Archive for the ‘research’ Category

PCR Assays for Borrelia Hermsii (Tick-borne Relapsing Fever Species)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/30131238/

Novel real-time PCR assays for genomic group identification of tick-borne relapsing fever species Borrelia hermsii.

Modarelli JJ, et al. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 2018.
Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 2018 Aug 8. pii: S0732-8893(18)30257-8. doi: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2018.08.001. [Epub ahead of print]

Abstract

Borrelia hermsii is a non-Lyme borreliosis pathogen that is responsible for causing tick-borne relapsing fever in humans and animals in the western United States. B. hermsii has been described to encompass two divergent genomic groups, GGI and GGII, which have been suggested to maintain a unique geographical distribution and potential range of pathogenicity. Though the genomic groups have been extensively documented in the literature, a real-time PCR tool for identifying these genomic groups is lacking. This study describes the development and validation of two flaB-based quantitative real-time PCR assays for differentiating between the two genomic groups of B. hermsii while also maintaining specificity against other closely related Borrelia species. The diagnostic specificity of the assays were evaluated using a large panel of various Borrelia species, including a collection of 22 B. hermsii culture isolates purified from various hosts. The high sensitivity and specificity of the assays provide a useful tool for supporting future studies aimed at evaluating the geographical distribution as well as potential intraspecies pathogenicity within arthropod vectors and mammalian hosts.

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**Comment**

While the study outcome was to determine geographical distribution and potential intraspecies pathogenicity, I for one would like to see a switch in thinking to less concern for geography and more concern for accurate testing for patient diagnosis.  The geographical emphasis has worked against patients for over 40 years and according to everything coming across this desk, I think we need to embrace this pandemic for what it is – a pandemic that knows no borders.

The sooner we quit looking at maps the sooner patients are going to be believed, validated, and actually helped.

Go here for more on Tick-relapsing fever:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/09/04/borrelia-miyamotoi-in-immunocompetent-patient/  Please notice Dr. Cameron’s comment about another relapsing fever caused by Bm:  “You might assume a patient infected with Borrelia miyamotoi, a relapsing fever spirochete, to present with a relapsing fever. However, your assumption would be wrong 48 out of 50 times, according to a case series published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. [1] The authors found that only 2 out of 50 patients infected with the relapsing spirochete B. miyamotoi actually presented with a relapsing fever. [1]….The individuals exhibited symptoms similar to those found in other tick-borne illnesses.

So while researchers are trying to separate out all the various strains and the particular geography, clinicians are struggling with the fact that although many of the strains are supposed to be “relapsing fever” they actually present clinically like other TBI’s such as Lyme and cause a clinical picture quite different from relapsing fever.  This is paramount for clinicians to understand as the patients showing up in their offices have symptoms quite different from what the researchers are stating.

Be your own advocate and learn as much as you can.  Chances are you will be educating your practitioner.

 

Category:

Borrelia Miyamotoi (Relapsing Fever Group), research, Testing

Borrelia Miyamotoi in Immunocompetent Patient

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/24/9/18-0806_article

Borrelia miyamotoi Disease in an Immunocompetent Patient, Western Europe

Hoornstra D, Koetsveld J, Sprong H, et al. Borrelia miyamotoi Disease in an Immunocompetent Patient, Western Europe. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2018;24(9):1770-1772. doi:10.3201/eid2409.180806.

Abstract

Borrelia miyamotoi disease is a hard tick–borne relapsing fever illness that occurs across the temperate climate zone. Human B. miyamotoi disease in immunocompetent patients has been described in Russia, North America, and Japan. We describe a case of B. miyamotoi disease in an immunocompetent patient in western Europe.

“Molecular tests of blood and skin biopsy and serologic testing for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and syphilis were repeatedly negative, except for a C6 EIA IgM/IgG seroconversion (Immunetics, Boston, MA, USA) in convalescent-phase serum samples that was positive but could not be confirmed by either IgM or IgG immunoblot (Mikrogen, Neuried, Germany) (Technical Appendix Table 2). We did not admit the patient to the hospital, and we did not initiate antimicrobial drug treatment because her symptoms had largely resolved. At a 2-month follow-up visit, the patient had fully recovered, and laboratory test results were normal.

In a well-described cohort of PCR-positive patients in Russia, characteristic clinical symptoms were fever, myalgia, nausea, and headaches; laboratory findings showed thrombocytopenia and diffuse organ damage (3).

That the patient recovered even without antimicrobial treatment is consistent with a recent BMD case described in the United States (9). Because of the initial skin rash, we did not completely rule out B. burgdorferi s.l. co-infection; however, prior evaluation by an independent dermatologist, a negative B. burgdorferi s.l. immunoblot despite high C6 reactivity, and a negative PCR on DNA obtained from the skin biopsy argue against co-infection. Regardless, the clinical picture of fever and mild leukopenia and thrombocytopenia is compatible with BMD and not with Lyme borreliosis. Of interest, C6 reactivity in combination with a negative B. burgdorferi s.l. immunoblot has been described in BMD patients in the United States (10).”

