caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. Lyme spirochetes encode for a functional 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMGR EC 1.1.1.88) serving as a rate limiting enzyme of the mevalonate pathway that contribute to components critical for cell wall biogenesis. Statins have been shown to inhibit B. burgdorferi in vitro. Using a mouse model of Lyme disease, we found that statins contribute to reducing bacterial burden and altering the murine immune response to favor clearance of spirochetes. (Source: Microbes and Infection)
Wednesday 16 March 2016
Authors: Krzyzak L, Seitz C, Urbat A, Hutzler S, Ostalecki C, Gläsner J, Hiergeist A, Gessner A, Winkler TH, Steinkasserer A, Nitschke L Abstract CD83 is a maturation marker for dendritic cells. In the B cell lineage, CD83 is expressed especially on activated B cells and on light zone B cells during the germinal center (GC) reaction. The function of CD83 during GC responses is unclear. CD83(-/-) mice have a strong reduction of CD4(+) T cells, which makes it difficult to analyze a functional role of CD83 on B cells during GC responses. Therefore, in the present study we generated a B cell-specific CD83 conditional knockout (CD83 B-cKO) model. CD83 B-cKO B cells show defective upregulation of MHC class II and CD86 expression and impaired proliferation after different stimuli. Analys...
Tuesday 15 March 2016
Authors: Bonet Alavés E, Guerrero Espejo A, Cuenca Torres M, Gimeno Vilarrasa F PMID: 26971976 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Medicina Clinica)
Tuesday 15 March 2016
Ticks carrying the bacteria ‘Borrelia’ causing Lyme disease are endemic throughout the UK, and reports of Lyme disease have been steadily increasing with the infection acquired in woodlands, moorlands and parks Hide related content: Show related content read more (Source: Nursing in Practice)
Friday 11 March 2016
Authors: Talley P, Holzbauer S, Smith K, Pomputius W Abstract On April 20, 2015, a female aged 15 years sought care at her pediatrician's office after 5 days of fever, myalgia, left parietal headache, and photophobia. A rapid influenza assay was negative, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate and total white blood cell count were normal. She improved with symptomatic care at home, but returned to her pediatrician's office on April 28, reporting recurrence of her headache and photophobia and new onset of a stiff neck. She was admitted to the hospital, where she was febrile to 102.9°F (39.4°C) and had meningismus. Computed tomography scan of her head was normal, and a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis showed a markedly elevated white blood cell count with 68% lymphocytes, low glucose...
Friday 11 March 2016
This study was designed to update the presence of B. burgdorferi s.l. species in ticks from several districts of mainland Portugal, where Ixodes ricinus had been previously described. Ticks (a total of 2915 specimens) were collected in seven districts throughout the country, and analyzed using molecular methods. Three nested-PCR protocols, targeting the flagellin gene (flaB), the intergenic spacer region (IGS) located between 5S and 23S rRNA, and the glpQ gene, and a conventional PCR targeting the 16S rRNA, were used for Borrelia DNA detection. Borrelia DNA was detected in 3% of the ticks from Braga, Vila Real, Lisboa, Setúbal, Évora and Faro districts. The obtained amplicons were sequenced and analyzed by BLASTn, and 15/63 (24%) matched with homologous sequences from Borrelia lusitaniae...
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Thursday 10 March 2016
Authors: Lee SH, Yun SH, Choi E, Park YS, Lee SE, Cho GJ, Kwon OD, Kwak D Abstract Lyme disease is a tick-borne zoonotic infectious disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. The present study assessed the infection status of B. burgdorferi among horses reared in Korea using ELISA and PCR. Between 2009 and 2013, blood samples were collected from 727 horses throughout Korea. Data for each animal including age, gender, breed, and region of sample collection were used for epidemiological analysis. Overall, 38 (5.2%; true prevalence: 5.5%) of 727 horses were seropositive by ELISA. There were statistically significant differences according to breed and region (P<0.001) whose differences might be attributed to the ecology of vector ticks and climate conditions. Using 2 nested PCR, none o...
Thursday 10 March 2016
Ren Gill, 25, from Brighton, was first diagnosed with depression and bipolar disorder, then chronic fatigue syndrome but was finally diagnosed with Lyme disease at a clinic in Brussels. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Tuesday 8 March 2016
The blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say, is the primary vector to humans in the eastern United States of the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, as well as causative agents of anaplasmosis and babesiosis. Its close relative in the far western United States, the western blacklegged tick Ixodes pacificus Cooley and Kohls, is the primary vector to humans in that region of the Lyme disease and anaplasmosis agents. Since 1991, when standardized surveillance and reporting began, Lyme disease case counts have increased steadily in number and in geographical distribution in the eastern United States. Similar trends have been observed for anaplasmosis and babesiosis. To better understand the changing landscape of risk of human exposure to disease agents transmitted by I. scapularis an...
Tuesday 8 March 2016
Discussion The case shows a multimodal approach to facial paralysis integrating pharmacological treatment and CAM including YNSA, Applied Kinesiology and breathing exercises. (Source: EXPLORE: The Journal of Science and Healing)
Tuesday 8 March 2016
Lyme borrelia genotypes differ in their capacity to cause disseminated disease. Gene array analysis was employed to profile the host transcriptome induced by Borrelia burgdorferi strains with different capacities... (Source: BMC Microbiology)
Tuesday 8 March 2016
A reduction in the use of animals in infectious disease research is desirable for animal welfare as well as for simplification and standardization of experiments. An artificial silicone-based membrane-feeding system was adapted for complete engorgement of adult and nymphal Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae), and for infecting nymphs with pathogenic, tick-borne bacteria. Six wild-type and genetically transformed strains of four species of bacteria were inoculated into sterile bovine blood and fed to ticks. Pathogens were consistently detected in replete nymphs by polymerase chain reaction. Adult ticks that ingested bacteria as nymphs were evaluated for transstadial transmission. Borrelia burgdorferi and Ehrlichia muris-like agent showed high rates of transstadial transmission to adult ...
Tuesday 8 March 2016
Fatal Lyme carditis caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi rarely is identified. Here, we describe the pathologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular findings of five case patients. These sudden cardiac deaths associated with Lyme carditis occurred from late summer to fall, ages ranged from young adult to late 40s, and four patients were men. Autopsy tissue samples were evaluated by light microscopy, Warthin-Starry stain, immunohistochemistry, and PCR for B. burgdorferi, and immunohistochemistry for complement components C4d and C9, CD3, CD79a, and decorin. (Source: American Journal of Pathology)
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Tuesday 8 March 2016
Fatal Lyme carditis caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi rarely is identified. Here, we describe the pathologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular findings of five case patients. These sudden cardiac deaths associated with Lyme carditis occurred from late summer to fall, ages ranged from young adult to late 40s, and four patients were men. Autopsy tissue samples were evaluated by light microscopy, Warthin-Starry stain, immunohistochemistry, and PCR for B. burgdorferi, and immunohistochemistry for complement components C4d and C9, CD3, CD79a, and decorin. (Source: American Journal of Pathology)
Tuesday 8 March 2016
This study presents evidence of I. affinis parasitizing five new host passerine species. During 2012–2014, 1,888 birds were captured and examined for ticks, and 18 immature I. affinis were collected from 12 birds—six Carolina Wrens (Thyrothorus ludovicianus); two Brown Thrashers (Toxostoma rufum); and one American Robin (Turdus migratorius), Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus), Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), and White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis). Of 15 larvae and 3 nymphs collected, one nymph tested positive for B. burgdorferi DNA. I. affinis was found co-feeding on birds with immature Amblyomma americanum (L.), Ixodes brunneus Koch, Ixodes dentatus Marx, Ixodes scapularis Say, and Haemaphysalis leporispalustris Packard. The results of this resear...
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Tuesday 8 March 2016
Authors: Muehlenbachs A, Bollweg BC, Schulz TJ, Forrester JD, DeLeon Carnes M, Molins C, Ray GS, Cummings PM, Ritter JM, Blau DM, Andrew TA, Prial M, Ng DL, Prahlow JA, Sanders JH, Shieh WJ, Paddock CD, Schriefer ME, Mead P, Zaki SR Abstract Fatal Lyme carditis caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi rarely is identified. Here, we describe the pathologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular findings of five case patients. These sudden cardiac deaths associated with Lyme carditis occurred from late summer to fall, ages ranged from young adult to late 40s, and four patients were men. Autopsy tissue samples were evaluated by light microscopy, Warthin-Starry stain, immunohistochemistry, and PCR for B. burgdorferi, and immunohistochemistry for complement components C4d and C9, CD3,...
Tuesday 8 March 2016
Lyme disease has increased both in incidence and geographic extent in the United States and Canada over the past two decades. One of the underlying causes is changes during the same time period in the distribution and abundance of the primary vectors: Ixodes scapularis Say and Ixodes pacificus Cooley and Kohls in eastern and western North America, respectively. Aside from short periods of time when they are feeding on hosts, these ticks exist in the environment where temperature and relative humidity directly affect their development, survival, and host-seeking behavior. Other important factors that strongly influence tick abundance as well as the proportion of ticks infected with the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, include the abundance of hosts for the ticks and the capaci...
Monday 7 March 2016
Conclusions Feral pigeons living in urban and periurban areas are a hazard for the human health as source of several pathogens. The obtained results confirm pigeons as reservoirs of chlamydial agents and suggest that they may be involved in the epidemiology of zoonotic tick-borne infections too. (Source: Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine)
Saturday 5 March 2016
Conclusions: LB patients exhibit a significant decrease of their serum carnitine concentrations. The largest changes were in the NB and PLD patients. To prevent late complications of the disease a possibility of early supplementation with carnitine should be considered. Further studies are required to explain the pathophysiological significance of our findings. (Source: Postepy higieny i medycyny doswiadczalnej)
Saturday 5 March 2016
Publication date: Available online 27 February 2016 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Didrik F. Vestrheim, Richard A. White, Ingeborg S. Aaberge, Audun Aase Detection of specific antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato is a useful aid for the diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis. However, antibodies are present in the general population. The seroprevalence increase with age, and varies according to the prevalence of infected ticks. We performed a seroprevalence study of IgM and IgG antibody reactivity against B. burgdorferi sensu lato in Norway by age-groups and geography, in order to provide a reference set of seroprevalence to inform the interpretation of positive test results. We used two commercially available enzyme immuno assays (EIA) and a multiplexed bead as...
Tuesday 1 March 2016
Borrelia burgdorferi isn't the only bacterial species causing Lyme disease in the United States. Learn about emerging tickborne infections and how they differ from 'traditional' Lyme disease. Medscape Infectious Diseases (Source: Medscape Infectious Diseases Headlines)
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Tuesday 1 March 2016
We present a case report of 46-year-old man with no medical history, who complained of extreme fatigue, near-syncope, and palpitations. He initially presented in complete heart block. A transvenous pacemaker was placed in the emergency department, and he was started empirically on Ceftriaxone for Lyme disease. He was admitted and over the course of the next few days, his rhythm regressed to Mobitz type I first-degree atrioventricular block and then to normal sinus rhythm. This case report highlights some important features regarding Lyme carditis, a rare presentation of early disseminated Lyme disease (seen in a few weeks to months after the initial tick bite). In 25%–30% of patients, the characteristic targetoid rash may not be seen, a likely culprit of the disease not being detected ea...
Tuesday 1 March 2016
Tick-borne diseases are prevalent throughout the United States. These illnesses are caused by a variety of different pathogens that use ticks as vectors, including bacteria, viruses, rickettsia, and protozoa. Some of the most common illnesses caused by ticks are Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, tularemia, Colorado tick fever, tick-borne relapsing fever, and Powassan disease. Unique skin changes, fever, and influenza-like symptoms may indicate tick-borne disease. Early diagnosis can be difficult as well as nonspecific and can resemble overtraining syndrome. Diagnosis is important to facilitate early treatment to decrease morbidity and mortality and should often be initiated before a definitive diagnosis is made. Treatment guidelines are pub...
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Tuesday 1 March 2016
I was told that I was a moody teenage girl in need of antidepressants and psychotherapy, that I didn't stretch enough before and after sports so I should see a physical therapist, that I was tired because school started so early, that it was all in my head, and that I was just a clumsy person who should stop complaining. Seven years later, I was diagnosed with chronic neurologic Lyme disease and coinfections of Babesia and Bartonella. (Source: Journal of the Association for Vascular Access)
Tuesday 1 March 2016
Summary In the 14‐year period from 1993 to 2006, New York State (NYS) accounted for over one‐quarter (27.1%) of all confirmed Lyme disease (LD) cases in the United States. During that time period, a nine‐county area in south‐east NYS accounted for 90.6% of the reported LD cases in the state. Based on concerns related to diminishing resources at both the state and local level and the increasing burden of traditional LD surveillance, the NYS Department of Health (DOH) sought to develop an alternative to traditional surveillance that would reduce the investigative workload while maintaining the ability to track LD trends by developing a system to estimate county‐level LD cases based on a 20% random sample of positive laboratory reports. Estimates from this system were compared to ob...
Tuesday 1 March 2016
Authors: Yu PF, Niu QL, Liu ZJ, Yang JF, Chen Z, Guan GQ, Liu GY, Luo JX, Yin H Abstract An investigation was performed to detect eight pathogens in ticks collected from grass tips or animals in the southern, central and northeast regions of China. DNA samples extracted from ticks were collected from ten different locations in eight provinces of China and subjected to screening for tick-borne pathogens, including Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Ehrlichia spp., Rickettsia spp., Babesia/Theileria spp., Ehrlichia ruminantium, Coxiella burnetii, and Francisella tularensis, using nested PCR assays and sequencing analysis. The results indicated that Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., and Babesia/Theileria spp. were detected in all of the investigated provinces. Ehrlichia spp. was also foun...
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Tuesday 1 March 2016
Authors: Choi E, Pyzocha NJ, Maurer DM Abstract Tick-borne diseases are prevalent throughout the United States. These illnesses are caused by a variety of different pathogens that use ticks as vectors, including bacteria, viruses, rickettsia, and protozoa. Some of the most common illnesses caused by ticks are Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, tularemia, Colorado tick fever, tick-borne relapsing fever, and Powassan disease. Unique skin changes, fever, and influenza-like symptoms may indicate tick-borne disease. Early diagnosis can be difficult as well as nonspecific and can resemble overtraining syndrome. Diagnosis is important to facilitate early treatment to decrease morbidity and mortality and should often be initiated before a de...
Tuesday 1 March 2016
Conclusions. We describe 8 cases of POWV encephalitis in Massachusetts and New Hampshire in 2013–2015. Prior to this, there had been only 2 cases of POWV encephalitis identified in Massachusetts. These cases may represent emergence of this virus in a region where its vector, I. scapularis, is known to be prevalent or may represent the emerging diagnosis of an underappreciated pathogen. We recommend testing for POWV in patients who present with encephalitis in the spring to fall in New England. (Source: Clinical Infectious Diseases)
Tuesday 1 March 2016
The case study reports on the effect of pharmacological, complementary and alternative medicine including YNSA, Applied Kinesiology and respiratory exercises in a 9-year old boy with facial paralysis. (Source: Explore)
Monday 29 February 2016
The case study reports on the effect of pharmacological, complementary, and alternative medicine including YNSA, Applied Kinesiology, and respiratory exercises in a 9-year-old boy with facial paralysis. The boy suffered from borreliosis and one-sided facial paralysis that occurred 3.5 weeks after being bitten by a tick and persisted despite 4 weeks of medication with antibiotics. In the first treatment, muscle function as assessed by the coachman ׳s test was normalized, and improvement in the facial paralysis was observed. (Source: Explore)
Monday 29 February 2016
The case study reports on the effect of pharmacological, complementary, and alternative medicine including YNSA, Applied Kinesiology, and respiratory exercises in a 9-year-old boy with facial paralysis. The boy suffered from borreliosis and one-sided facial paralysis that occurred 3.5 weeks after being bitten by a tick and persisted despite 4 weeks of medication with antibiotics. In the first treatment, muscle function as assessed by the coachman׳s test was normalized, and improvement in the facial paralysis was observed. (Source: Explore)
Sunday 28 February 2016
This article describes how the course was developed and how participants were selected; details its aims and objectives; provides an overview of the sessions and a flavour of some of the exercises that were used; and considers findings from the structured evaluation alongside written reflections from participants. PMID: 26905617 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Gerontology and Geriatrics Education)
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Sunday 28 February 2016
Publication date: Available online 27 February 2016 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Didrik F. Vestrheim, Richard A. White, Ingeborg S. Aaberge, Audun Aase Detection of specific antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato is a useful aid for the diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis. However, antibodies are present in the general population. The seroprevalence increase with age, and varies according to the prevalence of infected ticks. We performed a seroprevalence study of IgM and IgG antibody reactivity against B. burgdorferi sensu lato in Norway by age-groups and geography, in order to provide a reference set of seroprevalence to inform the interpretation of positive test results. We used two commercially available enzyme immuno assays (EIA) and a multiplexed bead as...
