Archive for the ‘Bartonella’ Category

Swamp Boy: A Teen With Bartonella

https://nowthisnews.com/swamp-boy  Go here for the comic By Kris Newby

Illustrated by Mado Peña. Additional editing by Joshua Davis and Gina Mei.
Co-published in partnership with Epic Magazine.

In 2015, the day before Halloween, a mild-mannered teenage boy suddenly became delusional. He informed his parents that a demonic voice had begun speaking to him. Over the next weeks, his psychosis deepened: He believed he had transformed into his favorite comic book character, the Swamp Thing. And he was convinced that a family cat was possessed and was telepathically instructing him to murder his own brother.

The family panicked. What the hell happened to their sweet boy? Doctors pronounced that the teen had sudden-onset schizophrenia and he was repeatedly sent to a psychiatric ward. “Schizophrenia from one day to the next?” his parents wondered, dumbfounded. The specialists had few answers, so the parents began an 18-month journey to solve the mystery on their own.

This harrowing medical mystery was published in collaboration with NowThis and illustrated by comic artist Mado Peña, who brought the teenage boy’s hallucinations to life.

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**Comment**

This comic is based on the true story of a 14 year teenager with Bartonella which highlights how this common illness can manifest psychiatrically.  It really is a “must read” and should be given to anyone who doesn’t believe how devastating it can be.  Although it’s presented in comic-strip formatting, the material is as serious as a heart attack.

To learn more about Bartonella history, diagnosis, and treatments, watch the medical education courses on Invisible International’s Montecalvo Tick-borne Disease Education Platform.

For more:

Category:

Bartonella, Psychological Aspects, Testing, Ticks, Treatment

9 EpiPens in a Month: The Burden of Lyme, AGS, & More

https://www.lymedisease.org/9-epi-pen-a-month-mccord/

“Nine EpiPens in a month.” The burdens of Lyme, AGS, and more.

Cortney McCord delivered the following public comment at the Oct. 25 meeting of the federal Tick-Borne Disease Working Group.

I’m Cortney McCord, a registered nurse from Tupelo, Mississippi. Since May 8, 2021, I have been in a battle for my life against alpha-gal syndrome, Lyme borreliosis, bartonellosis, babesiosis, and mast cell activation syndrome.

I developed the most severe clinical presentation of alpha-gal syndrome: I react to airborne and contact exposures as well as dietary exposures to alpha-gal.

For me, it’s way more than just a meat allergy.

In January 2022, my infectious burden grew after I contracted COVID. COVID sent me into full-blown mast cell activation syndrome and made asthma and chronic urticaria a part of my daily life.

After being gaslighted by a local allergist who was ignorant of mast cell activation syndrome and airborne alpha-gal reactions, I made an appointment with expert allergist and former Working Group member Dr. Scott Commins. I am thankful to have him in my corner even if it takes a 12-hour drive to see him..

Patients like me do not have the luxury of time to sift through a myriad of ignorant doctors to find someone familiar with their condition. Because symptoms of tick-borne infections, alpha-gal syndrome, and mast cell activation syndrome are manifested in every organ system, physicians in every medical discipline should be literate in these conditions. Nobody deserves to be gaslighted because of a lack of physician education.

Another tick bite

I was bitten by another larval lone star tick at the end of this past August. In September alone, I had to use nine EpiPens. All of this from a tick the size of a speck of dirt.

In addition to long Lyme, I believe I have long COVID complicating my clinical picture.

Long COVID and long Lyme are very similar. Both Sars-CoV-2 and Borrelia burgdorferi are persistent in tissues. Both affect the host’s immune system. Both can cause mast cell activation syndrome. The medical world has no problem saying that COVID is a persistent “long” disease. Why is that not the case for persistent ‘long” Lyme borreliosis? There are stacks of good science supporting persistent “long” Lyme infection–some of which was done by current working group member Dr. Monica Embers.

I refuse to believe that this is the best that our medical and scientific community can do. Testing for both mast cell activation syndrome and tick-borne diseases is abysmal. That has to change. There should be a law requiring alpha-gal to be listed as a major allergen on every medicine, food, and consumable product that Americans have contact with. We need the Tick-borne Disease Working Group to continue in perpetuity because tick-borne conditions will affect more and more Americans as our planet warms.

Please help me. Ask Congress to address these needs. Thank you.

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**Comment**

This is truly a complicated case, but most are in my experience.

While all patients deserve to be heard and treated properly, throwing yet more money at the TBDWG which is filled with people who do not believe in chronic infection, and which has done ZERO to help  patients is not helpful.  IF, and I mean IF any money is appropriated to study this, IMO – whoever is doing the work needs needs to be independently funded.  Researchers can not be the regular cast of characters – receiving grants from corrupt public health agencies, that is literally a Cabal regurgitating old, outdated, highly myopic work which is designed for a pre-determined outcome and completely ignores a huge subset of people.

