Publications

morphological and biochemical features of borrelia burgdorferi pleomorphic forms.	the spirochaete bacterium borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato is the causative agent of lyme disease, the most common tick-borne infection in the northern hemisphere. there is a long-standing debate regarding the role of pleomorphic forms in lyme disease pathogenesis, while very little is known about the characteristics of these morphological variants. here, we present a comprehensive analysis of b. burgdorferi pleomorphic formation in different culturing conditions at physiological temperature. int ...	2015	25564498
tick-borne illness in rhode island - how big a problem is it?	rhode island is a state with a high incidence of tick-borne diseases, specifically lyme disease. the ioxedes tick which serves as vector for the three most common tick infections is endemic in both the new england and mid-atlantic regions. however, differences in the density of infections exist within rhode island (ri), with the highest densities in the southern counties. tick-borne diseases can have varying presentations, as well as varied response to appropriate treatment leading to many quest ...	2014	25562059
diagnosis and incidence risk of clinical canine monocytic ehrlichiosis under field conditions in southern europe.	canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (cme), due to the bacterium ehrlichia canis and transmitted by the brown dog tick rhipicephalus sanguineus, is a major tick-borne disease in southern europe. in this area, infections with other vector-borne pathogens (vbp) are also described and result in similar clinical expression. the aim of the present study was to evaluate the incidence risk of clinical cme in those endemic areas and to assess the potential involvement of other vbp in the occurrence of clinical ...	2015	25561342
search for blood or water is influenced by borrelia burgdorferi in ixodes ricinus.	an increasing number of studies suggest that vector-borne parasites are able to alter phenotypic traits in their arthropod vectors so that microorganism transmission is enhanced. this review documents this phenomenon, which occurs between borrelia burgdorferi bacteria, the causative agents of lyme borreliosis, and their tick vectors belonging to the ixodes ricinus complex. it also reviews the influence of other tick-borne pathogens on these ticks. ticks belonging to the ixodes ricinus complex be ...	2015	25560984
the bba33 lipoprotein binds collagen and impacts borrelia burgdorferi pathogenesis.	borrelia burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of lyme disease, adapts to the mammalian hosts by differentially expressing several genes in the bosr and rrp2-rpon-rpos dependent pathways, resulting in a distinct protein profile relative to that seen for survival in the ixodes spp. tick. previous studies indicate that a putative lipoprotein, bba33, is produced in an rpos-dependent manner under conditions that mimic the mammalian component of the borrelial lifecycle. however, the significance and funct ...	2015	25560615
sensorineural hearing loss and status epilepticus associated with ulcerative colitis: is there enough evidence to support immune-related mechanisms?	ulcerative colitis (uc) is characterized by an inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. immune-mediated extraintestinal manifestations of uc have increasingly attracted attention in the literature recently, for which uc is now considered as a systemic disease. neurologic involvement associated with uc is probably under-reported because of the unawareness of many physicians, although early recognition and treatment are crucial in preventing major morbidity and sequel. in this case rep ...	2015	25552855
protective effect of a lipid-based preparation from mycobacterium smegmatis in a murine model of progressive pulmonary tuberculosis.	a more effective vaccine against tuberculosis (tb) is urgently needed. based on its high genetic homology with mycobacterium tuberculosis (mtb), the nonpathogenic mycobacteria, mycobacterium smegmatis (ms), could be an attractive source of potential antigens to be included in such a vaccine. we evaluated the capability of lipid-based preparations obtained from ms to provide a protective response in balb/c mice after challenge with mtb h37rv strain. the intratracheal model of progressive pulmonar ...	2014	25548767
prevalence of borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in ticks from eastern china.	to explore the tick distribution and prevalence of borrelia in zhejiang province, we performed a survey in nine sites. a total of 447 adult ticks of 11 species were captured and the dominant tick species were haemaphysalis longicornis and ixodes sinensis and the abundance of tick species in different areas varied significantly. overall, 4.70% of the ticks were polymerase chain reaction (pcr) positive for borrelia. the average pcr positive rates were 5.19% for h. longicornis, 3.45% for amblyomma ...	2015	25548382
rts,s vaccination is associated with serologic evidence of decreased exposure to plasmodium falciparum liver- and blood-stage parasites.	the leading malaria vaccine candidate, rts,s, targets the sporozoite and liver stages of the plasmodium falciparum life cycle, yet it provides partial protection against disease associated with the subsequent blood stage of infection. antibodies against the vaccine target, the circumsporozoite protein, have not shown sufficient correlation with risk of clinical malaria to serve as a surrogate for protection. the mechanism by which a vaccine that targets the asymptomatic sporozoite and liver stag ...	2014	25547414
rts,s vaccination is associated with serologic evidence of decreased exposure to plasmodium falciparum liver- and blood-stage parasites.	the leading malaria vaccine candidate, rts,s, targets the sporozoite and liver stages of the plasmodium falciparum life cycle, yet it provides partial protection against disease associated with the subsequent blood stage of infection. antibodies against the vaccine target, the circumsporozoite protein, have not shown sufficient correlation with risk of clinical malaria to serve as a surrogate for protection. the mechanism by which a vaccine that targets the asymptomatic sporozoite and liver stag ...	2014	25547414
applying an ecohealth perspective in a state of the environment report: experiences of a local public health unit in canada.	we applied an ecohealth perspective into a state of the environment report for grey bruce health unit and summarized environmental and health data relevant for public health practice. we aimed for comprehensiveness in our data compilation, including: standard media categories (e.g., air, water, land); and ecological indicators (e.g., vectors, forests, wetlands). data sources included both primary (collected by an organization) and secondary (assembled by others). we organized indicators with the ...	2014	25546271
