Archive for the ‘research’ Category

LDA/Columbia 18th Annual Lyme CME Conference: Lyme & Tick-Borne Diseases: What Clinicians Need to Know about an Expanding Epidemic Sept 23-24, 2017

 

LDA/Columbia 18th Annual Lyme CME Conference
Lyme & Tick-Borne Diseases: What Clinicians Need to Know about an Expanding Epidemic

Sept 23-24, 2017
Hilton Penns Landing, Phila., PA. Hotel info

Looking for the real facts on Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases− what’s happening with coinfections such as Powassan, B. miyamotoi and with Bartonella? What’s new with rickettsial diseases and with tick bite causing meat allergy? Why do Lyme patients often have low blood pressure–how does Lyme affect the heart, breathing, and digestive process when the autonomic nervous system is disrupted? Can Lyme cause optic neuritis? How does inflammation from Lyme affect the brain and how can it be treated? Biofilms and persisters, what are they and are they causing chronic Lyme disease? What are some prevention strategies and have we learned new information from big data?

  Pre-Conference Video, Approx. 3.5 Min

The conference is designed for doctors, nurses and researchers. Those who register for CMEs and CNE’s may receive credit, and the public is also invited to register. An included reception will enable conference attendees to network with the conference faculty.

Thanks to support from the Steven & Alexandra Foundation and IGeneX Labs for this conference.

Click here for Registration and Conference Information:  https://lymediseaseassociation.org/information

 

Category:

Activism, Lyme, research, Ticks, Treatment

Bm in Manitoba 2011-2014

https://doi.org/10.9778/cmajo.20170070

Human seroprevalence of Borrelia miyamotoi in Manitoba, Canada, in 2011-2014: a cross-sectional study

  1. Kamran Kadkhoda, PhD, D(ABMM),
  2. Cecilia Dumouchel, BA,
  3. Janna Brancato, RN,
  4. Ainsley Gretchen, BSc,
  5. Peter J. Krause, M

Abstract

 

Background: Hard tick-borne relapsing fever caused by Borrelia miyamotoi has been reported in Russia, the Netherlands, Germany, Japan and the northeastern and upper midwestern United States. We sought to investigate the presence of B. miyamotoi infection in humans in Manitoba, Canada.

 

Methods: Two hundred fifty sera collected from residents of Manitoba with suspected Lyme disease between 2011 and 2014 were tested for Borrelia burgdorferi antibody using a C6 peptide enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) followed by Western blot. Residual sera were then anonymized, stored at -80°C and subsequently thawed and tested for B. miyamotoi antibody using a 2-step glycerosphosphodiester phosphodiesterase-based ELISA and Western blot assay.

 

Results: Twenty-four of the 250 (9.6%) sera tested positive for B. miyamotoi immunoglobulin G. Participants who were B. miyamotoi seropositive were predominantly male (54%) and younger on average than those who were seronegative (32 and 44 yr of age, respectively). Participants who were seropositive for B. burgdorferiwere significantly more likely to be B. miyamotoi seropositive than those who were B. burgdorferi seronegative (20.3% v. 6.6%, respectively, odds ratio 3.6, 95% confidence interval 1.5-8.5).

 

Interpretation: This initial report of human B. miyamotoi infection in Canada should raise awareness of hard tick-borne relapsing fever among clinicians and residents of areas in Canada and western North America where Lyme disease is endemic.

 

Category:

Borrelia Miyamotoi (Relapsing Fever Group), research, Ticks

Immunization of Mice – No Bb Protection

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X17311520

Immunization of mice with Borrelia burgdorferi lp54 gene encoded recombinant proteins does not provide protection against tick transmitted infectious challenge

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.08.054Get rights and content

Abstract

The Borrelia burgdorferi outer surface membrane proteins BBA65, BBA66, BBA69, BBA70, and BBA73 were tested for their ability to confer protection against B. burgdorferi infection challenge. Mice were immunized with recombinant forms of the proteins singly or in combinations. Following initial protein inoculation and booster injections, seroconversion was confirmed prior to B. burgdorferi challenge by tick bite. Despite mice having high antibody titers for each antigen, no significant protections against the challenge infections were observed. These results demonstrate that these recombinant proteins were not protective and reflects the challenges confronted to identify effective novel vaccine candidates for Lyme disease.

