Archive for the ‘research’ Category

“Super-Fast” Lone Star Ticks Showing up in New Places

https://www.lymedisease.org/lyme-sci-super-fast-lone-star-ticks-are-showing-up-in-new-places/

LYME SCI: “Super-fast” lone star ticks are showing up in new places

March 30, 2022

By Lonnie Marcum

The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) has been rapidly expanding its range, from the Southern United States into the Northeast and Midwest.

This tick is a major vector of several viral, bacterial, and protozoan pathogens affecting humans, pets, livestock, birds and other wild animals in the United States. In some Midwestern states, it is commonly known as the “turkey tick” due to its association with wild turkeys. (Childs and Paddock, 2003)

Currently, the lone star tick is known to transmit human ehrlichiosis, tularemia, Heartland virus, Bourbon virus, Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI) and rarely Rocky Mountain spotted fever—one of the deadliest tick-borne diseases in the US.

People bitten by a lone star tick may also develop alpha-gal syndrome—a severe allergy to meat and meat-related products.

A recent crowdsourced science project has documented the largest increase of the lone star tick in decades. Researchers documented new tick encounters in over 300 counties—including six new counties in western states—where these ticks had not been documented before.

TickSpotters program evaluates photos

In a study published in the Journal of Medical Entomology, researchers at the University of Rhode Island (URI) evaluated over 9,500 photos submitted between 2014-2019 to the TickSpotters surveillance program.

To document the changes, researchers first identified the ticks in the submitted photos, then logged the county each was reported from. They used this method to plot the geographic ranges of three medically important U.S. tick species: Amblyomma americanum, Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus. The last two are the vectors for Lyme disease.

More than 5,000 photographs of the lone star tick were received from over 1,000 counties across the US. Of those, 341 counties had no previous record of lone star ticks. The largest expansion of the lone star tick was seen in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio.

In addition, the lone star tick was reported in several counties in the western US, a region not typically associated with these ticks. Notably, it was found in six new counties in California, four counties in Colorado and one new county each in Idaho, Oregon and Utah.

“The causative drivers of these upturns are complex, but have a lot to do with increased host availability, warming temperatures, and moisture availability,” researcher Heather L Kopsco, PhD, told Entomology Today,

Female lone star ticks are identifiable by a single silvery-white spot on the center of their back (scutum.) The male lone star tick is slightly smaller, with varied white streaks or spots around the margins of its body.

Finding Heartland virus in Georgia

Another recent study published in the CDC journal “Emerging Infectious Diseases” found lone star ticks infected by Heartland virus in Georgia. The article points out several major knowledge gaps and the complexity of diseases carried by the lone star tick. (Romer et al, 2022)

“Heartland is an emerging infectious disease that is not well understood,” says Emory University’s Gonzalo Vazquez-Prokopec PhD, senior author of the study.

Interestingly, the genetic analysis of the Heartland virus from Georgia shows that it is 2%-5% different from previous genetic sequences of the virus.

“These results suggest that the virus may be evolving very rapidly in different geographic locations, or that it may be circulating primarily in isolated areas and not dispersing quickly between those areas,” Vazquez-Prokopec says.

The Heartland virus wasn’t officially named until 2009. However, the CDC has since found evidence of it in wild animals in at least 13 states, including stored samples from deer dating back to 2001. (Clark et al, 2018)

Because the initial symptoms of these tick-borne viruses resemble the flu, and tests for it are not readily available, it is likely being undetected and underreported in humans.

Quick and aggressive

The lone star tick moves quickly and aggressively, says Thomas Mather, PhD, Director of the TickEncounter Resource Center and co-author of the URI study.

“It is super-fast. It can move from below your knees to the top of your head in a matter of seconds.” Mather says it is the tick most frequently found attached to humans in the South.

The greatest risk of being bitten by the adults exists in early spring through fall. Lone star ticks are found mostly in woodlands with dense undergrowth and around animal resting areas, where they will quest on tall grass and low hanging branches.