applying an ecohealth perspective in a state of the environment report: experiences of a local public health unit in canada.	we applied an ecohealth perspective into a state of the environment report for grey bruce health unit and summarized environmental and health data relevant for public health practice. we aimed for comprehensiveness in our data compilation, including: standard media categories (e.g., air, water, land); and ecological indicators (e.g., vectors, forests, wetlands). data sources included both primary (collected by an organization) and secondary (assembled by others). we organized indicators with the ...	2014	25546271
a determination of the spatial concordance between lyme disease incidence and habitat probability of its primary vector ixodes scapularis (black-legged tick).	the spatial distribution of ixodes scapularis, the most common tick vector of the bacterium borrelia burgdorferi, the cause of lyme disease in humans, has not been studied previously in texas, united states of america. it has only rarely been reported in this state, so its local, spatial relationship to the distribution of this disease is unknown. from an epidemiological perspective, one would tend to hypothesise that there should be a high degree of spatial concordance between habitat suitabili ...	2014	25545937
borrelia burgdorferi promotes the establishment of babesia microti in the northeastern united states.	babesia microti and borrelia burgdorferi, the respective causative agents of human babesiosis and lyme disease, are maintained in their enzootic cycles by the blacklegged tick (ixodes scapularis) and use the white-footed mouse (peromyscus leucopus) as primary reservoir host. the geographic range of both pathogens has expanded in the united states, but the spread of babesiosis has lagged behind that of lyme disease. several studies have estimated the basic reproduction number (r0) for b. microti ...	2014	25545393
of mice and men: lyme disease and biodiversity.	the current rapid rate of species extinction and loss of biodiversity occurring throughout the world has the potential to exact far-reaching adverse impacts on human health in many ways, including increasing the risk of infectious disease transmission. here, we use lyme disease as a model to illustrate how loss of biodiversity in the community of vertebrates may lead to increased transmission of zoonotic pathogens in humans. we also illustrate how preserving biodiversity has the potential to red ...	2014	25544324
clinical presentation, convalescence, and relapse of rocky mountain spotted fever in dogs experimentally infected via tick bite.	rocky mountain spotted fever (rmsf) is a tick-borne disease caused by r. rickettsii in north and south america. domestic dogs are susceptible to infection and canine rmsf can be fatal without appropriate treatment. although clinical signs of r. rickettsii infection in dogs have been described, published reports usually include descriptions of either advanced clinical cases or experimental infections caused by needle-inoculation of cultured pathogen rather than by tick bite. the natural progressi ...	2014	25542001
increased expression of fas receptor and fas ligand in the culture of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato.	apoptosis of the lymphocytes plays an essential role in the regulation of inflammatory/immune responses and its abnormalities may contribute to a chronic infection, persistent inflammation and autoimmunity. its role in the pathogenesis of the late lyme borreliosis manifestations has not been studied so far. we have measured th lymphocyte apoptosis rate, membrane expression of pro-apoptotic fas receptor, and supernatant concentrations of selected soluble pro- and anti-apoptotic mediators in cultu ...	2015	25541498
commentary.		2014	25540529
complete genome sequencing of borrelia valaisiana and borrelia afzelii isolated from ixodes persulcatus ticks in western siberia.	lyme disease, caused by bacteria of the borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, is the most frequent tick-borne infection in eurasia. here, we report the complete genome sequence of the borrelia valaisiana tom 4006 and borrelia afzelii tom 3107 strains isolated from ixodes persulcatus ticks in western siberia.	2014	25540343
whole-genome sequence of borrelia garinii strain 935t isolated from ixodes persulcatus in south korea.	we report here the genome sequence of borrelia garinii strain 935t isolated from ixodes persulcatus in south korea. the 1,176,739 bp (g+c content, 27.73%) genome consists of 1,194 coding regions, 4 rrna genes, and 33 aminoacyl-trna synthetase genes. this is the first whole-genome report of a korean borrelia species isolate.	2014	25540341
chronic meningitis with intracranial hypertension and bilateral neuroretinitis following mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.	a previously well 12-year-old boy presented with a 2-week history of headache, nausea, vomiting and left-sided weakness. he subsequently developed meningism, right abducens nerve palsy, persistent papilloedema and reduced visual acuity in association with a bilateral macular star, consistent with neuroretinitis. cerebrospinal fluid (csf) examination indicated chronic meningitis and serological testing confirmed recent mycoplasma pneumoniae infection, although pcr in csf was negative. he was trea ...	2014	25538215
assembly states of flim and flig within the flagellar switch complex.	at the base of the bacterial flagella, a cytoplasmic rotor (the c-ring) generates torque and reverses rotation sense in response to stimuli. the bulk of the c-ring forms from many copies of the proteins flig, flim, and flin, which together constitute the switch complex. to help resolve outstanding issues regarding c-ring architecture, we have investigated interactions between flim and flig from thermotoga maritima with x-ray crystallography and pulsed dipolar esr spectroscopy (pds). a new crysta ...	2014	25536293
assembly states of flim and flig within the flagellar switch complex.	at the base of the bacterial flagella, a cytoplasmic rotor (the c-ring) generates torque and reverses rotation sense in response to stimuli. the bulk of the c-ring forms from many copies of the proteins flig, flim, and flin, which together constitute the switch complex. to help resolve outstanding issues regarding c-ring architecture, we have investigated interactions between flim and flig from thermotoga maritima with x-ray crystallography and pulsed dipolar esr spectroscopy (pds). a new crysta ...	2014	25536293
expect the unexpected: a case of isolated eosinophilic meningitis in toxocariasis.	we present the case of a young police officer suffering from headache without other neurological symptoms caused by isolated eosinophilic meningitis, which resulted from an infection with toxocara cati, along with a discussion of the differential diagnosis.	2014	25535488
