Archive for the ‘Anaplasmosis’ Category

Are You Aware of Anaplasmosis?

https://www.galaxydx.com/are-you-aware-of-anaplasmosis/

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Are You Aware of Analasmosis?

Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining to detect Anaplasma phagocytophilum in a tissue sample (CDC).

Anaplasmosis is a tick-borne illness that is reported across the globe in areas such as North America, Europe, and China.

Known infections in the United States have been on the rise ever since becoming a nationally notifiable disease to the CDC in 2000. Like bartonellosis and Lyme borreliosis, patients with this condition can present with mild to severe non-specific symptoms and diagnosis is often difficult.

We are introducing a new webpage this week that describes the infectious pathogens of the Anaplasma genus and the test options that Galaxy Diagnostics offers.

Reported cases of anaplasmosis since 2000. Before 2008, anaplasmosis cases were reported as “human granulocytic ehrlichiosis” (CDC).

Anaplasma species are transmitted primarily via bites from Ixodes ticks. The primary infectious agent is Anaplasma phagocytophilum and its primary tick vector in the United States is Ixodes scapularis. According to the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the primary vector in Europe is Ixodes ricinus. However, additional Ixodes species have been shown to carry Anaplasma species. These bacteria can be transmitted alone or as a co-infection with other tick-borne pathogens like Babesia and Borrelia species.

Anaplasma species infections can also be attributed to blood transfusions in some cases. In New York, a 78-year old patient passed away two weeks after complications from receiving a blood transfusion containing Anaplasma phagocytophilum. The New York State Department of Health found the bacterial DNA in the donor and patient samples using PCR.

When an accidental host becomes infected, Anaplasma species invade and replicate within the white blood (granulocytic) cells traveling through the bloodstream. The resulting non-specific symptoms can vary from mild to severe depending on the age and overall health status of the patient.

How do you know you have it?

Anaplasmosis should be diagnosed by a clinician that considers symptoms, the patient’s clinical history, and substantial laboratory evidence. There are multiple assays that are commonly used for Anaplasma species including serology, microscopy, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Serology tests rely on the detection of antibodies, but it can be difficult to determine whether a positive result is indicating past or current infection.

Symptoms

The non-specific and chronic symptoms associated with anaplasmosis often mimic other chronic infections and autoimmune diseases. The clinical presentations can range from mild to severe illness. Being aware of a recent tick attachment and whether Anaplasma is endemic to the region is helpful for diagnosis.

A list of common, but not all, symptoms can be seen below:

  • Fever
  • Muscle aches
  • Malaise
  • Headaches
  • Neurological symptoms (facial palsy, neuropathy)
  • Vomiting
  • Coughing
  • Diarrhea

The clinical signs for patients who are immunocompromised or have co-infections may be more severe.

Microscopy of fluid or tissue samples looks for the organism directly using a simple blood-smear or more advanced immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. However, these methods may miss species that are uncommon and have different morphological characteristics.

Galaxy Diagnostics offers highly sensitive PCR testing of blood to confirm active infection of Anaplasma species. Our assay is developed to detect Anaplasma DNA at the genus level and follow-up DNA sequencing identifies the species, if present. This broad approach is useful because it can detect Anaplasma phagocytophilum as well as other species that may cause similar symptoms.

The primary cause of anaplasmosis in the United States and Europe is Anaplasma phagocytophilum. According to the CDC, reported cases in the United States increased by 39% from 4,151 in 2016 to 5,762 in 2017. Most cases are reported in the Northeastern, Midwestern, and Western regions of the United States. The largest amount of new cases were reported in states such as Connecticut, New Jersey, and Maine. However, cases are increasingly reported outside of these areas with the geographic range expanding down into parts of Virginia.

Anaplasma capra was also identified as a potential pathogenic species by researchers in 2018. This species typically infects goats but was identified as the infectious agent causing 6% of patients with history of tick bites to experience non-specific symptoms in Northern China.

