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a critical appraisal of the mild axonal peripheral neuropathy of late neurologic lyme disease. 201728238389
response letter to drs. halperin and greenberg. 201728238387
[cutaneous manifestations of lyme disease : pitfalls in the serological diagnostic workup].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 contras ...201728236088
lyme disease in a brazilian traveler who returned from germany. 201728225980
false and misleading information about lyme disease. 201728216447
the lyme disease as the increasing health problem in małopolskie voivodeship compared with poland in 1998-2014lyme disease is one of the most known tick borne diseases in poland caused by spirochetes of the genus borrelia burgdorferi. most cases of lyme disease are diagnosed in the northeastern poland and the south of poland, in śląskie, małopolskie, podkarpackie voivodeship. the aim of the study was to evaluate epidemiological data of lyme disease in małopolskie voivodeship and other voivodeships in poland and frequency analysis of the lyme disease as an occupational disease.201628213980
a high-throughput genetic screen identifies previously uncharacterized borrelia burgdorferi genes important for resistance against reactive oxygen and nitrogen species.borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of lyme disease in humans, is exposed to reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ros and rns) in both the tick vector and vertebrate reservoir hosts. b. burgdorferi contains a limited repertoire of canonical oxidative stress response genes, suggesting that novel gene functions may be important for protection of b. burgdorferi against ros or rns exposure. here, we use transposon insertion sequencing (tn-seq) to conduct an unbiased search for genes involved ...201728212410
aprepitant limits in vivo neuroinflammatory responses in a rhesus model of lyme neuroborreliosis.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 exacerbate inflammatory responses at peripheral sites. moreover, sp/nk-1r interactions have recently been associated with severe neuroinflammation and neuronal damage. we have previously demonstrated that nk-1r antagonists can limit neuroinflammatory damage in a mouse model of bacterial meningiti ...201728202084
tick-borne pathogens induce differential expression of genes promoting cell survival and host resistance in ixodes ricinus cells.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 implicated are hard ticks of the genus ixodes. although much is known about the host response to these bacterial and viral pathogens, there is limited knowledge of the cellular responses to infection within the tick vector. the bacterium anaplasma phagocytophilum is able to bypass apoptotic ...201728202075
plasmid diversity and phylogenetic consistency in the lyme disease agent borrelia burgdorferi.bacteria from the genus borrelia are known to harbor numerous linear and circular plasmids. we report here a comparative analysis of the nucleotide sequences of 236 plasmids present in fourteen independent isolates of the lyme disease agent b. burgdorferi.201728201991
infection-derived lipids elicit an immune deficiency circuit in arthropods.the insect immune deficiency (imd) pathway resembles the tumour necrosis factor receptor network in mammals and senses diaminopimelic-type peptidoglycans present in gram-negative bacteria. whether unidentified chemical moieties activate the imd signalling cascade remains unknown. here, we show that infection-derived lipids 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol (popg) and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl diacylglycerol (podag) stimulate the imd pathway of ticks. the tick imd network protects agai ...201728195158
a serosurvey of diseases of free-ranging gray wolves (canis lupus) in minnesota.we tested serum samples from 387 free-ranging wolves ( canis lupus ) from 2007 to 2013 for exposure to eight canid pathogens to establish baseline data on disease prevalence and spatial distribution in minnesota's wolf population. we found high exposure to canine adenoviruses 1 and 2 (88% adults, 45% pups), canine parvovirus (82% adults, 24% pups), and lyme disease (76% adults, 39% pups). sixty-six percent of adults and 36% of pups exhibited exposure to the protozoan parasite neospora caninum . ...201728192048
[cxcl-13 as a biomarker in the diagnostics of neuroborreliosis].the chemokine cxcl-13 is a potential intrathecal biomarker for neuroborreliosis (nb). according to the literature the sensitivity of cxcl-13 in the diagnostics of nb varies between 88% and 100% and the specificity between 63% and 99.7%. the objective of this study was to analyze the sensitivity and specificity of cxcl-13 in the diagnosis of nb in an endemic area of borrelia burgdorferi.201728184973
antibody responses to borrelia burgdorferi detected by western blot vary geographically in canada.lyme disease is emerging in eastern and central canada, and most cases are diagnosed using the two-tier serological test (enzyme immuno assay [eia] followed by western blot [wb]). simplification of this algorithm would be advantageous unless it impacts test performance. in this study, accuracy of individual proteins of the igg wb algorithm in predicting the overall test result in samples from canadians was assessed. because borrelia burgdorferi strains vary geographically in canada, geographic v ...201728182723
the borrelia burgdorferi telomere resolvase, rest, possesses atp-dependent dna unwinding activity. 201728180323
genome scaffolding and annotation for the pathogen vector ixodes ricinus by ultra-long single molecule sequencing.global warming and other ecological changes have facilitated the expansion of ixodes ricinus tick populations. ixodes ricinus is the most important carrier of vector-borne pathogens in europe, transmitting viruses, protozoa and bacteria, in particular borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato), the causative agent of lyme borreliosis, the most prevalent vector-borne disease in humans in the northern hemisphere. to faster control this disease vector, a better understanding of the i. ricinus tick is necess ...201728179027