pathogenic leptospira species acquire factor h and vitronectin via the surface protein lcpa.	upon infection, pathogenic leptospira species bind several complement regulators in order to overcome host innate immunity. we previously characterized a 20-kda leptospiral surface protein which interacts with c4b binding protein (c4bp): leptospiral complement regulator-acquiring protein a (lcpa). here we show that lcpa also interacts with human factor h (fh), which remains functionally active once bound to the protein. antibodies directed against short consensus repeat 20 (scr20) inhibited bind ...	2014	25534939
pathogenic leptospira species acquire factor h and vitronectin via the surface protein lcpa.	upon infection, pathogenic leptospira species bind several complement regulators in order to overcome host innate immunity. we previously characterized a 20-kda leptospiral surface protein which interacts with c4b binding protein (c4bp): leptospiral complement regulator-acquiring protein a (lcpa). here we show that lcpa also interacts with human factor h (fh), which remains functionally active once bound to the protein. antibodies directed against short consensus repeat 20 (scr20) inhibited bind ...	2014	25534939
antibodies against borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato among adults, germany, 2008-2011.	to assess borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (the cause of lyme borreliosis) seropositivity in germany, we tested serum samples from health survey (2008-2011) participants. seroprevalence was 5.8% among women and 13.0% among men; infection risk was highest among persons >60 years of age. public health interventions, including education about risk factors and preventive measures, are needed.	2015	25531140
prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in an urban park in rome, italy.	limited information is available about the presence of tick-borne pathogens in urban parks in italy. to fill this gap, ticks were collected in a public park in rome over a 1-year period and screened by molecular methods for tick-borne pathogens.	2014	25528909
serological survey of borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, anaplasma phagocytophilum, and ehrlichia canis infections in rural and urban dogs in central italy.	borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) and anaplasma phagocytophilum are well known zoonotic pathogens, whereas ehrlichia canis is usually considered to be of veterinary concern, although on the basis of recent reports it also seems to be able to infect humans.	2014	25528899
bivalent ligation of the collagen-binding modules of fibronectin by sfs, a non-anchored bacterial protein of streptococcus equi.	sfs is a non-anchored protein of streptococcus equi subspecies equi that causes upper respiratory infection in horses. sfs has been shown to bind to fibronectin (fn) and block interaction of fn with type i collagen. we have characterized interactions of a recombinant 60-mer polypeptide, r1r2, with fn. r1r2 contains two copies of collagen-like 19-residue repeats. experiments utilizing various fn fragments and epitope-mapped anti-fn monoclonal antibodies located the binding site to (8-9)fni module ...	2014	25525266
bivalent ligation of the collagen-binding modules of fibronectin by sfs, a non-anchored bacterial protein of streptococcus equi.	sfs is a non-anchored protein of streptococcus equi subspecies equi that causes upper respiratory infection in horses. sfs has been shown to bind to fibronectin (fn) and block interaction of fn with type i collagen. we have characterized interactions of a recombinant 60-mer polypeptide, r1r2, with fn. r1r2 contains two copies of collagen-like 19-residue repeats. experiments utilizing various fn fragments and epitope-mapped anti-fn monoclonal antibodies located the binding site to (8-9)fni module ...	2014	25525266
from lyme disease emergence to endemicity: a cross sectional comparative study of risk perceptions in different populations.	lyme disease (ld) is a tick-borne emerging disease in canada that has been endemic in many temperate countries for decades. currently, one of the main approaches for ld prevention is the promotion of individual-level preventive behaviors against ticks. health behaviors are influenced by individual and social factors, one important of which is risk perception. this study aims to describe and compare risk perception of ld, within and between general populations and experts living in two different ...	2014	25523355
[seroprevalence of anaplasma phagocytophilum in patients with suspected lyme borreliosis].	human granulocytic anaplasmosis (hga) is an emerging tick-borne zoonotic disease caused by an obligate intracellular bacterium, anaplasma phagocytophilum. in europe, a. phagocytophilum is transmitted by ixodes ricinus ticks. after lyme borreliosis and european tick-borne encephalitis, hga is the third most common tick-borne infection in the usa and europe. the clinical symptoms of anaplasmosis are non-specific and include malaise, fever, headache, myalgia, and arthralgia. in more severe cases, t ...	2014	25523223
human african trypanosomiasis presenting at least 29 years after infection--what can this teach us about the pathogenesis and control of this neglected tropical disease?		2014	25522322
leucine-rich glioma-inactivated protein 1 antibody encephalitis: a case report.	to describe a case of leucine-rich glioma-inactivated protein 1 (lgi1) antibody-associated encephalitis.	2014	25520958
emerging vector-borne diseases - incidence through vectors.	vector-borne diseases use to be a major public health concern only in tropical and subtropical areas, but today they are an emerging threat for the continental and developed countries also. nowadays, in intercontinental countries, there is a struggle with emerging diseases, which have found their way to appear through vectors. vector-borne zoonotic diseases occur when vectors, animal hosts, climate conditions, pathogens, and susceptible human population exist at the same time, at the same place. ...	2014	25520951
chagas' disease: an emergent urban zoonosis. the caracas valley (venezuela) as an epidemiological model.	the unprecedented emergence of important public health and veterinary zoonoses is usually a result of exponential population growth and globalization of human activities. i characterized chagas' disease as an emergent zoonosis in the caracas valley (venezuela) due to the following findings: the presence of reservoirs (didelphis marsupialis, rattus rattus) and vectors (panstrongylus geniculatus, panstrongylus rufotuberculatus) infected with trypanosoma cruzi in urbanized or marginalized areas; th ...	2014	25520950
ixodes ricinus and its transmitted pathogens in urban and peri-urban areas in europe: new hazards and relevance for public health.	tick-borne diseases represent major public and animal health issues worldwide. ixodes ricinus, primarily associated with deciduous and mixed forests, is the principal vector of causative agents of viral, bacterial, and protozoan zoonotic diseases in europe. recently, abundant tick populations have been observed in european urban green areas, which are of public health relevance due to the exposure of humans and domesticated animals to potentially infected ticks. in urban habitats, small and medi ...	2014	25520947