Unfortunately many patients and even advocates are oblivious to the sordid backstory of the corrupt agencies controlling research and funding.  Insanity truly is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.  Time to ditch the public health monopoly and public health agencies controlling research, funding, doctors, testing, treatments, and “vaccines.”

For more:

Category:

Activism, Alpha Gal Meat Allergy, Babesia, Bartonella, Lyme, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), Uncategorized

Bartonella With Dr. Breitschwert & Upcoming Webinar With Dr. Burrascano

http://

Aug. 2, 2022

Bartonella – A Stealth Pathogen and its Devastating Impact – with Dr. Ed Breitschwerdt

Dr. Ed Breitschwerdt has been studying the co-infection, bartonella for decades. Learn about this unique bacteria why it has illuded the medical community for so long, plus advancements!
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Bartonella webinar by Burrascano on November 1

Dr. Joseph Burrascano, an internationally recognized expert on Lyme and associated diseases, will discuss Bartonella in a Project Lyme webinar on November 1, 5:30 pm Eastern Time.

A common co-infection of Lyme disease, Bartonella has been notoriously difficult to diagnose. He will discuss many aspects of diagnosis and treatment.

Click here to register.

For more:

Category:

Bartonella, Treatment

Emerging Tick Borne Diseases in Australia

http://

Emerging Tick Borne Diseases in Australia

Aug. 1, 2022

Dr. Peter Mayne

This recently uploaded video is about a 2011 paper found here:  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221768948_Emerging_incidence_of_Lyme_borreliosis_babesiosis_bartonellosis_and_granulocytic_ehrlichiosis_in_Australia

Abstract

Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease (LD), and Babesia, Bartonella, and Ehrlichia species (spp.) are recognized tick-borne pathogens in humans worldwide. Using serology and molecular testing, the incidence of these pathogens was investigated in symptomatic patients from Australia. Sera were analyzed by an immunofluorescent antibody assay (IFA) followed by immunoglobulin (Ig)G and IgM Western blot (WB) assays. Both whole blood and sera were analyzed for detection of specific Borrelia spp. DNA using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Simultaneously, patients were tested for Babesia microti, Babesia duncani, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, and Bartonella henselae infection by IgG and IgM IFA serology, PCR, and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Most patients reported symptom onset in Australia without recent overseas travel.
  • 28 of 51 (55%) tested positive for LD
  • Of 41 patients tested for tick-borne coinfections, 13 (32%) were positive for Babesia spp
  • nine (22%) were positive for Bartonella spp
  • Twenty-five patients were tested for Ehrlichia spp. and (16%) were positive for Anaplasma phagocytophilum while none were positive for Ehrlichia chaffeensis.
  • Among the 51 patients tested for LD, 21 (41%) had evidence of more than one tick-borne infection.
  • Positive tests for LD, Babesia duncani, Babesia microti, and Bartonella henselae were demonstrated in an individual who had never left the state of Queensland.
  • Positive testing for these pathogens was found in three others whose movements were restricted to the east coast of Australia.

The study identified a much larger tick-borne disease (TBD) burden within the Australian community than hitherto reported. In particular, the first cases of endemic human Babesia and Bartonella disease in Australia with coexisting Borrelia infection are described, thus defining current hidden and unrecognized components of TBD and demonstrating local acquisition in patients who have never been abroad.

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**Comment**

I repost this because “the powers that be” in Australia continue to downplay and deny that Lyme exists in Australia, despite the plethora of suffering patients and many doctors who state otherwise.  (Remember, there are many, many strains of borrelia or Lyme)

Please see this recent article, “Growing evidence of an emerging tick-borne disease that causes a Lyme-like
illness for many Australia patients,” by  Professor Noel. Campbell

It appears Mayne has also been disciplined for his stance on Lyme, like many other LLMDs.

Mayne states he has absolute proof that Lyme is in Australia as tissue samples at the bite sites that he took from two patients were positive for Lyme from DNA analysis.

Category:

Babesia, Bartonella, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme, research, Uncategorized

Deer Keds, Flying Ticks?

https://www.iamexpat.de/expat-info/german-expat-news/tick-season-germany-look-out-flying-ticks

Tick season in Germany: Look out for “flying ticks”

27 July 2021, by William Nehra

Excerpts:

Ticks can cause similar problems amongst humans, spreading diseases like tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and Lyme disease, as well as some other, lesser-known diseases like babesiosis and boutonneuse fever. In 2019, a Hyalomma tick even infected a man in North Rhine-Westphalia with typhus.