[neuroborreliosis - diagnostics, treatment and course].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 ...201728175945
borrelia-primed and -infected mice deficient of interleukin-17 develop arthritis after neutralization of gamma-interferon.the immune mechanisms responsible for development of lyme arthritis are partially understood with interleukin-17 (il-17) and gamma-interferon (ifn-γ) playing a generally accepted role. elevated levels of il-17 and/or ifn-γ have been reported in samples from human lyme arthritis patients and experimental mice. in addition, il-17 and ifn-γ have been implicated in the onset of arthritis in borrelia-primed and -infected c57bl/6 mice. recently, we showed that il-17-deficient mice developed swelling a ...201728175297
the genetic signature of range expansion in a disease vector-the black-legged tick.monitoring and predicting the spread of emerging infectious diseases requires that we understand the mechanisms of range expansion by its vectors. here, we examined spatial and temporal variation of genetic structure among 13 populations of the lyme disease vector, the black-legged tick, in southern quebec, where this tick species is currently expanding and lyme disease is emerging. our objective was to identify the primary mode of tick movement into canada based on observed spatial and temporal ...201728173203
rna-seq analysis of gene expression, viral pathogen, and b-cell/t-cell receptor signatures in complex chronic disease.chronic fatigue syndrome (cfs) remains poorly understood. although infections are speculated to trigger the syndrome, a specific infectious agent and underlying pathophysiological mechanism remain elusive. in a previous study, we described similar clinical phenotypes in cfs patients and alternatively diagnosed chronic lyme syndrome (adcls) patients—individuals diagnosed with lyme disease by testing from private lyme specialty laboratories but who test negative by reference 2-tiered serologic ana ...201728172519
comparison of mkp and bsk-h media for the cultivation and isolation of borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato.the isolation of b. 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 isolat ...201728170447
tuberculosis 'the great imitator': a usual disease with unusual presentations.a number of infectious diseases have been referred to by the phrase 'the great imitator', of which the oldest is syphilis; others include lyme disease, nocardiosis, etc. tuberculosis has been described as the second great imitator as it can imitate various other disease processes. an awareness of the atypical clinical manifestations of tuberculosis is important, especially in regions where tuberculosis continues to be a major public health problem, such as india. extrapulmonary tuberculosis (ept ...201728166920
closely-related borrelia burgdorferi (sensu stricto) strains exhibit similar fitness in single infections and asymmetric competition in multiple infections.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 coexistence. however, there is little data on how specific strains of these diverse pathogen species interact within the host and how this impacts pathogen persistence in nature. ticks are the most common disease vector in temperate regions with borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of ...201728166814
chronic lyme borreliosis associated with minimal change glomerular disease: a case report.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 associated with chronic lyme borreliosis.201728166734
the first case of imported borrelia miyamotoi disease concurrent with lyme disease.borrelia miyamotoi disease (bmd) is an emerging infectious disease caused by b. miyamotoi. although bmd has been reported in the united states, europe, and japan, no case of imported bmd has been described in the world. here, we report a 63-year-old american man living in japan who presented with malaise, headache, myalgia, and arthralgia. we suspected lyme disease because of his travel history to minnesota and presence of erythema migrans. serologic analysis supported our diagnosis, and doxycyc ...201728162921
borrelia burgdorferi bbi39 paralogs are targets of protective immunity inducing microbicidal responses and reducing pathogen persistence either in hosts or in the vector. 201728158751
host immune evasion by lyme and relapsing fever borreliae: findings to lead future studies for borrelia miyamotoi.the emerging pathogen, borrelia miyamotoi, is a relapsing fever spirochete vectored by the same species of ixodes ticks that carry the causative agents of lyme disease in the us, europe, and asia. symptoms caused by infection with b. miyamotoi are similar to a relapsing fever infection. however, b. miyamotoi has adapted to different vectors and reservoirs, which could result in unique physiology, including immune evasion mechanisms. lyme borrelia utilize a combination of ixodes-produced inhibito ...201728154563
american woman with early lyme borreliosis diagnosed in a colombian hospital. 201728153712
effects of dexamethasone and meloxicam on borrelia burgdorferi-induced inflammation in glial and neuronal cells of the central nervous system.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, treatment with the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone significantly reduced both pleocytosis and levels of cerebrospinal fluid (csf) immune mediators that were induced by bb. dexamethasone also inhibited the formation of inflammatory, neurodegenerative, and demyelinating lesions in the b ...201728153013
