Human Infections with Borrelia miyamotoi, Japan
[CanLyme note: Public Health Agency of Canada researchers have reported finding Borrelia miyamotoi in ticks Canada wide. In Canada we have many strains and in North America in general there are many strains within the genus Borrelia that cause infection in humans. To attempt to distinguish what symptoms are from a relapsing fever Borrelia as opposed to a Lyme Disease Borrelia seems at this point to be an impossible task as the symptoms can be identical, therefore, Lyme Disease should be considered as a borreliosis, caused by many strains of Borrelia including what they are now referring to as a relapsing fever Borrelia. Relapsing fever is seen in some patients across all Borrelial infections.]
Volume 20, Number 8—August 2014 EID journal
Kozue Sato, Ai Takano, Satoru Konnai, Minoru Nakao, Takuya Ito, Kojiro Koyama, Minoru Kaneko, Makoto Ohnishi, and Hiroki Kawabata
Abstract
We confirmed infection of 2 patients with Borrelia miyamotoi in Japan by retrospective surveillance of Lyme disease patients and detection of B. miyamotoi DNA in serum samples. One patient also showed seroconversion for antibody against recombinant glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase of B. miyamotoi. Indigenous relapsing fever should be considered a health concern in Japan
Where can I be tested for Lyme disease in Tokyo?
I believe I contracted it about 15 years ago in Boston,
but didn’t realize at the time that the large bulls eye
on my leg might be from an infection. Now, with
knee and other joint problems, I would like to be checked.
Thank you for your help,
Sid Feinleib