Please click to learn more about anaplasmosis and the tests that Galaxy Diagnostics offers.

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For More:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/03/08/anaplasmosis/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/05/29/anaplasmosis-the-other-tick-borne-illness-you-need-to-know-about/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/10/14/anaplasmosis-nightmare/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/09/11/manifestation-of-anaplasmosis-as-cerebra-infarction-a-case-report/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/12/02/everything-thats-known-about-ehrlichiosis/

 

 

 

 

 

Category:

Activism, Anaplasmosis, Transmission

Mild Winter Days? Watch Out for Ticks

Winter thaws bring out the ticks. Take precautions when heading outdoors on warm winter days to avoid tick bites. Wearing light-colored clothing and tucking pantlegs into socks can help. Credit: Pavla Zakova | Dreamstime.com

We asked disease ecologist Rick Ostfeld if we need to worry about ticks during the winter. His response is below. (TL; DR = yes)

Blacklegged ticks, which transmit the agents of Lyme disease, babesiosis, and anaplasmosis, disappear in winter, right? Well, not entirely. Although human encounters with these ticks are less likely in winter, there are plenty of ticks out in the environment lurking in a state of (almost) suspended animation.

Larval ticks that hatched the prior summer but failed to find an animal host can become dormant and remain on the forest floor in a quiescent state. The same is true of nymphal ticks, which are normally most active in spring and early summer. These two stages are unlikely to activate until day-length and temperature both increase dramatically. Adult stage ticks, in contrast, most actively seek hosts in the late fall.

The females that were able to engorge on host blood last fall are overwintering in soil pores or under leaf litter, while slowly converting host blood into eggs that they will lay next spring or summer. Some of the adults that did not find a host have died of starvation or other causes, but the unfed survivors will activate any winter or spring day with above-freezing temperatures. In the southern United States, these ticks can be active all year, but even in the northeastern and upper Midwestern regions, ticks can bite during any warmish spell in January, February, and beyond.

As part of The Tick Project, we invite participating households to mail us ticks found embedded in or crawling on people or pets, and we typically receive quite a few even in the coldest months. The riskiest seasons for diseases transmitted by blacklegged ticks are spring and summer, but risk never goes away entirely. And, our 25-years of data from Dutchess County, NY show that, as the climate warms, the ticks come out earlier in the year, advancing the dates of greatest risk.

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For More:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/01/20/polar-vorticks/   TICK GUY, TOM MATHER, SHOWS HOW TICKS SURVIVE IN 3 DEGREES OVERNIGHT UNDER SNOW COVER.

And regarding all the clamor of “climate change,” independent Canadian tick researcher John Scott has proven it has absolutely nothing to do with tick proliferation and therefore the spread of Lyme/MSIDS:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/11/07/ticks-on-the-move-due-to-migrating-birds-and-photoperiod-not-climate-change/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/08/13/study-shows-lyme-not-propelled-by-climate-change/  Warm winters are lethal to I. scapularis (black-legged) ticks.  In fact, overwinter survival dropped to 33% when the snow melted.

So…..when people push the idea that warmer winters somehow make ticks more abundant you can explain with science on your side that –

Warmer winters actually kill ticks

 

 

Category:

Activism, Anaplasmosis, Babesia, Lyme, Ticks

North Dakota Tick Survey Sees Large Uptick of Samples. Here’s What the Health Department Found

https://www.thedickinsonpress.com/lifestyle/health/4556529-north-dakota-tick-survey-sees-large-uptick-samples-heres-what-health

North Dakota tick survey sees large uptick of samples. Here’s what the health department found.

By Kim Fundingsland / Minot Daily News on Jan 14, 2019 

ticks1_0

The American Dog tick was the most common tick surveyed in 2018 by the North Dakota Department of Health. This adult female is a known carrier of Rocky Mountain spotted fever.   submitted photo
BISMARCK – Those creepy, crawly creatures are living up to their nasty reputation. In brief, the summary of a second season of a statewide survey of ticks confirms what most people fear – a high percentage of the bloodsucking, pincer pests are carriers of disgusting diseases that are easily transmitted to hosts.