Nymphal ticks quest lower to the ground but also move fast. If you encounter a patch of larvae, you’ll find they may latch on by the hundreds. Tick Encounters recommends using sticky duct tape to remove these larvae as soon as possible.

Expanding range

The range of the lone star tick in North America has increased dramatically over the past 30 years. Large numbers have been recorded as far to the northeast as Maine, as far to the southeast as Florida, as far south as Mexico and as far west as Colorado. Recently, patchy encounters have also been noted in Canada and the West coast.

Diseases carried by lone star ticks

The following is a list of symptoms of diseases caused by the bite of the lone star tick per the CDC.

Alpha-gal Syndrome (AGS)

Reactions can include:

  • Rash
  • Hives
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Heartburn or indigestion
  • Diarrhea
  • Cough, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing
  • Drop in blood pressure
  • Swelling of the lips, throat, tongue, or eye lids
  • Dizziness or faintness
  • Severe stomach pain

Symptoms commonly appear 2-6 hours after eating meat or dairy products, or after exposure to products containing alpha-gal (for example, gelatin-coated medications). Personal products that use ingredients containing “hydrolyzed protein,” lanolin, glycerin, collagen, or tallow are particularly problematic.

AGS reactions can differ from person to person and range from mild to severe. Anaphylaxis (a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction involving multiple organ systems) may need urgent medical care.

People may not react after every alpha-gal exposure.

Seek immediate emergency care if you are having a severe allergic reaction.

Bourbon Virus

Scientists are still learning about possible symptoms caused by this virus.

People diagnosed with Bourbon virus disease had symptoms including:

  • fever
  • tiredness
  • rash
  • headache
  • other body aches
  • nausea, and

Patients with Bourbon virus will have low blood counts for cells that fight infection and help prevent bleeding.

There is no medicine to treat Bourbon virus disease. Doctors can only treat the symptoms. For example, some patients may need to be hospitalized and given intravenous fluids and treatment for pain and fever. Antibiotics don’t work against viruses.

Ehrlichiosis

Signs and symptoms of ehrlichiosis typically begin 1-2 weeks after the bite of an infected tick. Left untreated, ehrlichiosis can be fatal. Early treatment with doxycycline is highly effective.

Early signs and symptoms (the first 5 days of illness) are usually mild or moderate and may include:

  • Fever, chills
  • Severe headache
  • Muscle aches
  • Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite
  • Confusion
  • Rash (more common in children)

About a third of people with ehrlichiosis report a rash, which can look like red splotches or pinpoint dots. This typically develops five days after the fever begins.

Early treatment can reduce your risk of developing severe illness, which can include:

  • Damage to the brain or nervous system (e.g. inflammation of the brain and surrounding tissue (called meningoencephalitis))
  • Respiratory failure
  • Uncontrolled bleeding
  • Organ failure
  • Death
Heartland Virus
  • Most people infected with Heartland virus experience fever, fatigue, decreased appetite, headache, nausea, diarrhea, and muscle or joint pain. Many require hospitalization.
  • Some people also have lower than normal counts of white blood cells (cells that help fight infections) and lower than normal counts of platelets (which help clot blood). Sometimes, liver enzymes are elevated.
  • It can take up to two weeks for symptoms to appear after an infected tick bite.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Early signs and symptoms are not specific to RMSF. However, the disease can rapidly progress to a life-threatening illness.

Signs and symptoms can include:

  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Rash
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Stomach pain
  • Muscle pain
  • Lack of appetite

While almost all patients with RMSF will develop a rash, it often does not appear early in illness, which can make RMSF difficult to diagnose. RMSF rash usually develops 2-4 days after fever begins. The appearance of the rash can vary widely. Some rashes look like red splotches and some look like pinpoint dots.

Some patients who survive severe RMSF may be left with permanent damage, including amputation of arms, legs, fingers, or toes (from damage to blood vessels in these areas); hearing loss; paralysis; or mental disability.

Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI)

It is not known whether antibiotic treatment is necessary or beneficial for patients with STARI. Nevertheless, because STARI resembles early Lyme disease, physicians will often treat patients with oral antibiotics.