partial pathogen protection by tick-bite sensitization and epitope recognition in peptide-immunized hla dr3 transgenic mice.	ticks are notorious vectors of disease for humans, and many species of ticks transmit multiple pathogens, sometimes in the same tick bite. accordingly, a broad-spectrum vaccine that targets vector ticks and pathogen transmission at the tick/host interface, rather than multiple vaccines against every possible tickborne pathogen, could become an important tool for resolving an emerging public health crisis. the concept for such a tick protective vaccine comes from observations of an acquired tick ...	2014	25517089
recombinant treponema pallidum protein tp0965 activates endothelial cells and increases the permeability of endothelial cell monolayer.	the recombinant treponema pallidum protein tp0965 (rtp0965), one of the many proteins derived from the genome of t. pallidum subsp. pallidum, shows strong immunogenicity and immunoreactivity. in this study, we investigated the effects of rtp0965 on the endothelial barrier. treatment of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (huvecs) with rtp0965 resulted in increased levels of icam-1, e-selectin, and mcp-1 mrna and protein expression. these increases contributed to the adhesion and chemataxis of ...	2014	25514584
what macromolecular crowding can do to a protein.	the intracellular environment represents an extremely crowded milieu, with a limited amount of free water and an almost complete lack of unoccupied space. obviously, slightly salted aqueous solutions containing low concentrations of a biomolecule of interest are too simplistic to mimic the "real life" situation, where the biomolecule of interest scrambles and wades through the tightly packed crowd. in laboratory practice, such macromolecular crowding is typically mimicked by concentrated solutio ...	2014	25514413
the identification and functional characterization of wxl proteins from enterococcus faecium reveal surface proteins involved in extracellular matrix interactions.	the wxl domain recently has been identified as a novel cell wall binding domain found in numerous predicted proteins within multiple gram-positive bacterial species. however, little is known about the function of proteins containing this novel domain. here, we identify and characterize 6 enterococcus faecium proteins containing the wxl domain which, by reverse transcription-pcr (rt-pcr) and genomic analyses, are located in three similarly organized operons, deemed wxl loci a, b, and c. western b ...	2014	25512313
the identification and functional characterization of wxl proteins from enterococcus faecium reveal surface proteins involved in extracellular matrix interactions.	the wxl domain recently has been identified as a novel cell wall binding domain found in numerous predicted proteins within multiple gram-positive bacterial species. however, little is known about the function of proteins containing this novel domain. here, we identify and characterize 6 enterococcus faecium proteins containing the wxl domain which, by reverse transcription-pcr (rt-pcr) and genomic analyses, are located in three similarly organized operons, deemed wxl loci a, b, and c. western b ...	2014	25512313
cyclic di-gmp riboswitch-regulated type iv pili contribute to aggregation of clostridium difficile.	clostridium difficile is an anaerobic gram-positive bacterium that causes intestinal infections with symptoms ranging from mild diarrhea to fulminant colitis. cyclic diguanosine monophosphate (c-di-gmp) is a bacterial second messenger that typically regulates the switch from motile, free-living to sessile and multicellular behaviors in gram-negative bacteria. increased intracellular c-di-gmp concentration in c. difficile was recently shown to reduce flagellar motility and to increase cell aggreg ...	2014	25512308
cyclic di-gmp riboswitch-regulated type iv pili contribute to aggregation of clostridium difficile.	clostridium difficile is an anaerobic gram-positive bacterium that causes intestinal infections with symptoms ranging from mild diarrhea to fulminant colitis. cyclic diguanosine monophosphate (c-di-gmp) is a bacterial second messenger that typically regulates the switch from motile, free-living to sessile and multicellular behaviors in gram-negative bacteria. increased intracellular c-di-gmp concentration in c. difficile was recently shown to reduce flagellar motility and to increase cell aggreg ...	2014	25512308
[dna detection of pathogens transmitted by ixodid ticks in blood of small mammals inhabiting the forest biotopes in middle irtysh area (omsk region, west siberia)].	microtine rodents were captured in two disconnected sampling sites in omsk region where ixodes pesulrcatus and ixodes trianguliceps are sympatric. in blood samples of rodents the dna was revealed belonging to several ixodid-transmitted pathogens: borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (prevalence 20.0 and 6.0%, here and further values are given for the first and second site, respectively), borrelia miyamotoi (8.3 and 2.0%), anlaplasnma phagocytophilum (33.3 and 48.0%), ehrlichia muris (30.0 and 2.0%) a ...	2014	25507835
borrelia burgdorferi seeks vectors.		2014	25506806
relevance of chronic lyme disease to family medicine as a complex multidimensional chronic disease construct: a systematic review.	lyme disease has become a global public health problem and a prototype of an emerging infection. both treatment-refractory infection and symptoms that are related to borrelia burgdorferi infection remain subject to controversy. because of the absence of solid evidence on prevalence, causes, diagnostic criteria, tools and treatment options, the role of autoimmunity to residual or persisting antigens, and the role of a toxin or other bacterial-associated products that are responsible for the sympt ...	2014	25506429
vaccine development: how scientific collaboration and communication help prevent the spread of disease: an interview with erol fikrig, md.		2014	25506284
predicting tick presence by environmental risk mapping.	public health statistics recorded an increasing trend in the incidence of tick bites and erythema migrans (em) in the netherlands. we investigated whether the disease incidence could be predicted by a spatially explicit categorization model, based on environmental factors and a training set of tick absence-presence data. presence and absence of ixodes ricinus were determined by the blanket-dragging method at numerous sites spread over the netherlands. the probability of tick presence on a 1 km b ...	2014	25505781