 

The North Dakota Department of Health first ventured into tick surveillance in 2017 by collecting and testing a relatively small sample of ticks. The ticks in the sample were provided with the help of veterinarians and zoos in the state. The program was significantly expanded in 2018 with active participation from 37 veterinarians, four zoos, North Dakota Game and Fish, Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services and at least one individual.

“They all submitted ticks, which was a huge help,”said Laura Cronquist, NDDOH division of disease control. “We had more coverage throughout the state in 2018, which was real nice.”

Of the 13,640 ticks collected and sent to the state laboratory for disease testing, nearly half were contributed by a single interested individual – John Heiser of Grassy Butte. In all, ticks were submitted from 25 counties in the state.

“We had more participation last year, which was awesome,” said Cronquist. “More ticks were submitted. Our project is really unique for our area.”

The state’s most common tick is the American Dog tick. The dog tick and Rocky Mountain wood tick, which is also found within the state, are closely related. Both are known for their speciality, carrying the dreaded Rocky Mountain spotted fever virus.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever symptoms include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and muscle pain. Delayed treatment may lead to severe illness or death. Some Rocky Mountain spotted fever victims may suffer irreversible hearing loss, paralysis, mental disability and damage to blood vessels which could lead to amputation of extremities. Fourteen cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever were reported in the state in 2017.

There’s another tick present in North Dakota with a well-deserved and ugly reputation too. A surprising number of them were collected in 2018.

“We ended up with more deer ticks from across the state,” noted Cronquist.

While the number of deer ticks submitted to the NDDOH was small in comparison to the number of other ticks, just 51, they were found in 22 of the 25 counties surveyed, including Ward County. Deer ticks are are known carriers of Lyme disease, 56 cases of which were reported in the state in 2017. In addition, deer ticks are believed to have transmitted 17 cases of anaplasmosis and one case of Powassan in 2017.

The symptoms of anaplasmosis are similar to Rocky Mountain spotted fever but can include chills, cough and confusion. Severe cases can lead to difficulty breathing, hemorrhage, kidney failure and disrupt various functions of the nervous system.

Fortunately, Powassan transmission from ticks remains quite rare in North Dakota. It is closely related to West Nile disease. A tick can transmit Powassan in as little as 15 minutes after biting a human. About 10 percent of Powassan cases result in death. According to the NDDOH report on the 2018 study, statistics show that approximately half of Powassan survivors have permanent neurologic conditions including headaches, muscle wasting and memory problems.

The Lone Star tick, whose range is primarily the southern and eastern United States, and has been linked to red meat allergies, is believed to be expanding its range. However, Lone Star ticks remain extremely rare in North Dakota.

“That’s correct,” said Cronquist. “Two years ago two were found. Last year just one and it’s unknown how they got here. They are not all that concerning yet.”

The state was divided into eight regions for the tick surveillance survey. Tick pools from each region, consisting of up to 20 ticks each, were tested for the presence of several diseases. Of the 176 pools made up of American Dog ticks and Rocky Mountain wood ticks, 106 tested positive for disease carrying pathogens. Half of the deer tick pools tested positive.

According to the NDDOH report, ticks can transfer some pathogens to their hosts in as little as 15 minutes. Some pathogens require that the tick to be attached from 24 to 48 hours. When a tick bites into flesh it inserts a feeding tube into the incision which enables the transmission of disease.

Complete results and information regarding the 2018 tick surveillance project can be found on the NDDOH website.