Thursday 25 February 2016
Germ forms slimy layer that makes it up to 1,000 times more resistant than other bacteria, researchers say (Source: U.S. News - Health)
Thursday 25 February 2016
Germ forms slimy layer that makes it up to 1,000 times more resistant than other bacteria, researchers say Source: HealthDay Related MedlinePlus Pages: Antibiotics, Lyme Disease (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)
Wednesday 24 February 2016
We examined 12 PEP-PTS transporter component mutants by needle inoculation of mice to assess their ability to cause mouse infection. Transposon mutants with mutations in the EIIBC components (ptsG) (BB0645, thought to be involved in glucose-specific transport) were unable to cause infection in mice, while all other tested PEP-PTS mutants retained infectivity. Infectivity was partially restored in an in trans-complemented strain of the ptsG mutant. While the ptsG mutant survived normally in unfed as well as fed ticks, it was unable to cause infection in mice by tick transmission, suggesting that the function of ptsG is essential to establish infection by either needle inoculation or tick transmission. In Gram-negative organisms, the regulatory effects of the PEP-PTS are mediated by adenylat...
Tuesday 23 February 2016
Annapolis, MD; February 23, 2016 – Ticks that transmit Lyme disease and other pathogens have been spreading geographically, and increased numbers of illnesses are being diagnosed. To address this issue, a symposium on Integrated Tick Management will be held May 16-17, 2016 in Washington, DC by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Entomological Society of America, the IPM Institute of North America, and the North Central IPM Center. The symposium aims to: read more (Source: ESA News)
Tuesday 23 February 2016
.Follow me at @drClaire The news about the Zika virus possibly causing microcephaly in infants has everyone talking about — and worried about — mosquitoes. It’s not just the Zika virus that can be spread by mosquitoes; these insects also spread other illnesses, such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, West Nile virus, eastern equine encephalitis, and Japanese encephalitis. It should be said that most people who are bitten by mosquitoes don’t get sick with anything. But if you are living in or traveling to an area where these illnesses are prevalent, it’s important to know the four best ways to protect yourself and your family: Choose your clothes wisely. Lightweight long sleeves and long pants are your best bet; spraying clothing with insect repellent may help even mo...
Tuesday 23 February 2016
(Entomological Society of America) Ticks that transmit Lyme disease and other pathogens have been spreading geographically, and increased numbers of illnesses are being diagnosed. To address this issue, a symposium on Integrated Tick Management will be held May 16-17, 2016 in Washington, DC by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Entomological Society of America, the IPM Institute of North America, and the North Central IPM Center. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
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Tuesday 23 February 2016
Researchers deciphered the genome of the blacklegged tick, which causes several diseases, including Lyme disease. The resource can aid development of new ways to control ticks. (Source: NIH Research Matters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH))
Tuesday 23 February 2016
Bacteraemia is a life-threatening condition associated with high morbidity and mortality [1] and is typically complicated by severe sepsis or septic shock [2]. Third-generation cephalosporins (3GCs), such as cefotaxime (CTX) and ceftriaxone (CRO), have remarkable potency against all Enterobacteriaceae and have been established as an appropriate parenteral treatment of various community-onset infections caused by susceptible organisms, such as complicated urinary tract infections, lower respiratory tract infections, bacterial meningitis, bacteraemia, connective tissue infections, pelvic inflammatory disease, intra-abdominal infections and Lyme disease [3,4]. (Source: International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents)
Monday 22 February 2016
CONCLUSION: A man developed AP three days after starting therapy with oral doxycycline, and the association between drug and reaction was determined to be probable. His case appears to be the third of doxycycline-associated AP, although tigecycline, tetracycline, and minocycline have also been implicated as causes of AP. PMID: 26896500 [PubMed - in process] (Source: American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy : AJHP)
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Sunday 21 February 2016
Publication date: Available online 20 February 2016 Source:Veterinary Parasitology Author(s): Nicole A. Honsberger, Robert H. Six, Thomas J. Heinz, Angela Weber, Sean P. Mahabir, Thomas C. Berg The efficacy of sarolaner (Simparica™, Zoetis) to prevent transmission primarily of Borrelia burgdorferi and secondarily of Anaplasma phagocytophilum from infected wild-caught Ixodes scapularis to dogs was evaluated in a placebo-controlled laboratory study. Twenty-four purpose-bred laboratory Beagles seronegative for B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum antibodies were allocated randomly to one of three treatment groups: placebo administered orally on Days 0 and 7, or sarolaner at 2mg/kg administered orally on Day 0 (28 days prior to tick infestation) or on Day 7 (21 days prior to tick in...
Saturday 20 February 2016
Lyme borreliosis is the most common tick-borne human disease and is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.). Borrelia miyamotoi, a relapsing fever spirochaete, is transmitted transovarially, whereas this... (Source: Parasites and Vectors)
Friday 19 February 2016
Authors: Nelson CA, Starr JA, Kugeler KJ, Mead PS Abstract Hispanics comprise a growing portion of the US population and might have distinct risk factors for tickborne diseases. During 2000-2013, a total of 5,473 Lyme disease cases were reported among Hispanics through national surveillance. Hispanics were more likely than non-Hispanics to have signs of disseminated infection and onset during fall months. PMID: 26889721 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases)
Friday 19 February 2016
Today, I want to talk to you about my patient D.B. A key treatment I offer at the Sears Institute for Anti-Aging Medicine turned her life around and boosted her chances of recovering from cancer. D.B had been a vivacious 47-year-old woman, who’d always led a healthy life. For years, she’d watched her diet carefully and exercised regularly. But then she was diagnosed with endometrial cancer. This is cancer of the inner lining of the uterus. When she came to my clinic, she’d already undergone a hysterectomy and chemotherapy. Unsurprisingly, she felt terrible. She was pale. She felt lethargic and she was experiencing severe mental fog. Every moment of her life had become a struggle. It was clear right away that D.B. was deficient in several important nutrients. It was also clear her im...
Friday 19 February 2016
Last week, I mentioned the case of Dr. Neil Spector, whose long-undiagnosed Lyme Disease resulted in irreversible heart failure and ultimately, a heart transplant. Dr. Spector, author of Gone in a Heartbeat: A Physician's Search for True Healing, is the Sandra Coates Associate Professor of Medicine and Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology at Duke University School of Medicine. As the Director of Developmental Therapeutics at the Duke Cancer Institute, he's a leader in applying translational research to the clinical development of molecularly targeted personalized cancer therapies. Here, Dr. Spector shares his story, explains what Lyme and cancer have in common (hint: a LOT), and encourages us with his vision for the future. Like so many of us, your Lyme was missed by mu...
Thursday 18 February 2016
U.S. researchers say they have discovered a new bacterial species that causes Lyme disease in humans. Reuters Health Information (Source: Medscape Pathology Headlines)
Thursday 18 February 2016
Authors: Ehrenstein B, Reischl U Abstract In the differential diagnostics of autoimmune-mediated rheumatic diseases, rheumatologists often have to consider infections (e. g. Lyme arthritis) or reactive diseases (e. g. reactive arthritis after urogenital bacterial infections). Furthermore, infections with an atypical presentation or caused by atypical pathogens (opportunistic infections) can complicate the immunosuppressive therapy of autoimmune diseases. For this purpose not only conventional microbiological culture methods but also PCR-based methods are increasingly being applied for the direct detection of pathogens in clinical specimens. The aim of this overview is to present commonly used PCR methods in the clinical practice of rheumatology and to describe their benefits an...
Tuesday 16 February 2016
Scientists claim a novel bacterium causes some different symptoms, adding to the body of research showing the complexity of the disease -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com (Source: Scientific American)
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Monday 15 February 2016
Researchers have discovered a second bacterium that may cause the condition. (Source: NYT Health)
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Monday 15 February 2016
An experimental new test holds great promise for diagnosing Lyme disease soon after infection, well before current tests are able to detect infection. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)
Sunday 14 February 2016
Authors: Stricker RB, Middelveen MJ Abstract Lyme disease caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi has become a major worldwide epidemic. In this article, we explore the clinical, epidemiological and experimental evidence for sexual transmission of Lyme disease in animal models and humans. Although the likelihood of sexual transmission of the Lyme spirochete remains speculative, the possibility of Lyme disease transmission via intimate human contact merits further study. PMID: 26489537 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy)
Saturday 13 February 2016
(LymeDisease.org) Big data and patient-driven research networks have the power to accelerate our understanding of some of today's most complex diseases. Lorraine Johnson, CEO of Lymedisease.org, will give a presentation at the AAAS meeting on Feb. 13 on 'Big Data and Patient Powered Networks.' She will discuss how MyLymeData, the first and only national patient-powered research project on chronic Lyme disease, is being embraced by thousands of patients, anxious for answers that will improve their lives. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Saturday 13 February 2016
Publication date: Available online 12 February 2016 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Marc C. Dolan, Andrias Hojgaard, J. Charles Hoxmeier, Adam J. Replogle, Laurel B. Respicio-Kingry, Christopher Sexton, Martin A. Williams, Bobbi S. Pritt, Martin E. Schriefer, Lars Eisen A novel species within the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, provisionally named Borrelia mayonii, was recently found to be associated with Lyme borreliosis in the Upper Midwest of the United States. Moreover, B. mayonii was detected from host-seeking Ixodes scapularis, the primary vector of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto in the eastern United States. We therefore conducted a study to confirm the experimental vector competence of I. scapularis for B. mayonii (strain MN14-1420), using c...
Friday 12 February 2016
An experimental method developed by researchers appears capable of detecting the stealthy culprit Lyme bacteria at the earliest time of infection, when currently available tests are often still negative. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Friday 12 February 2016
Researchers may have found a new way to diagnose Lyme disease, based on a distinctive gene “signature” they discovered in white blood cells of patients infected with the tick-borne bacteria. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Friday 12 February 2016
Researchers say patients have tell-tale genetic signatures, even after taking antibiotics (Source: U.S. News - Health)
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Friday 12 February 2016
(National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)) Team from NIST and Johns Hopkins suggests the novel approach might also be useful for early detection of other elusive bacterial infections. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Friday 12 February 2016
(University of California - San Francisco) Researchers at UC San Francisco and Johns Hopkins may have found a new way to diagnose Lyme disease, based on a distinctive gene 'signature' they discovered in white blood cells of patients infected with the tick-borne bacteria. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Friday 12 February 2016
(Source: PEDIATRICS)
Thursday 11 February 2016
A new species of Borrelia has been linked to a variant of Lyme disease with symptoms that differ somewhat from typical Lyme borreliosis. Of 100,545 routine clinical specimens tested at the... (Source: Rheumatology News)
Thursday 11 February 2016
A new species of Borrelia has been linked to a variant of Lyme disease with symptoms that differ somewhat from typical Lyme borreliosis. Of 100,545 routine clinical specimens tested at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., for Lyme borreliosis between 2003 and 2014, six clinical specimens –... (Source: Skin and Allergy News)
Thursday 11 February 2016
Scientists from Purdue University in Indiana found the genome of Lyme disease-spreading ticks is 'far more similar to mammals than insects' - and that the ticks' saliva allows them to feed off a host for days. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Wednesday 10 February 2016
PITTSBURGH - Because there is significant medical evidence supporting a disability plan's denial of a claim for long-term disability (LTD) benefits related to Lyme disease, a Pennsylvania federal judge on Feb. 1 denied the claimant's motion for summary judgment and granted the plan's motion for summary judgment (Elizabeth L. Ryan v. PNC Financial Services Group Inc., et al., No. 14-1048, W.D. Pa.; 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11518). (Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News)
Wednesday 10 February 2016
(Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics) After a decade-long research effort the genome of the deer tick has been sequenced by an international team of scientists, including researchers from the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics. Studying the tick genome sheds light on how ticks function and will help to develop novel tick control programs by interfering with the processes of disease transmission. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Wednesday 10 February 2016
C. Nelson et al. (Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal)
Wednesday 10 February 2016
Gülizar Demirok, Mehmet Fatih Kocamaz, Yasemin Topalak, Ahmet Sengün, Berati HasanreisogluIndian Journal of Ophthalmology 2015 63(12):921-924A 23-year-old girl presented to the clinic with metamorphopsia and photopsia in her left eye. After detailed ophthalmic examination, central retinal vein occlusion with optic disc edema was detected in that eye. Three days after diagnosis, the patient returned to our clinic with visual acuity decrease. Central retinal artery occlusion sparing cilioretinal artery was detected. All the laboratory tests were normal except for heterozygous methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase mutation (A1298C genotypes) and an indefinite Lyme disease seropositivity. Symptoms and visual disturbance recovered without any further treatment other than acetylsalic...
Wednesday 10 February 2016
Jie Feng, Megan Weitner, Wanliang Shi, Shuo Zhang, Ying Zhang (Source: Frontiers in Microbiology)
Wednesday 10 February 2016
Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered a new Lyme disease-causing organism that is capable of creating more intense symptoms. In this Mayo Clinic Minute, Jeff Olsen speaks with Dr. Bobbi Pritt, director of the Clinical Parasitology Laboratory at Mayo Clinic, about the new findings. Watch the Mayo Clinic Minute https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7TxQs4FIVs&feature=youtu.be Journalists: Broadcast quality video is available [...] (Source: News from Mayo Clinic)
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Tuesday 9 February 2016
Researchers from the Mayo Clinic and the CDC made the discovery. (Source: ABC News: Health)
Tuesday 9 February 2016
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed a new bacteria also causes Lyme disease - with more severe symptoms, such as nausea and rash, than a previously found bacteria. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Tuesday 9 February 2016
Recognizing the Breadth of the Problem and the Search for Answers Previously, I discussed the serious issue of concussions in sports - at all levels - and some of the efforts being pursued to combat it. Much is being done, but one simple and effective path bears further exploration. There may be reason to believe that the secret to diagnosing a concussion could reside in our saliva, offering for the first time an avenue to quickly and accurately provide a definitive diagnosis. Developing a Spit Test Long regarded as the sole domain of the dentist, the medical community in recent years has begun to recognize the mouth as a vital gateway to identifying and evaluating overall body wellness. One initiative helping to change this perception is the emergence of salivary diagnostics. Saliva, it...
Tuesday 9 February 2016
Infection may trigger nausea, vomiting and a more widespread rash, officials say (Source: WebMD Health)
Tuesday 9 February 2016
ATLANTA (Reuters) - Researchers have discovered a new bacteria that causes Lyme disease in humans, a U.S. health agency said Monday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, working with the Mayo Clinic and health officials from Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota, discovered the new bacteria, called Borrelia mayonii, the CDC said in a statement. Previously, only one bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, was believed to cause human Lyme disease, which is transmitted through bites from by the blacklegged "deer" tick, the CDC statement said. The new bacteria has so far only been detected in the upper Midwest region of the United States, the CDC said. Researchers discovered Borrelia mayonii after studying blood samples of patients in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota who were suspecte...
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Tuesday 9 February 2016
Infection may trigger nausea, vomiting and a more widespread rash, officials say Source: HealthDay Related MedlinePlus Pages: Lyme Disease, Tick Bites (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)
Tuesday 9 February 2016
Scientists have found new bacteria that cause Lyme disease. They produce symptoms similar to those of the known bacteria, but they also cause nausea, vomiting and diffuse rashes. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Tuesday 9 February 2016
Stephen FellerATLANTA, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- The CDC and Mayo Clinic confirmed a second species of bacteria causing Lyme disease in the upper Midwest area of the United States. (Source: Health News - UPI.com)
Tuesday 9 February 2016
TUESDAY, Feb. 9, 2016 -- A new Lyme disease-causing bacteria has been identified in the United States, and it may bring even worse symptoms, health officials said. Borrelia burgdorferi was the only bacteria species believed to cause Lyme disease in... (Source: Drugs.com - Daily MedNews)
Tuesday 9 February 2016
There’s a new Borrelia bacterium on the block, joining its cousin in causing Lyme disease. B. mayonii has recently been identified as a new cause of Lyme in the Midwest. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)
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Tuesday 9 February 2016
TUESDAY, Feb. 9, 2016 -- Scientists who sequenced the genome, or genetic composition, of the Lyme disease-transmitting deer tick hope the achievement will lead to new ways to control the blood-sucking parasites. The decade-long effort involved an... (Source: Drugs.com - Daily MedNews)
Tuesday 9 February 2016
(Purdue University) An international team of scientists led by Purdue University has sequenced the genome of the tick that transmits Lyme disease, the most common vector-borne illness in North America. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Tuesday 9 February 2016
Until now, scientists thought only one species of bacteria was responsible for the tick-borne Lyme disease (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)
Tuesday 9 February 2016
CONCLUSIONS: ELPAGA seroprevalence for TUL was significantly higher in blood donors working in the agricultural area in the direct contact with hay, straw, manure, and agricultural land. Our outputs determine tick bite as a significant risk factor for LB. The study confirms the explosion of tick-borne diseases in the healthy population of people. The exposure risk for leptospirosis seems to be minimal. PMID: 26851418 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Central European Journal of Public Health)
Tuesday 9 February 2016
By Kelly Young Edited by Jaye Elizabeth Hefner, MD Scientists report the discovery of a new species of bacteria (Borrelia mayonii) in the upper Midwest of the U.S. that causes a unique presentation of Lyme disease. Their findings appear in the Lancet Infectious Diseases.Researchers screened … (Source: Physician's First Watch current issue)
Tuesday 9 February 2016
Conclusions/Significance Proteomic analyses revealed ISE6 proteins that were differentially expressed at the peak of LGTV replication. Proteins with increased expression following infection were associated with cellular metabolic pathways and glutaminolysis. In vitro assays using small molecules implicate malate dehydrogenase (MDH2), the citrate cycle, cellular acetylation, and electron transport chain processes in viral replication. Proteins were identified that may be required for TBF infection of ISE6 cells. These proteins are candidates for functional studies and targets for the development of transmission-blocking vaccines and drugs. (Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases)
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Monday 8 February 2016
A new bacterial species that causes Lyme disease in people has been identified by researchers. The new species has been provisionally named Borrelia mayonii. Prior to this finding, the only species believed to cause Lyme disease in North America was Borrelia burgdorferi. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
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Monday 8 February 2016
(Mayo Clinic) Mayo Clinic researchers, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and health officials from Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin, have discovered a new bacterial species that causes Lyme disease in people. The new species has been provisionally named Borrelia mayonii. Prior to this finding, the only species believed to cause Lyme disease in North America was Borrelia burgdorferi. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Monday 8 February 2016
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. (Source: Letters in Applied Microbiology)
Monday 8 February 2016
Until now, Borrelia burgdorferi was only species believed to cause Lyme disease in North America Rochester, Minn. — Mayo Clinic researchers, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and health officials from Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin, have discovered a new bacterial species that causes Lyme disease in people. The new [...] (Source: Mayo Clinic Minnesota News)
Sunday 7 February 2016
The objective of our study was to provide a snapshot map of the risk of human infection with B. burgdorferi s. l. pathogens in a periurban forest at a high resolution, and to analyze the factors that contribute to variation in this risk. Field monitoring took place over three weeks in May 2011 in the suburban Sénart forest (3,200ha; southeast of Paris), which receives over 3 million people annually. We sampled ticks over the entire forest area (from 220 forest stands with a total area of 35,200 m2) and quantified the density of questing nymphs (DON), the prevalence of infection among nymphs (NIP), and the density of infected nymphs (DIN), which is the most important predictor of the human risk of Lyme borreliosis. For each of these response variables, we explored the relative roles of wea...
