Publications

the generalist tick ixodes ricinus and the specialist tick ixodes trianguliceps on shrews and rodents in a northern forest ecosystem--a role of body size even among small hosts.	understanding aggregation of ticks on hosts and attachment of life stages to different host species, are central components for understanding tick-borne disease epidemiology. the generalist tick, ixodes ricinus, is a well-known vector of lyme borrelioses, while the specialist tick, ixodes trianguliceps, feeding only on small mammals, may play a role in maintaining infection levels in hosts. in a northern forest in norway, we aimed to quantify the role of different small mammal species in feeding ...	2015	26671686
facial nerve paralysis in children.	facial nerve palsy is a condition with several implications, particularly when occurring in childhood. it represents a serious clinical problem as it causes significant concerns in doctors because of its etiology, its treatment options and its outcome, as well as in little patients and their parents, because of functional and aesthetic outcomes. there are several described causes of facial nerve paralysis in children, as it can be congenital (due to delivery traumas and genetic or malformative d ...	2015	26677445
tick-borne zoonotic pathogens in birds in guangxi, southwest china.	wildlife is an important natural reservoir of many tick-borne pathogens. these agents have an impact on the health of humans and other animals throughout the world. this study was conducted to determine whether and what species of tick-borne agents had infected wild birds collected from guangxi, in southwest china.	2015	26666827
morbus behçet - a rare disease in central europe.	behçet's disease (bd) is a multiorgan inflammatory disease of complex and not entirely elucidated etiology, which was originally diagnosed in patients with aphthous stomatitis, genital ulcerations and ocular manifestations. the entity is endemic in countries of eastern and central asia, especially turkey and iran, but rarely seen in central europe. as there are no specific diagnostic laboratory tests or histopathologic findings which confirm the preliminary diagnosis, the final diagnosis should ...	2015	26788079
transient spurious intrathecal immunoglobulin synthesis in neurological patients after therapeutic apheresis.	the analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (csf) is usually done under steady-state conditions, when proteins (e.g., immunoglobulins) reach diffusion equilibrium between blood and csf. however, little data has been published on csf analysis under non-steady-state conditions after therapeutic apheresis. by reducing serum proteins (e.g., immunoglobulins), while leaving csf unchanged, therapeutic apheresis might cause spuriously altered intrathecal immunoglobulin fractions.	2015	26830688
habitat and vegetation variables are not enough when predicting tick populations in the southeastern united states.	two tick-borne diseases with expanding case and vector distributions are ehrlichiosis (transmitted by amblyomma americanum) and rickettiosis (transmitted by a. maculatum and dermacentor variabilis). there is a critical need to identify the specific habitats where each of these species is likely to be encountered to classify and pinpoint risk areas. consequently, an in-depth tick prevalence study was conducted on the dominant ticks in the southeast. vegetation, soil, and remote sensing data were ...	2015	26656122
correlative cryo-fluorescence and cryo-scanning electron microscopy as a straightforward tool to study host-pathogen interactions.	correlative light and electron microscopy is an imaging technique that enables identification and targeting of fluorescently tagged structures with subsequent imaging at near-to-nanometer resolution. we established a novel correlative cryo-fluorescence microscopy and cryo-scanning electron microscopy workflow, which enables imaging of the studied object of interest very close to its natural state, devoid of artifacts caused for instance by slow chemical fixation. this system was tested by invest ...	2015	26658551
anti-complement activity of the ixodes scapularis salivary protein salp20.	complement, a major component of innate immunity, presents a rapid and robust defense of the intravascular space. while regulatory proteins protect host cells from complement attack, when these measures fail, unrestrained complement activation may trigger self-tissue injury, leading to pathologic conditions. of the three complement activation pathways, the alternative pathway (ap) in particular has been implicated in numerous disease and injury states. consequently, the ap components represent a ...	2015	26675068
anti-complement activity of the ixodes scapularis salivary protein salp20.	complement, a major component of innate immunity, presents a rapid and robust defense of the intravascular space. while regulatory proteins protect host cells from complement attack, when these measures fail, unrestrained complement activation may trigger self-tissue injury, leading to pathologic conditions. of the three complement activation pathways, the alternative pathway (ap) in particular has been implicated in numerous disease and injury states. consequently, the ap components represent a ...	2015	26675068
dna data visualization (ddv): software for generating web-based interfaces supporting navigation and analysis of dna sequence data of entire genomes.	data visualization methods are necessary during the exploration and analysis activities of an increasingly data-intensive scientific process. there are few existing visualization methods for raw nucleotide sequences of a whole genome or chromosome. software for data visualization should allow the researchers to create accessible data visualization interfaces that can be exported and shared with others on the web. herein, novel software developed for generating dna data visualization interfaces i ...	2015	26636979
phylogeographic structure of the white-footed mouse and the deer mouse, two lyme disease reservoir hosts in québec.	modification of a species range is one of many consequences of climate change and is driving the emergence of lyme disease in eastern canada. the primary reservoir host of the bacteria responsible for lyme disease, borrelia burgdorferi, is the white-footed mouse (peromyscus leucopus), whose range is rapidly shifting north into southern québec. the deer mouse, p. maniculatus, is occurring over most québec province and is a less competent host for b. burgdorferi. here, we compared the phylogeograp ...	2015	26633555
novel structural components contribute to the high thermal stability of acyl carrier protein from enterococcus faecalis.	enterococcus faecalis is a gram-positive, commensal bacterium that lives in the gastrointestinal tracts of humans and other mammals. it causes severe infections because of high antibiotic resistance. e. faecalis can endure extremes of temperature and ph. acyl carrier protein (acp) is a key element in the biosynthesis of fatty acids responsible for acyl group shuttling and delivery. in this study, to understand the origin of high thermal stabilities of e. faecalis acp (ef-acp), its solution struc ...	2015	26631734
