Archive for the ‘Transmission’ Category

Bartonella Infection Everywhere, But We Don’t Know About It

http://www.thecharlottepost.com/news/2020/02/01/health/bartonella-infection-everywhere-but-we-don-t-know-about-it/

Bartonella infection everywhere, but we don’t know about it
Bacteria spread by fleas, ticks, animals, spiders
Published Saturday, February 1, 2020 10:31 pm

by Stephanie Soucheray | North Carolina Health New

CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
Bartonella bacteria, which is found in animals, ticks, mosquitoes and humans, is mostly unknown as a cause of neurological, inflammatory and chronic diseases in people.

A North Carolina State University professor says Bartonella infection is one of the most important untold medical stories.

Ed Breitschwerdt, a professor of veterinary sciences at North Carolina State University, keeps waiting for the tipping point. For the last 30 years, Breitschwerdt has been studying Bartonella, a genus of bacteria found in animals, ticks and humans.

“It’s frustrating,” said Breitschwerdt. “I believed we would hit a tipping point two years ago with this.”

Laura Hopper’s tipping point came in 2006, when she was 15 years old. The Raleigh teen lost her peripheral vision. She next began to suffer bouts of joint and muscle pain and numbness in her hands. Then came the headaches, memory loss and hallucinations.

“As a mother, it’s so hard to watch your child have all these symptoms,” said Maria Hopper. “It was a couple years of going to all kinds of doctors.”

But no neurologist, rheumatologist or psychiatrist could explain all of Laura’s symptoms. And it wasn’t until 2008, when the Hoppers read a news article about Bartonella and Breitschwerdt’s work, that a lightbulb went off in their heads.

Though people have known of cat scratch disease – the most public of the human diseases caused by Bartonella infection – for more than 100 years, Breitschwerdt said he’s convinced that Bartonella is the stealth cause of many neurological, inflammatory and chronic diseases in humans.

And, unlike Lyme disease, another tick-borne illness that can cause an array of distressing symptoms, Bartonella is right in the backyard of most North Carolinians.

“It’s a medically important bacteria in animals and humans in the state. If you took every stray cat along the coast of North Carolina, three quarters of them would have Bartonella,” said Breitschwerdt. “That’s because the bacteria is commonly transmitted to animals by fleas.”

He said that, historically, vets have considered common cat flea a nuisance but have under-appreciated it as a disease vector. For several years, Breitschwerdt has seen all sorts of animals and mites, ticks, fleas and even spiders test positive for Bartonella.

“Animals are the primary reservoir for the Bartonella species,” he said.

Breitschwerdt has worked with the One Health Commission, a collective that looks at the links between environmental, human and animal health. Though his professional and personal life has been guided by his care for animals, his most recent work is geared towards detecting and treating Bartonella infection in humans.

The recovery process
The Hoppers contacted Breitschwerdt at a fortunate time: He was developing new human diagnostic method for Bartonella. Laura tested positive, and after three courses of months-long antibiotic treatments, her symptoms have all but disappeared.

“By the end of the first cycle [of antibiotics], the feeling in her hands came back,” said Maria. “By the end of the second cycle, hallucinations stopped.” Though Laura still suffers some muscle pain, she considers herself 80 to 90 percent healed.

If the bacteria is positively detected, treating Bartonella infection is a daunting task for even otherwise healthy patients

“You cannot float humans or horses in enough Doxycycline to kill this bacteria,” said Breitschwerdt. Treatment, such as Laura’s, requires weeks of multi-antibiotic therapies.

Laura was also lucky in that she tested positive for Bartonella immediately.

A patient infected can have a negative test on a Monday and positive test by Wednesday.

“People are tested several times, but Bartonella can hide in the body,” Breitschwerdt said.

That’s because an animal scratch or bug bite (or a vet’s needle stick) results in Bartonella infection in red blood cells and endothelial cells, which line blood vessels. The bacteria can “hide out” for many infectious cycles, causing symptoms and eventually affecting every organ system in the body.

Most people can clear Bartonella from their bloodstreams effectively. But among the subset of people who can’t eliminate the bacteria, help in mainstream medicine will be difficult to come by.

“I often talk with veterinarians who have these vague complaints – who say they’ve been sick for weeks or months,” said Breitschwerdt.

Many of the vets receive diagnoses of Lyme disease, chronic fatigue, rheumatoid arthritis, or are sent to a psychiatrist and told their symptoms are untreated depression. But Breitschwerdt cautions them to get tested for Bartonella.

Breitschwerdt has ventured into industry with Galaxy Diagnostics, a company he founded to offer Bartonella testing kits to doctors. The company launched into human testing two years ago, and has received orders from 300 doctors across the country.

At this stage, said Amanda Elam, Galaxy’s president, the company’s goal is to educate people about Bartonella.