Friday 5 February 2016
Did you know that deer ticks can live for up to 2 years and are able to survive in the winter? During the winter months, ticks can be active when temperatures increase to 35° F or higher. Learn how to protect your patients year round. (Source: Nursing Made Incredibly Easy)
Friday 5 February 2016
Authors: Rausch V, Königshausen M, Gessmann J, Schildhauer TA, Seybold D Abstract Here we present the case of a young patient with one-sided winged scapula and lyme borreliosis. This disease can be very delimitating in daily life. If non-operative treatment fails, dynamic or static stabilization of the scapula can be a therapeutic option. PMID: 26849378 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Der Orthopade)
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Thursday 4 February 2016
Ticks are vectors of many pathogens of human beings, wildlife, and livestock. Several tick-borne pathogens pose serious threats to public and animal health and cause substantial economic loss.1 Lyme borreliosis, the most common tick-borne disease in the northern hemisphere, is caused by spirochaetes that belong to a group of genospecies called Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato.2 (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)
Thursday 4 February 2016
We describe a new pathogenic Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies (candidatus Borrelia mayonii) in the upper midwestern USA, which causes Lyme borreliosis with unusually high spirochaetaemia. Clinicians should be aware of this new B burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies, its distinct clinical features, and the usefulness of oppA1 PCR for diagnosis. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)
Thursday 4 February 2016
A July 2014 wedding on Long Beach Island, New Jersey was the start of my nightmare. It was a beautiful weekend filled with love for two of our dearest friends who were, after 14 years together, finally legally able to marry. There was lobster and champagne and a crazy Gordon Gekko-style house on the beach. I sang a few songs, made a toast, and cried happy tears. I woke up two days later, back home in NYC, with a crushing head and neck ache. It was weird, but I figured I would sleep it off and be better in the morning. It took a few days, but I recovered. That Saturday, I got out of the shower and saw a faint red circular rash on my shoulder with a bug bite in the middle. My knees buckled. I called for my husband, Andy, "HUNNEEEE! I have LYME!" He really didn't think so. I banged on my...
Thursday 4 February 2016
Authors: Omura Y, Lu D, Jones MK, Nihrane A, Duvvi H, Shimotsuura Y, Ohki M Abstract A brief historical background on Autism & some of the important symptoms associated with Autism are summarized. Using strong Electro Magnetic Field Resonance Phenomenon between 2 identical molecules with identical weight (which received U.S. Patent) non-invasively & rapidly we can detect various molecules including neurotransmitters, bacteria, virus, fungus, metals & abnormal molecules. Simple non- invasive measurement of various molecules through pupils & head of diagnosed or suspected Autism patients indicated that in Autism patients following changes were often found: 1) Acetylcholine is markedly reduced; 2) Alzheimer's disease markers (i.e. β-Amyloid (1-42), Tau Protein, Apolip...
Wednesday 3 February 2016
Follow me at @JohnRossMD Zika virus, a pathogen that was almost unknown a few months ago, is now rampant in Central and South America and the Caribbean. In Brazil, it has already infected about 1.5 million people and caused nearly 4,000 cases of microcephaly, a severe birth defect. It is almost certain to spread to every country in the Americas, except Canada and Chile, which lack the Aedes mosquitoes that spread Zika. Zika is not the only virus that has come from the tropics to menace the United States. Dengue, an unpleasant and potentially fatal viral infection, has broken out in Texas, Florida and Hawaii in the past 10 years. Chikungunya, a virus that can cause prolonged joint pain and ruin your vacation, has caused recent outbreaks in Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A...
Monday 1 February 2016
Zika virus, Ebola, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) coronavirus, Nipah virus, Hendra virus, bird flu, swine flu -- these viruses have all grabbed international attention in recent years. In the past few decades the world has witnessed an alarming surge in emerging infectious diseases (EIDs). Since 1980, new pathogens have emerged in the human population at a rate of about three each year. Why are we seeing such a surge in new pathogens? One could argue that some of the pathogens may not be new at all; they could have circulated among humans for centuries and are just being identified for the first time because of increased surveillance and reporting. While this is true in a small number of cases, a study found that even after co...
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Friday 29 January 2016
We report the efficient production of MraY homologues from various human pathogens by synthetic cell-free expression approaches and their subsequent characterization. MraY homologues originating from Bordetella pertussis, Helicobacter pylori, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Borrelia burgdorferi, and Escherichia coli as well as Bacillus subtilis were co-translationally solubilized using either detergent micelles or preformed nanodiscs assembled with defined membranes. All MraY enzymes originating from Gram-negative bacteria were sensitive to detergents and required nanodiscs containing negatively charged lipids for obtaining a stable and functionally folded conformation. In contrast, the Gram-positive B. subtilis MraY not only tolerates detergent but is also less specific for its lipid environment. T...
Wednesday 27 January 2016
(Duke University) RNA sequencing is uncovering emerging diseases in wildlife that other diagnostic tests cannot detect. Researchers used a technique called transcriptome sequencing to screen for blood-borne diseases in Madagascar's lemurs, distant primate cousins to humans. The animals were found to be carrying several previously unknown parasites similar to those that cause Lyme disease in humans. The approach could pave the way for earlier, more accurate detection of disease outbreaks that move between animals and people. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Wednesday 27 January 2016
Conclusions: Our data identified restriction and clonotypic expansions in the JIA Treg repertoire with sharing of Treg clonotypes across arthritis patients. These findings suggest that abnormalities in the Treg repertoire, possibly engendered by shared antigenic triggers, may contribute to disease pathogenesis in JIA. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. (Source: Arthritis and Rheumatism)
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Tuesday 26 January 2016
Emma Horlock, 41, from Liverpool, thought she had MS when she found herself struggling to walk. But when tests came back negative, a laboratory in Germany found she had Lyme disease. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Sunday 24 January 2016
Publication date: Available online 18 January 2016 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Ondrej Hajdusek, Radek Sima, Jan Perner, Gabriela Loosova, Adela Harcubova, Petr Kopacek Ticks are blood-feeding parasites and vectors of serious human and animal diseases. Ixodes ricinus is a common tick in Europe, transmitting tick-borne encephalitis, Lyme borreliosis, anaplasmosis, or babesiosis. Immunization of hosts with recombinant tick proteins has, in theory, the potential to interfere with tick feeding and block transmission of pathogens from the tick to the host. However, the efficacy of tick antigens has, to date, not been fully sufficient to achieve this. We have focused on 11 in silico identified genes encoding proteins potentially involved in tick iron and heme metabolis...
Friday 22 January 2016
(NaturalNews) Lyme disease is a common, yet serious, problem for many regions of the United States. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that about 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are documented by state health departments each year, with countless others going undiagnosed and... (Source: NaturalNews.com)
Friday 22 January 2016
Authors: Rollino C, Vischini G, Coppo R Abstract In this paper we concentrate on the role of infections in IgA nephropathy both from a pathogenetic and clinic point of view. The current hypotheses as regards the role of infections in the pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy are: (a) role of particular pathogens, (b) chronic exposure to mucosal infections, (c) abnormal handling of commensal microbes (gut microbiota). We also focus on particular infections reported in association with classic IgA nephropathy (HIV, malaria, Chlamydia, Lyme disease), as well as on IgA dominant-infection-associated glomerulonephritis. This is a unique form of glomerulonephritis, where IgA deposition is dominant. It is mostly recognized in old, diabetic patients and in association with staphylococcal infectio...
Friday 22 January 2016
This study reports the occurrence of emerging zoonotic bacteria in ticks from Bosnia and Herzegovina for the first time, indicating a public health threat to humans. Therefore, physicians and practitioners should be aware of the presence of these tick‐borne bacteria, especially when they are faced with acute febrile illnesses after tick exposure. (Source: Transboundary and Emerging Diseases)
Friday 22 January 2016
Occupational and environmental health nurses should educate workers about ways to prevent tick bites, which can cause Lyme disease. (Source: Workplace Health and Safety)
Thursday 21 January 2016
Stephen FellerATLANTA, Jan. 21 (UPI) -- Ticks carrying Lyme disease can now be found in half of counties in the United States, a significant increase over the last two decades. (Source: Health News - UPI.com)
Wednesday 20 January 2016
Authors: Lum GD, Hood JR, Wright P PMID: 26779732 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Communicable Diseases Intelligence Quarterly Report)
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Tuesday 19 January 2016
Lyme disease is transmitted by the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) and the western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus), and the range of these ticks is spreading, according to research published in the Journal of Medical Entomology. (Source: Disabled World)
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Tuesday 19 January 2016
Annapolis, MD; January 19, 2016 -- Lyme disease is transmitted by the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) and the western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus), and the range of these ticks is spreading, according to research published in the Journal of Medical Entomology. read more (Source: ESA News)
Monday 18 January 2016
Residents in nearly half of all counties now at risk, CDC says (Source: WebMD Health)
Monday 18 January 2016
(Reuters Health) - Ticks that can spread Lyme disease now live in almost half of U.S. counties, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Source: Reuters: Health)
Monday 18 January 2016
Lyme disease is transmitted by the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) and the western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus), and the range of these ticks is spreading, according to new research. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Monday 18 January 2016
Vanessa Boyd, 28, of Dronfield, Derbyshire, began experiencing bizarre symptoms from the age of 16 and claims she saw at least 30 different health professionals. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
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Monday 18 January 2016
Black-legged tick inhabits twice as many counties as in 1998, CDC reports, with 320% increase in number of north-eastern counties seen as high risk for diseaseTicks that can carry the debilitating illness Lyme disease have significantly spread across the US over the past 20 years and are now found in nearly half of all American counties, including areas where they’ve never previously been documented, a new analysis has found. The black-legged tick is now established in twice the number of counties it inhabited in 1998, according to the US Centers for Disease Control, and has expanded its range in the northeastern states and the upper midwest. Following its onward march, or hop, across the Ohio river valley, western New York and the shores of Lake Michigan since the 1990s, there has been ...
Monday 18 January 2016
(Entomological Society of America) Lyme disease is transmitted by the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) and the western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus), and the range of these ticks is spreading, according to research published in the Journal of Medical Entomology. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)
Monday 18 January 2016
Publication date: Available online 18 January 2016 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Ondrej Hajdusek, Radek Sima, Jan Perner, Gabriela Loosova, Adela Harcubova, Petr Kopacek Ticks are blood-feeding parasites and vectors of serious human and animal diseases. Ixodes ricinus is a common tick in Europe, transmitting tick-borne encephalitis, Lyme disease (borreliosis), anaplasmosis, or babesiosis. Immunization of hosts with recombinant tick proteins has, in theory, the potential to interfere with tick feeding and block transmission of pathogens from the tick to the host. However, the efficacy of tick antigens has, to date, not been fully sufficient to achieve this. We have focused on 11 in silico identified genes encoding proteins potentially involved in tick iron and heme...
Friday 15 January 2016
Conclusions/Significance For the first time, we demonstrate the presence of different pathogens such as R. aeschlimannii, C. burnetii, Borrelia sp., A. centrale, A. marginale, and E. ruminantium in ticks in Côte d’Ivoire as well as potential new species of unknown pathogenicity. (Source: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases)
Thursday 14 January 2016
Authors: Wormser GP, McKenna D, Nowakowski J Abstract 2015 marks the 27th year that the Lyme Disease Diagnostic Center, located in New York State in the United States, has provided care for patients with suspected or established deer tick-transmitted infections. There are five deer tick-transmitted infectious in this geographic area of which Lyme disease is the most common.For patients with erythema migrans, we do not obtain any laboratory testing. However, if the patient is febrile at the time of the visit or reports rigors and high-grade fevers, we consider the possibility of a co-infection and order pertinent laboratory tests.Our preferred management for Lyme disease-related facial palsy and/or radiculopathy is a 2-week course of doxycycline. Patients who are hospitalized for Ly...
Wednesday 13 January 2016
Authors: Shah P, Mithawala P, Bajaj S, Virk H, Bikkina M PMID: 26717231 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Acta Cardiologica)
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Tuesday 12 January 2016
This study was designed to determine the occurrence of vector-borne pathogens in Malaysian stray dogs using serological and molecular approaches. In total, 48 dog blood samples were subjected to serological analysis using SNAP 4Dx kit (IDEXX Laboratories, Westbrook, ME). The presence of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma DNA in the dog blood samples and Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) ticks was detected using nested polymerase chain reaction assays. Positive serological findings against Ehrlichia canis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum were obtained in 17 (39.5%) and four (9.3%) of 43 dog samples, respectively. None of the dog blood samples were positive for Borrelia burgdorferi and Dirofilaria immitis. DNA of E. canis and A. phagocytophilum was detected in 12 (25.5%) and two (4.3%) of 47 dog blood ...
Monday 11 January 2016
Tara and David Geraghty On Dec. 22, three days before Christmas, 55-year-old David A. Geraghty died from complications of a supposedly rarely fatal infection: Lyme disease. As reported in The Valley Breeze, a Lincoln, R.I. newspaper, Geraghty and his family found out conclusively that he has had Lyme disease just one year ago, last December. As was the case for me and is not uncommon in other cases of Lyme disease diagnoses, it was Geraghty and his wife -- not his physicians -- who pushed for investigation into the cause of his illness and ultimately were responsible for discovering that Lyme disease was at the root. Geraghty was diagnosed in 2013 with ALS, a degenerative and usually fatal neuromuscular disease. (ALS was briefly raised as a potential cause of my most severe symptoms years ...
Saturday 9 January 2016
The diagnosis of acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans (ACA), the late cutaneous manifestation of Lyme borreliosis, can be challenging. Histologic changes in ACA have been described in a few studies from endemic countries, relying on cases documented by serology only. (Source: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology)
Wednesday 6 January 2016
The objective of this study is to evaluate the history, clinical findings, CSF analysis, and brain imaging results in pediatric patients with increased intracranial pressure secondary to LD. A retrospective database search was performed using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 9/10 codes to identify patients diagnosed with LD and IH between 2004 and 2014 at a tertiary referral pediatric hospital. Clinical, laboratory and neuroimaging data for each patient were reviewed. Seven patients met inclusion criteria; mean age was 9.6 years (standard deviation 4.0 years); 4/7 patients were male. Average body mass index was 18.8 kg/m2 (standard deviation 3.0 kg/m2). Fever was present in four patients. Four had a history of LD related erythema migrans. All had elevated CSF opening ...
Wednesday 6 January 2016
A 15-year-old boy presented with multiple cranial nerve palsies including bilateral facial nerve palsy, right-sided limb weakness, and cerebellar signs. Nine months previously, after a trip to the Scottish Highlands where he reported a discrete scalp rash, he began experiencing lethargy, anorexia, arthromyalgia, and headache. He attended his general practitioner 4 months into the course of this illness and was treated with a short course of oral azithromycin, following which symptoms transiently improved. (Source: The Journal of Pediatrics)
Tuesday 5 January 2016
For a patient with Lyme disease–like symptoms, the biggest challenge is finding a specialist who understands her condition. (Source: Health Affairs)
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Sunday 27 December 2015
Authors: di Meo N, Stinco G, Nan K, Pinzani C, Trevisan G Abstract Parry-Romberg syndrome is an acquired slowly progressive disease characterized by an atrophy mostly involving half of the face. The pathogenesis of this disfiguring condition is still controversial. The relationship between Parry-Romberg syndrome and Lyme disease needs to be considered in depth. A 16-year-old woman from Albania presented with linear depressions of the right side of the face, clinically compatible with Parry-Romberg syndrome. She had a positive history of Lyme disease. Borrelia infection was confirmed by the positivity of PCR and the presence of IgM antibodies. The patient received intravenous penicillin and metronidazole for 14 days. After treatment and during a 2-year follow-up, the clinical diseas...