novel structural components contribute to the high thermal stability of acyl carrier protein from enterococcus faecalis.	enterococcus faecalis is a gram-positive, commensal bacterium that lives in the gastrointestinal tracts of humans and other mammals. it causes severe infections because of high antibiotic resistance. e. faecalis can endure extremes of temperature and ph. acyl carrier protein (acp) is a key element in the biosynthesis of fatty acids responsible for acyl group shuttling and delivery. in this study, to understand the origin of high thermal stabilities of e. faecalis acp (ef-acp), its solution struc ...	2015	26631734
editorial: cd1- and mr1-restricted t cells in antimicrobial immunity.		2015	26697007
emerging horizons for tick-borne pathogens: from the 'one pathogen-one disease' vision to the pathobiome paradigm.	ticks, as vectors of several notorious zoonotic pathogens, represent an important and increasing threat for human and animal health in europe. recent applications of new technology revealed the complexity of the tick microbiome, which may affect its vectorial capacity. appreciation of these complex systems is expanding our understanding of tick-borne pathogens, leading us to evolve a more integrated view that embraces the 'pathobiome'; the pathogenic agent integrated within its abiotic and bioti ...	2015	26610021
unilateral sequential papillophlebitis and central retinal artery occlusion in a young healthy patient.	a 23-year-old girl presented to the clinic with metamorphopsia and photopsia in her left eye. after detailed ophthalmic examination, central retinal vein occlusion with optic disc edema was detected in that eye. three days after diagnosis, the patient returned to our clinic with visual acuity decrease. central retinal artery occlusion sparing cilioretinal artery was detected. all the laboratory tests were normal except for heterozygous methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase mutation (a1298c genotyp ...	2015	26862099
gis and remote sensing use in the exploration of lyme disease epidemiology.	given the relatively recent recognition of lyme disease (ld) by cdc in 1990 as a nationally notifiable infectious condition, the rise of reported human cases every year argues for a better understanding of its geographic scope. the aim of this inquiry was to explore research conducted on spatiotemporal patterns of lyme disease in order to identify strategies for implementing vector and reservoir-targeted interventions. the focus of this review is on the use of gis-based methods to study populati ...	2015	26633445
tickborne lymphadenopathy complicated by acute myopericarditis, spain.		2015	26584361
taking care of our professional responsibility to prescribe - for ourselves, our children, and our community.		2015	26663928
human coinfection with borrelia burgdorferi and babesia microti in the united states.	borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of lyme disease, and babesia microti, a causative agent of babesiosis, are increasingly implicated in the growing tick-borne disease burden in the northeastern united states. these pathogens are transmitted via the bite of an infected tick vector, ixodes scapularis, which is capable of harboring and inoculating a host with multiple pathogens simultaneously. clinical presentation of the diseases is heterogeneous and ranges from mild flu-like symptoms to n ...	2015	26697208
choroidal neovascularization associated with punctate inner choroidopathy: combination of intravitreal anti-vegf and systemic immunosuppressive therapy.	choroidal neovascularization (cnv) associated with punctate inner choroidopathy (pic) is a rare clinical entity, yet still a challenge for medical treatment. a case of a young myopic woman developing cnv secondary to unilateral pic is presented. clinical morphology, diagnostic procedure and follow-up are reported.	2015	26955337
making green infrastructure healthier infrastructure.	increasing urban green and blue structure is often pointed out to be critical for sustainable development and climate change adaptation, which has led to the rapid expansion of greening activities in cities throughout the world. this process is likely to have a direct impact on the citizens' quality of life and public health. however, alongside numerous benefits, green and blue infrastructure also has the potential to create unexpected, undesirable, side-effects for health. this paper considers ...	2015	26615823
methodological quality of guidelines for management of lyme neuroborreliosis.	many aspects of clinical management of lyme neuroborreliosis are subject to intense debates. guidelines show considerable variability in their recommendations, leading to divergent treatment regimes. the most pronounced differences in recommendations exist between guidelines from scientific societies and from patient advocacy groups. assessment of the methodological quality of these contradictory guideline recommendations can be helpful for healthcare professionals.	2015	26607686
natural history collections-based research: progress, promise, and best practices.	specimens and associated data in natural history collections (nhcs) foster substantial scientific progress. in this paper, we explore recent contributions of nhcs to the study of systematics and biogeography, genomics, morphology, stable isotope ecology, and parasites and pathogens of mammals. to begin to assess the magnitude and scope of these contributions, we analyzed publications in the journal of mammalogy over the last decade, as well as recent research supported by a single university mam ...	2015	26989266
natural history collections-based research: progress, promise, and best practices.	specimens and associated data in natural history collections (nhcs) foster substantial scientific progress. in this paper, we explore recent contributions of nhcs to the study of systematics and biogeography, genomics, morphology, stable isotope ecology, and parasites and pathogens of mammals. to begin to assess the magnitude and scope of these contributions, we analyzed publications in the journal of mammalogy over the last decade, as well as recent research supported by a single university mam ...	2015	26989266
ixodes scapularis dystroglycan-like protein promotes borrelia burgdorferi migration from the gut.	the causative agent of lyme borreliosis, borrelia burgdorferi, is transmitted by ixodes ticks. during tick feeding, b. burgdorferi migrates from the tick gut to the salivary glands from where transmission to the host occurs. b. burgdorferi-interacting tick proteins might serve as vaccine targets to thwart b. burgdorferi transmission. a previous screening for b. burgdorferi-interacting ixodes scapularis gut proteins identified an i. scapularis putative dystroglycan protein (iscw015049). here, we ...	2015	26594018
