Archive for the ‘research’ Category

Experts Harvest Ticks Along American River Parkway (CA)

https://www.kcra.com/article/experts-harvest-ticks-along-american-river-parkway-test-lyme-disease/30734749# Article and numerous videos here

By Vicki Gonzalez

SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. —

The American River Parkway is more than 30 miles of trails and draws over 10 million visitors each year.

But Sacramento’s backyard jewel is also a popular destination for ticks.

Peak tick season runs from December to May, according to Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito Vector Control District….(See link for article)

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**Comment**

Here we see a tick in the middle of the sidewalk on a blade of grass – also in CA:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/05/17/video-showing-questing-ticks-in-the-middle-of-the-sidewalk/

Ticks are in unlikely places:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/06/07/ticks-on-beaches/ (see comment section)

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/06/19/a-creepy-bed-time-story-from-stephen-king/

Ticks have been found:

Category:

research, Ticks

Tick-borne Relapsing Fever: An Unrecognized Cause of Fever in Travelers

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32014353/

2020 Jan 31. pii: S0248-8663(20)30010-2. doi: 10.1016/j.revmed.2019.12.022. [Epub ahead of print]

Tick-borne relapsing fever : An unrecognized cause of fever in travelers

[Article in French]
Ahmed Yahia S1, Faibis F2, Benmoussa M3, Lantohasina N3, Dupont A4, Ait Abdesselam T4.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Tick-borne relapsing fever is a usual cause of fever in West Africa. Except relapsing febrile episodes, there are no pathognomonic signs and diagnosis is difficult because Borrelia density in patient’s blood is low.

CASE REPORTS:

Tick-borne relapsing fever was revealed by the presence of spirochetes in a blood sample to search malaria in two men, 24 and 31 year-old, returned from Mali.

CONCLUSION:

This diagnosis should be evocated in patients having fever after a trip in infested area, as malaria, both infections can be associated.

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**Comment**

I got news for you.  Borrelia density is low in many patients’ blood.  This is a common problem and one of the reasons why patients continue to test negative.

Category:

Borrelia Miyamotoi (Relapsing Fever Group), research

Lyme Disease & Heart Transplantation: Presentation of a Clinical Case and a Literature Review

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6992363/

. 2019; 26(3): 173–180.
PMCID: PMC6992363
PMID: 32015672

Language: English | Lithuanian

Lyme disease and heart transplantation: presentation of a clinical case and a literature review

Audrius Aurelijus Pilypas,1 Giedrutė Raišelienė,2 and Jurgita Valaikienė3
Author information

Abstract

Background.

Lyme disease, the most common anthropozoonosis, is a transmissible natural focal infection affecting various organs and systems. Also known as Lyme borreliosis, it is caused by Borrelia spirochetes, which are distributed by ticks of the genus Ixodes. Early diagnosis is difficult due to frequent occurrence of atypical symptoms, unnoticed tick bites, the absence of migratory erythematous lesions, and symptoms occurring during the non-tick season. If not diagnosed and treated in time, dissemination of the infection occurs and various complications develop since borrelias damage not only the skin but also the nervous system, joints, and, in rare cases, the heart and eyes.

Materials and methods.

This article presents a clinical case of Lyme borreliosis-induced myocarditis, which led to the development of dilated cardiomyopathy and, consequently, urgent cardiac transplantation. According to our data, this is one of the first described cases of this complication in the world.

Results and conclusions.

When diagnosed in time and treated properly, the prognosis of Lyme myocarditis is usually good. In most cases, the atrioventricular block disappears within 1–2 weeks of antibiotic treatment and the implantation of a temporary pacemaker is rarely needed. In those rare cases of a chronic Borrelia burgdorferi infection, dilated cardiomyopathy may develop; thus if a sudden atrioventricular block occurs, the physician should be vigilant and perform the necessary tests to exclude the diagnosis of Lyme disease.

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**Comment**

When you consider how many people are turned away on a daily basis due to negative testing you begin to see that stating this is “rare,” is a bit premature.  So many are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

Category:

Heart Issues, Lyme, research

Lyme Carditis Presenting As Sick Sinus Syndrome

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32007907/

2020 Jan 25;59:65-67. doi: 10.1016/j.jelectrocard.2020.01.007. [Epub ahead of print]

Lyme carditis presenting as sick sinus syndrome.

Gazendam N1, Yeung C1, Baranchuk A2.

Abstract

Lyme disease, a tickborne infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, can affect cardiac tissue causing Lyme carditis. Patients with Lyme carditis most commonly present with varying degrees of atrioventricular block and rarely with sick sinus syndrome. A previously healthy 22 year-old male presented with syncope (fainting). His 2 week Holter monitor showed sinus pauses of 6.5 and 6.8 s. Lyme serology, including Western blot, was positive. A stress test, completed after 8 days of intravenous antibiotics for Lyme carditis, revealed no conduction abnormalities. He was discharged on 3 weeks of oral antibiotics and had no conduction abnormalities on subsequent follow-up.

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**Comment**

I hope someone is doing a lengthy follow-up on this young man.  Three weeks of antibiotics in someone with Lyme carditis isn’t enough.  This is a great example of patients not being followed throughout time which would pick up reoccurring/relapsing symptoms.