“We’re dong continuing medical education courses, working with people in public health and doing education with veterinarians,” she said. “I’d really like the medical community to keep an open mind about this.”

While Breitschwerdt waits for the public tipping point for Bartonella, he said he too is focused on disease education.

“It takes 10 years before something added to the medical textbooks gets widely spread in practice,” he said. “We’re working on changing those textbooks.”

This article first appeared on North Carolina Health News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/24/human-bartonellosis-an-underappreciated-public-health-problem/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/02/07/one-health-trio-dr-breitschwerdts-three-publications-about-vector-borne-pathogens-and-his-family/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/category/bartonella-treatment/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/03/24/cat-scratch-disease-caused-teens-schizophrenia-like-symptoms-report-says/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/01/02/bartonella-in-entire-canadian-family/

Category:

Bartonella, Ticks, Transmission

Is Exposure to Fleas and Ticks Possible During The Winter?

https://www.galaxydx.com/fleas-and-tick-prevention-in-the-winter/

written on 

Is Exposure to Fleas and Ticks Possible During The Winter?

Research shows that the tick species I. scapularis can remain active at temperatures as low as 30.9 degrees Fahrenheit. In moderate winters, the fact is that flea and tick prevention is a year-round need in most of the world. In general, however, exposure is extremely limited when temperatures are consistently below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Exposure to fleas and ticks does tend to be less likely during the winter, but this does not mean they suddenly disappear until spring. Unless it is extremely cold with no shelter, they may be in a dormant state awaiting warmer and wetter weather. Meanwhile, they survive in microenvironments like the soil, leaf litter, or housing structures. When there is a spike in temperature in the winter they can emerge, looking for a meal just as they do in any other season. This has been especially true over the past couple of months for the northeastern region of the United States, where the temperature has fluctuated greatly.

The warmer-than-normal winter weather this year has led to an increased observation of ticks, especially across the US northeast. Local news stations and advocacy groups based in New York have posted warnings of increased tick activity, with experts describing how this may affect tick populations not only now, but also during the upcoming spring. The Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, which is working on the TICK Project with partners that include the CDC and NY State Department of Health, warned that the abnormally warm and rainy winter is extremely amenable to the survival of ticks. Without a prolonged cold snap, juveniles and eggs are more likely to survive until the spring. This same trend is likely true for fleas.

So how do they survive in the winter?

Ticks

The lifecycles of Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus, the primary vectors for Lyme disease in the United States, is generally about 2-3 years and involves distinct developmental stages that each require a blood meal from a new host. This means that survival through seasonal changes is necessary for females to reach adulthood and successfully reproduce.

The Ixodes scapularis (black legged tick) life consists of four distinct stages of development over two to three years. In order to reach adulthood, survival through the winter is necessary (Source: CDC).

After hatching from their eggs, larvae have the main goals of feeding through the summer and fall and surviving the winter. Typically, they do this by remaining in a dormant state within the insulation provided by leaf litter and snow. Unless the ground is frozen for some time, they can survive until the spring, when they will feed on a new host as nymphs. If the weather warms up, however, they can emerge from dormancy at any time to feed. Studies show that Ixodes scapularis can be found questing in New York from January to March when the weather permits. Dermacentor variabilis can become active as early as February.

Interestingly, one species responsible for transmitting tick-borne diseases can complete its entire lifecycle on one indoor host, avoiding the outdoor weather entirely. Commonly called the brown dog tick, Rhicephalus sanguineus is known for residing in kennels and around heated homes year-round. They successfully reproduce just by feeding on dogs, unlike most other species of ticks that require various hosts. Furthermore, they release from the hosts at night rather than during the day, so they easily make it into people’s homes.

Fleas

Unlike most ticks, the survival of eggs or juvenile fleas through cold weather is not necessary to successfully reproduce. This is because fleas generally have a short lifespan of a few weeks to a couple of months. When temperatures are optimal (around 75 degrees Fahrenheit and 70% humidity), cat fleas (Ctenophalides felis, found on cats, dogs and a variety of other hosts in most parts of the world) can complete their entire lifecycle, from egg to adult, on a single host in just a couple of weeks.

Research suggests that adult fleas do not withstand temperature fluctuations in their environment well, but pre-emerged adults residing in cocoons can. They will remain in a protective casing for weeks to months depending on the species. Emergence in an unfavorable environment will not occur until the presence of a potential host is obvious. The flea within the cocoon may be alerted to the presence of a host by vibrations, rising levels of carbon dioxide, and body heat.

Conclusion

Vigilance against fleas and ticks is required year-round. Talk to your veterinarian about flea and tick prevention for your pets and follow best practices to protect yourself from flea and tick exposure, even in winter.