ixodes scapularis dystroglycan-like protein promotes borrelia burgdorferi migration from the gut.	the causative agent of lyme borreliosis, borrelia burgdorferi, is transmitted by ixodes ticks. during tick feeding, b. burgdorferi migrates from the tick gut to the salivary glands from where transmission to the host occurs. b. burgdorferi-interacting tick proteins might serve as vaccine targets to thwart b. burgdorferi transmission. a previous screening for b. burgdorferi-interacting ixodes scapularis gut proteins identified an i. scapularis putative dystroglycan protein (iscw015049). here, we ...	2015	26594018
in vitro evaluation of antibacterial activity of phytochemicals and micronutrients against borrelia burgdorferi and borrelia garinii.	little is known about the effects of phytochemicals against borrelia sp. causing lyme disease. current therapeutic approach to this disease is limited to antibiotics. this study examined the anti-borreliae efficacy of several plant-derived compounds and micronutrients.	2015	26457476
coinfection by ixodes tick-borne pathogens: ecological, epidemiological, and clinical consequences.	ixodes ticks maintain a large and diverse array of human pathogens in the enzootic cycle, including borrelia burgdorferi and babesia microti. despite the poor ecological fitness of b. microti, babesiosis has recently emerged in areas endemic for lyme disease. studies in ticks, reservoir hosts, and humans indicate that coinfection with b. burgdorferi and b. microti is common, promotes transmission and emergence of b. microti in the enzootic cycle, and causes greater disease severity and duration ...	2015	26613664
coinfection by ixodes tick-borne pathogens: ecological, epidemiological, and clinical consequences.	ixodes ticks maintain a large and diverse array of human pathogens in the enzootic cycle, including borrelia burgdorferi and babesia microti. despite the poor ecological fitness of b. microti, babesiosis has recently emerged in areas endemic for lyme disease. studies in ticks, reservoir hosts, and humans indicate that coinfection with b. burgdorferi and b. microti is common, promotes transmission and emergence of b. microti in the enzootic cycle, and causes greater disease severity and duration ...	2015	26613664
infections and mixed infections with the selected species of borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex in ixodes ricinus ticks collected in eastern poland: a significant increase in the course of 5 years.	in the years 2008-2009 and 2013-2014, 1620 and 1500 questing ixodes ricinus ticks, respectively, were examined on the territory of the lublin province (eastern poland). the presence of three pathogenic species causing lyme disease was investigated: borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, b. afzelii and b. garinii. the proportion of i. ricinus ticks infected with b. burgdorferi sensu lato showed a highly significant increase between 2008-2009 and 2013-2014, from 6.0 to 15.3%. a significant increase w ...	2015	26590929
infections and mixed infections with the selected species of borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex in ixodes ricinus ticks collected in eastern poland: a significant increase in the course of 5 years.	in the years 2008-2009 and 2013-2014, 1620 and 1500 questing ixodes ricinus ticks, respectively, were examined on the territory of the lublin province (eastern poland). the presence of three pathogenic species causing lyme disease was investigated: borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, b. afzelii and b. garinii. the proportion of i. ricinus ticks infected with b. burgdorferi sensu lato showed a highly significant increase between 2008-2009 and 2013-2014, from 6.0 to 15.3%. a significant increase w ...	2015	26590929
evaluation of the leptospira interrogans outer membrane protein ompl37 as a vaccine candidate.	the identification of potential vaccine candidates against leptospirosis remains a challenge. however, one such candidate is ompl37, a potentially surface-exposed antigen that has the highest elastin-binding ability described to date, suggesting that it plays an important role in host colonization. in order to evaluate ompl37's ability to induce a protective immune response, prime-boost, dna and subunit vaccine strategies were tested in the hamster model of lethal leptospirosis. the humoral immu ...	2015	26588685
detection of canine vector-borne diseases in eastern poland by elisa and pcr.	the aim of the study was to establish the prevalence of ehrlichia canis, anaplasma phagocytophilum and borrelia burgdorferi in dogs in eastern poland and to determine the factors associated with exposure (seroposity) or infection (pcr). anti-a. phagocytophilum, anti-b. burgdorferi and anti-e. canis antibodies were determined in 400 dogs, using the snap 4dx ® test (idexx laboratories). in addition, pcrs were performed for the detection of e. canis, a. phagocytophilum and b. burgdorferi dna. in re ...	2015	26581374
detection of canine vector-borne diseases in eastern poland by elisa and pcr.	the aim of the study was to establish the prevalence of ehrlichia canis, anaplasma phagocytophilum and borrelia burgdorferi in dogs in eastern poland and to determine the factors associated with exposure (seroposity) or infection (pcr). anti-a. phagocytophilum, anti-b. burgdorferi and anti-e. canis antibodies were determined in 400 dogs, using the snap 4dx ® test (idexx laboratories). in addition, pcrs were performed for the detection of e. canis, a. phagocytophilum and b. burgdorferi dna. in re ...	2015	26581374
intestinal spirochaetes (genus brachyspira) colonise wild birds in the southern atlantic region and antarctica.	the genus brachyspira contains well-known enteric pathogens of veterinary significance, suggested agents of colonic disease in humans, and one potentially zoonotic agent. there are recent studies showing that brachyspira are more widespread in the wildlife community than previously thought. there are no records of this genus in wildlife from the southern atlantic region and antarctica. our aim was therefore, to determine whether intestinal spirochaetes of genus brachyspira colonise marine and co ...	2015	26584828
long-term intrinsic rhythm evaluation in dogs with atrioventricular block.	atrioventricular block (avb) is a conduction abnormality along the atrioventricular node that, depending on etiology, may lead to different outcomes.	2015	26572234
long-term intrinsic rhythm evaluation in dogs with atrioventricular block.	atrioventricular block (avb) is a conduction abnormality along the atrioventricular node that, depending on etiology, may lead to different outcomes.	2015	26572234