Sick sinus syndrome doesn’t have anything to do with the sinuses, but rather consists of a group of heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias) in which the heart’s natural pacemaker (sinus node) doesn’t work properly.

The sinus node is an area of specialized cells in the upper right chamber of the heart that controls the rhythm of your heart. Normally, the sinus node produces a steady pace of regular electrical impulses. In sick sinus syndrome, these signals are abnormally paced.

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The heart rhythms of a person with sick sinus syndrome can be too fast, too slow, punctuated by long pauses — or an alternating combination of these rhythm problems. The syndrome is relatively uncommon, but the risk of developing it increases with age.

Many people with sick sinus syndrome eventually need a pacemaker to keep the heart in a regular rhythm.

Symptoms

Most people with sick sinus syndrome initially have few or no symptoms. In some cases, symptoms come and go.

When they occur, sick sinus syndrome signs and symptoms might include:

  • Slower than normal pulse (bradycardia)
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness
  • Fainting or near fainting
  • Shortness of breath
  • Chest pains
  • Confusion
  • A sensation of rapid, fluttering heartbeats (palpitations)

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sick-sinus-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20377554

Dr. Neil Spector writes about his heart troubles due to Lyme.  He required a heart transplant and pace-maker:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/08/23/video-dr-neil-spector/

For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/03/10/when-lyme-hurts-your-heart-warning-signs-solutions/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/09/17/lyme-carditis-heart-block-other-complications-of-ld/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/06/03/heart-problems-tick-borne-disease/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/02/21/diagnosis-treatment-of-lyme-carditis/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/02/22/new-lyme-cme-course-available-lyme-carditis-more-than-blocked-beats/  Course for doctors to become educated.

Category:

Lyme, research

Borrelia Prevalence & Species Distribution in Ticks Removed From Humans in Germany

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31987819

2020 Mar;11(2):101363. doi: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2019.101363. Epub 2019 Dec 23.

Borrelia prevalence and species distribution in ticks removed from humans in Germany, 2013-2017.

Springer A1, Raulf MK2, Fingerle V3, Strube C4.

Abstract

Lyme borreliosis caused by spirochaetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) complex is the most common tick-borne disease in Europe. In addition, the relapsing-fever spirochaete Borrelia miyamotoi, which has been associated with febrile illness and meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised persons, is present in Europe. This study investigated Borrelia prevalence and species distribution in ticks removed from humans and sent as diagnostic material to the Institute for Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, in 2013-2017. A probe-based real-time PCR was carried out and Borrelia-positive samples were subjected to species determination by reverse line blot (RLB), including a B. miyamotoi-specific probe.

  • The overall Borrelia-infection rate as determined by real-time PCR was 20.02% (510/2547, 95 % CI: 18.48-21.63 %), with annual prevalences ranging from 17.17 % (90/524, 95 % CI: 14.04-20.68 %) in 2014 to 24.12 % (96/398, 95 % CI: 19.99-28.63 %) in 2015.
  • In total, 271/475 (57.1 %) positive samples available for RLB were successfully differentiated
  • Borrelia afzelii was detected in 30.53 % of cases (145/475, 95 % CI: 26.41-34.89)
  • B. garinii/B. bavariensis (13.26 % [63/475], 95 % CI: 10.34-16.65)
  • Borrelia valaisiana  (5.89 % (28/475, 95 % CI: 3.95-8.41)
  • B. spielmanii (4.63 % (22/475, 95 % CI: 2.93-6.93),
  • B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.)/B. carolinensis (2.32 % (11/475, 95 % CI: 1.16-4.11)
  • B. lusitaniae (0.63 % (3/475, 95 % CI: 0.13-1.83)
  • B. bisettiae (0.42 % (2/475, 95 % CI: 0.05-1.51) of positive ticks
  • Borrelia kurtenbachii was not detected
  • B. miyamotoi (7.37 % (35/475, 95 % CI: 5.19-10.10) of real-time PCR-positive samples

Sanger sequencing of B. garinii/B. bavariensis-positive ticks revealed that the majority were B. garinii-infections (50/52 successfully amplified samples), while only 2 ticks were infected with B. bavariensis. Furthermore, 6/12 B. burgdorferi s.s./B. carolinensis-positive samples could be differentiated; all of them were identified as B. burgdorferi sensu stricto.

Thirty-nine ticks (8.21 %, 95 % CI: 5.90-11.05) were coinfected with two different species. Comparison of the species distribution between ticks removed from humans in 2015 and questing ticks collected in the same year and the same area revealed a significantly higher B. afzelii-prevalence in diagnostic tick samples than in questing ticks, confirming previous observations.

The obtained data indicate that Borrelia prevalence fluctuated in the same range as observed in a previous study, analysing the period from 2006 to 2012.

Detection of B. miyamotoi in 7.37 % of Borrelia-positive samples points to the fact that clinicians should be aware of this pathogen as a differential diagnosis in cases of febrile illness.

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**Comment*

Great example of how there are many more species of borrelia we need to be concerned about than Borrelia burgdorferi.  Remember, current 2-tiered testing only picks up only one borrelia species and is only picking up half of those limited cases showing the abysmal testing fix we are in.

For more on this: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/02/02/why-the-medical-communitys-perspective-on-lyme-disease-is-different-from-a-pathologists-perspective/

 

Category:

Lyme, research, Testing, Ticks