Featured in: Medical Publications
Virginia passes law forcing physicians to disclose the limitations of tests
Va. now must disclose the flaws in Lyme disease testing Tuesday, February 26, 2013 BY MARKUS SCHMIDT Richmond Times-Dispatch Lyme disease is one of the fastest-growing infectious diseases in the United States, but despite testing, many patients are not aware that they are infected until it is too late. New legislation passed by Virginia’s General Assembly is supposed to change Continues →-
Response by Nova Scotia’s Chief Medical Officer of Health relative to Lyme disease comes under serious scrutiny as to it’s relevance to ‘true’ science.
[CanLyme Note: Dr. Strang’s response below to CanLyme director Rob Murray’s letter from Continues → -
Canada: A systematic review on the impact of gestational Lyme disease in humans on the fetus and newborn
[CanLyme Note: We at CanLyme want to thank Sue Faber and Jennifer Kravis for their excellent Continues → -
United States: Tick-Borne Disease Working Group 2018 Report to Congress
November 14th, 2018 “A comprehensive understanding of the full economic and societal Continues → -
Lyme disease vastly under-detected in Canada, according to new study
Mount A biologist co-authors research that suggests only 3-4% of Lyme cases are officially Continues →
Recent in: Medical Publications
A Case of Tularemia in a Prosthetic Joint Infection
https://doi.org/10.3928/01477447-20190627-01 Abstract Periprosthetic infections occur in approximately 0.8% to 1.9% of all total knee arthroplasties (TKAs). Even with these low rates, it is rare to find a zoonotic bacterium causing a periprosthetic infection. In this case report, the authors identify the second documented case of a total joint infection with Francisella tularensis in the world and the first in the United States. Continues →
Newfoundland, Canada: Case of tick borne Powassun virus with polio-like outcome.
“Evidence of a Powassan virus infection affecting the spinal cord has, until now, only been seen in mouse studies. But a new article describes the first known case of a 62-year-old man from Canada who developed a polio-like illness caused by the Powassan virus (POWV).” Access article
The new draft of the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) guidelines open for public comment for 45 days.
The IDSA has presented their draft guidelines which with a brief scan appear not much different then their old controversial poorly evidenced guidelines. Much of the same old players and 3 token patients. Typical unequal representation. Public comments close August 10th. Take your time, make notes before you enter their controlled comment format process as you have to submit all Continues →
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 →
A Boy Heard a Buzzing Sound in His Ear. It Was a Tick on His Eardrum.
By Rachael Rettner, May 2nd, 2019 A 9-year-old boy who heard a buzzing sound in his ear turned out to have a tick attached to his eardrum. Above, an image of the tick inside the boy’s ear. There are some sounds you hope you never hear. For example, the buzzing sound of a tick burrowing into your eardrum. That’s what 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 →
Three-antibiotic cocktail clears ‘persister’ Lyme bacteria in mouse study
April 23rd, 2019 A new study from researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that a slow-growing variant form of Lyme bacteria caused severe symptoms in a mouse model. The slow-growing variant form of Lyme bacteria, according to the researchers, may account for the persistent symptoms seen in ten to twenty percent of Lyme patients that 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 →
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 →
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 →
Systemic Sarcoidosis Associated with Exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi in a 21-Year-Old Man
ABSTRACT Objective: Here we describe a rare case of systemic sarcoidosis in a healthy young man with neuroborreliosis as a putative trigger. Case: A 21-year-old forestry worker was diagnosed with systemic sarcoidosis involving his lungs, kidneys and skin. Additional diagnostics revealed signs indicative of a recent infection with Borrelia burgdorferi. The patient was treated successfully with prednisolone and antibiotics. Conclusion: Sarcoidosis is a multisystem Continues →
Study of pediatric patients shows two-tier testing results cannot rule out Lyme borreliosis.
Two-Tier Lyme Disease Serology Test Results Can Vary According to the Specific First-Tier Test Used Published: February 22, 2019 Abstract Background Variability in 2-tier Lyme disease test results according to the specific first-tier enzyme immunoassay (EIA) in children has not been examined rigorously. In this study, we compared paired results of clinical 2-tier Lyme disease tests to those of the Continues →
Chronicle Herald: Chief medical officer’s Lyme disease retweet likely violated policy — legal expert
January 29th, 2019 by Andrew Rankin The Chronicle Herald HALIFAX, N.S. — A recent tweet by Nova Scotia’s top doctor dismissing chronic Lyme disease as a pseudoscience supported by a cult following appears to violate the province’s social media policy, says a Dalhousie University law professor. “What I also don’t understand is what does he really mean by the retweet,” said 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 →