dysuria, urinary retention, and inguinal pain as manifestation of sacral bannwarth syndrome.	only few cases with sacral radiculitis due to infection with borrelia burgdorferi leading to neurogenic urinary dysfunction have been reported. a 57-year-old male developed urethral pain and urinary retention, requiring permanent catheterization. extensive urological investigations did not reveal a specific cause, which was why neurogenic bladder dysfunction was suspected. neurologic exam revealed only mildly reduced tendon reflexes. cerebral and spinal mri were noninformative. csf investigation ...	2015	26664404
bacterial motility reveals unknown molecular organization.	the water solubility of lyotropic liquid crystals (lcs) makes them very attractive to study the behavior of biological microorganisms in an environment where local symmetry is broken (as often encountered in nature). several recent studies have shown a dramatic change in the behavior of flagellated bacteria when swimming in solutions of the lyotropic lc disodium cromoglycate (dscg). in this study, the movements of escherichia coli bacteria in dscg-water solutions of different concentrations are ...	2015	26588572
insights into the development of ixodes scapularis: a resource for research on a medically important tick species.	ticks (acari: ixodida) are arthropod ectoparasites dependent on a bloodmeal from a vertebrate host at each developmental stage for completion of their life cycle. this tick feeding cycle impacts animal health by causing damage to hides, secondary infections, immune reactions and diseases caused by transmission of pathogens. the genus ixodes includes several medically important species that vector diseases, including granulocytic anaplasmosis and lyme disease. i. scapularis, commonly called the b ...	2015	26576940
anti-leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1 limbic encephalitis: a case report and literature review.	this study describes the case of a 41-year-old woman admitted for anterograde memory loss, right facial grimacing and right arm posturing that had begun 1 month previously. cranial magnetic resonance-diffusion weighted imaging and -fluid-attenuated inversion recovery imaging revealed a hyperintense signal in the left hippocampus and right basal ganglia, but no contrast enhancement. an electroencephalogram revealed rhythmic sharp and slow waves and rhythmic θ build-ups in the left temporal area. ...	2015	26889260
anti-leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1 limbic encephalitis: a case report and literature review.	this study describes the case of a 41-year-old woman admitted for anterograde memory loss, right facial grimacing and right arm posturing that had begun 1 month previously. cranial magnetic resonance-diffusion weighted imaging and -fluid-attenuated inversion recovery imaging revealed a hyperintense signal in the left hippocampus and right basal ganglia, but no contrast enhancement. an electroencephalogram revealed rhythmic sharp and slow waves and rhythmic θ build-ups in the left temporal area. ...	2015	26889260
avian migrants facilitate invasions of neotropical ticks and tick-borne pathogens into the united states.	migratory birds have the potential to transport exotic vectors and pathogens of human and animal health importance across vast distances. we systematically examined birds that recently migrated to the united states from the neotropics for ticks. we screened both ticks and birds for tick-borne pathogens, including rickettsia species and borrelia burgdorferi. over two spring seasons (2013 and 2014), 3.56% of birds (n = 3,844) representing 42.35% of the species examined (n = 85) were infested by ti ...	2015	26431964
investigating the roles of the c-terminal domain of plasmodium falciparum gyra.	malaria remains as one of the most deadly diseases in developing countries. the plasmodium causative agents of human malaria such as plasmodium falciparum possess an organelle, the apicoplast, which is the result of secondary endosymbiosis and retains its own circular dna. a type ii topoisomerase, dna gyrase, is present in the apicoplast. in prokaryotes this enzyme is a proven, effective target for antibacterial agents, and its discovery in p. falciparum opens up the prospect of exploiting it as ...	2015	26566222
the plasmodium falciparum blood stages acquire factor h family proteins to evade destruction by human complement.	the acquisition of regulatory proteins is a means of blood-borne pathogens to avoid destruction by the human complement. we recently showed that the gametes of the human malaria parasite plasmodium falciparum bind factor h (fh) from the blood meal of the mosquito vector to assure successful sexual reproduction, which takes places in the mosquito midgut. while these findings provided a first glimpse of a complex mechanism used by plasmodium to control the host immune attack, it is hitherto not kn ...	2015	26457721
the plasmodium falciparum blood stages acquire factor h family proteins to evade destruction by human complement.	the acquisition of regulatory proteins is a means of blood-borne pathogens to avoid destruction by the human complement. we recently showed that the gametes of the human malaria parasite plasmodium falciparum bind factor h (fh) from the blood meal of the mosquito vector to assure successful sexual reproduction, which takes places in the mosquito midgut. while these findings provided a first glimpse of a complex mechanism used by plasmodium to control the host immune attack, it is hitherto not kn ...	2015	26457721
effectiveness of stevia rebaudiana whole leaf extract against the various morphological forms of borrelia burgdorferi in vitro.	lyme disease is a tick-borne multisystemic disease caused by borrelia burgdorferi. administering antibiotics is the primary treatment for this disease; however, relapse often occurs when antibiotic treatment is discontinued. the reason for relapse remains unknown, but recent studies suggested the possibilities of the presence of antibiotic resistant borrelia persister cells and biofilms. in this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of whole leaf stevia extract against b. burgdorferi spirochetes ...	2015	26716015
coevolved mutations reveal distinct architectures for two core proteins in the bacterial flagellar motor.	switching of bacterial flagellar rotation is caused by large domain movements of the flig protein triggered by binding of the signal protein chey to flim. flig and flim form adjacent multi-subunit arrays within the basal body c-ring. the movements alter the interaction of the flig c-terminal (fligc) "torque" helix with the stator complexes. atomic models based on the salmonella entrovar c-ring electron microscopy reconstruction have implications for switching, but lack consensus on the relative ...	2015	26561852
outer membrane vesicles as platform vaccine technology.	outer membrane vesicles (omvs) are released spontaneously during growth by many gram-negative bacteria. they present a range of surface antigens in a native conformation and have natural properties like immunogenicity, self-adjuvation and uptake by immune cells which make them attractive for application as vaccines against pathogenic bacteria. in particular with neisseria meningitidis, they have been investigated extensively and an omv-containing meningococcal vaccine has recently been approved ...	2015	26912077