Friday 25 December 2015
The last time my mother and I stood near a Christmas tree together was December 2012. She was in the middle of a long battle with Chronic Lyme Disease and we had recently found out that she also had Alzheimer's. This dynamic cocktail of ailments left her unable to function as she used to -- as an entertainer, caregiver, and a joker. My mother and I were very close, and when she began showing signs of her disease I became extremely protective of her. A little more than 10 years prior my mother was very protective of me as I successfully battled Stage 3 Hodgkin's Disease -- cancer. This created a unique bond that seems to have literally given me the ability to feel her pain, shame and exhaustion. The Christmas season is my favorite time of year. Mainly because of all the amazing memories I ...
Wednesday 23 December 2015
This article describes a cluster of cases of Chagas disease among a single family, which was discovered on screening after two affected members of the family donated blood. The current state of screening programs for <span style="font-style: italic">Trypanosoma cruzi</span> are discussed, and suggestions for future directions are included. Parents? and adolescents? willingness to be vaccinated against serogroup B meningococcal disease during a mass vaccination in Saguenay?Lac-St-Jean (Quebec)Since the implementation of the meningococcal C conjugate vaccine as a component of the routine vaccination schedule of children in Quebec, the incidence of meningitis caused by serogroup C <span style="font-style: italic">Neisseria meningitidis </span>has de...
Wednesday 23 December 2015
This article describes the treatment completion rate for latent tuberculosis infections at a health clinic in Edmonton, Alberta, including an assessment of the correlates of noncompletion as well as potential means to improve treatment adherence. Effects of breakpoint changes on carbapenem susceptibility rates of <em>Enterobacteriaceae</em>: Results from the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program (United States, 2008 to 2012)Antibiotic susceptibility breakpoints are determined at the time of clinical approval for a given drug, but may need to be revised to incorporate additional evidence obtained after approval of the drug. The breakpoints for several common carbapenems were updated between 2010 and 2013. The authors aimed to calculate the change in susceptibility rates for ...
Wednesday 23 December 2015
Conclusions: These data help further explain our in vivo findings of significantly reduced levels of inflammatory mediators, DRG-apoptosis, and lack of inflammatory neurodegenerative lesions in the nerve roots and DRG of Bb-infected animals that were treated with dexamethasone, but not meloxicam. Evaluating the role of the signaling mechanisms that contribute to the anti-inflammatory potential of dexamethasone in the context of LNB could serve to identify therapeutic targets for limiting radiculitis and axonal degeneration in peripheral LNB. (Source: Journal of Neuroinflammation)
Tuesday 22 December 2015
Conclusion: The average value of flexibility of spirochetes’ surface expressed by Young’s modulus was 10185.32 MPa, whereas the adhesion force was 3.68 nN. AFM is a modern tool with a broad spectrum of observational and measurement abilities. Young’s modulus and the adhesion force can be treated as parameters in the evaluation of intensity and changes which take place in pathogenic microorganisms under the influence of various lytic factors. The visualization of the changes in association with nanomechanical features provides a realistic portrayal of the lytic abilities of the elements of the innate and adaptive human immune system. (Source: Postepy higieny i medycyny doswiadczalnej)
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Tuesday 22 December 2015
Publication date: Available online 21 December 2015 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Maxim A. Khasnatinov, Galina A. Danchinova, Ai Takano, Hiroki Kawabata, Norio Ohashi, Toshiyuki Masuzawa Adult Ixodes persulcatus were collected in highly populated districts in Irkutsk city, Russia, and/or in popular recreational and professional areas in its neighboring territories. Borrelia miyamotoi infection in I. persulcatus was examined using multiplex Taqman-PCR targeting 16S rDNA, and nested PCR and sequencing analyses targeting flaB and 16S rDNA. B. miyamotoi and Lyme disease Borrelia species were detected in 13 (infection rate, 2.9%) and 77 (17.3%) out of 445 I. persulcatus ticks, respectively, collected from 4 sites around the Baikal Lake. The 16S rDNA and flaB sequences ...
Monday 21 December 2015
CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that B. miyamotoi can survive standard storage conditions of most human blood components, suggesting the possibility of transmission by blood transfusion. PMID: 26689144 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Transfusion)
Sunday 20 December 2015
Authors: Hodzic E Abstract The development of antibiotics changed the world of medicine and has saved countless human and animal lives. Bacterial resistance/tolerance to antibiotics have spread silently across the world and has emerged as a major public health concern. The recent emergence of pan-resistant bacteria can overcome virtually any antibiotic and poses a major problem for their successful control. Selection for antibiotic resistance may take place where an antibiotic is present: in the skin, gut, and other tissues of humans and animals and in the environment. Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiological agents of Lyme borreliosis, evades host immunity and establishes persistent infections in its mammalian hosts. The persistent infection poses a challenge to the effective antibi...
Friday 18 December 2015
In this study, we develop a periodic delay meta-population model which takes into consideration the local landscape for tick reproduction within patches and the times needed for ticks to be transported by birds between patches. Assuming that the tick population is endemic in the source region, we find that bird migration may boost an already established tick population at the subsequent region and thus increase the risk to humans, or bird migration may help ticks to establish in a region where the local landscape is not appropriate for ticks to survive in the absence of bird migration, imposing risks to public health. This theoretical study reveals that bird migration plays an important role in the geographic range expansion of I. scapularis, and therefore our findings may suggest some str...
Friday 18 December 2015
In conclusion, our data show that B. burgdorferi s.l. and SFG rickettsiae co-infection occurs in Dutch I. ricinus and that Lyme borreliosis patients, or patients suspected of Lyme borreliosis, are indeed exposed to both tick-borne pathogens. Whether SFG rickettsiae actually cause disease, and whether co-infections alter the clinical course of Lyme borreliosis, is not clear from our data, and warrants further investigation. (Source: Ticks and Tick borne Diseases)
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Friday 18 December 2015
The tick Ixodes ricinus is the main vector of the spirochaete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, the causal agent of Lyme borreliosis, in the western Palearctic. Rodents are the reservoir host of B. afzelii, which can be transmitted to I. ricinus larvae during a blood meal. The infected engorged larvae moult into infected nymphs, which can transmit the spirochaetes to rodents and humans. Interestingly, even though only about 1 % of the larvae develop into a borreliae-infected nymph, the enzootic borreliae lifecycle can persist. The development from larva to infected nymph is a key aspect in this lifecycle, influencing the density of infected nymphs and thereby Lyme borreliosis risk. The density of infected nymphs varies temporally and geographically and is influenced by multi-trophic (tick-...
Thursday 17 December 2015
Summary White‐tailed deer play an important role in the ecology of Lyme disease. In the United States, where the incidence and geographic range of Lyme disease continue to increase, reduction of white‐tailed deer populations has been proposed as a means of preventing human illness. The effectiveness of this politically sensitive prevention method is poorly understood. We summarize and evaluate available evidence regarding the effect of deer reduction on vector tick abundance and human disease incidence. Elimination of deer from islands and other isolated settings can have a substantial impact on the reproduction of blacklegged ticks, while reduction short of complete elimination has yielded mixed results. To date, most studies have been conducted in ecologic situations that are not rep...
Thursday 17 December 2015
Marginal zone lymphomas have been associated with several infectious agents covering both viral and bacterial pathogens and in some cases a clear aetiological role has been established. Pathogenetic mechanisms are currently not completely understood, however the role of chronic stimulation of the host immune response with persistent lymphocyte activation represents the most convincing explanation for lymphoproliferation. Gastric MALT lymphoma is strictly associated with Helicobacter pylori infection and various eradicating protocols, developed due to increasing antibiotic resistance, represent the first line therapy. The response rate to eradication is good with 80% of response at 1 year; this finding is also noteworthy because recapitulates a cancer cured only by antibacterial approach an...
Wednesday 16 December 2015
Conclusions: Body mass was important for explaining load of I. ricinus mainly up to a body mass of ~10 g across a range of smaller mammalian hosts. Consistent with earlier work elsewhere in Europe, we found the highest tick infestation intensity on the wood mouse A. sylvaticus. However, this rodent species fed only 20.4 % of all I. ricinus larvae, while the much more abundant S. araneus fed 61.9 %. Our study emphasizes an important quantitative role of the common shrew S. araneus as a main host to I. ricinus larvae and to both I. trianguliceps larvae and nymphs. The partly seasonal distinct attachment pattern of I. ricinus and I. trianguliceps is evidence for niche separation. (Source: Parasites and Vectors)
Monday 14 December 2015
Ben Baddeley, 11, of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, is learning to walk unaided for the first time since having an operation to relieve muscle spasms caused by cerebral palsy. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
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Monday 14 December 2015
A surge in cases of the tick-borne infection Lyme disease has made some people wary of the countryside. But there’s no need to worry, if you take care‘To be honest,” enthuses Dr Tim Brooks, “it’s a fascinating disease.” As head of the Rare and Imported Pathogens laboratory at Public Health England, trying to solve the growing problem of Lyme disease (and other bugs, such as ebola) is his vocation. Lyme disease – a bacterial infection spread by infected ticks – is a particularly complex puzzle, with little reliable data available so far. It can appear in numerous forms, occasionally causing long-term neurological symptoms that could be mistaken for other conditions, such as multiple sclerosis or motor neurone disease.Following a surge in cases this year – th...
Monday 14 December 2015
(Source: Clinical Infectious Diseases)
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Sunday 13 December 2015
CONCLUSION: As a result of this study, antigenic differences have been seen between the UK isolates and the foreign isolates used as laboratory standards. PMID: 26191500 [PubMed] (Source: BioImpacts)
Saturday 12 December 2015
Authors: Ionescu D, Cotar AI, Bădescu D, Dumitriu S PMID: 24187811 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] (Source: Roumanian Archives of Microbiology and Immunology)
Saturday 12 December 2015
Authors: Akın Belli A, Derviş E, Özbaş Gök S, Midilli K, Gargılı A Abstract Lyme disease (LD) is a tick-borne, multisystemic infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. Although variable rates of seropositivity for B.burgdorferi have been reported between 2% to 44% in Turkey, its actual prevalence is not well-understood. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the characteristics of 10 cases of LD presenting as erythema migrans (EM) between 2009 and 2013 from Istanbul which is one of the metropolitan cities of Turkey. Of the patients, five were male and five were female, ages between 9-51 years (mean age: 34.5 years). Five of the patients were admitted in June, three in October, one in November and two in December and all have the history of tick bite in last 1-2 w...
Friday 11 December 2015
CONCLUSIONS: Polymerase chain reaction of skin biopsy specimens seems to be currently the most sensitive and specific test for the diagnosis of patients with EM, especially in patients with a short duration of the disease (< 14 days) but still its effectiveness is much lower than expected. Polymerase chain reaction of blood samples cannot be recommended at the present time for the routine diagnostic of patients with EM. PMID: 25821421 [PubMed] (Source: Advances in Dermatology and Allergology)
Friday 11 December 2015
After appropriate treatment was started for a patient’s most likely diagnosis, a surprising new finding prompted reevaluation. Previously healthy, the 39-year-old-man presented to his primary care clinic in early October after 7 days of progressive lower extremity myalgias, malaise, intermittent fevers, generalized headaches, rigors, and night sweats. He had no upper respiratory symptoms, abdominal pain, dysuria, diarrhea, rash, or arthralgias. (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
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Wednesday 9 December 2015
Publication date: Available online 9 December 2015 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Veronika Rusňáková Tarageľová, Lenka Mahríková, Diana Selyemová, Radovan Václav, Markéta Derdáková Lyme borreliosis is the most prevalent tick-borne disease in Europe. It is caused by spirochaetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) complex and transmitted to humans by ticks of the genus Ixodes. B. afzelii, B. garinii, and B. valaisiana are the most common genospecies in Central Europe. In contrast, B. lusitaniae predominates in Mediterranean countries such as Portugal, Morocco, and Tunisia. In Slovakia, its prevalence is low and restricted to only a few sites. The aim of our research was to study the expansion of ticks into higher altitudes in the ecosystem of th...
Monday 7 December 2015
Publication date: Available online 7 December 2015 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Amber D. Butler, Tannaz Sedghi, Joann R. Petrini, Ramin Ahmadi Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vector-borne illness in the United States. Since the institution of Nationally Notifiable surveillance efforts for Lyme disease in the United States in 1991, there has been a consistent increase in the number of reported cases. Thus, the need for targeted prevention strategies is underscored. The purpose of this study was to investigate knowledge about tick-borne diseases as well as beliefs and practices related to a variety of personal tick-borne disease prevention methods among individuals in southwestern Connecticut, a Lyme disease-endemic area. Between June and September 2014, a...
Wednesday 2 December 2015
Authors: Mavin S, Watson EJ, Evans R Abstract Traditional two-tier (enzyme immunoassay [EIA] screening and Western blot confirmation) testing for the laboratory diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis (LB) is expensive, lacks sensitivity in the diagnosis of early LB, cannot distinguish between current and past infection and cannot be used as a marker for treatment response. The aims of the present study is to investigate the role of the C6 EIA as a screening assay, as part of two-tier EIA test strategy, and its use as a marker of treatment response or resolving infection in a routine diagnostic laboratory. The C6 EIA was significantly less sensitive than the Enzygnost Lyme link VlsE/IgG EIA (169/249 vs. 190/249 reactive sera, respectively; P = 0.0455, Fishers exact two-tailed test). The two-...
Wednesday 2 December 2015
Authors: Parlak M, Bayram Y, Çıkman A, Ceylan N, Berktaş M Abstract Lyme borreliosis, which is more prevalent in the northern hemisphere, is the most common tick-borne contagious disease among people living in the North America and Europe. The causative agent of Lyme borreliosis, Borrelia burgdorferi, is transmitted by the bites of ticks of the genus Ixodes. In Turkey, the seroprevalence of Lyme disease is increased in regions where ticks and tick-bite cases are prevalent. The present study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of Lyme borreliosis in people at risk, living in the rural areas of Van province, which is located in the eastern region of Turkey. No previous study on this topic has been performed in our province. The study included a total of 446 subjects (mean age: 3...
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Wednesday 2 December 2015
This week, hundreds of scientists from around the world are descending on Washington D.C. for a three-day summit on a new technique that has spurred a major genetic revolution. Thanks to a gene-editing technique called CRISPR-Cas9, it is now not only possible, but easy, cheap and fast, to change, delete or replace genes in any plant or animal, including people. The range of hypothetical ways CRISPR could change our lives is staggering -- from creating wheat that is invulnerable to mildew to curing the world’s most intractable diseases. Anything that has DNA, which is to say, every living thing on earth, can now be more easily manipulated than ever before. When it comes to the human genome, especially, this raises fears as much as it raises hopes. You don’t have to dip that deep...
Wednesday 2 December 2015
Conclusions: LB causes a substantial disease burden in the Netherlands. The vast majority of this burden is caused by patients with Lyme-related persisting symptoms. EM and disseminated Lyme have a more modest impact. Further research should focus on the mechanisms that trigger development of these persisting symptoms that patients and their physicians attribute to LB. (Source: The European Journal of Public Health)
Tuesday 1 December 2015
No abstract available (Source: CONTINUUM)
Tuesday 1 December 2015
This article reviews clinical aspects of the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme neuroborreliosis, with focus on the United States. DISCLAIMER: The findings and conclusions in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (Source: CONTINUUM)
Tuesday 1 December 2015
No abstract available (Source: CONTINUUM)
Tuesday 1 December 2015
We report a case of a 27-year-old woman with blurred vision on her right eye. Because of the suspicion of optic neuritis (multiplex sclerosis) neurological examination was ordered. Surprisingly, computer tomography of the brain revealed incomplete empty sella, which generally results not monocular, but bilateral optic nerve swelling. Opthalmological examination (ophthalmoscopy and optical coherence tomography) indicated not only monocular optic nerve, but retinal oedema next to the temporal part of the right optic disk. Visual evoked potentials (VEP) demonstrated no P100 latency delay and mild differences between the amplitudes of the responses of the left and right eye. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) demonstrated the swelling of the optic nerve head and oedematous retina at the tempor...
Tuesday 1 December 2015
Given the relatively recent recognition of Lyme disease (LD) by CDC in 1990 as a nationally notifiable infectious condition, the rise of reported human cases every year argues for a better understanding of its geographic scope. The aim of this inquiry was to explore research conducted on spatiotemporal patterns of Lyme disease in order to identify strategies for implementing vector and reservoir-targeted interventions. The focus of this review is on the use of GIS-based methods to study populations of the reservoir hosts, vectors and humans in addition to the spatiotemporal interactions between these populations. New GIS-based studies are monitoring occurrence at the macro-level, and helping pinpoint areas of occurrence at the micro-level, where spread within populations of reservoir hosts...