bridging of cryptic borrelia cycles in european songbirds.the principal european vector for borrelia burgdorferi s.l., the causative agents of lyme disease, is the host-generalist tick ixodes ricinus. almost all terrestrial host-specialist ticks have been supposed not to contribute to the terrestrial borrelia transmission cycles. through an experiment with blackbirds, we show successful transmission by the widespread i. frontalis, an abundant bird-specialized tick that infests a broad range of songbirds. in the first phase of the experiment, we obtaine ...201728152581
clinical cases of parasitoses and fungal infections important from medical point of viewmost important infectious diseases which pose a risk to human health and life are associated with parasites transmitted by a variety of arthropod vectors, or from animal to man. some of these (malaria, toxoplasmosis, leishmaniosis, dirofilariosis, alveococcosis, cystic echinococcosis) still represent a serious public health problem in many regions in the world. this review describes the epidemiological and clinical aspects of important parasitoses and fungal infections from a medical point of vi ...201628151608
nested-pcr real time as alternative molecular tool for detection of borrelia burgdorferi compared to the classical serological diagnosis of the blood.lyme disease, caused by borrelia burgdorferi, is a multisystem disease that often makes difficulties to recognize caused by their genetic heterogenity. currently, the gold standard for the detection of lyme disease (ld) is serologic diagnostics based mainly on tests: elisa and western blot (wb). these methods, however, are subject to consider- able defect, especially in the initial phase of infection due to the occurrence of so-called serological window period and low specificity. for this reaso ...201728146622
lyme carditis: a case involving the conduction system and mitral valve.lyme disease is the most common tick-borne infection in the northern hemisphere. cardiac manifestations of lyme disease typically include variable atrioventricular nodal block and rarely structural heart pathology. the incidence of lyme carditis may be underestimated based on current reporting practices of confirmed cases. this case of a 59-year-old man with lyme carditis demonstrates the unique presentation of widespread conduction system disease, mitral regurgitation, and suspected ischemic di ...201728146594
epitope mapping of borrelia burgdorferi ospc protein in homodimeric fold.in current work, we used recombinant ospc protein derived from b. afzelii strain brz31 in the native homodimeric fold for mice immunization and following selection process to produce three mouse monoclonal antibodies able to bind to variable parts of up to five different ospc proteins. applying the combination of mass spectrometry assisted epitope mapping and affinity based theoretical prediction we have localized regions responsible for antigen-antibody interactions and approximate epitopes' am ...201728142214
safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of borrelia burgdorferi outer surface protein a (ospa) vaccine: a meta-analysis.lyme borreliosis, caused by borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto in the united states and by several borrelia species in europe and asia, has a great impact on the health of the global population. there are human vaccines available, such as the outer surface protein a (ospa) vaccine, but still more evidence is needed to verify its function. we investigated the safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of adjuvanted or non-adjuvanted vaccines containing protective epitopes from borrelia species ospa ser ...201728141584
division of the genus borrelia into two genera (corresponding to lyme disease and relapsing fever groups) reflects their genetic and phenotypic distinctiveness and will lead to a better understanding of these two groups of microbes (margos et al. (2016) there is inadequate evidence to support the division of the genus borrelia. int. j. syst. evol. microbiol. doi: 10.1099/ijsem.0.001717). 201728141502
using exploratory data analysis to identify and predict patterns of human lyme disease case clustering within a multistate region, 2010-2014.lyme disease is the most commonly reported vectorborne disease in the united states. 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 spat ...201728137676
microrna and mrna transcriptome profiling in primary human astrocytes infected with borrelia burgdorferi.lyme disease is caused by infection with the bacterium borrelia burgdorferi (bb), which is transmitted to humans by deer ticks. the infection manifests usually as a rash and minor systemic symptoms; however, the bacteria can spread to other tissues, causing joint pain, carditis, and neurological symptoms. lyme neuroborreliosis presents itself in several ways, such as bell's palsy, meningitis, and encephalitis. the molecular basis for neuroborreliosis is poorly understood. analysis of the changes ...201728135303
health survey of free-ranging raccoons (procyon lotor) in central park, new york, new york, usa: implications for human and domestic animal health.we conducted health assessments on 113 free-ranging raccoons ( procyon lotor ) in central park, new york city, us, in february 2010, september 2010, and november 2011 in conjunction with a trap-vaccinate-release program to control a raccoon rabies epizootic. five individuals were sampled at two time points for 118 raccoon examinations in total. we tested 13 of 13 and 8 of 13 euthanized raccoons for rabies and canine distemper virus (cdv), respectively, by antigen testing on brain tissue; all wer ...201728135131
detection of borrelia miyamotoi and other tick-borne pathogens in human clinical specimens and ixodes scapularis ticks in new york state, 2012-2015.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, d ...201728131594