membrane topology and biochemical characterization of the escherichia coli baca undecaprenyl-pyrophosphate phosphatase.	several integral membrane proteins exhibiting undecaprenyl-pyrophosphate (c55-pp) phosphatase activity were previously identified in escherichia coli that belonged to two distinct protein families: the baca protein, which accounts for 75% of the c55-pp phosphatase activity detected in e. coli cell membranes, and three members of the pap2 phosphatidic acid phosphatase family, namely pgpb, ybjg and lpxt. this dephosphorylation step is required to provide the c55-p carrier lipid which plays a centr ...	2015	26560897
laboratory diagnosis of tick-borne african relapsing fevers: latest developments.	in africa, relapsing fevers caused by ectoparasite-borne borrelia species are transmitted by ticks, with the exception of borrelia recurrentis, which is a louse-borne spirochete. these tropical diseases are responsible for mild to deadly spirochetemia. cultured borrelia crocidurae, borrelia duttonii, and borrelia hispanica circulate alongside at least six species that have not yet been cultured in vectors. direct diagnosis is hindered by the use of non-specific laboratory tools. indeed, microsco ...	2015	26618151
virulence of recurrent infestations with borrelia-infected ticks in a borrelia-amplifying bird.	lyme disease cases caused by borrelia burgdorferi s.l. bacteria is increasing steadily in europe, in part due to the expansion of the vector, ixodes ricinus. wild reservoir hosts are typically recurrently infested. understanding the impact of these cumulative parasite exposures on the host's health is, therefore, central to predict the distribution of tick populations and their pathogens. here, we have experimentally investigated the symptoms of disease caused by recurrent infestations in a comm ...	2015	26553505
lymphoma presenting as acute-onset dysphagia.	a 61-year-old man with recent bell's palsy developed acute vocal cord paralysis causing severe dysphagia. csf analysis showed elevated protein and a normal cell count; contrast-enhanced mri of the brain was normal. he was treated with ivig for a presumed bulbar-variant aidp and gradually improved. six months later, the patient developed rapidly progressive hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction. repeat mri revealed bilateral enhancement of the eighth cranial nerves and a hypercellular mass in t ...	2015	26635982
no evidence that infection alters global recombination rate in house mice.	recombination rate is a complex trait, with genetic and environmental factors shaping observed patterns of variation. although recent studies have begun to unravel the genetic basis of recombination rate differences between organisms, less attention has focused on the environmental determinants of crossover rates. here, we test the effect of one ubiquitous environmental pressure-bacterial infection-on global recombination frequency in mammals. we applied mlh1 mapping to assay global crossover ra ...	2015	26550833
quantification of borrelia burgdorferi membrane proteins in human serum: a new concept for detection of bacterial infection.	the borrelia burgdorferi spirochete is the causative agent of lyme disease, the most common tick-borne disease in the united states. the low abundance of bacterial proteins in human serum during infection imposes a challenge for early proteomic detection of lyme disease. to address this challenge, we propose to detect membrane proteins released from bacteria due to disruption of their plasma membrane triggered by the innate immune system. these membrane proteins can be separated from the bulk of ...	2015	26491962
blood-borne candidatus borrelia algerica in a patient with prolonged fever in oran, algeria.	to improve the knowledge base of borrelia in north africa, we tested 257 blood samples collected from febrile patients in oran, algeria, between january and december 2012 for borrelia species using flagellin gene polymerase chain reaction sequencing. a sequence indicative of a new borrelia sp. named candidatus borrelia algerica was detected in one blood sample. further multispacer sequence typing indicated this borrelia sp. had 97% similarity with borrelia crocidurae, borrelia duttonii, and borr ...	2015	26416117
application of nanotrap technology for high sensitivity measurement of urinary outer surface protein a carboxyl-terminus domain in early stage lyme borreliosis.	prompt antibiotic treatment of early stage lyme borreliosis (lb) prevents progression to severe multisystem disease. there is a clinical need to improve the diagnostic specificity of early stage lyme assays in the period prior to the mounting of a robust serology response. using a novel analyte harvesting nanotechnology, nanotrap particles, we evaluated urinary borrelia outer surface protein a (ospa) c-terminus peptide in early stage lb before and after treatment, and in patients suspected of la ...	2015	26537892
nuclear markers reveal predominantly north to south gene flow in ixodes scapularis, the tick vector of the lyme disease spirochete.	ixodes scapularis, the tick vector of the lyme disease spirochete, is distributed over most of the eastern united states, but >80% of all lyme disease cases occur in the northeast. the role that genetic differences between northern and southern tick populations play in explaining this disparate distribution of lyme disease cases is unclear. the present study was conducted with 1,155 snp markers in eight nuclear genes; the 16s mitochondrial gene was examined for comparison with earlier studies. w ...	2015	26536360
a 35-year-old man with a positive lyme test result from a private laboratory.		2015	26323702
lyme disease: how reliable are serologic results?		2015	26323708
spirochetal motility and chemotaxis in the natural enzootic cycle and development of lyme disease.	two-thirds of all bacterial genomes sequenced to-date possess an organelle for locomotion, referred to as flagella, periplasmic flagella or type iv pili. these genomes may also contain a chemotaxis-signaling system which governs flagellar rotation, thus leading a coordinated function for motility. motility and chemotaxis are often crucial for infection or disease process caused by pathogenic bacteria. although motility-associated genes are well-characterized in some organisms, the highly orchest ...	2015	26519910
the fur homologue bosr requires arg39 to activate rpos transcription in borrelia burgdorferi and thereby direct spirochaete infection in mice.	borrelia burgdorferi is the causative agent of lyme disease. in b. burgdorferi, rpos controls the expression of virulence genes needed for mammalian infection. the fur homologue bosr regulates the transcription of rpos and therefore bosr determines, albeit indirectly, the infection status of the spirochaete. transcription of rpos in b. burgdorferi is complex: rpos can be transcribed either from an rpod-dependent promoter to yield a long transcript or from an rpon-dependent promoter to yield a sh ...	2015	26318670