The rash of STARI is a red, expanding “bull’s-eye” lesion that develops around the site of a lone star tick bite. The rash usually appears within seven days of the tick bite and expands to a diameter of three inches or more. The rash should not be confused with much smaller areas of redness and discomfort that can occur commonly at the site of any tick bite.

Patients may also experience fatigue, headache, fever, and muscle pains. The saliva from lone star ticks can be irritating; redness and discomfort at a bite site does not necessarily indicate an infection.

Tularemia

The signs and symptoms of tularemia vary depending on how the bacteria enter the body. Illness ranges from mild to life-threatening. All forms are accompanied by fever, which can be as high as 104 °F.

“Ulceroglandular” is the most common form of tularemia and usually occurs following a tick or deer fly bite or after handing an infected animal. A skin ulcer appears at the site where the bacteria entered the body. The ulcer is accompanied by swelling lymph glands, usually in the armpit or groin.

LymeSci is written by Lonnie Marcum, a Licensed Physical Therapist and mother of a daughter with Lyme. She serves on a subcommittee of the federal Tick-Borne Disease Working Group. Follow her on Twitter: @LonnieRhea  Email her at: lmarcum@lymedisease.org.

References

Childs JE, Paddock CD. (2003) The ascendancy of Amblyomma americanum as a vector of pathogens affecting humans in the United States. Annu Rev Entomol. 48:307-37. doi: 10.1146/annurev.ento.48.091801.112728. Epub 2002 Jun 4. PMID: 12414740.

Clarke, L. L., Ruder, M. G., Mead, D. G., & Howerth, E. W. (2018). Heartland Virus Exposure in White-Tailed Deer in the Southeastern United States, 2001-2015. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 99(5), 1346–1349. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.18-0555

Guzmán-Cornejo C et al (2011) The Amblyomma (Acari: Ixodida: Ixodidae) of Mexico: identification keys, distribution and hosts. Zootaxa 2998:16–38

Kopsco HL, Duhaime RJ, Mather TN. (2021) Crowdsourced Tick Image-Informed Updates to U.S. County Records of Three Medically Important Tick Species. J Med Entomol.  11:tjab082. doi: 10.1093/jme/tjab082. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33973636.

Monzón, J. D., Atkinson, E. G., Henn, B. M., & Benach, J. L. (2016). Population and Evolutionary Genomics of Amblyomma americanum, an Expanding Arthropod Disease Vector. Genome biology and evolution, 8(5), 1351–1360. https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evw080

Riemersma KK, Komar N. (2015) Heartland Virus Neutralizing Antibodies in Vertebrate Wildlife, United States, 2009-2014. Emerg Infect Dis. 21(10):1830-3. doi: 10.3201/eid2110.150380. PMID: 26401988; PMCID: PMC4593439.

Romer, Y., Adcock, K., Wei, Z., Mead, D. G., Kirstein, O., Bellman, S….Vazquez-Prokopec, G. M. (2022). Isolation of Heartland Virus from Lone Star Ticks, Georgia, USA, 2019. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 28(4), 786-792. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2804.211540.

Springer YP, Eisen L, Beati L, James AM, Eisen RJ. (2014) Spatial distribution of counties in the continental United States with records of occurrence of Amblyomma americanum (Ixodida: Ixodidae). J Med Entomol. Mar;51(2):342-51. doi: 10.1603/me13115. PMID: 24724282; PMCID: PMC4623429.

Steinke J, Platts-Mills T, Commins, S. (2015) The alpha-gal story: lessons learned from connecting the dots. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 135(3): 589-96.

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**Comment**

Great, informative article.  I disagree with the notion that the climate is causing tick movement and proliferation of disease – here’s why:

Ticks will be the last species on the planet besides the IRS.