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For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/07/22/citizen-scientists-help-track-tick-borne-illness-exposure/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/04/10/canadian-citizen-scientists-helping-with-tick-surveillance/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/10/26/scientists-high-school-students-find-new-pathogens-hiding-in-indiana-ticks/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/10/22/tick-project-takes-a-deeper-look-at-disease/

Category:

Activism, Anaplasmosis, Lyme, research, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ticks, Transmission, Viruses

CAPC Study: Lyme Disease Spreading to Regions Once Thought Low-risk

http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/capc-study-lyme-disease-spreading-regions-once-thought-low-risk

CAPC study: Lyme disease spreading to regions once thought low-risk

Condition in dogs could signal increasing threat to people, researchers say.

Jan 19, 2019

By dvm360.com staff

DVM360 MAGAZINE

(andriano cz/stock.adobe.com)

The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) recently released a study that shows that Lyme disease is spreading to regions not previously thought to be at risk for tick-borne disease. States such as Illinois, Iowa, North Dakota, Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia and Tennessee have all seen an increase in the prevalence of Lyme disease, according to a media release discussing the study, which CAPC conducted from January 2012 to December 2016. Results from the study were recently published in Environmetrics.

“The results of this milestone study show increasing risk for Lyme disease in endemic areas and pinpoint regions in the U.S. where Lyme is spreading—areas not historically considered endemic,” says Michael Yabsley, PhD, a professor in the Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine and Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia. “This expanding risk of Lyme disease demands heightened vigilance in protecting both our pets and our families.”

New research from CAPC found that the prevalence of Lyme disease is trending up in areas previously thought to be at a lower risk for tick-borne diseases. (Image courtesy of CAPC)

The study was motivated by the increase in Lyme disease cases in the U.S. and, in particular, in states not traditionally considered Lyme-endemic, the release states. Results suggest that:

  • Canine prevalence rates for Lyme disease are rising.
  • Lyme prevalence rates are increasing most in areas where the pathogen has encroached recently.
  • Lyme prevalence in dogs is rising in states traditionally not considered to be of high Lyme risk, suggesting that human risk may also be increasing in these areas, including regions in Illinois, Iowa, North Dakota, Ohio, Michigan and Tennessee.
  • Significant increases in canine Lyme prevalence have been seen in some areas that are not yet reporting significant human incidence. Researchers speculate that canine prevalence is more sensitive to changes in Lyme risk and could serve as an early warning system for changes in human risk.

The study was created to investigate regional trends in the prevalence of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi, the disease-causing bacterium of Lyme disease, according to the release. To conduct the research, the CAPC team analyzed more than 16 million Lyme tests from domestic dogs in the U.S. over 60 months. The serologic data was provided by IDEXX Laboratories.

“CAPC research shows the risk for Lyme disease is not static. The way it’s changing varies spatially across the country,” says Christopher McMahan, associate professor in the department of mathematical sciences at Clemson University, in the release.

Crucial in the fight against Lyme, Yabsley says, is year-round tick protection. Different species of ticks are active all 12 months of the year, and ticks that transmit Lyme are active at different times in the year in different regions, the release states. For instance, as you move further south, adult ticks are more active in the winter.

“I’ve been practicing for over 34 years in Nashville where many people don’t think Lyme disease is a concern. But I’ve seen canine Lyme increasing in Tennessee for several years and regularly test and vaccinate for the disease,” says Craig Prior, BVSC, CVJ, a veterinarian and former owner of VCA Murphy Road Animal Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. “Many people tend to believe that if they don’t go on hikes or spend time in wooded areas, they aren’t at risk for Lyme. Ticks are everywhere—including suburban and gated communities where deer, raccoons, opossum, birds and other hosts frequent back yards. That’s why CAPC recommends year-round tick prevention for dogs—and cats—and regular screening to protect dogs from this debilitating disease that can be extremely hard to treat.”

On petdiseasealerts.org, CAPC now provides monthly forecasts for Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. It also provides access to monthly canine test results in prevalence maps, a CAPC resource available free online at petsandparasites.org. With more than 21 million canine B. burgdorferi antibody test results collected between 2012 and 2017 in dogs, these maps allow veterinarians, physicians, pet owners and travelers to assess the risk of exposure across the United States and Canada.