gianotti-crosti syndrome following immunization in an 18 months old child.	gianotti-crosti syndrome (gcs) is an uncommon dermatological condition characterized by distinct, self-limiting, symmetrical, erythematous, papulovesicular eruptions distributed mainly on the extremities, buttocks and face in young children. although gcs is commonly attributed to viral infections, vaccinations too can rarely precipitate this condition. we report a rare case of gcs following diptheria, pertussis, and tetanus (dpt) and oral polio immunisation in an 18-month-old child along with a ...	2015	26751677
sarcoidosis and the heart: a review of the literature.	sarcoidosis is a chronic multisystem disorder without any defined etiology. cardiac sarcoidosis (cs) is detected in 2-7% of patients with sarcoidosis and more than 20% of the cases of sarcoidosis are clinically silent. cardiac involvement in systemic sarcoidosis (ss) and isolated cardiac sarcoidosis (ics) are associated with arrhythmia and severe heart failure (hf) and have a poor prognosis. early diagnosis of cs and prompt initiation of corticosteroid therapy with or without other immunosuppres ...	2015	26668777
surveillance for borrelia burgdorferi in ixodes ticks and small rodents in british columbia.	to determine the prevalence of borrelia burgdorferi in british columbian ticks, fieldwork was conducted over a 2-year period. in all, 893 ticks (ixodes pacificus, i. angustus, i. soricis, ixodes spp., and dermacentor andersoni) of different life stages were retrieved from 483 small rodents (peromyscus maniculatus, perognathus parvus, and reithrodontomys megalotis). b. burgdorferi dna was detected in 5 out of 359 tick pools, and 41 out of 483 mice were serologically confirmed to have antibodies a ...	2015	26502354
the positive predictive value of lyme elisa for the diagnosis of lyme disease in children.	by using a lyme enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa), we demonstrated that high elisa index values are strongly predictive of lyme disease. in children with clinical presentations consistent with lyme disease, elisa index values ≥3.0 had a positive predictive value of 99.4% (95% confidence interval: 98.1-99.8%) for lyme disease, making a supplemental western immunoblot potentially unnecessary.	2015	26222064
no geographic correlation between lyme disease and death due to 4 neurodegenerative disorders, united states, 2001-2010.	associations between lyme disease and certain neurodegenerative diseases have been proposed, but supportive evidence for an association is lacking. similar geographic distributions would be expected if 2 conditions were etiologically linked. thus, we compared the distribution of lyme disease cases in the united states with the distributions of deaths due to alzheimer disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (als), multiple sclerosis (ms), and parkinson disease; no geographic correlations were iden ...	2015	26488307
major histocompatibility complex class ii dextramers: new tools for the detection of antigen-specific, cd4 t cells in basic and clinical research.	the advent of major histocompatibility complex (mhc) tetramer technology has been a major contribution to t cell immunology, because tetramer reagents permit detection of antigen-specific t cells at the single-cell level in heterogeneous populations by flow cytometry. however, unlike mhc class i tetramers, the utility of mhc class ii tetramers has been less frequently reported. mhc class ii tetramers can be used successfully to enumerate the frequencies of antigen-specific cd4 t cells in cells a ...	2015	26207337
serological survey of borrelia infection of dogs in sapporo, japan, where borrelia garinii infection was previously detected.	a serological survey of borrelia infection of dogs was performed in sapporo, japan, where borrelia garinii infection in dogs was detected in 2011. a total of 314 serum samples were collected from dogs that visited three animal hospitals in sapporo from 2012 to 2014. the two-step evaluation method, involving screening elisa followed by western blot analysis, was used to detect antibodies against borrelia species. a total of 34 samples were positive by elisa. among those 34 samples, 32 were positi ...	2015	26522809
serological survey of borrelia infection of dogs in sapporo, japan, where borrelia garinii infection was previously detected.	a serological survey of borrelia infection of dogs was performed in sapporo, japan, where borrelia garinii infection in dogs was detected in 2011. a total of 314 serum samples were collected from dogs that visited three animal hospitals in sapporo from 2012 to 2014. the two-step evaluation method, involving screening elisa followed by western blot analysis, was used to detect antibodies against borrelia species. a total of 34 samples were positive by elisa. among those 34 samples, 32 were positi ...	2015	26522809
poultry body temperature contributes to invasion control through reduced expression of salmonella pathogenicity island 1 genes in salmonella enterica serovars typhimurium and enteritidis.	salmonella enterica serovars typhimurium (s. typhimurium) and enteritidis (s. enteritidis) are foodborne pathogens, and outbreaks are often associated with poultry products. chickens are typically asymptomatic when colonized by these serovars; however, the factors contributing to this observation are uncharacterized. whereas symptomatic mammals have a body temperature between 37°c and 39°c, chickens have a body temperature of 41°c to 42°c. here, in vivo experiments using chicks demonstrated that ...	2015	26386070
treatment options for statin-associated muscle symptoms.	about 4.6 million persons in germany are now taking statins, i.e., drugs that inhibit the enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme a (hmgcoa) reductase. statins lower the concentration of low-density lipoproteins (ldl) and thereby lessen the rate of cardiovascular events; the size of this effect depends on the extent of lowering of the ldl cholesterol concentration. muscle symptoms are a clinically relevant side effect of statin treatment.	2015	26575138
primary cutaneous lymphomas: diagnosis and treatment.	primary cutaneous lymphomas (cls) are a heterogeneous group of lymphoproliferative neoplasms, with lymphatic proliferation limited to the skin with no involvement of lymph nodes, bone marrow or viscera at the diagnosis. cutaneous lymphomas originate from mature t-lymphocytes (65% of all cases), mature b-lymphocytes (25%) or nk cells. histopathological evaluation including immunophenotyping of the skin biopsy specimen is the basis of the diagnosis, which must be complemented with a precise stagin ...	2015	26759546