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Tuesday 1 December 2015
Summary White‐tailed deer play an important role in the ecology of Lyme disease. In the United States, where the incidence and geographic range of Lyme disease continue to increase, reduction of white‐tailed deer populations has been proposed as a means of preventing human illness. The effectiveness of this politically sensitive prevention method is poorly understood. We summarize and evaluate available evidence regarding the effect of deer reduction on vector tick abundance and human disease incidence. Elimination of deer from islands and other isolated settings can have a substantial impact on the reproduction of blacklegged ticks, while reduction short of complete elimination has yielded mixed results. To date, most studies have been conducted in ecologic situations that are not rep...
Monday 30 November 2015
Conclusion The incidence of Lyme borreliosis may be stabilising in Scotland but NHS Highland remains an area of high incidence. Lyme borreliosis should be considered in symptomatic patients that have had exposure to ticks and not just those with a definite tick bite. PMID: 26517097 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh)
Monday 30 November 2015
Discussion Arboviruses are viruses transmitted by arthropods (primarily mosquitos and ticks) to humans. Most infections are asymptomatic. Many others have mild symptoms such as an influenza-like illnesses. But for some patients they can cause neuroinvasive disease with meningitis, encephalitis and flaccid paralysis. Some patients also unfortunately die. Diagnosis is by serum or cerebrospinal fluid IgM antibody to the specific virus. Treatment is supportive only as there is no specific treatment and currently there are no vaccines for prevention. Mosquito bite and tick bite prevention are the best options for families and can be reviewed here. A systematic review of West Nile Virus (WNV) neuroinvasive disease in adults showed those infected can have a lengthy recovery with many sequelae, p...
Monday 30 November 2015
Discussion Arboviruses are viruses transmitted by arthropods (primarily mosquitos and ticks) to humans. Most infections are asymptomatic. Many others have mild symptoms such as an influenza-like illnesses. But for some patients they can cause neuroinvasive disease with meningitis, encephalitis and flaccid paralysis. Some patients also unfortunately die. Diagnosis is by serum or cerebrospinal fluid IgM antibody to the specific virus. Treatment is supportive only as there is no specific treatment and currently there are no vaccines for prevention. Mosquito bite and tick bite prevention are the best options for families and can be reviewed here. A systematic review of West Nile Virus (WNV) neuroinvasive disease in adults showed those infected can have a lengthy recovery with many sequelae, p...
Monday 30 November 2015
Dear Lyme disease, I'm not angry. But I admit you made me miserable. You sneakily rushed through my veins. Anonymous, without a name, you tortured me for months. I didn't know who you were or where you came from. I would stare bleakly out my freshman dorm window, my eyes dull and my head throbbing. I blamed my school. During my first quarter at Northwestern University, my boyfriend and I broke up, my grandfather died, and I couldn't get out of bed for my morning classes. I reluctantly dropped a course after meeting with an adviser who thought I was struggling to acclimate to college. I was 850 miles from home and started to believe that I never should have left the East Coast. But Northwestern was the pennant on my corkboard at home; it was the sweatshirt my dad wore proudly to our local ...
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Monday 30 November 2015
Abstract Differentiating septic arthritis of the pediatric hip from other causes of hip pain and effusion continues to present a diagnostic challenge for the clinician. Although septic arthritis traditionally has been reported to have a synovial white blood cell count of 75,000 cells/mm3 or greater, lower counts can be seen in this condition. In cases where a synovial sample has been obtained and the cell count falls in the intermediate range between 25,000 and 75,000 cells/mm3, it is unclear what proportion of these cases may be truly septic hips. In this evidence-based review, we examine Heyworth et al’s study focusing on the predictive value of this intermediate white cell count range in a Lyme-endemic region. (Source: HSS Journal)
Sunday 29 November 2015
Authors: Van Nuffel AM, Sukhatme V, Pantziarka P, Meheus L, Sukhatme VP, Bouche G Abstract Clarithromycin (CAM) is a well-known macrolide antibiotic available as a generic drug. CAM is traditionally used for many types of bacterial infections, treatment of Lyme disease and eradication of gastric infection with Helicobacter pylori. Extensive preclinical and clinical data demonstrate a potential role for CAM to treat various tumours in combination with conventional treatment. The mechanisms of action underlying the anti-tumour activity of CAM are multiple and include prolonged reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, autophagy inhibition, and anti-angiogenesis. Here, we present an overview of the current preclinical (in vitro and in vivo) and clinical evidence supporting the role of ...
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Friday 27 November 2015
Ticks can transmit various diseases to people and animals. Some well-known diseases spread by ticks include tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and Lyme disease. Researchers are hot on the trail of pathogens carried by ticks. The parasitologists recently discovered a new form of the bacterium Candidatus Neoehrlichia in a red fox from the Austrian state of Vorarlberg. The pathogen might also be transmittable to humans, they warn. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Friday 27 November 2015
(University of Veterinary Medicine -- Vienna) Ticks can transmit various diseases to people and animals. Some well-known diseases spread by ticks include tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and Lyme disease. Researchers at the Vetmeduni Vienna are hot on the trail of pathogens carried by ticks. The parasitologists recently discovered a new form of the bacterium Candidatus Neoehrlichia in a red fox from Austrian. The pathogen might also be transmittable to humans. The results were published in the journal Parasites & Vectors. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Wednesday 25 November 2015
Background: Many aspects of clinical management of Lyme neuroborreliosis are subject to intense debates. Guidelines show considerable variability in their recommendations, leading to divergent treatment regimes. The most pronounced differences in recommendations exist between guidelines from scientific societies and from patient advocacy groups. Assessment of the methodological quality of these contradictory guideline recommendations can be helpful for healthcare professionals. Methods: Systematic searches were conducted in MEDLINE and databases of four international and national guideline organizations for guidelines on Lyme neuroborreliosis published from 1999–2014. Characteristics (e.g., year of publication, sponsoring organization) and key recommendations were extracted from each gui...
Tuesday 24 November 2015
Conclusions. PTLDS may persist for >10 years in some patients with culture-confirmed early Lyme disease. Such long-standing symptoms were not associated with functional impairment or a particular strain of B. burgdorferi. (Source: Clinical Infectious Diseases)
Monday 23 November 2015
(Entomological Society of America) A tick that is not known to bite people may play a role in the transmission of Lyme disease, according to an article in the Journal of Medical Entomology. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Monday 23 November 2015
Authors: Aurélien FF, Mediannikov O, Nappez C, Azza S, Raoult D, Drancourt M Abstract Relapsing fever borreliae, produced by ectoparasite-borne Borrelia species, cause mild to deadly bacteremia and miscarriage. In the perspective of developing inexpensive assays for the rapid detection of relapsing fever borreliae, we produced 12 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against Borrelia crocidurae and characterized the two exhibiting the highest titers. P3A10 MAb reacts with the 35.6-kDa flagellin B (flaB) of B. crocidurae while P6D9 MAb recognizes a 35.1-kDa variable-like protein (Vlp) in B. crocidurae and a 35.2-kDa Vlp in Borrelia duttonii. Indirect immunofluorescence assay incorporating relapsing fever and Lyme group borreliae and 11 blood-borne organisms responsible for fever in West Afr...
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Monday 23 November 2015
This study supports the previously described cross-reactivity of Lyme screening among syphilis-positive sera and reports evidence against the possibility of false-positive syphilis screening tests resulting from previous Borrelia burgdorferi infection. (Source: Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease)
Monday 23 November 2015
In conclusion, we have identified a dystroglycan-like protein in I. scapularis gut that can bind to B. burgdorferi and promotes B. burgdorferi migration from the tick gut. Key messages B. burgdorferi exploits tick proteins to orchestrate its transmission to the host. B. burgdorferi is able bind to an I. scapularis dystroglycan-like protein (ISDLP). Inhibition of ISDLP in ticks results in lower B. burgdorferi transmission to mice. ISDLP is a potential target to prevent Lyme borreliosis. (Source: Journal of Molecular Medicine)
Monday 23 November 2015
This study supports the previously-described cross-reactivity of Lyme screening among syphilis-positive sera, and reports evidence against the possibility of false-positive syphilis screening tests resulting from previous Borrelia burgdorferi infection. (Source: Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease)
Saturday 21 November 2015
Authors: Diuk-Wasser MA, Vannier E, Krause PJ Abstract Ixodes ticks maintain a large and diverse array of human pathogens in the enzootic cycle, including Borrelia burgdorferi and Babesia microti. Despite the poor ecological fitness of B. microti, babesiosis has recently emerged in areas endemic for Lyme disease. Studies in ticks, reservoir hosts, and humans indicate that coinfection with B. burgdorferi and B. microti is common, promotes transmission and emergence of B. microti in the enzootic cycle, and causes greater disease severity and duration in humans. These interdisciplinary studies may serve as a paradigm for the study of other vector-borne coinfections. Identifying ecological drivers of pathogen emergence and host factors that fuel disease severity in coinfected individua...
Friday 20 November 2015
Serology is the mainstay of confirmation of Lyme borreliosis; direct detection has limited application. Because standardized 2-tier testing (STTT) has been commonly used since the mid 1990s, standardization and performance have improved. STTT detection of early, localized infection is poor; that of late disease is good. The best indicator of stage 1 infection, erythema migrans, is presented in the majority of US cases and should prompt treatment without testing. Clinical and epidemiologic correlates should be carefully assessed before ordering STTT. STTT has great value in confirming extracutaneous infection. Recent developments promise to improve performance, particularly in early disease detection. (Source: Clinics in Laboratory Medicine)
Friday 20 November 2015
Chantelle Lewis, 31, from Falmouth, Cornwall, caught Lyme disease while working on a superyacht in the Caribbean. She cried 'the happiest tears' after receiving the supportive video. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Friday 20 November 2015
Conclusion. Girls and boys have different clinical presentations of LNB, and boys have a higher level of inflammation than girls independent of the clinical presentation. PMID: 26576072 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Behavioural Neurology)
Friday 20 November 2015
The investigation and management of inflammatory eye disease is complex and relies on detailed history taking and examination. It is not therefore unexpected that many patients are over-investigated. A question that has caused much debate in the past is whether patients with intermediate uveitis (IU), particularly young Caucasian women with no neurological symptoms, should have routine neuroimaging to ‘screen’ for multiple sclerosis (MS). In this editorial, we discuss the key issues related to the clinical presentation of IU, its association with MS and the rationale for investigation; in particular, we put forward our view that neuroimaging should not be carried out as a screening tool for patients with IU. IU is the term given to inflammation, which has the vitreous as its fo...
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Thursday 19 November 2015
Publication date: Available online 25 October 2015 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Andrew J. MacDonald, Cheryl J. Briggs Patterns of seasonal activity and density of host-seeking western blacklegged ticks, Ixodes pacificus, were investigated in central and southern California. Weekly to monthly drag sampling was undertaken at two sites in Santa Barbara County and one site in Los Angeles County over multiple years. Adult I. pacificus became active in the winter (late November) and were rare or absent by late April to early May. Nymphal ticks became active in early to late February, were absent by early May to early June, and were rarely encountered using the drag method throughout their period of peak seasonal activity. Larval ticks became active earlier in the season, o...
Thursday 19 November 2015
Publication date: Available online 24 October 2015 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Jani J. Sormunen, Tero Klemola, Eero J. Vesterinen, Ilppo Vuorinen, Jukka Hytönen, Jari Hänninen, Kai Ruohomäki, Ilari E. Sääksjärvi, Elina Tonteri, Ritva Penttinen Studies have revealed that Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) have become more abundant and their geographical distribution extended northwards in some Nordic countries during the past few decades. However, ecological data of tick populations in Finland are sparse. In the current study, I. ricinus abundance, seasonal questing activity, and their Borrelia spp. and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) prevalence were evaluated in a Lyme borreliosis endemic area in Southwest Finland, Seili Island, where a previous stu...
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Thursday 19 November 2015
Publication date: Available online 25 October 2015 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Janet Foley, Daniel Rejmanek, Colin Foley, Marjorie Matocq Dusky-footed woodrats are territorial cricetid rodents that individually occupy large stick houses from which they foray to gather food, find mates, and engage in other activities. These rodents are often bitten by Ixodes spp. ticks and are reservoirs of some strains of tick-borne bacterial pathogens such as Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi. Limited dispersal by hosts and vectors could create fine-scale population structure where related hosts and pathogen exposure are co-distributed in space. To quantify population genetic structure and infection status, we genotyped 167 woodrats using a panel of 15 microsatel...
Thursday 19 November 2015
Publication date: Available online 12 November 2015 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Christian Melaun, Sina Zotzmann, Vanesa Garcia Santaella, Antje Werblow, Helga Zumkowski-Xylander, Peter Kraiczy, Sven Klimpel Lyme disease or Lyme borreliosis is a vector-borne infectious disease caused by spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex. Some stages of the borrelial transmission cycle in ticks (transstadial, feeding and co-feeding) can potentially occur also in insects, particularly in mosquitoes. In the present study, adult as well as larvae mosquitoes were collected at 42 different geographical locations throughout Germany. This is the first study, in which German mosquitoes were analysed for the presence of Borrelia spp. Targeting two specific borreli...
Thursday 19 November 2015
Publication date: Available online 30 October 2015 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Neeta P. Connally, Alison F. Hinckley, Katherine A. Feldman, Melissa Kemperman, David Neitzel, Siok-Bi Wee, Jennifer L. White, Paul S. Mead, James I. Meek Large commercial laboratories in the United States were surveyed regarding the number of specimens tested for eight tickborne diseases in 2008. Seven large commercial laboratories reported testing a total of 2,927,881 specimens nationally (including Lyme disease). Of these, 495,585 specimens (17%) were tested for tickborne diseases other than Lyme disease. In addition to large commercial laboratories, another 1051 smaller commercial, hospital, and government laboratories in four states (CT, MD, MN, and NY) were surveyed regarding...
Wednesday 18 November 2015
Authors: Surgers L, Belkadi G, Foucard A, Lalande V, Girard PM, Hennequin C PMID: 26525187 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Medecine et Maladies Infectieuses)
Wednesday 18 November 2015
We examined novel and established antigen markers to develop a multiplex panel that identifies early infection using the combined sensitivity of multiple markers while simultaneously maintaining high specificity by requiring positive results for two markers to designate a positive test. Ten markers were selected from our initial analysis of 62 B. burgdorferi surface proteins and synthetic peptides by assessing binding of IgG and IgM to each in a training set of Lyme disease patient samples and controls. In a validation set, this 10-antigen panel identified a higher proportion of early-Lyme-disease patients as positive at the baseline or posttreatment visit than two-tiered testing (87.5% and 67.5%, respectively; P < 0.05). Equivalent specificities of 100% were observed in 26 healthy cont...
Tuesday 17 November 2015
By: Peter Lurie, M.D., M.P.H. Today FDA is issuing a report that illustrates the real and potential harms to patients and to public health from certain laboratory developed tests (LDTs) – tests that are designed, manufactured and used in a single laboratory. When FDA first began regulating medical devices under the Medical Device Amendments in the 1970s, we chose not to enforce applicable regulatory requirements for LDTs because they were relatively simple tests generally confined to local labs, and often used for rare conditions. But times have changed. LDTs have increased in complexity and availability and are now frequently used to diagnose common, serious medical conditions, including cancer and heart disease, with potentially greater impact on patients. And yet, LDTs are still under...
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Sunday 15 November 2015
Authors: Naranje S, Kelly DM, Sawyer JR Abstract A limp is defined as a deviation from a normal age-appropriate gait pattern resulting in an uneven, jerky, or laborious gait. It can be caused by pain, weakness, or deformity as a result of a variety of conditions. Transient synovitis is the most common diagnosis. Other causes of acute limp include contusion, foreign body in the foot, fracture, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, reactive arthritis, and Lyme arthritis. Causes of chronic limp include rheumatic disease, dermatomyositis, acute rheumatic fever, inflammatory bowel disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Evaluation of a limping child should begin with a history focused on identifying pain, trauma, and associated systemic symptoms. For a limping child with focal findings on...
Friday 13 November 2015
Conclusions: BL in children, treated with recommended antibiotics, is a mild disease with a good prognosis. (Source: The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal)
Friday 13 November 2015
Lyme disease sufferer Tahlia Smith, 21, from the New South Wales Hunter Region has flown to Germany to undergo controversial treatment where doctors found live parasites in her blood (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Friday 13 November 2015
Endothelial cell growth factor has been recently proposed as a potential autoantigen in manifestations of Lyme disease that are thought to involve immune-mediated mechanisms. Our findings indicate that a humoral immune response to this protein is not associated with posttreatment Lyme disease syndrome. (Source: Clinical Infectious Diseases)
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Friday 13 November 2015
(Source: Clinical Infectious Diseases)
Thursday 12 November 2015
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. (Source: Muscle and Nerve)
Tuesday 10 November 2015
Note: This is the third and final entry in a series about how my life has been devastated by Lyme disease. With the advent of PrEP and effective medical interventions for HIV, I am truly disturbed that gay men -- first, younger generations, but increasingly people my age who lived through the plague of AIDS -- increasingly are rejecting the use of condoms and feeling invulnerable to potential sexually transmitted infections. Although the CDC claims absolutely that Lyme disease cannot be transmitted sexually, objective scientific research and anecdotes of those whose partners have Lyme argue otherwise. You do not want Lyme disease. It will change your life for the worse, not only by potentially disabling you at too young an age, but by rendering you an untouchable to many primary care phys...