transmission-blocking vaccines: focus on anti-vector vaccines against tick-borne diseases.	tick-borne diseases are a potential threat that account for significant morbidity and mortality in human population worldwide. vaccines are not available to treat several of the tick-borne diseases. with the emergence and resurgence of several tick-borne diseases, emphasis on the development of transmission-blocking vaccines remains increasing. in this review, we provide a snap shot on some of the potential candidates for the development of anti-vector vaccines (a form of transmission-blocking v ...	2014	25503555
transmission-blocking vaccines: focus on anti-vector vaccines against tick-borne diseases.	tick-borne diseases are a potential threat that account for significant morbidity and mortality in human population worldwide. vaccines are not available to treat several of the tick-borne diseases. with the emergence and resurgence of several tick-borne diseases, emphasis on the development of transmission-blocking vaccines remains increasing. in this review, we provide a snap shot on some of the potential candidates for the development of anti-vector vaccines (a form of transmission-blocking v ...	2014	25503555
complex population structure of borrelia burgdorferi in southeastern and south central canada as revealed by phylogeographic analysis.	lyme disease, caused by the bacterium borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, is an emerging zoonotic disease in canada and is vectored by the blacklegged tick, ixodes scapularis. here we used bayesian analyses of sequence types (sts), determined by multilocus sequence typing (mlst), to investigate the phylogeography of b. burgdorferi populations in southern canada and the united states by analyzing mlst data from 564 b. burgdorferi-positive samples collected during surveillance. a total of 107 cana ...	2015	25501480
development of droplet digital pcr for the detection of babesia microti and babesia duncani.	babesia spp. are obligate protozoan parasites of red blood cells. transmission to humans occurs through bites from infected ticks or blood transfusion. infections with b. microti account for the majority of the reported cases of human babesiosis in the usa. a lower incidence is caused by the more recently described species b. duncani. the current gold standard for detection of babesia is microscopic examination of blood smears. recent pcr-based assays, including real-time pcr, have been develope ...	2014	25500215
development of droplet digital pcr for the detection of babesia microti and babesia duncani.	babesia spp. are obligate protozoan parasites of red blood cells. transmission to humans occurs through bites from infected ticks or blood transfusion. infections with b. microti account for the majority of the reported cases of human babesiosis in the usa. a lower incidence is caused by the more recently described species b. duncani. the current gold standard for detection of babesia is microscopic examination of blood smears. recent pcr-based assays, including real-time pcr, have been develope ...	2014	25500215
threat of attacks of ixodes ricinus ticks (ixodida: ixodidae) and lyme borreliosis within urban heat islands in south-western poland.	the increased incidence of lyme disease in europe necessitates permanent monitoring of the occurrence and activity of its vector. therefore, in this study, we have investigated the presence and seasonal activity of ixodes ricinus ticks in various habitats of a large industrial region in south-western poland in correlation with environmental factors present in urban heat islands. additionally, the risk of borreliosis in this part of poland has been assessed.	2014	25498247
thermal control of virulence factors in bacteria: a hot topic.	pathogenic bacteria sense environmental cues, including the local temperature, to control the production of key virulence factors. thermal regulation can be achieved at the level of dna, rna or protein and although many virulence factors are subject to thermal regulation, the exact mechanisms of control are yet to be elucidated in many instances. understanding how virulence factors are regulated by temperature presents a significant challenge, as gene expression and protein production are often ...	2014	25494856
not "out of nantucket": babesia microti in southern new england comprises at least two major populations.	deer tick-transmitted human babesiosis due to babesia microti appears to be expanding its distribution and prevalence in the northeastern united states. one hypothesis for this emergence is the introduction of parasites into new sites from areas of long-standing transmission, such as nantucket island, massachusetts.	2014	25492628
update on persistent symptoms associated with lyme disease.	lyme disease, caused by borrelia burgdorferi, is the most common vector-borne illness in the united states. the pathogenesis, ecology, and epidemiology of lyme disease have been well described, and antimicrobial treatment is very effective. there has been controversy about whether infection can persist and cause chronic symptoms despite treatment with antimicrobials. this review summarizes recent studies that have addressed this issue.	2015	25490690
multilocus sequence analysis of anaplasma phagocytophilum reveals three distinct lineages with different host ranges in clinically ill french cattle.	molecular epidemiology represents a powerful approach to elucidate the complex epidemiological cycles of multi-host pathogens, such as anaplasma phagocytophilum. a. phagocytophilum is a tick-borne bacterium that affects a wide range of wild and domesticated animals. here, we characterized its genetic diversity in populations of french cattle; we then compared the observed genotypes with those found in horses, dogs, and roe deer to determine whether genotypes of a. phagocytophilum are shared amon ...	2014	25487348
glycosaminoglycan binding by borrelia burgdorferi adhesin bbk32 specifically and uniquely promotes joint colonization.	microbial pathogens that colonize multiple tissues commonly produce adhesive surface proteins that mediate attachment to cells and/or extracellular matrix in target organs. many of these 'adhesins' bind to multiple ligands, complicating efforts to understand the role of each ligand-binding activity. borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of lyme disease, produces bbk32, first identified as a fibronectin-binding adhesin that promotes skin and joint colonization. bbk32 also binds to glycosamino ...	2015	25486989
inactivation of the rgg2 transcriptional regulator ablates the virulence of streptococcus pyogenes.	streptococcus pyogenes adapts to different niches encountered in the human host via the activity of numerous regulatory proteins including the rgg family of transcriptional regulators. the s. pyogenes chromosome encodes four rgg paralogues designated rgg1 (ropb), rgg2 (mutr), rgg3, and rgg4 (comr). in order to understand the role of the rgg2 protein in the regulation of metabolic and virulence-associated properties of s. pyogenes, the rgg2 gene was inactivated in the m1 serotype strain sf370. in ...	2014	25486272