integration of ixodes ricinus genome sequencing with transcriptome and proteome annotation of the naïve midgut.	in europe, ixodes ricinus ticks are the most important vectors of diseases threatening humans, livestock, wildlife and companion animals. nevertheless, genomic sequence information is missing and functional annotation of transcripts and proteins is limited. this lack of information is restricting studies of the vector and its interactions with pathogens and hosts. here we present and integrate the first analysis of the i. ricinus genome with the transcriptome and proteome of the unfed i. ricinus ...	2015	26510422
analyzing the molecular mechanism of lipoprotein localization in brucella.	bacterial lipoproteins possess diverse structure and functionality, ranging from bacterial physiology to pathogenic processes. as such many lipoproteins, originating from brucella are exploited as potential vaccines to countermeasure brucellosis infection in the host. these membrane proteins are translocated from the cytoplasm to the cell membrane where they are anchored peripherally by a multifaceted targeting mechanism. although much research has focused on the identification and classificatio ...	2015	26579096
preferential production of g-csf by a protein-like lactobacillus rhamnosus gr-1 secretory factor through activating tlr2-dependent signaling events without activation of jnks.	different species and strains of probiotic bacteria confer distinct immunological responses on immune cells. lactobacillus rhamnosus gr-1 (gr-1) is a probiotic bacterial strain found in both the intestinal and urogenital tracts, and has immunomodulatory effects on several cell types including macrophages. however, detailed immunological responses and the signaling mechanism involved in the response are largely unknown.	2015	26502905
evaluation of selected borrelia burgdorferi lp54 plasmid-encoded gene products expressed during mammalian infection as antigens to improve serodiagnostic testing for early lyme disease.	laboratory testing for the diagnosis of lyme disease is performed primarily by serologic assays and is accurate for detection beyond the acute stage of the infection. serodiagnostic assays to detect the early stages of infection, however, are limited in their sensitivity, and improvement is warranted. we analyzed a series of borrelia burgdorferi proteins known to be induced within feeding ticks and/or during mammalian infection for their utility as serodiagnostic markers against a comprehensive ...	2015	26376927
public health impact of strain specific immunity to borrelia burgdorferi.	lyme disease, caused by borrelia burgdorferi, is the most common tick-borne infection in the united states. although humans can be infected by at least 16 different strains of b. burgdorferi, the overwhelming majority of infections are due to only four strains. it was recently demonstrated that patients who are treated for early lyme disease develop immunity to the specific strain of b. burgdorferi that caused their infection. the aim of this study is to estimate the reduction in cases of lyme d ...	2015	26503011
do citation trends reflect epidemiologic patterns? assessing mrsa, emerging and re-emerging pathogens, 1963-2014.	a rapid rise in pubmed citations on methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa) occurred after 2000, but the relationship of trends in citation to epidemiologic trends for infectious disease is not known.	2015	26502873
haematologic complications from human babesiosis: a case report.	formerly known as nantucket fever, babesiosis is increasing in incidence across the northeastern united states. because of its emerging health risk globally, it is important to be aware of its various presenting manifestations. we present the case of a middle-aged man with haemolytic anaemia from babesia microti infection.	2015	27257494
analysis of codon usage patterns in herbaceous peony (paeonia lactiflora pall.) based on transcriptome data.	codon usage bias, which exists in many genomes, is mainly determined by mutation and selection. to elucidate the genetic features and evolutionary history of herbaceous peony (paeonia lactiflora), a well-known symbol of prosperity in china, we examined synonymous codon usage in 24,216 reconstructed genes from the p. lactiflora transcriptome. the mean gc content was 44.4%, indicating that the nucleotide content of p. lactiflora genes is slightly at rich and gc poor. the p. lactiflora genome has a ...	2015	26506393
dengue virus infection of aedes aegypti requires a putative cysteine rich venom protein.	dengue virus (denv) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that causes serious human disease and mortality worldwide. there is no specific antiviral therapy or vaccine for denv infection. alterations in gene expression during denv infection of the mosquito and the impact of these changes on virus infection are important events to investigate in hopes of creating new treatments and vaccines. we previously identified 203 genes that were ≥5-fold differentially upregulated during flavivirus infection of the ...	2015	26491875
annually recurring erythema annulare centrifugum: a case report.	erythema annulare centrifugum is a rare cutaneous disease characterized by erythematous and violaceous annular plaques that usually involved the thighs and the legs. the eruption may be associated with an underlying disease and its accompanying characteristic symptoms. for these reasons, a full physical examination should be conducted to exclude underlying disorders. annually recurring erythema annulare centrifugum is a rare and peculiar variant of erythema annulare centrifugum with the same cli ...	2015	26496986
vaccination with the variable tick protein of the relapsing fever spirochete borrelia hermsii protects mice from infection by tick-bite.	tick-borne relapsing fevers of humans are caused by spirochetes that must adapt to both warm-blooded vertebrates and cold-blooded ticks. in western north america, most human cases of relapsing fever are caused by borrelia hermsii, which cycles in nature between its tick vector ornithodoros hermsi and small mammals such as tree squirrels and chipmunks. these spirochetes alter their outer surface by switching off one of the bloodstream-associated variable major proteins (vmps) they produce in mamm ...	2015	26490040
control of gene expression in leptospira spp. by transcription activator-like effectors demonstrates a potential role for liga and ligb in leptospira interrogans virulence.	leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease that affects ∼1 million people annually, with a mortality rate of >10%. currently, there is an absence of effective genetic manipulation tools for targeted mutagenesis in pathogenic leptospires. transcription activator-like effectors (tales) are a recently described group of repressors that modify transcriptional activity in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells by directly binding to a targeted sequence within the host genome. to determine the applicability of tal ...	2015	26341206