Tuesday 10 November 2015
CONCLUSIONS: The reported incidence of LD in Poland, in our opinion, may be biased by overreporting and overdiagnosis. Nonspecific musculoskeletal and joint pain are the most frequent cause of LD suspicion and hospitalization. There is a necessity of better tests for active LD confirmation (especially in patients with musculoskeletal pain) as seroprevalence of anti Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies is high in endemic regions. PMID: 26641887 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Advances in Medical Sciences)
Tuesday 10 November 2015
In this study, we showed that the ospC-deficient spirochete could not establish infection in NOD-scid IL2rnull mice that lack B cells, T cells, NK cells, and lytic complement. The ospC mutant also could not establish infection in anti-Ly6G-treated SCID and C3H/HeN mice (depletion of neutrophils). However, depletion of mononuclear phagocytes at the skin site of inoculation in SCID and C3H/HeN mice allowed the ospC mutant to establish infection in vivo. In phagocyte-depleted mice, the ospC mutant was able to colonize the joints and triggered neutrophilia during dissemination. Furthermore, we found that phagocytosis of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing ospC mutant spirochetes by murine peritoneal macrophages and human THP-1 macrophage-like cells, but not in PMN-HL60, was significantl...
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Tuesday 10 November 2015
Conclusions The reported incidence of LD in Poland, in our opinion, may be biased by overreporting and overdiagnosis. Nonspecific musculoskeletal and joint pain are the most frequent cause of LD suspicion and hospitalization. There is a necessity of better tests for active LD confirmation (especially in patients with musculoskeletal pain) as seroprevalence of anti Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies is high in endemic regions. (Source: Advances in Medical Sciences)
Tuesday 10 November 2015
Borrelia burgdorferi, a causative agent of Lyme borreliosis, is a zoonotic pathogen that survives in nutrient-limited environments within a tick, prior to transmission to its mammalian host. Survival under these prolonged nutrient-limited conditions is thought to be similar to survival during stationary phase, which is characterized by growth cessation and decreased protein production. Multiple ribosome-associated proteins are implicated in stationary-phase survival of Escherichia coli. These proteins include hibernation-promoting factor (HPF), which dimerizes ribosomes and prevents translation of mRNA. Bioinformatic analyses indicate that B. burgdorferi harbors an hpf homolog, the bb0449 gene. BB0449 protein secondary structure modeling also predicted HPF-like structure and function. Howe...
Tuesday 10 November 2015
Discussion In this case, the resolution of cutaneous symptoms and the persistence of chronic arthritis suggest that the strong likelihood of infection by Borrelia has triggered Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. (Source: Revista Brasileira de Reumatologia)
Monday 9 November 2015
Jessica Bennett, 31, of Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, suffered seizures, speech problems, hair loss, chronic insomnia and severe bloating due to Lyme disease she caught from a tick. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Thursday 5 November 2015
Although Pennsylvania has recently reported the greatest number of Lyme disease cases in the United States, with the largest increase for PA occurring in its western region, the population biology of the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis Say) has not been adequately characterized in western PA. We studied the seasonal activity of host-seeking I. scapularis larvae, nymphs, and adults in mid-western PA over the course of a year, including a severe winter, and determined their absolute densities and collection efficiencies using replicated mark-release-recapture or removal methods. Our results are compared to those from similar studies conducted in the highly Lyme disease endemic Hudson Valley region of southeastern New York State. The seasonal activity of I. scapularis was intermediate bet...
Thursday 5 November 2015
Knowledge about the distribution and abundance of the western black-legged tick, Ixodes pacificus Cooley and Kohls, in Utah is limited. Recent concerns over tick-borne diseases in Utah, primarily Lyme disease, have reinvigorated the need to understand the distribution and habitats favored by this tick species. We surveyed 157 sites throughout Utah to examine the distribution, abundance, and habitat of I. pacificus. In total, 343 adult ticks were collected from 2011 to 2013. Specifically, 119 I. pacificus, 217 Dermacentor andersoni Stiles, six D. albipictus Packard, and one D. hunteri Bishopp were collected. Overall, tick abundance was relatively low in the areas evaluated in Utah. I. pacificus collections were limited to sites above 1700 m. Ninety-two percent of I. pacificus were captured ...
Wednesday 4 November 2015
Analytical ChemistryDOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5b02803 (Source: Analytical Chemistry)
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Wednesday 4 November 2015
ObjectivesPrompt antibiotic treatment of early stage Lyme borreliosis (LB) prevents progression to severe multisystem disease. There is a clinical need to improve the diagnostic specificity of early stage Lyme assays in the period prior to the mounting of a robust serology response. Using a novel analyte harvesting nanotechnology, Nanotrap particles, we evaluated urinary Borrelia Outer surface protein A (OspA) C-terminus peptide in early stage LB before and after treatment, and in patients suspected of late stage disseminated LB.MethodWe employed Nanotrap particles to concentrate urinary OspA and used a highly specific anti-OspA monoclonal antibody (mAb) as a detector of the C-terminus peptides. We mapped the mAb epitope to a narrow specific OspA C-terminal domain OspA236-239 conserved acr...
Wednesday 4 November 2015
To discover novel autoantigens associated with Lyme arthritis (LA), we identified T-cell epitopes presented in vivo by human leukocyte antigen (HLA)–DR molecules in patients' inflamed synovial tissue or joint fluid and tested each epitope for autoreactivity. Using this approach, we identified the highly expressed human protein, apolipoprotein B-100 (apoB-100), as a target of T- and B-cell responses in a subgroup of LA patients. Additionally, the joint fluid of these patients had markedly elevated levels of apoB-100 protein, which may contribute to its autoantigenicity. In patients with antibiotic-refractory LA, the magnitude of apoB-100 antibody responses correlated with increased numbers of plasma cells in synovial tissue, greater numbers and activation of endothelial cells, and mor...
Monday 2 November 2015
Around 30,000 new cases of Lyme disease are reported each year. Avoiding ticks and removing them when necessary are essential skills for anyone who likes to venture into nature. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Sunday 1 November 2015
Spontaneous knee effusion, also known as 'water on the knee,' can be a primary symptom of Lyme disease, even when patients do not exhibit a 'bull's eye' rash, another common Lyme disease symptom. According to a literature review, early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment can prevent the development of Lyme disease's more severe symptoms. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
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Sunday 1 November 2015
Spontaneous knee effusion, also known as "water on the knee," can be a primary symptom of Lyme disease, even when patients do not exhibit a "bull's eye" rash, another common Lyme disease symptom. According to a literature review appearing in the November issue of The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS), early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment can prevent the development of Lyme disease's more severe symptoms. (Source: Disabled World)
Sunday 1 November 2015
(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) Spontaneous knee effusion, also known as 'water on the knee,' can be a primary symptom of Lyme disease, even when patients do not exhibit a 'bull's eye' rash, another common Lyme disease symptom. According to a literature review appearing in the November issue of The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS), early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment can prevent the development of Lyme disease's more severe symptoms. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Wednesday 28 October 2015
CONCLUSIONS: The absence of Bb in the myocardium of individuals who undergo cardiac surgery and have normal LV systolic function supports the idea of Bb pathogenicity in the development of DCM. PMID: 26498214 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Biomedical Papers of the Medical Faculty of the Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub)
Tuesday 27 October 2015
Authors: Motaleb MA, Liu J, Mark Wooten R Abstract Two-thirds of all bacterial genomes sequenced to-date possess an organelle for locomotion, referred to as flagella, periplasmic flagella or type IV pili. These genomes may also contain a chemotaxis-signaling system which governs flagellar rotation, thus leading a coordinated function for motility. Motility and chemotaxis are often crucial for infection or disease process caused by pathogenic bacteria. Although motility-associated genes are well-characterized in some organisms, the highly orchestrated synthesis, regulation, and assembly of periplasmic flagella in spirochetes are just being delineated. Recent advances were fostered by development of unique genetic manipulations in spirochetes coupled with cutting-edge imaging techniq...
Monday 26 October 2015
Conclusions: The Type I pattern pathogens had varied trends in disease incidence in the years following the exponential growth and subsequent decline in the number of citations. Their differing epidemiologic patterns did not correlate with their pattern of citations. We conclude that citation trends on MRSA cannot be used to determine past epidemiologic trends and also that the citation trend for MRSA in 1995–2011 most closely resembled that for HIV in 1981–1998. (Source: BMC Infectious Diseases)
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Saturday 24 October 2015
The causative agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, is an obligate parasite that requires either a tick vector or a mammalian host for survival. Identification of the bacterial genes that are specifically expressed during infection of the mammalian host could provide targets for novel therapeutics and vaccines. In vivo expression technology (IVET) is a reporter-based promoter trap system that utilizes selectable markers to identify promoters of bacterial host-specific genes. Using previously characterized genes for in vivo and in vitro selection, this study utilized an IVET system that allows for selection of B. burgdorferi sequences that act as active promoters only during murine infection. This promoter trap system was able to successfully distinguish active promoter sequences bot...
Saturday 24 October 2015
Authors: Forrester JD, Kugeler KJ, Perea AE, Pastula DM, Mead PS Abstract Associations between Lyme disease and certain neurodegenerative diseases have been proposed, but supportive evidence for an association is lacking. Similar geographic distributions would be expected if 2 conditions were etiologically linked. Thus, we compared the distribution of Lyme disease cases in the United States with the distributions of deaths due to Alzheimer disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), and Parkinson disease; no geographic correlations were identified. Lyme disease incidence per US state was not correlated with rates of death due to ALS, MS, or Parkinson disease; however, an inverse correlation was detected between Lyme disease and Alzheimer disease. The abse...
Saturday 24 October 2015
Publication date: December 2015 Source:Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Proteins and Proteomics, Volume 1854, Issue 12 Author(s): Wei Feng, Xu Wang Decorin-binding proteins (DBPs), DBPA and DBPB, are surface lipoproteins on Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. DBPs bind to the connective tissue proteoglycan decorin and facilitate tissue colonization by the bacterium. Although structural and biochemical properties of DBPA are well understood, little is known about DBPB. In current work, we determined the solution structure of DBPB from strain B31 of B. burgdorferi and characterized its interactions with glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Our structure shows that DBPB adopts the same topology as DBPA, but possesses a much shorter terminal helix, resulting in a longer u...
Friday 23 October 2015
This unusual case highlights the need to consider CNS Lyme vasculitis in patients with cryptogenic strokes, particularly those who are younger and who come from areas where Lyme disease is endemic. Practical Neurology (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)
Friday 23 October 2015
ConclusionsIt is important to recognize the vesiculobullous and hemorrhagic variants of ECM in order to minimize the provision of inappropriate antibiotic treatment for other diagnoses. Early diagnosis of ECM and the initiation of appropriate antibiotics may prevent late complications of Lyme disease. (Source: International Journal of Dermatology)
Thursday 22 October 2015
Title: Lyme Disease Is on the RiseCategory: Doctor's & Expert's views on SymptomsCreated: 4/29/2000 12:00:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 10/22/2015 12:00:00 AM (Source: MedicineNet Arthritis General)
Thursday 22 October 2015
Conclusions. Insurance claims data suggest that the use of extended courses of antibiotics and multiple antibiotics in the treatment of LD has increased in recent years. (Source: Clinical Infectious Diseases)
Thursday 22 October 2015
Publication date: Available online 17 October 2015 Source:Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology Author(s): Charles W. Wolgemuth Bacterial pathogens are often classified by their toxicity and invasiveness. The invasiveness of a given bacterium is determined by how capable the bacterium is at invading a broad range of tissues in its host. Of mammalian pathogens, some of the most invasive come from a group of bacteria known as the spirochetes, which cause diseases such as syphilis, Lyme disease, relapsing fever and leptospirosis. Most of the spirochetes are characterized by their distinct shapes and unique motility. They are long, thin bacteria that can be shaped like flat-waves, helices, or have more irregular morphologies. Like many other bacteria, the spirochetes use long, he...
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Wednesday 21 October 2015
Phones 4u's John Caudwell, (pictured with daughters Rebekah and Rhiannon) believes Lyme disease is behind a host of health problems that his family suffers from. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
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Wednesday 21 October 2015
(Source: BBC News | Health | UK Edition)
Tuesday 20 October 2015
In this study, HtrA was found to degrade B. burgdorferi outer membrane protein p66 protein, as well as inhibit its transcription. In intact spirochetes, evidence is given for co‐localization of HtrA and p66 in membrane lipid rafts. Taken together, the data support a role for HtrA in the regulation of p66 expression. (Source: Molecular Microbiology)
Monday 19 October 2015
In this study, we utilized size exclusion chromatography and blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN‐PAGE) to demonstrate BbHtrA oligomeric structures which were substrate‐independent and salt sensitive. Examination of the influence of transition metals on the activity of BbHtrA revealed that this protease is inhibited by Zn2+>Cu2+>Mn2+. Extending this analysis to two other HtrA proteases, E. coli DegP and HtrA1, revealed that all three HtrA proteases were reversibly inhibited by ZnCl2 at all micro molar concentrations examined. Commercial inhibitors for HtrA proteases are not available and physiologic HtrA inhibitors are unknown. Our observation of conserved zinc inhibition of HtrA proteases will facilitate structural and functional studies of additional members of th...
Saturday 17 October 2015
Conclusions: Although larger and controlled studies are necessary, supervised resistance exercise was feasible and may benefit patients with persistent symptoms of Lyme disease. (Source: Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise)
Saturday 17 October 2015
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. (Source: Experimental Dermatology)
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Wednesday 14 October 2015
By using a Lyme enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), we demonstrated that high ELISA index values are strongly predictive of Lyme disease. In children with clinical presentations consistent with Lyme disease, ELISA index values ≥3.0 had a positive predictive value of 99.4% (95% confidence interval: 98.1–99.8%) for Lyme disease, making a supplemental Western immunoblot potentially unnecessary. (Source: The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal)
Tuesday 13 October 2015
Scientists at UMass Medical School MassBiologics have identified an antibody that could protect against the tick-borne disease afflicting Yolana Foster and her daughter Bella Hadid, 18. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Tuesday 13 October 2015
With recent reports of a rise in Lyme disease cases, we try to find out just how worried should we be about the pesky bugs closely associated with the condition: ticks. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Monday 12 October 2015
"Surging numbers of people are being diagnosed with Lyme disease as cases spread from rural areas to the suburbs," the Daily Mail reports. The ongoing rise in Lyme disease cases in the UK – thought to be driven by climate change, leading to warmer winters – has been known by public health officials for some time. Reported cases in England and Wales rose from 268 in 2001 to 959 in 2011, but the true figure is thought be much higher. Current estimates put the actual figure at around 3,000 cases a year in England and Wales.It may also be the case that the disease is, as the Mail puts it, "moving into the suburbs," or least into the parks. A recent study from September 2015 found ticks that could potentially carry infection in two South London parks: Richmond Par...
Monday 12 October 2015
It took four years for me to be diagnosed - doctors and patients alike need to know much more about this illness to prevent more lives being ruined (Source: Telegraph Health)
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Monday 12 October 2015
Surging numbers of people are being diagnosed with Lyme disease, experts warn, as cases are spreading from rural areas to the suburbs. The debilitating disease is spread by tick bites. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Monday 12 October 2015
Abstract Controversy exists about residual symptoms after pharmacological treatment of Lyme neuroborreliosis. Reports of disabling long-term sequels lead to concerns in patients and health care providers. We systematically reviewed the available evidence from studies reporting treatment of Lyme neuroborreliosis to assess the prevalence and spectrum of residual symptoms after treatment. A literature search was performed in three databases and three clinical trial registers to find eligible studies reporting on residual symptoms in patients after pharmacological treatment of LNB. Diagnosis must have been performed according to consensus-derived case definitions. No restrictions regarding study design or language were set. Symptom prevalence was pooled using a random-effects model. F...
Saturday 10 October 2015
Visitors to two popular parks in South London are at risk of coming into contact with ticks that can transmit Lyme disease to humans, according to new research published in Medical and Veterinary Entomology. (Source: Disabled World)
Friday 9 October 2015
The 51-year-old reality star was honoured at the Global Lyme Alliance Gala in New York City on Thursday, and told the audience her children were diagnosed over three years ago. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Friday 9 October 2015
The 51-year-old reality star was honoured at the Global Lyme Alliance Gala in New York City on Thursday, and told the audience her children were diagnosed over three years ago. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Friday 9 October 2015
Authors: Mazori DR, Orme CM, Mir A, Meehan SA, Neimann AL Abstract Erythema migrans is the initial sign in the majority of patients infected with Borrelia, the genus of spirochetes that causes Lyme disease. Early identification and treatment decrease the risk of progression to later stages of disease. Although a "bull's eye" appearance owing to lesional clearing is considered classic for erythema migrans, this feature is surprisingly often lacking among patients in the United States. Furthermore, cutaneous Lyme disease can exhibit a wide range of morphologic variability in a minority of patients. Herein, we describe the case of a patient with Lyme disease in which the presence of atypical vesicular features, in conjunction with the initial absence of clearing, resulted in multiple ...