common and uncommon neurological manifestations of neuroborreliosis leading to hospitalization.neuroborreliosis represents a relevant infectious disease and can cause a variety of neurological manifestations. different stages and syndromes are described and atypical symptoms can result in diagnostic delay or misdiagnosis. the aim of this retrospective study was to define the pivotal neurological deficits in patients with neuroborreliosis that were the reason for admission in a hospital.201728109263
vcam-1 and icam-1 serum levels as markers of relapse in visceral leishmaniasis. 201728101315
the therapeutic potential of targeting substance p/nk-1r interactions in inflammatory cns disorders.the inflammatory responses of resident central nervous system (cns) cells are now known to play a critical role in the initiation and progression of an array of infectious and sterile neuroinflammatory disorders such as meningitis, encephalitis, parkinson's disease, alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis (ms). regulating glial inflammatory responses in a timely manner is therefore critical in preserving normal cns functions. the neuropeptide substance p is produced at high levels within the ...201728101005
the therapeutic potential of targeting substance p/nk-1r interactions in inflammatory cns disorders.the inflammatory responses of resident central nervous system (cns) cells are now known to play a critical role in the initiation and progression of an array of infectious and sterile neuroinflammatory disorders such as meningitis, encephalitis, parkinson's disease, alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis (ms). regulating glial inflammatory responses in a timely manner is therefore critical in preserving normal cns functions. the neuropeptide substance p is produced at high levels within the ...201728101005
influences of host community characteristics on borrelia burgdorferi infection prevalence in blacklegged ticks.lyme disease is a major vector-borne bacterial disease in the usa. the disease is caused by borrelia burgdorferi, and transmitted among hosts and humans, primarily by blacklegged ticks (ixodes scapularis). the ~25 b. burgdorferi genotypes, based on genotypic variation of their outer surface protein c (ospc), can be phenotypically separated as strains that primarily cause human diseases-human invasive strains (his)-or those that rarely do. additionally, the genotypes are non-randomly associated w ...201728095423
co-feeding transmission facilitates strain coexistence in borrelia burgdorferi, the lyme disease agent.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 ...201628089780
ticks and borrelia in urban and peri-urban green space habitats in a city in southern england.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 2013/20 ...201728089123
a novel quantitative pcr detects babesia infection in patients not identified by currently available non-nucleic acid amplification tests.ticks transmit babesia microti, the causative agents of babesiosis in north america and europe. babesiosis is now endemic in northeastern usa and affects people of all ages. babesia species infect erythrocytes and can be transmitted through blood transfusion. whole blood and blood products, which are not tested for babesia, can cause transfusion-transmitted babesiosis (ttb) resulting in severe consequences in the immuno-compromised patients. the purpose of this study was epidemiological evaluati ...201728088177
correlation between antigenicity and variability in the vls antigenic variation system of borrelia burgdorferi.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 ...201728087455
the anal groove sign: the use of dermatoscopy for identification of ixodes ticks. 201728087035
rnai reveals proteins for metabolism and protein processing associated with langat virus infection in ixodes scapularis (black-legged tick) ise6 cells.tick-borne flaviviruses (tbfs) cause thousands of human cases of encephalitis worldwide each year, with some tbf infections progressing to hemorrhagic fever. tbfs are of medical and veterinary importance and strategies to reduce flavivirus transmission by the tick vector may have significant application. analyses of the proteome of ise6 cells derived from the black legged tick, ixodes scapularis infected with the tbf, langat virus (lgtv), have provided insights into proteins and cellular process ...201728086865
staphylococcus aureus lpl lipoproteins delay g2/m phase transition in hela cells.the cell cycle is an ordered set of events, leading to cell growth and division into two daughter cells. the eukaryotic cell cycle consists of interphase (g1, s, and g2 phases), followed by the mitotic phase and g0 phase. many bacterial pathogens secrete cyclomodulins that interfere with the host cell cycle. in staphylococcus aureus four cyclomodulins have been described so far that all represent toxins and are secreted into the culture supernatant. here we show that the membrane-anchored lipopr ...201628083519
presence of borrelia turdi and borrelia valaisiana (spirochaetales: spirochaetaceae) in ticks removed from birds in the north of spain, 2009-2011.the genus borrelia includes species responsible for severe human diseases such as lyme disease. birds are involved in their epidemiology as dispersers of infected ticks (ixodida: ixodidae) and as reservoirs or amplifiers of the bacterium. herein, the presence of borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) johnson, schmid, hyde, steigerwalt & brenner in 336 ticks collected from birds in the north of spain from 2009 to 2011 was investigated. nucleic acid extracts from 174 ixodes frontalis (panzer), 108 ...201728082654
comparison of vector efficiency of ixodes scapularis (acari: ixodidae) from the northeast and upper midwest of the united states for the lyme disease spirochete borrelia mayonii.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. m ...201728082653