borrelial lymphocytoma cutis: a diagnostic dilemma.	lymphocytoma cutis (lc) is one of the most common types of cutaneous b cell pseudolymphoma. borrelial lc occurs most commonly in areas endemic for ixodes ricinus tick in europe, and it is rare in north america. the disease is rarely seen in india and may cause diagnostic difficulties for dermatologist residing in parts of the world that are not endemic for lyme disease. the diagnosis is critical as lc may present as the only early manifestation of lyme disease. herein, we have presented a case o ...	2014	25484392
crystallization and preliminary x-ray diffraction analysis of the phosphate-binding protein phox from xanthomonas citri.	xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (x. citri) is an important bacterium that causes citrus canker disease in plants in brazil and around the world, leading to significant economic losses. determination of the physiology and mechanisms of pathogenesis of this bacterium is an important step in the development of strategies for its containment. phosphate is an essential ion in all microrganisms owing its importance during the synthesis of macromolecules and in gene and protein regulation. interesting ...	2014	25484207
immunity, immunopathology, and human vaccine development against sexually transmitted chlamydia trachomatis.	this review examines the immunity, immunopathology, and contemporary problems of vaccine development against sexually transmitted chlamydia trachomatis. despite improved surveillance and treatment initiatives, the incidence of c. trachomatis infection has increased dramatically over the past 30 years in both the developed and developing world. studies in animal models have shown that protective immunity to c. trachomatis is largely mediated by th1 t cells producing ifn-γ which is needed to preve ...	2014	25483666
dissemination of 6s rna among bacteria.	6s rna is a highly abundant small non-coding rna widely spread among diverse bacterial groups. by competing with dna promoters for binding to rna polymerase (rnap), the rna regulates transcription on a global scale. rnap produces small product rnas derived from 6s rna as template, which rearranges the 6s rna structure leading to dissociation of 6s rna:rnap complexes. although 6s rna has been experimentally analysed in detail for some species, such as escherichia coli and bacillus subtilis, and w ...	2014	25483037
lyme disease: diagnostic issues and controversies.	the diagnosis of lyme disease is a controversial topic. most practitioners and scientists recognize that lyme disease is associated with certain objective clinical manifestations supported by laboratory evidence of infection with borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (the etiologic agent). there are others, however, who believe that patients with lyme disease may have a wide variety of entirely nonspecific symptoms without any objective clinical manifestation and that laboratory evidence of infection ...	2015	25482091
proteomic analysis of three borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato native species and disseminating clones: relevance for lyme vaccine design.	lyme borreliosis is the most important vector-borne disease in the northern hemisphere. it is caused by borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato bacteria transmitted to humans by the bite of hard ticks, ixodes spp. although antibiotic treatments are efficient in the early stage of the infection, a significant number of patients develop disseminated manifestations (articular, neurological, and cutaneous) due to unnoticed or absence of erythema migrans, or to inappropriate treatment. vaccine could be an ef ...	2015	25475896
proteomic tools to decipher microbial community structure and functioning.	recent advances in microbial ecology allow studying microorganisms in their environment, without laboratory cultivation, in order to get access to the large uncultivable microbial community. with this aim, environmental proteomics has emerged as an appropriate complementary approach to metagenomics providing information on key players that carry out main metabolic functions and addressing the adaptation capacities of living organisms in situ. in this review, a wide range of proteomic approaches ...	2014	25475614
proteomic tools to decipher microbial community structure and functioning.	recent advances in microbial ecology allow studying microorganisms in their environment, without laboratory cultivation, in order to get access to the large uncultivable microbial community. with this aim, environmental proteomics has emerged as an appropriate complementary approach to metagenomics providing information on key players that carry out main metabolic functions and addressing the adaptation capacities of living organisms in situ. in this review, a wide range of proteomic approaches ...	2014	25475614
distribution of ticks and prevalence of borrelia burgdorferi in the upper connecticut river valley of vermont.	ixodes scapularis (black-legged tick) has expanded its range in recent decades. to establish baseline data on the abundance of the black-legged tick and borrelia burgdorferi (causative agent of lyme disease) at the edge of a putative range expansion we collected 1398 ticks from five locations along the connecticut river in vermont. collection locations were approximately evenly distributed between the villages of ascutney and guildhall. relative abundance and distribution by species varied acros ...	2013	25473255
mosquito akirin as a potential antigen for malaria control.	the control of vector-borne diseases is important to improve human and animal health worldwide. malaria is one of the world's deadliest diseases and is caused by protozoan parasites of the genus plasmodium, which are transmitted by anopheles spp. mosquitoes. recent evidences using subolesin (sub) and akirin (akr) vaccines showed a reduction in the survival and/or fertility of blood-sucking ectoparasite vectors and the infection with vector-borne pathogens. these experiments suggested the possibi ...	2014	25472895
long-term assessment of fibromyalgia in patients with culture-confirmed lyme disease.	background: fibromyalgia occurs in 2% to 8% of the general population. one of the triggers may be lyme disease. methods: patients with culture-confirmed lyme disease who originally presented with erythema migrans have been evaluated annually in a prospective study to determine their long-term outcome. in 2011-2013, subjects were evaluated for fibromyalgia by interview and tender point examination. results: 100 subjects were assessed, 52% of whom were male; the mean age was 64.9 years (median 64 ...	2014	25470117