borrelia burgdorferi htra: evidence for twofold proteolysis of outer membrane protein p66.	in prokaryotes, members of the high temperature requirement a (htra) family of serine proteases function in the periplasm to degrade damaged or improperly folded membrane proteins. borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of lyme disease, codes for a single htra homolog. two-dimensional electrophoresis analysis of b. burgdorferi b31a3 and a strain that overexpresses htra (a3htraoe) identified a downregulated protein in a3htraoe with a mass, pi and maldi-tof spectrum consistent with outer membrane protein ...	2015	26370492
borrelia burgdorferi htra: evidence for twofold proteolysis of outer membrane protein p66.	in prokaryotes, members of the high temperature requirement a (htra) family of serine proteases function in the periplasm to degrade damaged or improperly folded membrane proteins. borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of lyme disease, codes for a single htra homolog. two-dimensional electrophoresis analysis of b. burgdorferi b31a3 and a strain that overexpresses htra (a3htraoe) identified a downregulated protein in a3htraoe with a mass, pi and maldi-tof spectrum consistent with outer membrane protein ...	2015	26370492
gender differences in childhood lyme neuroborreliosis.	many neurological diseases show differences between genders. we studied gender differences in childhood lyme neuroborreliosis (lnb) in an endemic area of lyme borreliosis in norway.	2015	26576072
flagellar motility of the pathogenic spirochetes.	bacterial pathogens are often classified by their toxicity and invasiveness. the invasiveness of a given bacterium is determined by how capable the bacterium is at invading a broad range of tissues in its host. of mammalian pathogens, some of the most invasive come from a group of bacteria known as the spirochetes, which cause diseases, such as syphilis, lyme disease, relapsing fever and leptospirosis. most of the spirochetes are characterized by their distinct shapes and unique motility. they a ...	2015	26481969
correction: the borrelia burgdorferi rela/spot homolog and stringent response regulate survival in the tick vector and global gene expression during starvation.		2015	26474045
leptomeningeal contrast enhancement and blood-csf barrier dysfunction in aseptic meningitis.	to investigate the blood-csf barrier (bcsfb) dysfunction in aseptic meningitis.	2015	26516629
cerebral small vessel disease: capillary pathways to stroke and cognitive decline.	cerebral small vessel disease (svd) gives rise to one in five strokes worldwide and constitutes a major source of cognitive decline in the elderly. svd is known to occur in relation to hypertension, diabetes, smoking, radiation therapy and in a range of inherited and genetic disorders, autoimmune disorders, connective tissue disorders, and infections. until recently, changes in capillary patency and blood viscosity have received little attention in the aetiopathogenesis of svd and the high risk ...	2015	26661176
cerebral small vessel disease: capillary pathways to stroke and cognitive decline.	cerebral small vessel disease (svd) gives rise to one in five strokes worldwide and constitutes a major source of cognitive decline in the elderly. svd is known to occur in relation to hypertension, diabetes, smoking, radiation therapy and in a range of inherited and genetic disorders, autoimmune disorders, connective tissue disorders, and infections. until recently, changes in capillary patency and blood viscosity have received little attention in the aetiopathogenesis of svd and the high risk ...	2015	26661176
mandibular bone mineral density in patients with behçet's disease.	behçet's disease (bd) is a chronic, recurring vasculitis of unknown etiology. patients with bd may use a lot of medications associated with the clinical symptoms. drugs that are used in the treatment of bd may cause bone loss. the aims of the current study were to compare the bone mineral density (bmd) values between bd and healthy volunteers and describe the effect of disease duration on mandibular bmd.	2015	26508868
brachyspira suanatina sp. nov., an enteropathogenic intestinal spirochaete isolated from pigs and mallards: genomic and phenotypic characteristics.	the genus brachyspira currently encompasses seven valid species that colonize the intestines of mammals and birds. in a previous study a group of strongly haemolytic isolates from pigs and mallards was provisionally described as a new species within genus brachyspira, "b. suanatina", and enteropathogenic properties were demonstrated in a porcine challenge model.	2015	26458507
pathogenesis of myeloproliferative neoplasms: role and mechanisms of chronic inflammation.	myeloproliferative neoplasms (mpns) are a heterogeneous group of clonal diseases characterized by the excessive and chronic production of mature cells from one or several of the myeloid lineages. recent advances in the biology of mpns have greatly facilitated their molecular diagnosis since most patients present with mutation(s) in the jak2, mpl, or calr genes. yet the roles played by these mutations in the pathogenesis and main complications of the different subtypes of mpns are not fully eluci ...	2015	26538820
a fast cross-validation method for alignment of electron tomography images based on beer-lambert law.	in electron tomography, accurate alignment of tilt series is an essential step in attaining high-resolution 3d reconstructions. nevertheless, quantitative assessment of alignment quality has remained a challenging issue, even though many alignment methods have been reported. here, we report a fast and accurate method, tomoaligneval, based on the beer-lambert law, for the evaluation of alignment quality. our method is able to globally estimate the alignment accuracy by measuring the goodness of l ...	2015	26455556
the centriolar protein cpap g-box: an amyloid fibril in a single domain.	centrioles are evolutionarily conserved cylindrical cell organelles with characteristic radial symmetry. despite their considerable size (400 nm × 200 nm, in humans), genetic studies suggest that relatively few protein components are involved in their assembly. we recently characterized the molecular architecture of the centrosomal p4.1-associated protein (cpap), which is crucial for controlling the centriolar cylinder length. here, we review the remarkable architecture of the c-terminal domain ...	2015	26517891
crossing of the epithelial barriers by bacillus anthracis: the known and the unknown.	anthrax, caused by bacillus anthracis, a gram-positive spore-forming bacterium, is initiated by the entry of spores into the host body. there are three types of human infection: cutaneous, inhalational, and gastrointestinal. for each form, b. anthracis spores need to cross the cutaneous, respiratory or digestive epithelial barriers, respectively, as a first obligate step to establish infection. anthrax is a toxi-infection: an association of toxemia and rapidly spreading infection progressing to ...	2015	26500645