host-seeking phenology of ixodes pacificus (acari: ixodidae) nymphs in northwestern california in relation to calendar week, woodland type, and weather conditions.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 an ...201728082639
manifestations of lyme carditis.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 ...201728082088
acute flaccid myelitis associated with enterovirus-d68 infection in an otherwise healthy child.reporting new cases of enterovirus (ev)-d68-associated acute flaccid myelitis (afm) is essential to understand how the virus causes neurological damage and to characterize ev-d68 strains associated with afm.201728081720
digital health: tracking physiomes and activity using wearable biosensors reveals useful health-related information.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 daily measurements for up to 43 individuals, we found personalized circadian differences in physiological parameters, replicating previous physiological findings. interestingly, we found striking changes ...201728081144
the jarisch-herxheimer reaction after antibiotic treatment of spirochetal infections: a review of recent cases and our understanding of pathogenesis.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, ...201728077740
t-helper 17 cell cytokine responses in lyme disease correlate with borrelia burgdorferi antibodies during early infection and with autoantibodies late in the illness in patients with antibiotic-refractory lyme arthritis.control of lyme disease is attributed predominantly to innate and adaptive t-helper 1 cell (th1) immune responses, whereas the role of t-helper 17 cell (th17) responses is less clear. here we characterized these inflammatory responses in patients with erythema migrans (em) or lyme arthritis (la) to elucidate their role early and late in the infection.201728077518
microrna expression shows inflammatory dysregulation and tumor-like proliferative responses in joints of patients with post-infectious lyme arthritis.lyme arthritis (la) is caused by infection with borrelia burgdorferi and usually resolves following spirochetal killing with antibiotics. however, in some patients, arthritis persists after antibiotic therapy. to provide insights into underlying pathogenic processes associated with post-infectious la, we analyzed differences in microrna expression between la patients with active infection compared with those with post-infectious la.201728076897
environmental factors affecting survival of immature ixodes scapularis and implications for geographical distribution of lyme disease: the climate/behavior hypothesis.recent reports suggest that host-seeking nymphs in southern populations of ixodes scapularis remain below the leaf litter surface, while northern nymphs seek hosts on leaves and twigs above the litter surface. this behavioral difference potentially results in decreased tick contact with humans in the south, and fewer cases of lyme disease. we studied whether north-south differences in tick survival patterns might contribute to this phenomenon. four month old larvae resulting from a cross between ...201728076359
comprehensive spatial analysis of the borrelia burgdorferi lipoproteome reveals a compartmentalization bias toward the bacterial surface.the lyme disease spirochete borrelia burgdorferi is unique among bacteria in its large number of lipoproteins that are encoded by a small, exceptionally fragmented, and predominantly linear genome. peripherally anchored in either the inner or outer membrane and facing either the periplasm or the external environment, these lipoproteins assume varied roles. a prominent subset of lipoproteins functioning as the apparent linchpins of the enzootic tick-vertebrate infection cycle have been explored a ...201728069820
bacterial serine protease htra as a promising new target for antimicrobial therapy?recent studies have demonstrated that the bacterial chaperone and serine protease high temperature requirement a (htra) is closely associated with the establishment and progression of several infectious diseases. htra activity enhances bacterial survival under stress conditions, but also has direct effects on functions of the cell adhesion protein e-cadherin and extracellular matrix proteins, including fibronectin and proteoglycans. although htra cannot be considered as a pathogenic factor per s ...201728069057
induction of apoptosis in normal human dermal fibroblasts infected with borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato.the spirochete borrelia burgdorferi s.l. can enter into different eukaryotic cells. intracellular localization of bacteria may cause many changes in different cell pathways like apoptosis-mediated caspase cascade. the present studies focused on gene expression associated with caspase cascade after normal human dermal fibroblasts (nhdf) infection with borrelia garinii, borrelia afzelii, and b. burgdorferi s.s. the use of oligonucleotide microarray technique enabled an expression level comparison ...201728068192
role of vitamin d in the hygiene hypothesis: the interplay between vitamin d, vitamin d receptors, gut microbiota, and immune response.the hygiene hypothesis postulates that higher levels of cleanliness and improper exposure to microorganisms early in childhood could disturb the intestinal microbiome resulting in abnormal immune responses. recently, more attention has been put on how a lack of sun exposure and consequently vitamin d deficiency could lead to less immune tolerance and aberrant immune responses. moreover, vitamin d receptor (vdr) function has been positioned to be a critical aspect of immune response and gut homeo ...201628066436
borrelia miyamotoi in vectors and hosts in the netherlands.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 ...201728065617