transferred interbacterial antagonism genes augment eukaryotic innate immune function.	horizontal gene transfer allows organisms to rapidly acquire adaptive traits. although documented instances of horizontal gene transfer from bacteria to eukaryotes remain rare, bacteria represent a rich source of new functions potentially available for co-option. one benefit that genes of bacterial origin could provide to eukaryotes is the capacity to produce antibacterials, which have evolved in prokaryotes as the result of eons of interbacterial competition. the type vi secretion amidase effec ...	2014	25470067
transferred interbacterial antagonism genes augment eukaryotic innate immune function.	horizontal gene transfer allows organisms to rapidly acquire adaptive traits. although documented instances of horizontal gene transfer from bacteria to eukaryotes remain rare, bacteria represent a rich source of new functions potentially available for co-option. one benefit that genes of bacterial origin could provide to eukaryotes is the capacity to produce antibacterials, which have evolved in prokaryotes as the result of eons of interbacterial competition. the type vi secretion amidase effec ...	2014	25470067
climate change and habitat fragmentation drive the occurrence of borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of lyme disease, at the northeastern limit of its distribution.	lyme borreliosis is rapidly emerging in canada, and climate change is likely a key driver of the northern spread of the disease in north america. we used field and modeling approaches to predict the risk of occurrence of borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria causing lyme disease in north america. we combined climatic and landscape variables to model the current and future (2050) potential distribution of the black-legged tick and the white-footed mouse at the northeastern range limit of lyme diseas ...	2014	25469157
evolutionary perspectives on wildlife disease: concepts and applications.	wildlife disease has the potential to cause significant ecological, socioeconomic, and health impacts. as a result, all tools available need to be employed when host-pathogen dynamics merit conservation or management interventions. evolutionary principles, such as evolutionary history, phenotypic and genetic variation, and selection, have the potential to unravel many of the complex ecological realities of infectious disease in the wild. despite this, their application to wildlife disease ecolog ...	2014	25469154
comparison of phenology and pathogen prevalence, including infection with the ehrlichia muris-like (eml) agent, of ixodes scapularis removed from soldiers in the midwestern and the northeastern united states over a 15 year period (1997-2012).	since 1997, human-biting ticks submitted to the department of defense human tick test kit program (httkp) of the us army public health command have been tested for pathogens by pcr. we noted differences in the phenology and infection prevalence among ixodes scapularis ticks submitted from military installations in different geographic regions. the aim of this study was to characterize these observed differences, comparing the phenology and pathogen infection rates of i. scapularis submitted from ...	2014	25465046
impact of calcium signaling during infection of neisseria meningitidis to human brain microvascular endothelial cells.	the pili and outer membrane proteins of neisseria meningitidis (meningococci) facilitate bacterial adhesion and invasion into host cells. in this context expression of meningococcal pilc1 protein has been reported to play a crucial role. intracellular calcium mobilization has been implicated as an important signaling event during internalization of several bacterial pathogens. here we employed time lapse calcium-imaging and demonstrated that pilc1 of meningococci triggered a significant increase ...	2014	25464500
rna polymerase: chromosome domain boundary maker and regulator of supercoil density.	most bacterial chromosomes and plasmids are covalently closed circular molecules that are maintained in a dynamic supercoiled state. average supercoil density differs significantly between escherichia coli and salmonella. two related questions are: what protein(s) create supercoil domain boundaries in a bacterial chromosome? and how is supercoil density regulated in different bacterial species? rna polymerase plays pivotal roles in both of these topological phenomena.	2014	25460807
variability in results from negative binomial models for lyme disease measured at different spatial scales.	lyme disease has been the subject of many studies due to increasing incidence rates year after year and the severe complications that can arise in later stages of the disease. negative binomial models have been used to model lyme disease in the past with some success. however, there has been little focus on the reliability and consistency of these models when they are used to study lyme disease at multiple spatial scales. this study seeks to explore how sensitive/consistent negative binomial mod ...	2015	25460658
case report of rare chronic myelogenous leukemia related multibacterial splenic abscess presenting with scrotal swelling.	splenic abscesses associated with leukemia are rare. most reported cases of splenic abscesses occur after chemotherapy and are related to the immunosuppressive effects of the chemotherapy. their etiology is most frequently fungal.	2014	25460444
a unique case of adolescent neuroborreliosis presenting with multiple cranial neuritis and cochlear inflammation on magnetic resonance imaging.	lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the united states and is caused by infection with the spirochete borrelia burgdorferi. in children, neuroborreliosis usually presents as peripheral facial nerve palsy and lymphocytic meningitis and only rarely is associated with cranial polyneuritis.	2015	25459362
unmet diagnostic needs in infectious disease.	accurate diagnosis is critical to providing appropriate care in infectious diseases (id). new technologies for infectious disease diagnostics are emerging, but gaps remain in test development and availability. the emerging infections network surveyed id physicians to assess unmet diagnostic needs. responses reflected the urgent need to identify drug-resistant infections and highlighted the potential for early diagnosis to improve antibiotic stewardship. information gained from this survey can he ...	2014	25456043
unmet diagnostic needs in infectious disease.	accurate diagnosis is critical to providing appropriate care in infectious diseases (id). new technologies for infectious disease diagnostics are emerging, but gaps remain in test development and availability. the emerging infections network surveyed id physicians to assess unmet diagnostic needs. responses reflected the urgent need to identify drug-resistant infections and highlighted the potential for early diagnosis to improve antibiotic stewardship. information gained from this survey can he ...	2014	25456043