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**Comment**

Three weeks after a tick bite, a 72 year old Dutch woman reported a bullseye rash several days later with a fever.  This was followed by headache, weight loss, and muscle & joint pain.

Notice the repeatedly negative test results.  

The denial of antimicrobial treatment is pretty amazing considering the admission of the “well-described cohort of PCR-positive patients in Russia, characteristic clinical symptoms were fever, myalgia, nausea, and headaches; laboratory findings showed thrombocytopenia and diffuse organ damage.”

Are they really going to deny an elderly woman antimicrobial treatment even when diffuse organ damage is on the record?

Medical professionals continue to baffle me.

Dr. Cameron states:  “Until now, there have been no treatment guidelines for B. miyamotoi and regimes have been empirically based on the treatment for Lyme disease. ‘The antimicrobial susceptibility of B. miyamotoi has not yet been elucidated, due to difficulties with cultivation of B. miyamotoi spirochetes in vitro,’ according to Koetsveld.  http://danielcameronmd.com/best-antibiotics-treat-borrelia-miyamotoi/  The study authors demonstrated that B. miyamotoi is susceptible to doxycycline, azithromycin, and ceftriaxone but resistant to amoxicillin in vitro. The next step would be to show whether these drugs work in patients.”

The denial of this plague where so much is unknown is an ever cause for concern.  People are dying out here and all they can do is smugly state that her symptoms had largely resolved.  I will add to this very troubling statement, and will very probably come raging back at an undetermined date in the future!

For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/category/borrelia-miyamotoi-relapsing-fever-group/

http://danielcameronmd.com/dont-count-on-a-relapsing-fever-to-diagnose-borrelia-miyamotoi/   “You might assume a patient infected with Borrelia miyamotoi, a relapsing fever spirochete, to present with a relapsing fever. However, your assumption would be wrong 48 out of 50 times, according to a case series published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. [1] The authors found that only 2 out of 50 patients infected with the relapsing spirochete B. miyamotoi actually presented with a relapsing fever. [1]….The individuals exhibited symptoms similar to those found in other tick-borne illnesses. The majority presented with headaches, myalgias, arthralgias, and malaise/fatigue. ‘More than 50% were suspected of having sepsis, and 24% required hospitalization,’ states Molloy. [1]…..’Serologic testing using the rGlpQ EIA seems insensitive in diagnosing acute BMD infection given that it was positive for IgG or IgM in only 16% of the case patient samples at the time of clinical presentation,’ states Molloy. The rGlpQ was positive after the fact in 86% of the patients during convalescence. [1]….Elevated liver enzyme levels, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia were common in 75%, 60% and 51% respectively. ‘Borrelia miyamotoi disease may be clinically similar to or be confused with human anaplasmosis,’ according to Molloy….B. miyamotoi has emerged as a leading cause of hard tick-transmitted infections but lacks a clear diagnostic criteria. According to Molloy, “Infection with B. miyamotoi is the fifth recognized Ixodes-transmitted infection in the northeastern United States and should be part of the differential diagnosis of febrile patients from areas where deer tick–transmitted infections are endemic.'”

http://danielcameronmd.com/larval-ticks-borrelia-miyamotoi/

https://igenex.com/ticktalk/2018/01/11/borreliosis-relapsing-fever-disease/

 

 

Category:

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

Bartonella Mastomydis -Novel Species

First proposed in 2016,   https://www.researchgate.net/publication/295893002_Bartonella_spp_in_Small_Mammals_Benin, phenotypic, phylogenetic, and genomic analyses have led researchers to formally propose the creation of Bartonella mastomydia sp.nov. that contains the strain 008 isolated from Senegalese M. erythroleucus (Guinea multimammate mouse) blood samples.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6098214/

Bartonella Mastomydis Strain 008Bartonella mastomydis strain 008 (FEI Company, Limeil-Brévannes, France) 

Noncontiguous finished genome sequence and description of Bartonella mastomydis sp. nov.

M. Dahmani,1 G. Diatta,2 N. Labas,1 A. Diop,1 H. Bassene,2 D. Raoult,1 L. Granjon,3 F. Fenollar,4 and O. Mediannikov1,∗

Abstract

Bartonella mastomydis sp. nov. strain 008 is the type strain of B. mastomydis sp. nov., a new species within the genus Bartonella. This strain was isolated from Mastomys erythroleucus rodents trapped in the Sine-Saloum region of Senegal. Here we describe the features of this organism, together with the complete genome sequence and its annotation. The 2 044 960 bp long genomes with 38.44% G + C content contains 1674 protein-coding and 42 RNA genes, including three rRNA genes.