[extensive myelitis as a manifestation of neuroborreliosis].neurological manifestations of lyme disease are reported in 3% - 12% of patients, with the most common form of presentation being meningoradiculitis. other symptoms involving the central nervous system, such as myelitis or encephalitis, are rare (< 5 %). 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 ...201628060695
a case of lyme disease accompanied by uveitis and white dot syndrome.in this case report we aimed to present a case of lyme disease presenting as peripheral retinal vasculitis, intermediate uveitis and multifocal white dots in the posterior pole. the patient exhibited vitritis and snowball opacities in both eyes. a diagnosis of lyme disease was made based on clinical, angiographic and laboratory findings. fundus fluorescein angiography revealed optic nerve and retinal venous leakage as well as multiple hyperfluorescent foci in both eyes. the patient's symptoms an ...201628058168
lyme disease risk in southern california: abiotic and environmental drivers of ixodes pacificus (acari: ixodidae) density and infection prevalence with borrelia burgdorferi.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 the factors influencing the distribution, abundance and infection prevalence of vector species. in north america, lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease and is transmitted by blacklegged ticks. this study aimed to explore the abiotic and environmental drivers of density and infe ...201728057067
temperature-dependent srna transcriptome of the lyme disease spirochete.transmission of borrelia burgdorferi from its tick vector to a vertebrate host requires extensive reprogramming of gene expression. small regulatory rnas (srna) have emerged in the last decade as important regulators of bacterial gene expression. despite the widespread observation of srna-mediated gene regulation, only one srna has been characterized in the lyme disease spirochete b. burgdorferi. we employed an srna-specific deep-sequencing approach to identify the small rna transcriptome of b. ...201728056764
diagnosing borreliosis.borrelia species fall into two groups, the borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (bbsl) complex, the cause of lyme borreliosis (also known as lyme disease), and the relapsing fever group. both groups exhibit inter- and intraspecies diversity and thus have variations in both clinical presentation and diagnostic approaches. a further layer of complexity is derived from the fact that ticks may carry multiple infectious agents and are able to transmit them to the host during blood feeding, with potential ...201728055580
lymphocytoma cutis: diagnostic enigma for the maxillofacial surgeon.cutaneous lymphoid hyperplasia (clh) is a cutaneous pseudolymphoma with a worldwide distribution, equally affecting all races and ethnic groups. due to its vast array of characteristics, it is most often missed in the differential diagnosis of firm to soft lumps on the head and neck. a systematic approach to the workup and diagnosis along with treatment of such lesions is discussed in this article. a 20-year-old asian indian female presented to our oral and maxillofacial unit with a lump on the ...201628053910
cancrum oris (noma): the role of nutrition in management.cancrum oris (noma) is caused by the spirochete borrelia vincenti in association with anaerobic bacteria, commonly a member of the fusobacteria. the disease occurs in deprived and undernourished individuals with poor hygiene. we present a case of clinically diagnosed cancrum oris in a 2-year old child in sub-saharan africa that was conservatively managed by wound care and hyperalimentation. as the underlying factor and cause of mortality from noma is the immune depression of malnutrition, the ro ...201628053869
cancrum oris (noma): the role of nutrition in management.cancrum oris (noma) is caused by the spirochete borrelia vincenti in association with anaerobic bacteria, commonly a member of the fusobacteria. the disease occurs in deprived and undernourished individuals with poor hygiene. we present a case of clinically diagnosed cancrum oris in a 2-year old child in sub-saharan africa that was conservatively managed by wound care and hyperalimentation. as the underlying factor and cause of mortality from noma is the immune depression of malnutrition, the ro ...201628053869
macrophage ltb4 drives efficient phagocytosis of borrelia burgdorferi via blt1 or blt2.unresolved experimental lyme arthritis in c3h 5-lipoxygenase (5-lox)(-/-) mice is associated with impaired macrophage phagocytosis of borrelia burgdorferi in the present study, we further investigated the effects of the 5-lox metabolite, leukotriene (lt)b4 on phagocytosis of b. burgdorferi bone marrow-derived macrophages (bmdms) from 5-lox(-/-) mice were defective in the uptake and killing of b. burgdorferi from the earliest stages of spirochete internalization. bmdms from mice deficient for the ...201728053185
spermine and spermidine alter gene expression and antigenic profile of borrelia burgdorferi.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, ...201728052993
unusual presentation of gianotti-crosti syndrome due to epstein-barr virus infection.gianotti-crosti syndrome (gcs) is viral exanthema of childhood. it typically presents with a symmetric erythematous papular and papulovesicular eruption. it has been classically associated with hepatitis b virus, as well as rarely with epstein-barr virus (ebv). we report a case of gcs related to ebv infection without the classical systemic symptoms in a five-year-old male patient.201628050291
catestatin and vasostatin concentrations in healthy dogs.the neuroendocrine glycoprotein chromogranin a is a useful biomarker in humans for neuroendocrine tumors and stress. chromogranin a can be measured in both blood and saliva. the objective of this study was to investigate concentrations of and correlation between the chromogranin a epitopes catestatin and vasostatin in healthy dogs accustomed to the sample collection procedures. blood and saliva samples were collected from 10 research beagle dogs twice daily for 5 consecutive days, and from 33 pr ...201728049540