Beware of “flying ticks”

Between July and October, the deer louse fly is also active in Germany. Sometimes known as a “flying tick”, these critters make a beeline for their target and then shed their wings when they land, burrowing down, biting and sucking blood from their victims. The ticks usually target animals, but attacks on humans have been recorded. They prefer to bite humans on the scalp or neck and can cause allergic reactions and even heart infections.

Deer louse flies are usually found in forests in the summer and autumn. It is recommended to thoroughly check any pets after walks in case they have been bitten by ticks. Ticks can be located using a flea comb and removed with adhesive tape or washed away. Any animal that has been infested with ticks should be bathed and washed.

(See link for article)

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The deer ked (Lipoptena cervi) mainly parasitize elk and deer but also bite humans.  It is unknown whether it serves as a vector for transmission but the following have been detected:

Remains of L. cervi have been found on Otzi, the Stone Age mummy.

Read the following on the deer fly (200 species in the Chrysops genus):

While male deer flies collect pollen, female deer flies feed on blood, which they require to produce eggs.[4] Females feed primarily on mammals. They are attracted to prey by sight, smell, or the detection of carbon dioxide. Other attractants are body heat, movement, dark colours, and lights in the night. They are active under direct sunshine and hours when the temperature is above 22 °C (71.6°).[4] When feeding, the females use scissor-like mandibles and maxillae to make a cross-shaped incision and then lap up the blood. Their bite can be painful. Anti-coagulants in the saliva of the fly prevents blood from clotting and may cause severe allergic reactions. Parasites and diseases transmitted by the deer fly include tularemia, anthrax, anaplasmosis, equine infectious anemia, hog cholera, and filiariasis. DEET is not an effective repellent.[2]

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/05/190531135826.htm

New records show spread of parasitic deer flies across the United States

Date:
May 31, 2019
Source:
Penn State
Summary:
With flattened bodies, grabbing forelegs and deciduous wings, deer keds do not look like your typical fly. These parasites of deer — which occasionally bite humans — are more widely distributed across the US than previously thought, according to entomologists, who caution that deer keds may transmit disease-causing bacteria.

With flattened bodies, grabbing forelegs and deciduous wings, deer keds do not look like your typical fly. These parasites of deer — which occasionally bite humans — are more widely distributed across the U.S. than previously thought, according to Penn State entomologists, who caution that deer keds may transmit disease-causing bacteria.

“It was more or less known where deer keds are found, but very broadly,” said Michael Skvarla, extension educator and director of the Insect Identification Lab in the Department of Entomology at Penn State. “We don’t know if deer keds transmit pathogens (disease-causing microorganisms), but if they do, then knowing where they are at more precisely could be important in terms of telling people to watch out for them.”

The researchers collated records of the four North American deer ked species and produced the most detailed locality map of these flies to date, documenting ten new state and 122 new county records. The researchers published their results in a recent issue of the Journal of Medical Entomology. They also provided an illustrated species-identification key.

The team harnessed citizen science — collection of data by the public — to gather deer ked records from the U.S. and Canada. In addition to scouring museum databases and community websites like BugGuide and iNaturalist, the team distributed deer ked collection kits to hunters as part of the Pennsylvania Parasite Hunters community project. The researchers also collected flies directly from carcasses at Pennsylvanian deer butcheries.

“I really like using citizen science information,” said Skvarla. “It often fills in a lot of gaps because people are taking photographs in places that entomologists may not be going. Deer keds are the perfect candidate for citizen science. They’re easy to identify because there’s only four species in the country and because they’re mostly geographically separated. And as flat, parasitic flies, they’re really distinctive. You couldn’t do this with a lot of insect groups because they’d be too difficult to identify from photographs.”

The European deer ked, Lipoptena cervi, thought to have been introduced from Europe, previously was reported to occur throughout the Northeast region. The researchers newly report this species from Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, and as far south as Virginia. In Pennsylvania, it occurs throughout the state, with 26 new county records.

The researchers also describe new records of the neotropical deer ked, L. mazamae, from North Carolina, Tennessee and Missouri — increasing its range further north and east than had previously been reported.

In western North America, two deer ked species, L. depressa and Neolipoptena ferrisi, are found from British Columbia through the U.S. and into Mexico — and as far east as South Dakota. The researchers newly report these species from Nevada and Idaho.

Deer keds are usually found on deer, elk and moose, but occasionally bite humans and domestic mammals. Although several tick-borne pathogens — including bacteria that cause Lyme disease, cat scratch fever and anaplasmosis — have been detected in deer keds, it is unknown whether they can be transmitted through bites.

“In Pennsylvania you have a lot of hunters,” said Skvarla.