Introduction

Just over a century ago, the first historical record of the emerging Bartonella genus was made during World War I, when a million frontline troops were shown to be plagued by a disease later known as trench fever. This was caused by the louse-borne bacterium now known as Bartonella quintana [1]. Bartonella are small facultative intracellular, vector-transmitted, Gram-negative, haemotropic bacilli, classified within the class of α-proteobacteria [2]….The Bartonellaceae family (Gieszczykiewicz 1939) [4] contains 35 species and three subspecies (http://www.bacterio.net/) as of 1 August 2017 [5]. Bartonellae usually exist in two specific habitats: the gut of the obligately blood-sucking arthropod vector and the bloodstream of the mammalian host [1]. Among the 38 recognized Bartonella species, 17 have been described as pathogenic in humans [6]. In humans, Bartonella bacteria are among the most described as being associated with endocarditis or cardiopathy. In animal hosts, a wide array of clinical syndromes, as well as asymptomatic infection and endocarditis, have been described [6], [7], [8].

New species and subspecies are constantly being proposed. Candidate species belonging to the genus Bartonella from a wide range of animal reservoirs have been described but not yet assigned new species designations [1]. Parasitism by bartonellae is widespread among small mammals. Potentially new Bartonella species infecting bat communities were reported in Madagascar [9], Kenya [10], Puerto Rico [11] and French Guiana [12]. Rodents and insectivores were showed to maintain bartonellae infections. Additionally, a large number of partially characterized Bartonella have been isolated from rodents in Southeast Asia [13], South Africa [14], [15], Europe, North and South America [16], Nigeria [17], the Republic of Congo and Tanzania [16]. In Senegal, West Africa, using the criteria proposed by La Scola et al. [18] based on the multilocus sequence analyses of four genes and the intergenic spacer (ITS) as a tool to the description of bartonellae, three new bartonellae were isolated and described: Bartonella senegalensis, Bartonella massiliensis from the soft tick Ornithodoros sonrai[13] and Bartonella davoustii from cattle [19].

We sought to describe an additional Bartonella species isolated from small mammals in the region of Sine-Saloum, in western Senegal [20]. In this rural region, the biotype is favourable to the spread of commensal mammals harbouring pathogenic microorganisms and is often found in close contact with humans. This situation increases the risk of human and animal transmission of infectious disease from rodent-associated tick-borne pathogens. This work describes the genome sequence of the proposed candidate Bartonella mastomydis strain 008 isolated from Mastomys erythroleucususing a polyphasic approach combining matrix-assisted desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and genomic properties, as well as next-generation sequencing technology to complete description of a potentially new species [21].

Bartonella mastomydis is sensitive to amoxicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, oxacillin, imipenem, rifampicin, nitrofurantoin, doxycycline, linezolid, tobramycin, gentamycin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, fosfomycin and ciprofloxacin. Bartonella mastomydis is resistant to metronidazole and colistin.

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**Comment**

I once heard it said that every animal species probably has their own strain of Bartonella.  All I know is many Lyme/MSIDS patients struggle with it as it is extremely tenacious.  Here, we see a novel species in Senegalese mice.  While there are 17 known species of Bart that are pathogenic to humans, as this article points out, more are continually being discovered.

Known for causing heart issues in humans, it does oh so much more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/01/03/bartonella-treatment/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2011/09/25/the-bartonella-checklist-copyrighted-2011-james-schaller-md-version-11/

Normally thought of as a Lyme “co-infection,” some LLMD’s state that Bartonella can be more debilitating than Lyme.  This doctor says Bartonella is the “new Lyme”:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/05/07/fox-news-bartonella-is-the-new-lyme-disease/

Category:

Bartonella, Heart Issues, research, Ticks, Treatment

Editors of Medical Journals Confirm: HPV Vaccines Cause More Harm Than Good….Science Author Facing Death Threats

https://www.naturalnews.com/2018-08-30-editors-of-medical-journals-confirm-hpv-vaccines-cause-more-harm-than-good.html

Editors of medical journals confirm: HPV vaccines cause more harm than good… science author facing death threats

Thursday, August 30, 2018 by:

Image: Editors of medical journals confirm: HPV vaccines cause more harm than good… science author facing death threats

(Natural News) In medicine, sometimes preventive measures and treatments have the opposite effect. Whether it’s antidepressants making people suicidal or chemotherapy spreading cancer rather than decimating it, it’s shocking just how bad some of these supposed solutions to health problems really are. Now, a new contender has emerged in the form of the HPV vaccine.

We’ve long known that this vaccine is bad news, but now a study has shown that it can actually raise a woman’s risk of getting cervical cancer instead of preventing it as intended. Unfortunately, many people will never know about this as the study was officially retracted shortly after it was printed by the journal’s editors due to the author’s use of a pseudonym to protect himself from retaliation by those with vested interests in vaccines.