Friday 9 October 2015
Conclusions. In this low-prevalence cohort, fewer than 20% of positive Lyme disease tests are obtained from patients with clinically likely Lyme disease. Positive Lyme disease test results may have little diagnostic value in this setting. (Source: Clinical Infectious Diseases)
Thursday 8 October 2015
Conclusion: This first report of A. phagocytophilum and B. burgdorferi s.l. in red foxes from Romania suggests a limited role of foxes in the maintenance of the two related pathogens, but may represent a potential risk from a public health perspective. (Source: Parasites and Vectors)
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Tuesday 6 October 2015
Since the beginning of the 1980s, 33 emerging tick-borne agents have been identified in mainland China, including eight species of spotted fever group rickettsiae, seven species in the family Anaplasmataceae, six genospecies in the complex Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, 11 species of Babesia, and the virus causing severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome. In this Review we have mapped the geographical distributions of human cases of infection. 15 of the 33 emerging tick-borne agents have been reported to cause human disease, and their clinical characteristics have been described. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)
Saturday 3 October 2015
Adelle Huckins believes her husband and children have contracted the illness from her after John Caudwell said he passed the illness on to his children (Source: Telegraph Health)
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Saturday 3 October 2015
Authors: Matzkin E, Suslavich K, Curry EJ Abstract Musculoskeletal complaints, which are frequently associated with Lyme disease, often prompt patients to see a physician. In particular, transient episodes of spontaneous knee effusion are common early in the progression of Lyme disease, and, if left untreated, 60% of patients diagnosed with the disease develop Lyme arthritis. This disease is easily treated with antibiotics; therefore, inclusion of Lyme disease in the differential diagnosis as a potential cause of a spontaneous knee effusion can prevent the development of more severe symptoms associated with the disease. However, the time required to receive test results and the inconsistencies between serum and synovial tests can complicate diagnosis of the disease. PMID: 26416...
Friday 2 October 2015
Social media has been taken over by #InvisibleIllnessWeek. Almost everyone has seen a tweet there or a status update here referring to it, and as awesome as it has been in generating interest in a topic that doesn't often surface in everyday media, the conversations it has given rise to deviate into two extremes: either showcasing the horrible aspects of living with a chronic diagnosis or an all-encompassing positivity celebrating invisible illnesses. First of all, what IS an invisible illness? It's a diagnosis that often doesn't show itself on the surface, most of them are autoimmune conditions such as Lyme disease, Crohn's disease, etc. The reason they are so hard to track and represent is because they are so dispersed despite affecting literally millions of people around the world. Als...
Friday 2 October 2015
AVRIL LAVIGNE is a celebrity sufferer, but Lyme disease is no joke - there's 3,000 new cases occurring in the UK every year, but do you know what it is? (Source: Daily Express - Health)
Friday 2 October 2015
J. D. Forrester et al. (Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal)
Thursday 1 October 2015
“What time is surgery today?” Ellie, age 12, croaks. She hasn’t opened her eyes yet, but she knows she’s headed to the operating room … again. It may be the fourth surgery this month, maybe the fifth. We don’t know. What we do know is our routine has changed from soccer carpools and homework battles to twice-weekly trips to the operating room, where the orthopedic surgeon will slice open my baby girl’s thigh and attempt to wash out the deadly bacteria accumulating in her right femur and knee joint. We’re trying to learn the new routine and master a new language. The vocabulary is demanding. There are procedures, medications, devices and acronyms. Most are scary — wound vacuum, PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter), clinical failure of vancomycin, Methicillin-resis...
Thursday 1 October 2015
We report a case of Lyme disease in a previously healthy 24-year-old male presenting with alternating right- and left-bundle branch block, indicating infra-Hisian atrioventricular (infra-His) block with an accelerated fascicular escape rhythm. Inless than 12 hours, the conduction abnormalities progressed to asystole requiring the urgent placement of a temporary transvenous pacemaker. Subsequently, with appropriate antibiotic treatment, the patient's conduction abnormalities resolved in a week without the need for a permanent pacemaker. PMID: 26630701 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Connecticut Medicine)
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Thursday 1 October 2015
ConclusionsThe most effective antimicrobial compounds against all morphological forms of the two tested Borrelia sp. were baicalein and monolaurin. This might indicate that the presence of fatty acid and phenyl groups is important for comprehensive antibacterial activity. Significance and Impact of the StudyThis study reveals the potential of phytochemicals as an important tool in the fight against the species of Borrelia causing Lyme disease.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. (Source: Journal of Applied Microbiology)
Monday 28 September 2015
Authors: Leydet BF, Liang FT Abstract Three decades ago Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (ss) was identified as the etiologic agent of Lyme disease. Since then an increasing number of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (sl) species have been isolated in the United States. To date, many of these species remain understudied despite mounting evidence associating them with human illness. Borrelia bissettii is a spirochete closely related to B. burgdorferi that has been loosely associated with human illness. Using an experimental murine infection model, we compared the infectivity and humoral immune response to a North American isolate of B. bissettii and B. burgdorferi using culture, molecular and serological methods. Our original B. bissettii cultures were unable to infect immunocompet...
Saturday 26 September 2015
Authors: Hatchette TF, Johnston BL, Schleihauf E, Mask A, Haldane D, Drebot M, Baikie M, Cole TJ, Fleming S, Gould R, Lindsay R Abstract Ixodes scapularis ticks, which transmit Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease (LD), are endemic to at least 6 regions of Nova Scotia, Canada. To assess the epidemiology and prevalence of LD in Nova Scotia, we analyzed data from 329 persons with LD reported in Nova Scotia during 2002-2013. Most patients reported symptoms of early localized infection with rash (89.7%), influenza-like illness (69.6%), or both; clinician-diagnosed erythema migrans was documented for 53.2%. In a separate serosurvey, of 1,855 serum samples screened for antibodies to B. burgdorferi, 2 were borderline positive (both with an indeterminate IgG on Western...
Saturday 26 September 2015
In this study, the bacterial CAP domain structure was analyzed and compared with the previously solved crystal structures of representative CAPs, and the function of BB0689 was examined. To determine the potential function of BB0689 and ascertain whether the functions that have been attributed to the CAP domain proteins are conserved, the binding of previously reported CAP domain interaction partners was analyzed, and the results suggested that BB0689 has a unique function that is yet to be discovered. (Source: Journal of Structural Biology)
Saturday 26 September 2015
Abstract The prognosis and impact of residual symptoms on quality of life in patients with Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) is subject to debate. The aim of this study was to assess quality of life, fatigue, depression, cognitive impairment and verbal learning in patients with definite LNB and healthy controls in a case–control study. We retrospectively identified all patients diagnosed with definite LNB between 2003 and 2014 in our tertiary care center. Healthy controls were recruited from the same area. Patients and healthy controls were assessed for quality of life [Short Form (36) with subscores for physical and mental components (PCS, MCS)], fatigue (fatigue severity scale), depression (Beck depression inventory), verbal memory and learning and cognitive impairment (mini-mental ...
Friday 25 September 2015
Nurses working in emergency and primary care settings in South London could encounter patients with Lyme disease-carrying ticks, suggests latest research. (Source: Nursing Times Breaking News)
Friday 25 September 2015
In conclusion, Ipis could contribute to the establishment of environments suitable for tick blood feeding and pathogen transmission by suppressing the function of immune cells. (Source: Ticks and Tick borne Diseases)
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Thursday 24 September 2015
(Wiley) Visitors to two popular parks in South London are at risk of coming into contact with ticks that can transmit Lyme disease to humans, according to a new study in Medical and Veterinary Entomology. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Thursday 24 September 2015
(London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine) Visitors to two popular parks in South London are at risk of coming into contact with ticks that can transmit Lyme disease to humans, according to new research by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
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Thursday 24 September 2015
Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in the United States and is also seen in areas of Europe and Asia. The growing deer and Ixodes species tick populations in many areas underscore the importance of clinicians to properly recognize and treat the different stages of Lyme disease. Controversy regarding the cause and management of persistent symptoms following treatment of Lyme disease persists and is highlighted in this review. (Source: Clinics in Laboratory Medicine)
Thursday 24 September 2015
Lyme borreliosis is a zoonotic, tick-borne disease that infects humans worldwide. The disease is currently recognized as the most common vector-borne disease in Europe and North America. Disease is caused by several genospecies of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex. Humans are at high risk of infection in regions where highly competent reservoirs are the primary hosts for the subadult stages of the tick, in contrast to regions where less competent or refractory animals feed ticks. Human infections are also most frequently associated with spring and summer months when the nymph stage of the tick is active. (Source: Clinics in Laboratory Medicine)
Thursday 24 September 2015
Conclusions: Our study found significant differences between the range and prevalence of vectored pathogens in D. reticulatus from the endemic areas and newly inhabited expansion zones. The differences were likely associated with the different time of settlement or ‘source’ of ticks populations, the Eastern and the Western one. (Source: Parasites and Vectors)
Wednesday 23 September 2015
Homoeopathic Links 2015; 28: 179-181DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1563551Alex Leupen has been working in the Homeopathic Doctors Centre in Utrecht, the Netherlands, since 1990. Eight colleagues work in this centre, including Jan Scholten. Alex is an experienced teacher on the underlying systems in the plant families, nosodes, animal orders and the periodic table of the elements pertaining to homeopathic practice. He shares his clinical tips in this article.[...]Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Private Ltd. Article in Thieme eJournals:Table of contents | Abstract | Full text (Source: Homoeopathic Links)
Tuesday 22 September 2015
Conclusions LNB can present as acute ocular motor disorders in conjunction with fatigue and other clinical manifestations. In endemic areas, children with unexplained, acquired ocular motor abnormalities should be evaluated for LNB, a treatable medical condition. (Source: British Journal of Ophthalmology)
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Monday 21 September 2015
Discussion of pathogen hazards (Brucella, Borrelia burgdorferi, Yersinia pestis, Clostridium tetani and West Nile virus) includes important history, exposure routes, environmental survivability, early symptoms, treatments with corresponding morbidity and mortality rates, and decontamination measures. Additionally, data pertaining to the use of formaldehyde in the laboratory environment have resulted in updated safety regulations, and these are highlighted. These data should inform field and laboratory protocols. The hazards of working directly with human remains are discussed in a companion article, "An Update on the Hazards and Risks of Forensic Anthropology, Part I: Human Remains." PMID: 26389711 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Journal of Forensic Sciences)
Saturday 19 September 2015
Conclusions: These results emphasize the need for follow-up investigations to determine whether the identified spatial pattern is due to: clustering of misdiagnosed cases, clustering of patients with an out-of state travel history, or presence of a clustered unknown enzootic cycle of B. burgdorferi in Texas. This would enable an improved surveillance and reporting of LD in Texas. (Source: BMC Public Health)
Thursday 17 September 2015
Borrelia miyamotoi disease (BMD) is a newly recognized borreliosis globally transmitted by ticks of the Ixodes persulcatus species complex. Once considered to be a tick symbiont with no public health implications, B miyamotoi is increasingly recognized as the agent of a nonspecific febrile illness often misdiagnosed as acute Lyme disease without rash, or as ehrlichiosis. The frequency of its diagnosis in the northeastern United States is similar to that of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis. A diagnosis of BMD is confirmed by polymerase chain reaction analysis of acute blood samples, or by seroconversion using a recombinant glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase enzyme immunoassay. BMD is successfully treated with oral doxycycline or amoxicillin. (Source: Clinics in Laboratory Medicine)
Thursday 17 September 2015
Nervous system involvement occurs in 10% to 15% of patients infected with the tick-borne spirochetes Borrelia burgdorferi, B afzelii, and B garinii. Peripheral nervous system involvement is common. Central nervous system (CNS) involvement, most commonly presenting with lymphocytic meningitis, causes modest cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis. Parenchymal CNS infection is rare. If the CNS is invaded, however, measuring local production of anti–B burgdorferi antibodies in the CSF provides a useful marker of infection. Most cases of neuroborreliosis can be cured with oral doxycycline; parenteral regimens should be reserved for patients with particularly severe disease. (Source: Clinics in Laboratory Medicine)
Wednesday 16 September 2015
We report a pediatric case of Lyme neuroborreliosis–associated meningomyeloradiculitis with atypical manifestations and negative initial cerebrospinal fluid borrelial antibodies. Transverse myelitis and painful radiculoneuritis have rarely been described in pediatric neuroborreliosis. Clinical manifestations are wide ranging and nonspecific, and the serologic diagnosis is often delayed in the acute phase. (Source: The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal)
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Wednesday 16 September 2015
Conclusions: Comparison of azithromycin and amoxicillin for the treatment of children with solitary EM revealed comparable efficacy and adverse effects of treatment. (Source: The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal)
Wednesday 16 September 2015
Abstract Lyme borreliosis, infection with the tick-borne spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, causes nervous system involvement in 10–15 % of identified infected individuals. Not unlike the other well-known spirochetosis, syphilis, infection can be protracted, but is microbiologically curable in virtually all patients, regardless of disease duration. Diagnosis relies on 2-tier serologic testing, which after the first 4–6 weeks of infection is both highly sensitive and specific. After this early, acute phase, serologic testing should rely only on IgG reactivity. Nervous system involvement most commonly presents with meningitis, cranial neuritis and radiculoneuritis, but can also present with a broader array of peripheral nervous system manifestations. Central nervous sy...
Wednesday 16 September 2015
Authors: Weiner ZP, Crew RM, Brandt KS, Ullmann AJ, Schriefer ME, Molins CR, Gilmore RD Abstract Laboratory testing for the diagnosis of Lyme disease is performed primarily by serologic assays and is accurate for detection beyond the acute stage of the infection. Serodiagnostic assays to detect the early stages of infection, however, are limited in their sensitivity and improvement is warranted. We analyzed a series of Borrelia burgdorferi proteins known to be induced either within feeding ticks and/or during mammalian infection for their utility as serodiagnostic markers against a comprehensive panel of Lyme disease patient serum samples. The antigens were assayed for IgM and IgG reactivity in line immunoblots and separately by ELISA, with a focus on reactivity against early Lyme ...
Wednesday 16 September 2015
This study shows that cross-immunity in infected vertebrate hosts can reduce pathogen load in the arthropod vector with potential consequences for vector-to-host pathogen transmission. PMID: 26384476 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Infection, Genetics and Evolution)
Tuesday 15 September 2015
Summary In prokaryotes, members of the High Temperature Requirement A (HtrA) family of serine proteases function in the periplasm to degrade damaged or improperly folded membrane proteins. Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease, codes for a single HtrA homolog. Two‐dimensional electrophoresis analysis of B. burgdorferi B31A3 and a strain that over‐expresses HtrA (A3HtrAOE) identified a down‐regulated protein in A3HtrAOE with a mass, pI and MALDI‐TOF spectrum consistent with outer membrane protein p66. P66 and HtrA from cellular lysates partitioned into detergent‐resistant membranes, which contain cholesterol‐glycolipid‐rich membrane regions known as lipid rafts, suggesting that HtrA and p66 may reside together in lipid rafts also. This agrees with previous work from ...
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Monday 14 September 2015
Members of the Borrelia genus are associated with two main clinical syndromes: Lyme borreliosis and relapsing fever. With a few exceptions, these spirochetes share many similarities, including transmission via blood feeding arthropods, environmental maintenance among rodent populations, and interruption of the lifecycle following human infection. As a result of the high annual incidence of Lyme disease in both the United States (approximately 300,000 cases) and Europe (approximately 85,000 cases from 18 countries), Lyme borreliosis and its causative agents (primarily Borrelia burgdorferi in the United States and Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii in Europe) often garner the most attention from both the medical community and public forums. (Source: Clinics in Laboratory Medicine)
Saturday 12 September 2015
ABSTRACT Bifacial weakness with paresthesias (BFP) is a subtype of Guillain–Barré syndrome defined by rapidly progressive bilateral facial weakness in the absence of other cranial neuropathies, ataxia, or limb weakness. Many patients also complain of distal limb paresthesias and display diminished or absent deep tendon reflexes. BFP is a localized form of Guillain–Barré syndrome and is thought to be caused exclusively by demyelinating‐ rather than axonal‐type neuropathy. Patients with BFP do not display anti‐ganglioside IgG antibodies. Since it is rare, many physicians are unfamiliar with BFP, as bilateral facial weakness is more commonly associated with sarcoidosis, Lyme disease, or meningeal pathology. Many patients diagnosed with bilateral Bell palsy may instead have BFP. In...
Friday 11 September 2015
Engineers have developed a breakthrough device that can significantly reduce the cost of sophisticated lab tests for medical disorders and diseases, such as HIV, Lyme disease and syphilis. The new device uses miniaturized channels and valves to replace 'benchtop' assays -- tests that require large samples of blood or other fluids and expensive chemicals that lab technicians manually mix in trays of tubes or plastic plates with cup-like depressions. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Friday 11 September 2015
Ticks and whole blood were collected from American black bears (Ursus americanus Pallas) between October 2011 and October 2012 across four counties in northwestern New Jersey, an area where blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis Say) and their associated tick-borne pathogens are prevalent. Adult American dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis Say) were the most frequently collected tick species in late spring, whereas adult and nymphal blacklegged ticks were found in both the late spring and fall months. Additionally, for blacklegged ticks, we determined the quality of bloodmeals that females acquired from black bears compared with bloodmeals from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus Zimmerman), the most important host for the adult stage of this tick species. Measures of fecundity after fee...