Category:

Alpha Gal Meat Allergy, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme, research, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ticks, Transmission, Tularemia, Viruses

University of Kentucky Study to Explore Why Lyme Disease Symptoms Persist For Some

http://uknow.uky.edu/research/uk-study-explore-why-lyme-disease-symptoms-persist-some

UK Study to Explore Why Lyme Disease Symptoms Persist for Some

By Elizabeth Chapin March 4, 2022

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 4, 2022) — Although most cases of Lyme disease can be cured with a two-to-four-week course of antibiotics, some patients still experience lingering, debilitating effects of the disease months after they finish treatment.

Researchers in the University of Kentucky’s College of Medicine are seeking to understand if the antibiotic regimen used to treat Lyme disease could also be contributing to Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS), which includes ongoing symptoms of pain, fatigue or difficulty thinking.

Antibiotics can cause imbalances to the gut microbiome, the trillions of microbes essential to health and immune system function. Known as dysbiosis, these disruptions are linked to various autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, as well as cardiovascular disease and depression.

The study, supported by the Global Lyme Alliance and co-led by Ilhem Messaoudi, Ph.D., and Brian Stevenson, Ph.D., in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, will be the first to assess the role of dysbiosis in the development of PTLDS.

Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 476,000 Americans are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year.

The research will provide new insights into the interaction between B. burgdorferi infection, antibiotics, and the gut microbiome that may lead to more effective ways to treat Lyme disease, says Messaoudi.

“Lyme disease can be just an acute episode, but for some people, it becomes a prolonged disease with a lot of complications and scientists don’t fully understand where these complications come from,” Messaoudi said. “This study may provide targets that could lead to the development of new antibiotic treatment plans that address the microbiome as well as the immune system.”

Messaoudi and Stevenson will be collaborating with researchers at the Oregon National Primate Research Center to carry out an in-depth analysis of host responses. The research will also establish an ideal animal model for future studies on the cognitive and physical effects of PTLDS.

The University of Kentucky is increasingly the first choice for students, faculty and staff to pursue their passions and their professional goals. In the last two years, Forbes has named UK among the best employers for diversity, and INSIGHT into Diversity recognized us as a Diversity Champion four years running. UK is ranked among the top 30 campuses in the nation for LGBTQ* inclusion and safety. UK has been judged a “Great College to Work for” three years in a row, and UK is among only 22 universities in the country on Forbes’ list of “America’s Best Employers.”  We are ranked among the top 10 percent of public institutions for research expenditures — a tangible symbol of our breadth and depth as a university focused on discovery that changes lives and communities. And our patients know and appreciate the fact that UK HealthCare has been named the state’s top hospital for five straight years. Accolades and honors are great. But they are more important for what they represent: the idea that creating a community of belonging and commitment to excellence is how we honor our mission to be not simply the University of Kentucky, but the University for Kentucky.

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Category:

Activism, Gut Health, Lyme, research, Treatment

Fulminant Lyme Myocarditis Without Any Other Signs of Lyme Disease in 37 Year Old With Microscopic Polyangiitis – Case Report

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35291336/

Fulminant Lyme myocarditis without any other signs of Lyme disease in a 37-year-old male patient with microscopic polyangiitis-a case report

Marco R Schroeter  1 , Karin Klingel  2 , Peter Korsten  3 , Gerd Hasenfuß  1

Free PMC article

Abstract

Background: Lyme disease is a tick-borne multisystem infection. The most common cardiac manifestation is an acute presentation of Lyme carditis, which often manifests as conduction disorder and rarely as myocarditis.

Case summary: We report the case of a 37-year-old male with a history of microscopic polyangiitis (blood vessel inflammation or vasculitis) receiving immunosuppressive therapy. He was admitted for severe dyspnoea secondary to acute heart failure. Echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging indicated a severely reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) with global hypokinesia. Coronary heart disease was excluded, and endomyocardial biopsies (EMB) were performed. The left ventricular EMB revealed a rare case of fulminant Lyme carditis with evidence of typical lymphocytic myocarditis. Borrelia afzelii-DNA was detected without any relevant atrioventricular blockage or systemic signs of Lyme disease. The patient had no clinically apparent tick-borne infection or self-reported history of a tick bite. Immunological testing revealed a positive ELISA and Immunoblot for anti-Borrelia immunoglobulin G antibodies. After specific intravenous antibiotic therapy and optimized medical therapy for heart failure, the LVEF recovered, and the patient could be discharged in an improved condition. Repeat EMB a few months later revealed a dramatic regression of the cardiac inflammation and absence of Borrelia DNA in the myocardium.