infectious agents and neurodegenerative diseases: exploring the links.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 process ...201728049398
rare cause of bilateral sudden deafness.in this paper, we describe the case of a 62-year-old female with recurring episodes of sudden deafness with vertigo and facial paresis. within a month's time, this resulted in bilateral deafness and vestibular areflexia. erroneously, the patient was diagnosed with sudden deafness of unknown origin and subsequently with neuroborreliosis (lyme disease). the true diagnosis of relapsing polychondritis (rp) was revealed 9 months after initial presentation. the diagnostic delay is in part explained by ...201628049117
simultaneous combined myositis, inflammatory polyneuropathy, and overlap myasthenic syndrome.immune-mediated neuromuscular disorders include pathologies of the peripheral nervous system, neuromuscular junction, and muscles. if overlap syndromes (or the association of almost two autoimmune disorders) are recognized, the simultaneous occurrence of several autoimmune neuromuscular disorders is rare. we describe two patients presenting the simultaneous occurrence of inflammatory neuropathy, myositis, and myasthenia gravis (with positive acetylcholine receptor antibodies). for each patient, ...201628044116
polymorphism of 41 kd flagellin gene and its human b-cell epitope in borrelia burgdorferi strains of china.the 41 kd flagellin of borrelia burgdorferi (b. burgdorferi) is a major component of periplasmic flagellar filament core and a good candidate for serodiagnosis in early stage of lyme disease. here, we chose 89 b. burgdorferi strains in china, amplified the gene encoding the 41 kd flagellin, and compared the sequences. the results showed that genetic diversity presented in the 41 kd flagellin genes of all 89 strains among the four genotypes of b. burgdorferi, especially in the genotype of b. gari ...201628042565
the upside of bias: a case of chronic meningitis due to sporothrix schenckii in an immunocompetent host.chronic meningitis of unknown etiology is a vexing illness for patients and clinicians. identification of the correct pathogen can be challenging and time consuming, leading to delays in appropriate treatment. although sporothrix schenckii is a recognized and treatable cause of chronic meningitis, neurologists and infectious diseases physicians may not regularly evaluate for sporothrix infection. we describe an immunocompetent patient with chronic meningitis who partially responded to empiric fl ...201628042367
the upside of bias: a case of chronic meningitis due to sporothrix schenckii in an immunocompetent host.chronic meningitis of unknown etiology is a vexing illness for patients and clinicians. identification of the correct pathogen can be challenging and time consuming, leading to delays in appropriate treatment. although sporothrix schenckii is a recognized and treatable cause of chronic meningitis, neurologists and infectious diseases physicians may not regularly evaluate for sporothrix infection. we describe an immunocompetent patient with chronic meningitis who partially responded to empiric fl ...201628042367
enzootic origins for clinical manifestations of lyme borreliosis.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 ma ...201728040562
establishment of an artificial tick feeding system to study theileria lestoquardi infection.the establishment of good experimental models for theileria sp. infection is important for theileriosis research. routinely, infection of ticks is accomplished by feeding on parasite-infected animals (sheep, cows and horses), which raises practical and ethical problems, driving the search for alternative methods of tick infection. artificial tick feeding systems are based mainly on rearing ticks on host-derived or hand-made artificial membranes. we developed a modified feeding assay for infectin ...201628036364
serological surveillance of vector-borne and zoonotic diseases among hunters in eastern poland.many etiological agents of zoonoses are considered as significant biological hazard to people visiting forested areas frequently, for instance, hunters. they may be exposed to ticks, rodents, and birds as well as excreta/secretions of wild animals or contaminated water and soil. hence, this population is at risk of contracting infection with pathogens such as borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), anaplasma phagocytophilum, babesia spp., tick-borne encephalitis virus, bartonella spp., francisel ...201628035113
the incidence of borrelia burgdorferi, anaplasma phagocytophilum and babesia microti coinfections among foresters and farmers in eastern poland.lyme borreliosis is the most common tick-borne disease in europe and the usa. however, a great variety of pathogens are transmitted by ticks, which results in mixed infections, with lyme borreliosis. the aim of the present study was to show the incidence of borrelia burgdorferi, anaplasma phagocytophilum, and babesia microti coinfections among the population of foresters and farmers, as these people, due to their profession, are particularly exposed to tick contact.201628035112
sandfly fever with skin lesions: a case series from turkey.sand fly fever (sf) is an arthropod-borne viral disease, also known as "phlebotomus fever", "mosquito fever", three-day fever or "papatacci fever". it is transmitted by phlebotomus papatasi, starts with acute onset of high fever, and lasts for three days. we present first cases in a different district of turkey with the clinical findings of fever, myalgia-arthralgia, headache, gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhoea and nausea-vomiting and skin lesions (in two of them). all the patients were ...201628032114