The article was published in the Indian Journal of Medical Ethics, and it noted that there was a significant rise in invasive cervical cancer incidence in 2014 and 2015 among women between the ages of 20 and 49 years old – the age range during which women often get the HPV vaccine – in Sweden.

Not only did the study link the higher HPV vaccination rates to a rise in cervical cancer, but it also highlighted how an FDA analysis of the Gardasil vaccine showed a greater risk of “premalignant cell changes” from the vaccine among groups that were exposed to certain strains of HPV.

A week after this groundbreaking report was published, things got ugly. First, the journal’s editors removed mentions of the Karolinska Institutet from the article after the institution informed them that no one by the name of the study’s author, Lars Anderson, worked for them as claimed. This prompted the author to share his real name with the editors after being promised confidentiality.

The editors confirmed that the author had the right expertise, experience and qualifications to carry out the study, and they also confirmed that he was facing a “credible threat of harm” and needed to keep his name secret. They went on to confirm the article’s conclusion that the HPV vaccine was possibly associated with a high risk of cervical cancer and retained the article.

The story doesn’t end there, however. Certain parties – and it’s easy to imagine who they might be – questioned the decision to let the article stand, and the editors finally gave in and retracted it. Even as they did so, however, they maintained the article’s finding was correct and called for more research into the matter.

Just one more reason not to get the HPV vaccine

Causing the very type of cancer it is meant to prevent is reason enough to steer clear of this vaccine, and this side effect joins a long list of others, such as severe ulcers, chronic pain, infertility, paralysis, and premature menopause.

Some people who have gotten the vaccine have even lost their lives. Gardasil is already responsible for more than 200 deaths and over 57,000 adverse events recorded in the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System in the U.S., and a court ruling confirmed that it kills people.

It contains aluminum – a neurotoxin – as an adjuvant, along with polysorbate 80, which has been linked to multiple sclerosis, anaphylactic reactions, and encephalitis. Sadly, this type of information is not usually shared with patients who are considering the shot or the parents of the young girls this vaccine targets.

The fact that the latest study showing how dangerous it is was retracted not due to inaccuracy but on a mere technicality over the author’s name should give anyone who is considering this shot serious pause.

Sources for this article include:

NaturalHealth365.com

IJME.in

NaturalNews.com

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**Comment**

On top of all this bad news, a physician has found Gardasil to activate latent tick borne infections:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/12/02/scottish-doctor-on-lyme-msids-part-2/

So has another:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/04/24/gardasil-and-bartonella/  There is further damning evidence that Gardasil can produce life-threatening reactions in those who have been close to a cat, fleas, or ticks, since many of these animals are infected with Bartonella, Babesia, or Lyme (borrelia). Also, since many MSIDS patients (multi systemic infectious disease syndrome) also struggle with viruses such as Mono or active EBV, a cytokine storm can result with mucus being over manufactured in lungs and airways and well as wide-spread inflammation.  Asymptomatic girls after receiving Gardasil activated dormant Bartonella which was confirmed by testing.

Category:

Activism, Babesia, Bartonella, Inflammation, Lyme, research, vaccines

Diplopia: Another Rare Manifestation of Neuroborreliosis That Isn’t Rare

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6076924/#__ffn_sectitle

Diplopia: A Rare Manifestation of Neuroborreliosis

Ayushi Dixit,corresponding author 1 Yesika Garcia, 1 Lauren Tesoriero, 2 Charles Berman, 1 and Vincent Rizzo 1
Author information ► Article notes ► Copyright and License information ► Disclaimer

Abstract

Early disseminated Lyme disease typically presents with cardiac, rheumatologic, or neurologic symptoms. Though uncommon, Borrelia burgdorferi can invade the central nervous system and cause neuroborreliosis. In these patients, facial palsy, headache, and stiffness of the neck are the most common presenting symptoms. Our case describes a patient with oculomotor nerve palsy manifesting as double vision as the initial presentation of neuroborreliosis.

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**Comment**

Again, while there are 3 stages of Lyme a person can bypass all and hop right to 3rd stage with neuro issues.  Go here for an example:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/12/07/igenex-presentation/  (Within 6 hours this little girl after being bit by a tick couldn’t walk or talk)

Also, it is quite common for Bb to invade the CNS.  In fact, it’s what it does best.

And trust me, there are a zillion symptoms that don’t fit the regurgitated paradigm.

Vision issues are quite common with Lyme/MSIDS patients.  Just ask around!

For more: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2015/10/18/psychiatric-lymemsids/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/07/21/growing-list-of-eye-problems-in-lyme-disease/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/08/17/case-of-optic-neuritis-secondary-to-lyme-disease/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/08/08/dr-jay-davidson-video-on-nematodes-in-the-eye/

 

 

Category:

Lyme, research