pathogenic landscape of transboundary zoonotic diseases in the mexico-us border along the rio grande.	transboundary zoonotic diseases, several of which are vector borne, can maintain a dynamic focus and have pathogens circulating in geographic regions encircling multiple geopolitical boundaries. global change is intensifying transboundary problems, including the spatial variation of the risk and incidence of zoonotic diseases. the complexity of these challenges can be greater in areas where rivers delineate international boundaries and encompass transitions between ecozones. the rio grande serve ...	2014	25453027
temporal and spatial distribution of tick-borne disease cases among humans and canines in illinois (2000-2009).	four tick-borne diseases (tbds), anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, lyme disease (ld), and rocky mountain spotted fever (rmsf), are endemic in illinois. the prevalence of human and canine cases of all four tbds rose over the study period with significant differences in geographic distribution within the state. among human cases, there were associations between cases of rmsf and ld and total forest cover, seasonal precipitation, average mean temperature, racial-ethnic groups, and gender. estimated annua ...	2014	25452696
borrelia burgdorferi (lyme disease).		2014	25452659
use of an endogenous plasmid locus for stable in trans complementation in borrelia burgdorferi.	targeted mutagenesis and complementation are important tools for studying genes of unknown function in the lyme disease spirochete borrelia burgdorferi. a standard method of complementation is reintroduction of a wild-type copy of the targeted gene on a shuttle vector. however, shuttle vectors are present at higher copy numbers than b. burgdorferi plasmids and are potentially unstable in the absence of selection, thereby complicating analyses in the mouse-tick infectious cycle. b. burgdorferi ha ...	2015	25452278
lyme disease: a rigorous review of diagnostic criteria and treatment.	lyme disease was originally identified in lyme, connecticut, based upon an unusual cluster of what appeared to be patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. it was subsequently identified as a new clinical entity originally called lyme arthritis based on the observation that arthritis was a major clinical feature. however, lyme arthritis is now called lyme disease based upon the understanding that the clinical features include not only arthritis, but also potential cardiac, dermatologic and ne ...	2015	25451629
fifty ways to inhibit motility via cyclic di-gmp: the emerging pseudomonas aeruginosa swarming story.	there are numerous ways by which cyclic dimeric gmp (c-di-gmp) inhibits motility. kuchma et al. (s. l. kuchma, n. j. delalez, l. m. filkins, e. a. snavely, j. p. armitage, and g. a. o'toole, j. bacteriol. 197:420-430, 2015, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jb.02130-14) offer a new, previously unseen way of swarming motility inhibition in pseudomonas aeruginosa pa14. this bacterium possesses a single flagellum with one rotor and two sets of stators, only one of which can provide torque for swarming. the ...	2014	25448814
fifty ways to inhibit motility via cyclic di-gmp: the emerging pseudomonas aeruginosa swarming story.	there are numerous ways by which cyclic dimeric gmp (c-di-gmp) inhibits motility. kuchma et al. (s. l. kuchma, n. j. delalez, l. m. filkins, e. a. snavely, j. p. armitage, and g. a. o'toole, j. bacteriol. 197:420-430, 2015, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jb.02130-14) offer a new, previously unseen way of swarming motility inhibition in pseudomonas aeruginosa pa14. this bacterium possesses a single flagellum with one rotor and two sets of stators, only one of which can provide torque for swarming. the ...	2014	25448814
continuing increase of tick bites and lyme disease between 1994 and 2009.	nationwide cross-sectional retrospective studies have shown a continuous increase in general practitioner (gp) consultations for tick bites and diagnoses of erythema migrans between 1994 and 2005 in the netherlands. in this paper, we report incidence estimates for gp consultations for tick bites and erythema migrans diagnoses in 2009, and we compare the observed increase in gp consultations to reports of tick bites in two retrospective cross-sectional surveys of the general population.	2015	25448421
long-term assessment of fatigue in patients with culture-confirmed lyme disease.	fatigue is a common symptom with numerous causes. severe fatigue is thought to be an important manifestation of post-treatment lyme disease syndrome. the frequency with which severe fatigue occurs as a long-term sequela in prospectively followed patients with lyme disease is unknown.	2015	25447620
evaluating the child with acute hip pain ("irritable hip") in a lyme endemic region.	to estimate the prevalence of lyme infection among children presenting with acute, nontraumatic hip pain in a lyme endemic region and to investigate predictors of lyme disease among children with suspected transient synovitis.	2015	25444013
defensins from the tick ixodes scapularis are effective against phytopathogenic fungi and the human bacterial pathogen listeria grayi.	ixodes scapularis is the most common tick species in north america and a vector of important pathogens that cause diseases in humans and animals including lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis. tick defensins have been identified as a new source of antimicrobial agents with putative medical applications due to their wide-ranging antimicrobial activities. two multigene families of defensins were previously reported in i. scapularis. the objective of the present study was to characterise the p ...	2014	25443032
pathogens in ticks collected from dogs in berlin/brandenburg, germany.	tick-borne diseases are a major health risk for humans and dogs. in addition to collection and analysis of questing ticks, analysis of host-associated ticks for the presence of pathogens is a valuable method to gain insight into transmission patterns of tick-borne diseases.	2014	25441762
analysis of codon usage pattern in taenia saginata based on a transcriptome dataset.	codon usage bias is an important evolutionary feature in a genome and has been widely documented in many genomes. analysis of codon usage bias has significance for mrna translation, design of transgenes, new gene discovery, and studies of molecular biology and evolution, etc. however, the information about synonymous codon usage pattern of t. saginata genome remains unclear. t. saginata is a food-borne zoonotic cestode which infects approximataely 50 million humans worldwide, and causes signific ...	2014	25440955
[lyme disease].		2014	25438433
investigations on cxcl13 in anti-n-methyl-d-aspartate receptor encephalitis: a potential biomarker of treatment response.	anti-n-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (nmdar) encephalitis is a severe but treatable autoimmune encephalitis affecting mainly young adults and children. the lack of suitable biomarkers of disease activity makes treatment decisions and identification of relapses challenging.	2015	25436993