Wednesday 9 September 2015
(NaturalNews) Lyme disease is no longer an obscure malady that can only be caught in Connecticut. In 2013, the year with the latest available data, the CDC predicted an estimated 300,000 actual new cases, though only 30,000 per year were reported and confirmed. Cases have been diagnosed... (Source: NaturalNews.com)
Wednesday 9 September 2015
Authors: Jansweijer JA, van Oort RJ PMID: 26353768 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Netherlands Heart Journal)
Wednesday 9 September 2015
CONCLUSIONS: We report the first incidence estimate for Lyme carditis in the Netherlands, validated by a systematic review of the medical records. Although Lyme carditis is an uncommon manifestation of Lyme borreliosis, physicians need to be aware of this diagnosis, in particular in countries where the incidence of Lyme borreliosis has increased during the past decades. PMID: 26353767 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Netherlands Heart Journal)
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Tuesday 8 September 2015
Authors: Patrick DM PMID: 26351367 [PubMed - in process] (Source: cmaj)
Monday 7 September 2015
From Lyme disease in Scotland to Chikungunya from the Caribbean, a list of common ailments you could have contracted during your week away (Source: Telegraph Health)
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Monday 7 September 2015
We present 3 Lyme neuroborreliosis cases in order to illustrate the challenging cytomorphological and immunophenotypic features of their CSF specimens. Three male patients who presented with central nervous system manifestations were diagnosed with Lyme disease. The clinical presentation, laboratory tests, CSF cytological examination and flow-cytometric studies were described for each case. CSF cytology showed lymphocytic pleocytosis with increased plasmacytoid cells and/or plasma cells. Flow cytometry showed the presence of polytypic B lymphocytes with evidence of plasmacytic differentiation in 2 cases. In all cases, Lyme disease was confirmed by the Lyme screening test and Western blotting. In such cases of Lyme neuroborreliosis, flow cytometry of CSF samples employing plasmacytic marker...
Saturday 5 September 2015
Conclusions. In British Columbia, a setting with low Lyme disease incidence, ADCLS patients have a similar phenotype to that of CFS patients. Disagreement between alternative and reference laboratory Lyme testing results in this setting is most likely explained by false-positive results from the alternative laboratory. (Source: Clinical Infectious Diseases)
Friday 4 September 2015
Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections are skyrocketing. In western Pennsylvania, where I work, Lyme increased 25% just between 2013 and 2014, with Butler County having 412 cases and Allegheny County chalking up a record 822 cases last year. And where I vacation, in Maine, the rate of Lyme in 2014 was 240 cases per 100,000, which is more than 20 times the national average, and twice the rate of Butler. Across the country, the CDC now estimates there are ~329,000 cases of Lyme disease each year, tenfold higher than previously thought. Vermont and New Hampshire have the highest incidence. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)
Friday 4 September 2015
Conclusions: Warmer and wetter climate may have contributed to the altered distribution and abundance of the five most common ticks in northern Xinjiang. The genetic analyses showed that certain tick species, such as Hy. asiaticum or Rh. turanicus, exhibit genetic commonness or diversity. Additionally, this study is the first to isolate B. burgdorferi sensu stricto in Hy. asiaticum asiaticum, H. punctata, D. nuttalli and D. marginatus ticks from domestic animals. These ticks may transmit borreliosis among livestock. (Source: Parasites and Vectors)
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Friday 4 September 2015
Publication date: Available online 3 September 2015 Source:Cell Reports Author(s): Xenia Naj, Stefan Linder Borrelia burgdorferi is the causative agent of Lyme disease, a multisystemic disorder affecting the skin, joints, and nervous system. Macrophages and dendritic cells counteract Borrelia dissemination through internalization and degradation of spirochetes. We now show that Borrelia internalization by primary human macrophages involves uptake and compaction into Rab22a-positive phagosomes that are in close contact with Rab5a-positive vesicles. Compaction of borreliae involves membrane extrusion from phagosomes, is driven by Rab22a and Rab5a activity, and is coordinated by ER tubules forming contact sites of Rab22a phagosomes with Rab5a vesicles. Importantly, Rab22a and Rab5a deplet...
Friday 4 September 2015
DISCUSSION: The peak of nymph presence was in May, and the higher prevalence of pathogens occurred in April-June, most often in nymphs; therefore, spring season could represent the higher risk period for the transmission of pathogens. These data could provide guidelines for the preventions of tick-trasmitted diseases in this region. PMID: 26403115 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine : AAEM)
Friday 4 September 2015
Authors: Welc-Falęciak R, Kowalec M, Zajkowska J, Pancewicz SA, Siński E Abstract The article focuses on the clinical and laboratory diagnosis of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in one of 28 patients (3.6%; n=1/28 tested samples) with early Lyme borreliosis. The clinical and laboratory results of a 42-year-old patient fulfilled criteria of confirm anaplasmosis and suggest an acute stage of illness. The described case provides strong presumptive evidence that infection in this patient was acquired with a pathogenic strain of A. phagocytophilum through a tick bite. A positive DNA with PCR for A. phagocytophilum infection was sequenced and analyzed phylogenetically. Physicians should consider the possibility of anaplasmosis in pati...
Friday 4 September 2015
CONCLUSIONS: It may be suggested that in the course of LA, the level of binding 8-isoPGF2α is significantly enhanced, and it may also be suggested that uncontrolled changes in the lipid status of some patients may make their Lyme arthritis unresponsive to antibiotics. PMID: 26403109 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine : AAEM)
Wednesday 2 September 2015
Authors: Andany N, Cardew S, Bunce PE PMID: 26323702 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Canadian Medical Association Journal)
Wednesday 2 September 2015
Authors: Gregson D, Evans G, Patrick D, Bowie W PMID: 26323708 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Canadian Medical Association Journal)
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Wednesday 2 September 2015
Authors: Jie Feng, Wanliang Shi, Shuo Zhang & Ying Zhang (Source: Emerging Microbes and Infections)
Wednesday 2 September 2015
Authors: Sebastian E Carrasco, Youyun Yang, Bryan Troxell, Xiuli Yang, Utpal Pal & X Frank Yang (Source: Emerging Microbes and Infections)
Tuesday 1 September 2015
(NaturalNews) The bacteria that cause Lyme can be found in the skin, heart, joints, and nervous system. On top of that, Lyme disease specialists are finding that what we call Lyme disease may be caused by several different infectious organisms and may even be caused by a combination... (Source: NaturalNews.com)
Tuesday 1 September 2015
Abstract Tick abundances and prevalences of infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, the causative agent of Lyme disease, were investigated in four South London parks. A total of 360 transects were sampled using three methods of collection (blanket, leggings and flags) simultaneously. No ticks were found on Wimbledon Common or at Hampton Court, but 1118 Ixodes ricinus (Ixodida: Ixodidae) ticks were collected at Richmond and Bushy Parks. At Richmond Park, lower canopy humidity [odds ratio (OR) 0.94; P = 0.005], increased mat depth (OR 1.15; P < 0.001) and increased soil moisture (OR 1.40; P = 0.001) predicted the presence of I. ricinus, and increased sward height [incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.01; P = 0.006] and decreased ground temperature (IRR 0.90; P = 0.009) predicted increased...
Tuesday 1 September 2015
This article summarizes the current state of transfusion-transmitted babesiosis and the detrimental impact of this infection on blood transfusion safety. [Orthopedics. 2015; 38(9):e852-e855.]. PMID: 26375547 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Orthopedics)
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Tuesday 1 September 2015
Summary In Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), the alternative sigma factor RpoS plays a central role during Bb's adaptation to ticks and mammals. Previous studies have demonstrated that RpoS is not expressed during the early stages of spirochetal growth or when Bb resides in ticks during the intermolt phase, but the molecular details of these events remain unknown. In the current study, biomagnetic bead separation of rpoS promoter‐binding proteins, coupled with genetic inactivation, was employed to identify BadR (BB0693) as a negative regulator that controls growth phase‐dependent induction of rpoS and bosR in Bb. When badR was inactivated, the expression of rpoS and bosR was induced only during the early stages of bacterial growth, but not during the stationary growth phase. Recombinant BadR ...
Monday 31 August 2015
Authors: Şahin B, İncecik F, Hergüner ÖM, Alabaz D, Beşen Ş Abstract Lyme disease is caused by a tick-transmitted spirochete, B. burgdorferi. It can present with both central and peripheral nervous system manifestations, including aseptic meningitis, meningoencephalitis, Bell's palsy and other cranial neuropathies, radiculoneuritis, and myelitis. However, pseudotumor cerebri associated with Lyme disease is rare. Here, we report a eight-year-old girl with the unusual manifestation of pseudotumor cerebri associated Lyme disease. PMID: 27411423 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics)
Monday 31 August 2015
Louise Bentley, 47, an admin assistant from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, slimmed from 15st 5lb to a trim 11st 4lb in less than a year after swapping junk food for healthy meals. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Monday 31 August 2015
Lyme disease is becoming increasingly common in Canada, and Canadians with Lyme disease symptoms may seek diagnoses from laboratories in the United States, although many of the results will be false-positives, according to a new commentary article. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Monday 31 August 2015
T. F. Hatchette et al. (Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal)
Monday 31 August 2015
Although serologic testing remains the gold standard for laboratory diagnosis of Lyme disease, the antibody response may take several weeks to increase greater than the limit of detection. Because of this extended time frame, it is necessary to identify new diagnostic methods for earlier diagnosis and appropriate treatment of Lyme disease. Alternative diagnostic modalities, such as Borrelia culture or nucleic acid amplification testing, may be beneficial in specific clinical scenarios. In early phases of acute infection, before the development of an immune response, detection of Borrelia DNA from clinical specimens may help establish the diagnosis sooner than serologic methods. (Source: Clinics in Laboratory Medicine)
Monday 31 August 2015
This study, utilizing the sodA mutant, has provided insights into adaptive capabilities critical for survival of B. burgdorferi in its hosts. (Source: PLoS One)
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Monday 31 August 2015
Lyme disease in North America is caused by infection with the spirochetal bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted by Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus ticks. These ticks also have the potential to transmit a rapidly expanding list of other pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and parasites, including Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti, deer tick (Powassan) virus, Borrelia miyamotoi, and the Ehrlichia muris–like organism. Coinfections with B burgdorferi and these other agents are often difficult to diagnose and may go untreated, and thus contribute significantly to patient morbidity and mortality from tick-borne infections. (Source: Clinics in Laboratory Medicine)
Saturday 29 August 2015
Lyme disease/borreliosis (LD) is a well-known arthropod-transmitted entity in the northern hemisphere. The incidence of LD is reportedly rising throughout the world, although better diagnostic facilities may be contributory. The disease distribution is expanding in Europe, with its presence being now documented at higher altitudes and latitudes. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato is the most important genospecies leading to LD, although newer ones continue to be discovered. The variations in clinical spectrum with genospecies involved are an interesting feature. (Source: Clinics in Dermatology)
Saturday 29 August 2015
Publication date: Available online 28 August 2015 Source:Journal of Structural Biology Author(s): William J. Bauer, Amit Luthra, Guangyu Zhu, Justin D. Radolf, Michael G. Malkowski, Melissa J. Caimano Two-component signal transduction systems are the primary mechanisms by which bacteria perceive and respond to changes in their environment. The Hk1/Rrp1 two-component system (TCS) in B. burgdorferi consists of a hybrid histidine kinase and a response regulator with diguanlyate cyclase activity, respectively. Phosphorylated Rrp1 catalyzes the synthesis of c-di-GMP, a second messenger associated with bacterial life-style control networks. Spirochetes lacking either Hk1 or Rrp1 are virulent in mice but destroyed within feeding ticks. Activation of Hk1 by exogenous stimuli represents the...
Friday 28 August 2015
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. (Source: Muscle and Nerve)
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Friday 28 August 2015
The answer key for this puzzle is available online. (Source: The Journal for Nurse Practitioners)
Friday 28 August 2015
Epidemiological data often include excess zeros. This is particularly the case for data on rare conditions, diseases that are not common in specific areas or specific time periods, and conditions and diseases that are hard to detect or on the rise. In this paper, we provide a review of methods for modeling data with excess zeros with focus on count data, namely hurdle and zero-inflated models, and discuss extensions of these models to data with spatial and spatio-temporal dependence structures. We consider a Bayesian hierarchical framework to implement spatial and spatio-temporal models for data with excess zeros. We further review current implementation methods and computational tools. Finally, we provide a case study on five-year counts of confirmed cases of Lyme disease in Illinois at t...
Thursday 27 August 2015
(NaturalNews) For some, early treatment with antibiotics is effective. For others and for those in the late stages of infection, antibiotics may be ineffective for the following reasons:Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, has a corkscrew shape that allows... (Source: NaturalNews.com)
Thursday 27 August 2015
In this study, we isolated B. turdi from five I. frontalis feeding on Turdus merula, Turdus philomelos, Parus major and Troglodytes troglodytes, and one Ixodes ricinus feeding on a T. merula in Portugal. These isolates were genetically characterised according to their 5S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer, 16S rRNA and through typing of seven housekeeping genes (multilocus sequence typing). Multilocus sequence analyses revealed that the strains isolated in our study, although belonging to B. turdi genospecies, are not identical to the B. turdi reference strain Ya501. Instead, our strains are separated into a clear defined group, suggesting that the European samples diverged genetically from the strain originally detected in Japan. Population analysis of 5S-23S rRNA sequences can further resolve su...
Thursday 27 August 2015
This study shows that BosR repressed synthesis of the long transcript while at the same time activating synthesis of the short transcript. How BosR does this is unclear. To address this, spirochetes were engineered to express either BosR or the naturally occurring variant BosRR39K. Mice became infected by the spirochetes expressing BosR but not by the spirochetes expressing BosRR39K. Furthermore, the spirochetes expressing BosR activated rpoS transcription during growth in culture whereas the spirochetes expressing BosRR39K did not. Thus, BosR's activation of rpoS transcription somehow involves Arg39. This arginine is highly conserved in other FUR proteins and therefore other FUR proteins may also require this arginine to function. PMID: 26318670 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (So...
Thursday 27 August 2015
(Source: QJM)
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Thursday 27 August 2015
(Source: QJM)
Wednesday 26 August 2015
Current approaches for prevention of tick bites, Lyme disease, and other tick-borne diseases are described. Particular attention is paid to 4 risk-reduction strategies: (i) avoiding risk areas; (ii) personal protective measures that reduce the risk of tick bites or transmission of the agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi; (iii) reducing the number of infected ticks in the environment; and (iv) use of prophylactic antibiotic treatments following a bite to prevent clinical Lyme disease. (Source: Clinics in Laboratory Medicine)
Wednesday 26 August 2015
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. (Source: Experimental Dermatology)
Sunday 23 August 2015
CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that most investigations performed during the initial work-up in patients suspected transient synovitis of the hip are unnecessary and should routinely include only. PMID: 26295841 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Swiss Medical Weekly)
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Sunday 23 August 2015
Authors: Nelson CA, Saha S, Kugeler KJ, Delorey MJ, Shankar MB, Hinckley AF, Mead PS Abstract National surveillance provides important information about Lyme disease (LD) but is subject to underreporting and variations in practice. Information is limited about the national epidemiology of LD from other sources. Retrospective analysis of a nationwide health insurance claims database identified patients from 2005-2010 with clinician-diagnosed LD using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, codes and antimicrobial drug prescriptions. Of 103,647,966 person-years, 985 inpatient admissions and 44,445 outpatient LD diagnoses were identified. Epidemiologic patterns were similar to US surveillance data overall. Outpatient incidence was highest among...
Sunday 23 August 2015
Authors: Clayton JL, Jones SG, Dunn JR, Schaffner W, Jones TF Abstract Lyme disease is underreported in the United States. We used insurance administrative claims data to determine the value of such data in enhancing case ascertainment in Tennessee during January 2011-June 2013. Although we identified ≈20% more cases of Lyme disease (5/year), the method was resource intensive and not sustainable in this low-incidence state. PMID: 26291336 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases)
Saturday 22 August 2015
We report an unusual constellation in a patient with synchronously diagnosed B-CLL and Borrelia infection of skin presenting with a dense dermal T-cell–rich infiltrate masking specific leukemic infiltrates of neoplastic B cells in the context of B-CLL harboring t(14;18)(q32;q21). Specific cutaneous involvement by B-CLL was confirmed by the detection of t(14;18)(q32;q21) (BCL2–IGH) using FISH in neoplastic B cells within the skin infiltrates. Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) DNA detected by nested polymerase chain reaction in the skin biopsy and serological findings proved Borrelia infection. Complete resolution of the cutaneous infiltrates was observed after antibiotic treatment. This case demonstrates that Borrelia infection of the skin may present with dense T-cell–rich infiltrate...
Saturday 22 August 2015
Publication date: Available online 22 August 2015 Source:Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Author(s): Peter Wilhelmsson, Linda Fryland, Pontus Lindblom, Johanna Sjöwall, Clas Ahlm, Johan Berglund, Mats Haglund, Anna J. Henningsson, Peter Nolskog, Marika Nordberg, Clara Nyberg, Katharina Ornstein, Dag Nyman, Christina Ekerfelt, Pia Forsberg, Per-Eric Lindgren Lyme borreliosis (LB) is a common and increasing tick-borne disease in Europe. The risk of acquiring a Borrelia infection after a tick bite is not fully known. Therefore, we investigated the incidence of Borrelia infection after a bite by a Borrelia-infected tick and if the Borrelia load and/or the duration of tick-feedi