Discussion: A severely reduced LVEF can be the primary manifestation of Lyme disease even without typical systemic findings and can have a favourable prognosis with antibiotic treatment. A thorough workup for Lyme carditis is required in patients with unexplained heart failure, particularly with EMB, especially in immunosuppressed patients.

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Category:

Heart Issues, Lyme, research

Borrelia Miyamotoi Found in 3-5% of New England Blood Samples = Tens of Thousands Possibly Infected

https://www.futurity.org/borrelia-miyamotoi-new-england-ticks-2716322-2/

Another tick bacteria turns up in New England blood samples

March 25th, 2022 Posted by

Human blood samples from across New England show evidence of Borrelia miyamotoi, a relative of the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.

The findings add important new details to understanding the bacteria species, Borrelia miyamotoi, which was only recently found to infect humans. The tiny species is transmitted by the same deer ticks that carry the Lyme disease pathogen, and can cause meningoencephalitis and relapsing fevers.

“We thought that Borrelia miyamotoi, because it was so recently discovered, would have been more locally confined,” says Peter Krause, senior research scientist at the Yale School of Public Health and senior author of the study. “To our surprise, it was found at all our testing sites throughout New England.”

Krause and Durland Fish, professor emeritus of epidemiology (microbial diseases), were part of a team of researchers who first discovered Borrelia miyamotoi’s ability to infect humans in 2011. Graduate student researcher Demerise Johnston is first author of the new study in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

By testing more than 1,100 blood samples gathered from states across New England in 2018, the team of researchers discovered that almost 3% of the study subjects showed evidence of an immune response (antibody) to Borrelia miyamotoi, with some collection sites demonstrating as much as 5%. These samples were so geographically dispersed in New England that the researchers were unable to determine whether the origin of the infection was southeastern New England, as is the case for Lyme disease and babesiosis, another tick-borne infection.

The proportion of samples containing Borrelia miyamotoi antibody was low compared to that of Lyme disease pathogen, which reached more than 15% in some areas. But Krause says the level of Borrelia miyamotoi antibodies found in the samples indicates that physicians should keep an eye out for the bacteria in patients who present with Lyme disease-like symptoms.

“We’re talking about the possibility of tens of thousands of New England residents becoming infected with Borrelia miyamotoi based on what we found,” he says. “I think it’s important for people to realize that this disease is out there.”

For the study, the researchers also looked into the prevalence of another microorganism, Babesia microti, in their samples. That species is the primary cause of human babesiosis, and it can be spread through ticks just like the other two. Their analysis suggested that around 10% of the samples showed evidence of antibodies against this pathogen. These infections can be transmitted at the same time and coinfection is possible.

“Still, Lyme predominates, but the gap is not as great as is assumed,” Krause says. “There’s more Babesia infections than people realize. Physicians working in areas where babesiosis occurs should be aware of the disease and test for it when patients have consistent symptoms.”

Borrelia miyamotoi disease is much less frequent than those for the microbial species that cause Lyme disease and babesiosis. Krause says there are dependable treatment strategies that can cure individuals who have Borrelia miyamotoi infection. Those strategies involve essentially the same antibiotic treatments that treat Lyme disease. He and his colleagues say in the study that tracking the geographic spread of the species could help health care workers be on alert for potential transmission through ticks and possibly through blood transfusions, although additional studies are needed to confirm that this could happen.

Coauthors are from the Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens at the US Food and Drug Administration and L2 Diagnostics in New Haven, Connecticut.