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**Comment**

Wisconsin prevalence rate for Lyme, Anaplasmosis, and Ehrlichiosis in pets:  https://capcvet.org/maps/#2012/all/lyme-disease/dog/united-states/wisconsin/  As you can see there are many counties where NO DATA has been collected.  Please remember maps are a very loose guide to what’s happening out there and have been used against patients for decades – denying them accurate diagnosis and treatment.  FYI:  Dane County is at HIGH risk for all 3.

According to independent Canadian tick researcher, John Scott, the reason for this tick proliferation is due to migrating birds and photoperiod, NOT climate change:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/08/13/study-shows-lyme-not-propelled-by-climate-change/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/11/07/ticks-on-the-move-due-to-migrating-birds-and-photoperiod-not-climate-change/

Also, infected dogs spread infections as well as ticks when they cross borders:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/03/09/infected-dogs-with-tbis-spreading-infection-across-borders/  Think of pets as luggage that can and do carry pathogens right into your home.  Please do not allow your dog on your bed or furniture and make sure you use tick prevention on all pets.

 

 

 

 

 

Category:

Activism, Anaplasmosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme, research, Ticks, Transmission

2018 Review of Previous Pathogen Transmission Time Studies in Deer Ticks

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29398603

2018 Mar;9(3):535-542. doi: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.01.002. Epub 2018 Jan 31.

Pathogen transmission in relation to duration of attachment by Ixodes scapularis ticks.

Eisen L1.

Abstract

The blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, is the primary vector to humans in the eastern United States of the deer tick virus lineage of Powassan virus (Powassan virus disease); the protozoan parasite Babesia microti (babesiosis); and multiple bacterial disease agents including Anaplasma phagocytophilum (anaplasmosis), Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia mayonii (Lyme disease), Borrelia miyamotoi (relapsing fever-like illness, named Borrelia miyamotoi disease), and Ehrlichia muris eauclairensis (a minor causative agent of ehrlichiosis).

With the notable exception of Powassan virus, which can be transmitted within minutes after attachment by an infected tick, there is no doubt that the risk of transmission of other I. scapularis-borne pathogens, including Lyme disease spirochetes, increases with the length of time (number of days) infected ticks are allowed to remain attached. This review summarizes data from experimental transmission studies to reinforce the important disease-prevention message that regular (at least daily) tick checks and prompt tick removal has strong potential to reduce the risk of transmission of I. scapularis-borne bacterial and parasitic pathogens from infected attached ticks.

The most likely scenario for human exposure to an I. scapularis-borne pathogen is the bite by a single infected tick. However, recent reviews have failed to make a clear distinction between data based on transmission studies where experimental hosts were fed upon by a single versus multiple infected ticks. A summary of data from experimental studies on transmission of Lyme disease spirochetes (Bo. burgdorferi and Bo. mayonii) by I. scapularis nymphs indicates that the probability of transmission resulting in host infection, at time points from 24 to 72 h after nymphal attachment, is higher when multiple infected ticks feed together as compared to feeding by a single infected tick.

In the specific context of risk for human infection, the most relevant experimental studies therefore are those where the probability of pathogen transmission at a given point in time after attachment was determined using a single infected tick. The minimum duration of attachment by single infected I. scapularis nymphs required for transmission to result in host infection is poorly defined for most pathogens, but experimental studies have shown that Powassan virus can be transmitted within 15 min of tick attachment and both A. phagocytophilum and Bo. miyamotoi within the first 24 h of attachment. There is no experimental evidence for transmission of Lyme disease spirochetes by single infected I. scapularis nymphs to result in host infection when ticks are attached for only 24 h (despite exposure of nearly 90 experimental rodent hosts across multiple studies) but the probability of transmission resulting in host infection appears to increase to approximately 10% by 48 h and reach 70% by 72 h for Bo. burgdorferi. Caveats to the results from experimental transmission studies, including specific circumstances (such as re-attachment of previously partially fed infected ticks) that may lead to more rapid transmission are discussed.