“Deer keds can run up your arm while you’re field dressing a deer and bite you. If these insects are picking up pathogens from deer, they could transmit them to hunters. With two million hunters in the state, that’s not an insignificant portion of the population. We don’t want to scare people, but people should be aware there is the potential for deer keds to transmit pathogens that can cause disease.”

The researchers will next screen hundreds of deer keds for pathogens. They will also dissect some insects to screen the salivary glands and guts separately. According to Skvarla, this approach will give a good indication of whether deer keds could transmit pathogens through bites, or whether the bacteria are merely passed through the gut after a blood meal.

In Pennsylvania, after deer keds emerge from the soil each fall, they fly to a host and immediately shed their wings, usually remaining on the same host for life. Females produce just one egg at a time — it hatches inside her, and she feeds the growing larva with a milk-like substance. When the larva is almost fully developed, it drops to the soil and forms a pupa, eventually emerging as a winged adult. If disease-causing bacteria are transmitted from mother to offspring, newly emerged flies could pass on pathogens to hosts. Pathogens could also be spread when bacteria-harboring flies jump between animals in close contact.

The other researcher working on this project was Erika Machtinger, assistant professor of entomology at Penn State.

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https://www.mdedge.com/dermatology/article/171732/infectious-diseases/deer-ked-lyme-carrying-ectoparasite-move

Deer Ked: A Lyme-Carrying Ectoparasite on the Move

Cutis. 2018 August;102(2):121-122
By Andrew Kelsey, MDJustin Finch, MD
Author and Disclosure Information

Lipoptena cervi, known as the deer ked, is an ectoparasite of cervids traditionally found in northern European countries such as Norway, Sweden, and Finland. Although rarely reported in the United States, this vector recently has been shown to carry Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophylum from specimens collected domestically. Importantly, it has been suggested that deer keds are one of the many disease-carrying vectors that are now found in more expansive regions of the world due to climate change. We report a rare sighting of L cervi in Connecticut. Additionally, we captured a high-resolution photograph of a deer ked that can be used by dermatologists to help identify this disease-carrying ectoparasite.

Practice Points

  • There are many more disease-carrying arthropods than are routinely studied by scientists and physicians.
  • Even if the insect cannot be identified, it is important to monitor patients who have experienced arthropod assault for signs of clinical diseases.

Case Report

A 31-year-old man presented to the dermatology clinic 1 day after mountain biking in the woods in Hartford County, Connecticut. He stated that he found a tick attached to his shirt after riding (Figure). Careful examination of the patient showed no signs of a bite reaction. The insect was identified via microscopy as the deer ked Lipoptena cervi.

Comment

Lipoptena cervi, known as the deer ked, is an ectoparasite of cervids traditionally found in Norway, Sweden, and Finland.1 The deer ked was first reported in American deer in 2 independent sightings in Pennsylvania and New Hampshire in 1907.2 More recently deer keds have been reported in Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire.3 In the United States, L cervi is thought to be an invasive species transported from Europe in the 1800s.4,5 The main host is thought to be the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus viginianus). Once a suitable host is found, the deer ked sheds its wings and crawls into the fur. After engorging on a blood meal, it deposits prepupae that fall from the host and mature into winged adults during the late summer into the autumn. Adults may exhibit swarming behavior, and it is during this host-seeking activity that they land on humans.3

Following the bite of a deer ked, there are reports of long-lasting dermatitis in both humans and dogs.1,4,6 One case series involving 19 patients following deer ked bites reported pruritic bite papules.4 The reaction appeared to be treatment resistant and lasted from 2 weeks to 12 months. Histologic examination was typical for arthropod assault. Of 11 papules that were biopsied, most (7/11) showed C3 deposition in dermal vessel walls under direct immunofluorescence. Of 19 patients, 57% had elevated serum IgE levels.4

In addition to the associated dermatologic findings, the deer ked is a vector of various infectious agents. Bartonella schoenbuchensis has been isolated from deer ked in Massachusettes.7 A recent study found a 75% prevalence of Bartonella species in 217 deer keds collected from red deer in Poland.5 The first incidence of Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophylum in deer keds was reported in the United States in 2016. Of 48 adult deer keds collected from an unknown number of deer, 19 (40%), 14 (29%), and 3 (6%) were positive for B burgdorferi, A phagocytophylum, and both on polymerase chain reaction, respectively.3

A recent study from Europe showed deer keds are now more frequently found in regions where they had not previously been observed.8 It stands to reason that with climate change, L cervi and other disease-carrying vectors are likely to migrate to and inhabit new regions of the country. Even in the current climate, there are more disease-carrying arthropods than are routinely studied in medicine, and all patients who experience an arthropod assault should be monitored for signs of systemic disease.

Category:

Anaplasmosis, Babesia, Bartonella, Lyme, research, Ticks, Transmission, Tularemia