Source: Matt Kristofferson for Yale University

Category:

Borrelia Miyamotoi (Relapsing Fever Group), Lyme, research, Treatment

Growing Evidence of Lyme-Like Illness in Australia

Growing Evidence of an Emerging Tick-borne Disease That Causes a Lyme-like Illness For Many Australia Patients

Professor Noel. Campbell
Fellow Australasian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine

sub1281_Campbell (1)  372 page Paper Here

Executive Summary:  

Over the past three decades, thousands of Australian families have felt the impact of Lyme and  other tick-borne diseases (TBDs), with an estimated 10,000 individuals affected each year. Whether  it is a laborer who cannot continue his work because of debilitating joint pain, or a child who  misses school because of debilitating fatigue, pain and cognitive dysfunction, TBDs can have a  significant effect on the day to day lives of Australians. Since Lyme disease was first identified in  Australia in 1982, the disease has spread geographically, and in severity. It has been documented  that there has been an increase in tickborne diseases in Australia, including early and late forms, as  well as an increase in neurological cases.

The patient experience may be characterized by delays in diagnosis, confusion, frustration,  ongoing illness, with, in many cases poor outcomes, disability and a significant financial burden.  (Most recently, we have started to record deaths in Australia from tickborne diseases.)

Recognizing these facts, the Parliament of Australia has referred these matters to the Senate  Community Affairs References committee for enquiry and report. The Senate acknowledged the significant toll TBDs may exact on individuals, families, communities, and the state, noting that  TBDs pose a serious threat to the health and quality of life of many residents and visitors to  Australia.

The purpose of this inquiry should be to establish a Lyme and related tickborne diseases task force charged with exploring and identifying recommendations related to education and awareness, long term effects of misdiagnosis, prevention, and surveillance. The intent of the recommendations are  generally to improve Australia’s response to the tickborne disease burden.

This submission reflects the history of TBDs in Australia, and includes specific recommendations as well as implementation strategies, case studies, and resource needs. While the Senate Inquiry  will be the result of months of research and co-collaboration, it is clear that its report is merely the  beginning of a much-needed dialogue and structured planning process across the country.

The primary recommendations in this submission focus on increased and improve surveillance,  prevention of tick exposure strategies and tactics, as well as education and awareness for  healthcare practitioners(HCPs), patients, the general public and other stakeholders.

In contemplating each recommendation, the author carefully considered each of the countries key  stakeholders, including patients of all ages and their families, vulnerable populations, health care  providers, domestic animals, researchers, Government agencies, policy makers, schools and  community organisations, and the general public.

Key Themes: 

  1. Tickborne disease knowledge and research is evolving rapidly. It will be vital to encourage  critical research, to understand the scope and scale of Lyme and other TBDs in Australia,  and to develop options to improve the public health response and the community/ patient  outcomes.
  2. Different schools of thought exist among all stakeholders regarding Lyme. Ambiguities do  exist so it is important to promote a strong and academically rigourous pursuit of better  research to help clarify the best options for patients. We are encouraged to keep an open  mind, and to continue to explore the nature of these diseases and their health impacts.
  3. The most critical research gap is the lack of a gold standard test for Lyme and other  tickborne infections; a test that can quickly and accurately diagnose the disease, and prove  or disprove ongoing persistence. Research into bio- resonance for diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease is producing encouraging results in Melbourne Australia.
  1. Without more research and surveillance, it will be difficult to stay ahead of this rapidly  evolving public health problem.
  2. The cost to Australia of doing nothing is considerable.
  3. Without targeted and significant funding, it is unlikely these recommendations can be  deployed in an effective and impactful way.
  4. Collaboration among the commonwealth’s diverse stakeholders Will help ensure programs  and strategies are innovative, effective, and measurable.  Too many Australians have suffered the consequences of Lyme and TBD’s, and without action,  thousands more remain at risk. This is important public health challenge affects all Australians  -every state has reported ticks infected with bacteria. And yet our children, our elderly, and our immunocompromised are most at risk and most vulnerable to their impact. Our actions now,  will significantly impact Australian youth’s risk and future potential.The author respectfully requests Swift action on the enclose recommendations by all state  leaders charged with ensuring the protection and well being of the Commonwealth’s residents.

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Category:

Activism, Lyme, research, Testing, Ticks