whole genome sequence and comparative genomics of the novel lyme borreliosis causing pathogen, borrelia mayonii.borrelia mayonii, a borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (bbsl) genospecies, was recently identified as a cause of lyme borreliosis (lb) among patients from the upper midwestern united states. by microscopy and pcr, spirochete/genome loads in infected patients were estimated at 105 to 106 per milliliter of blood. here, we present the full chromosome and plasmid sequences of two b. mayonii isolates, mn14-1420 and mn14-1539, cultured from blood of two of these patients. whole genome sequencing and asse ...201628030649
prevalence and diversity of tick-borne pathogens in nymphal ixodes scapularis (acari: ixodidae) in eastern national parks.tick-borne pathogens transmitted by ixodes scapularis say (acari: ixodidae), also known as the deer tick or blacklegged tick, are increasing in incidence and geographic distribution in the united states. we examined the risk of tick-borne disease exposure in 9 national parks across six northeastern and mid-atlantic states and the district of columbia in 2014 and 2015. to assess the recreational risk to park visitors, we sampled for ticks along frequently used trails and calculated the density of ...201628028138
pseudomonas aeruginosa enolase influences bacterial tolerance to oxidative stresses and virulence.pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram negative opportunistic pathogenic bacterium, which causes acute and chronic infections. upon entering the host, bacteria alter global gene expression to adapt to host environment and avoid clearance by the host. enolase is a glycolytic enzyme involved in carbon metabolism. it is also a component of rna degradosome, which is involved in rna processing and gene regulation. here, we report that enolase is required for the virulence of p. aeruginosa in a murine acute ...201628018326
combined whole-cell high-throughput functional screening for identification of new nicotinamidases/pyrazinamidases in metagenomic/polygenomic libraries.nicotinamidases catalyze the hydrolysis of the amide bond in nicotinamide (nam) to produce ammonia and nicotinic acid (na). these enzymes are an essential component of the nad(+) salvage pathway and are implicated in the viability of several pathogenic organisms. its absence in humans makes them a promising drug target. in addition, although they are key analytical biocatalysts for screening modulators in relevant biomedical enzymes, such as sirtuins and poly-adp-ribosyltransferases, no commerci ...201628018295
evaluation of doxycycline-laden oral bait and topical fipronil delivered in a single bait box to control ixodes scapularis (acari: ixodidae) and reduce borrelia burgdorferi and anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in small mammal reservoirs and host-seeking ticks.a field trial was conducted on residential properties in a lyme disease endemic area of new jersey to determine the efficacy of maxforce tick management system (tms) bait boxes modified with doxycycline hyclate-laden bait to reduce the acarological risk of lyme disease and the utility of galvanized steel shrouds to protect the bait boxes from squirrel depredation and ability to routinely service these devices. the strategy began with a 9-wk deployment against larvae followed by a 17-wk deploymen ...201628011722
succinyl-β-cyclodextrin modified gold biochip improved seroimmunological detection sensitivity for lyme disease.cyclodextrin (cd) is a kind of cyclic oligosaccharides, which forms host-guest interactions with hydrophobic molecules and is widely applied in capillary electrophoresis and pharmaceutical engineering. 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 immo ...201728010742
topical azithromycin for the prevention of lyme borreliosis: a randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 efficacy trial.lyme borreliosis develops in 1-5% of individuals bitten by ticks, but with a diagnostic gap affecting up to 30% of patients, a broadly applicable pharmacological prevention strategy is needed. topical azithromycin effectively eradicated borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato from the skin in preclinical studies. we assessed its efficacy in human beings.201728007428
[follow-up of patients with ixodes tick-borne borrelioses caused by borrelia miyamotoi or borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato].ixodes tick-borne borrelioses (itbb) are caused by two different spirochetes: borrelia from the group of borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, the agents of the classic lyme borreliosis (lb), and borrelia miyamotoi that belongs to the group of borrelia causing tick-borne relapsing fevers. itbb caused by b. miyamotoi (bm-itbb) is a previously unknown infectious disease discovered in russia. it is known that the lb sequelae may reduce the long-term life guality of convalescents.201628005031
ordered membrane domain-forming properties of the lipids of borrelia burgdorferi.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 phosphatid ...201628002743
the accuracy of diagnostic tests for lyme disease in humans, a systematic review and meta-analysis of north american research.there has been an increasing incidence of lyme disease (ld) in canada and the united states corresponding to the expanding range of the ixodes tick vector and lyme disease agent (borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto). there are many diagnostic tests for ld available in north america, all of which have some performance issues, and physicians are concerned about the appropriate use and interpretation of these tests. the objective of this systematic review is to summarize the north american evidence ...201628002488
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