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**Comment**

There are a number of problematic issues with this study:

  1. This is a review of previous studies.  There is nothing NEW here.  
  2. It’s important to note that ticks typically carry more than just borrelia and transmission times have not taken this fact into account: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/05/01/co-infection-of-ticks-the-rule-rather-than-the-exception/ and https://www.lymedisease.org/lyme-basics/co-infections/about-co-infections/  Infection with more than one pathogen is associated with more severe illness.https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/10/30/study-shows-lyme-msids-patients-infected-with-many-pathogens-and-explains-why-we-are-so-sick/  For the first time, Garg et al. show a 85% probability for multiple infections including not only tick-borne pathogens but also opportunistic microbes such as EBV and other viruses.  This is a BIG DEAL.  Finally, a study showing what we face as patients in the real world.  They also never take into account nematodes (worms), mycoplasma, tularemia, and/or Bartonella.  These are infections many if not most patients have to contend with.  Some have been bioweaponized.
  3. They assume that the most likely scenario is for a person to be bitten by one tick.  Assuming makes an ass out of u and me.  When you take into account the latest information on the Asian tick, you quickly realize the probability of coming into contact with hundreds if not thousands of ticks at one time:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/09/12/three-surprising-things-i-learned-about-asian-longhorned-ticks-the-tick-guy-tom-mather/  While human infection has yet to be found in the U.S., this tick is responsible for plenty of misery in Asia:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/06/12/first-longhorned-tick-confirmed-in-arkansas/  It spreads SFTS (sever fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome), “an emerging hemorrhagic fever,” but the potential impact of this tick on tickborne illness is not yet known. In other parts of the world, it has been associated with several tickborne diseases, such as spotted fever rickettsioses, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Borrelia, the causative agent of Lyme Disease.
  4. While they discuss the probability of multiple tick attachment, they never discuss the issue of partially fed ticks, where spirochetes would be in the salivary glands – leading to quicker transmission: http://iai.asm.org/content/61/6/2396.full.pdf  Ticks can spontaneously detach – and the authors of this study found that they did so 15% of the time in mice.  They also state that about a tenth of questing nymphs appear distended with partially fed sub-adult ticks being common.
  5. While the current review states, “There is no experimental evidence for transmission of Lyme disease spirochetes by single infected I. scapularis nymphs to result in host infection when ticks are attached for only 24 h (despite exposure of nearly 90 experimental rodent hosts across multiple studies), this study shows transmission can occur in under 16 hours:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4278789/
  6. https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/04/14/transmission-time-for-lymemsids-infection/  Within this video, microbiologist Holly Ahern discusses the numerous problems with animal Bb transmission studies.  Transmission Time:  Only one study done on Mice. At 24 hours every tick had transmitted borrelia to the mice; however, animal studies have proven that transmission can occur in under 16 hours and it occurs frequently in under 24 hours.  No human studies have been done and https://www.dovepress.com/lyme-borreliosis-a-review-of-data-on-transmission-time-after-tick-atta-peer-reviewed-article-IJGM  no studies have determined the minimum time it takes for transmission.  And, never forget the case of the little girl who couldn’t walk or talk after a tick bite attachment of 4-6 hours:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/12/07/igenex-presentation/
  7. They continue to blame Lyme/MSIDS on the black legged tick as the sole perp when experience and studies show there’s more potential transmitters at play:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/11/07/are-mosquitoes-transmitting-lyme-disease/, https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/07/23/german-study-finds-borrelia-in-mosquitos/, https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/01/17/remember-deer-keds-study-shows-bartonella-causing-deer-ked-dermatitis-in-humans/
Please, quit doing reviews of previous data and do something new using better laboratory techniques!  We don’t need MORE of the same thing.

Category:

Anaplasmosis, Babesia, Borrelia Miyamotoi (Relapsing Fever Group), Ehrlichiosis, Lyme, research, Ticks, Transmission, Viruses