 

Category:

Lyme, Lyme Vaccine, research, vaccines

Fibromyaligia Clinical Trial – Lipid Replacement Underway in Texas

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/new-cross-over-clinical-trial-using-fibromyalgia-test-garth-nicolson

New Cross-Over Clinical Trial Using Fibromyalgia Patients to Test Membrane Lipid Replacement in Reducing Pain, Fatigue and Gastrointestinal Symptoms
Published on September 12, 2017

A new clinical trial for patients with fibromyalgia living in central Texas has been approved and is seeking patients, including veterans. This trial, “Membrane Lipid Replacement in Fibromyalgia”, is described below. For more information on MLR see: http://www.immed.org/treatment%20considerations/06.11.2016.update/Clinical_Uses_MLR-NicolsonDiscoveries2016.pdf

Description of the Trial

Cellular energy systems are largely located within the mitochondria in cells. Oxidative and other damage to mitochondrial membrane lipids been associated with loss of function leading to fatigue found in aging and disease. We have found that replacement of damaged membrane lipids through the use of oral supplements has been associated with reductions of fatigue in several small clinical trials.

Trial Design

This new IRB-approved clinical study is to be a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled cross-over trial between FDA-approved membrane lipid wafers (NTFactor Lipids®) and placebo to detect associations between relief of fatigue, pain and other symptoms in patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Patients will not have stop taking their current medications to enroll in the trial, which will last approximately 3 months. The diagnosis of fibromyalgia will be confirmed using the American College of Rheumatology criteria. The only “treatment” will be the membrane lipid and placebo wafers.

Participation

Patients interested in this trial may enroll through the web site www.immed.org using the button “Sign up for Clinical Trials,” or call (512) 547-5007.

Garth L. Nicolson, Ph.D., M.D. (H)

 

 

Category:

Activism, research

New Borrelia Strain (lanei) Discovered – Named after Dr. Lane

http://ijs.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/ijsem/10.1099/ijsem.0.002214

Borrelia lanei sp. nov. extends the diversity of Borrelia species in California

The diversity of Borrelia species discovered in California appears to be particularly high. A divergent group of Borrelia strains collected from Ixodes ticks in California was described by Postic and co-workers and designated ‘genomospecies 2’ (Postic D, Garnier M, Baranton G. Int J Med Microbiol2007;297:263–271; Postic D, Ras NM, Lane RS, Hendson M, Baranton G. J Clin Microbiol1998;36:3497–3504). We performed multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) using eight housekeeping loci (clpA, clpX, nifS, pepX, pyrG, recG, rplB and uvrA) on 12 strains of this Borrelia genospecies to confirm that these strains form a distinct group within the Borrelia burgdorferi s. l. complex (Margos G, Hojgaard A, Lane RS, Cornet M, Fingerle V et al. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2010;1:151–158). Phylogenetic and genetic distance analyses based on sequences of the MLSA housekeeping genes corroborated the distinctness of this group; genetic distances to all other members of the B. burgdorferi s.l. complex were 96 % or lower. We propose the name Borrelia lanei sp. nov. for this genospecies in honor of Professor Robert S. Lane, University of California Berkeley, for his contributions to Borrelia and tick research. The type strain for Borrelia lanei sp. nov., strain CA28-91, has been deposited to two culture collections (=DSM 17992=CIP 109135).

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**Comment**

Congrats to Dr. Lane for this borrelia strain discovery.  Lane is also a member of the newly formed Tick Research to Eliminate Diseases:  Scientist Coalition (TRED):  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/04/12/announcing-tred-tick-research-to-eliminate-diseases-scientist-coalition/

This could also explain why California Lyme patients are discarded like yesterday’s trash.  They very probably have these yet to be discovered strains of borrelia that no CDC two tiered test is going to pick up in a trillion years.

Much work needs to be done not only in discovering these strains but also the other pathogens involved that make our cases much more complex than the average GP understands.  These factors could well explain why we aren’t testing positively and why we are not getting better with the mono therapy of doxycycline.

Category:

Lyme, research, Ticks