Category Archives: Co-infections

Recent in: Co-infections

Metamorphoses of Lyme disease spirochetes: phenomenon of Borrelia persisters

Parasites & Vectors 2019 12:237 Natalie Rudenko; Maryna Golovchenko; Katerina Kybicova and Marie Vancova Published May 16, 2019 Abstract The survival of spirochetes from the Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) complex in a hostile environment is achieved by the regulation of differential gene expression in response to changes in temperature, salts, nutrient content, acidity fluctuation, multiple host or vector dependent factors, and leads to the formation of dormant subpopulations of Continues →

Where Lyme Disease Came From and Why It Eludes Treatment

[CanLyme Note: The title is a bit misleading.  The bacteria that causes Lyme disease is millions of years old according to research.  Why it spread so quickly in the past 60 years is the question, and climate change (warming) only accounts for some of that spread because countries with colder climates than Canada have had Lyme disease occurring for many years.] Continues →

Oshawa, ON: Lyme Disease: A silent epidemic

Posted on May 14, 2019 by oshawaexpress in IN THE SPOTLIGHT, THE FOURTH ESTATE By Chris Jones/The Oshawa Express With Lyme Disease Awareness Month now in full swing, Linda Lowery hopes awareness regarding the disease will spread. Lyme disease is a bacterial illness that affects people and animals. It spreads by the bite of an infected tick. However, according to Lowery there is so much more Continues →

Microbiome analysis of Ixodes scapularis ticks from New York and Connecticut.

Ahead of print abstract…April 15, 2019 Abstract We employed high throughput sequencing to survey the microbiomes of Ixodes scapularis collected in New York and Connecticut. We examined 197 individual I. scapularis adults and pools from 132 adults and 197 nymphs. We detected Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto in 56.3% of individual ticks, Anaplasma phagocytophilum in 10.6%, Borrelia miyamotoi in 5%, Babesia Continues →

Tick-borne pathogen detection in midgut and salivary glands of adult Ixodes ricinus

Lejal et al. Parasites Vectors (2019) 12:152 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-019-3418-7 Abstract Background: The tick midgut and salivary glands represent the primary organs for pathogen acquisition and trans‑ mission, respectively. Specifcally, the midgut is the frst organ to have contact with pathogens during the blood meal uptake, while salivary glands along with their secretions play a crucial role in pathogen transmission to the Continues →

The Scientist – Opinion: The “Money Culture” in Academic Biomedical Research

[CanLyme Note: This for profit money drive takes medical research away from cure to ‘a drug for every symptom’. In Canada, relative to Lyme disease, the private Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease of Canada (AMMI), is an extension of the ‘do not cure’ medical money machine. They offer opinion and poorly designed research to support the ‘do not treat Continues →

Bartonella henselae Bloodstream Infection in a Boy With Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome

[CanLyme Note: Bartonella bacteria can be transmitted by ticks, cat scratches, dog saliva, etc.] Published in the Jounral of Central Nervous System Disease, March 18th, Edward B Breitshwerdt et al Abstract Background: With the advent of more sensitive culture and molecular diagnostic testing modalities, Bartonella spp. infections have been documented in blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid specimens from patients with diverse neurological symptoms. Pediatric Continues →

First European Crypto-Infections Conference

Europe hosts their first Crypto-Infections Conference as an important first step in bringing attention to these infections that are perplexing the medical community and causing so much misery and misdiagnosis within the patient population. Some of the worlds leading experts from the United States and Europe will be presenting. This is a serious global issue that is terribly misunderstood so Continues →

Presence of Babesia odocoilei and Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Stricto in a Tick and Dual Parasitism of Amblyomma inornatum and Ixodes scapularis on a Bird in Canada

John D. Scott, Kerry L. Clark  and Lance A. Durden  published 20 March 2019 Abstract: Wild birds transport ticks into Canada that harbor a diversity of zoonotic pathogens. However, medical practitioners often question how these zoonotic pathogens are present in their locality. In this study, we provide the first report of an Amblyomma inornatum tick cofeeding with a blacklegged tick, Continues →

Establishment of a continuous in vitro culture of Babesia duncani in human erythrocytes reveals unusually high tolerance to recommended therapies. [ie Mepron not too effective?]

November 21st, 2018 Abstract Human babesiosis is an emerging tick-borne disease caused by apicomplexan parasites of the genus Babesia. Clinical cases caused by Babesia duncani have been associated with high parasite burden, severe pathology and death. In both mice and hamsters, the parasite causes uncontrolled fulminant infections, which ultimately lead to death. Resolving these infections requires knowledge of B. duncani biology, virulence, and susceptibility to  antiinfectives, but Continues →

Evaluating polymicrobial immune responses in patients suffering from tick-borne diseases

October 29 2018, Garga K et al There is insufficient evidence to support screening of various tick-borne diseases (TBD) related microbes alongside Borrelia in patients suffering from TBD. To evaluate the involvement of multiple microbial immune responses in patients experiencing TBD we utilized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Four hundred and thirty-two human serum samples organized into seven categories followed Centers for Continues →

Toronto Star: Everything about Lyme disease is steeped in controversy. Now some doctors are too afraid to treat patients

[CanLyme Note: In the below article there are outrageous, disgraceful, and dangerous comments by Tara Moriarty and Todd Hatchette. Tara says a study showed labs returning 60% false positive test results which is simply not true, or in other words, a blatant lie. That study was not powered to determine true positive or negative results. The conclusion of that study was, Continues →

Symptoms of Ehrlichiosis [with treatment recommendations]

Nov 26th, 2018 “Patients with ehrlichiosis (regardless of the putative organism) clinically present with fever, chills, severe headache, confusion, malaise, nausea, vomiting, and generalized body aches. Respiratory symptoms such as cough may also be observed, but they are more common in adults than in  children. Symptoms are typically seen one to two weeks following a tick bite, with a median Continues →

Human Babesiosis Caused by Babesia duncani Has Widespread Distribution across Canada

Published May 17, 2018 Abstract: Human babesiosis caused by Babesia duncani is an emerging infectious disease in Canada. This malaria-like illness is brought about by a protozoan parasite infecting red blood cells. Currently, controversy surrounds which tick species are vectors of B. duncani. Since the availability of a serological or molecular test in Canada for B. duncanihas been limited, we conducted a seven-year surveillance study (2011–2017) to ascertain the Continues →