References

Elfenbein, H. (2019). Do fleas die in the winter? PetMD.com. Available at https://www.petmd.com/dog/parasites/do-fleas-survive-winter

Santa Maria, C. (2019). Ticks can survive cold weather, so keep checking your pets. TheWeatherNetwork.com. Available at https://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/ticks-can-survive-winter-and-cold-weather-lyme-disease-deer-tick-pets-cats-dogs-new-boston-new-hampshire/122254/

Silverman, J. et al. (1981). Influence of temperature and humidity on survival and development of the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae). Journal of Medical Entomology, 18, 78-83. doi:10.1093/jmedent/18.1.78. https://academic.oup.com/jme/article-abstract/18/1/78/2219813?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Gage, K. L. et al. (2008). Climate and vectorborne diseases. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 35, 436-450. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2008.08.030 static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/551504/6467299/1270769608913/Gage+et+al.pdf?token=6mCSf%2Fqe2MuEW94lHok5ONl9%2Fhk%3D

Ostfeld, R. (2020, January/February). Ticks in winter. Adirondac Magazine. Available at https://www.adk.org/ticks-in-winter-ostfeld/

WRGB. (2020, February 3). Tick sightings spike during warm January. Available at https://www.weny.com/story/41644769/tick-sightings-spike-during-warm-january#.XjhFtTPZbQM.twitter

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). Tick surveillance. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/surveillance/index.html

Bayer. (n.d.). Companion vector-borne diseases. Available at http://www.cvbd.org/en/flea-borne-diseases/about-fleas/general-aspects/epidemiology/

Ogden, N.H. et al. (2005). A dynamic population model to investigate effects of climate on geographic range and seasonality of the tick Ixodes scapularis. International Journal of Parasitology, 35(4), 375-389. doi:10.1016/j.ijpara.2004.12.013 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0020751905000044

Gray, J et al. (2013). Systemics and ecology of the Brown Dog Tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Ticks Tick Born Dis. 4(3), 171-180. doi: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2012.12.003. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23415851

Rust, Mk et al. (1997). The biology, ecology, and management of the cat flea. Annu Rev Entomol. 42, 451-73. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9017899

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For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/01/20/polar-vorticks/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/04/12/tick-prevention-2019/

 

Category:

research, Ticks, Transmission

Vector-borne Causes of Fever in Cats Demand Year-Round Preventive Therapy

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-vector-borne-fever-cats-demand-year-round.html

JANUARY 9, 2020

Vector-borne causes of fever in cats demand year-round preventive therapy

by SAGE Publications

Vector-borne causes of fever in cats demand year-round preventive therapy

Increased body temperature is the single-most commonly noted abnormal finding for the medical practitioner. While it may be a sign of something relatively innocuous, it can also be an indication of underlying critical illness. In cats, an elevated body temperature equates to a reading in excess of 39.2°C or 102.5°F and, as in humans, it can arise as a result of two major mechanisms: hyperthermia and fever. Hyperthermia refers to a sudden and uncontrolled increase in temperature owing to failure of the body’s thermoregulatory mechanism. By contrast, in fever (or pyrexia, from the Greek for ‘fire’ or ‘burning heat’), the body’s hypothalamic set-point is increased, secondary to the release of pyrogens, as the body’s adaptive response to a pathological state.

In cats, fever typically presents with associated signs of depression and loss of appetite. For the veterinarian getting to the root of the problem in order that appropriate therapy can be implemented, there is a long list of differential diagnoses to consider, including infectious disease agents, neoplasia and immune-mediated diseases, among others. Based on a recent study of over 100 cats presenting to second-opinion veterinarians for investigation of fever, infectious causes are thought to be the most common.

Writing for an international audience of veterinary practitioners and feline researchers, an expert group of feline internists from the USA, Spain and the UK, led by Professor Michael Lappin of Colorado State University, provide an update on associated with fever in cats that are transmitted by arthropod vectors. Published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, their two-part state-of-the-art review article focuses on common clinical and laboratory findings, and optimal diagnostic tests, treatments and strategies for prevention of a range of disease agents known or suspected to be transmitted by fleas, ticks and sandflies. Throughout, they stress that prevention of vector-borne infections is always preferable to treating clinically ill cats, and note that there is mounting evidence to show that consistent use of products that either rapidly kill vectors or, preferably, prevent vectors from biting a cat, is desirable.

Links between specific disease agents and fever in cats are not always clear-cut. For example, evidence of exposure to Bartonella species bacteria has been found in cats in many countries around the world, particularly in regions with high humidity and fleas. Well-documented manifestations of bartonellosis in cats include cardiac (endocarditis and myocarditis) and ocular (uveitis) disease, but whether fever will occur is likely influenced by a complex interaction involving both host and organism factors. Nevertheless, Bartonella henselae is common in fleas and known to survive at least 9 days in flea dirt. Professor Lappin stresses that adequate flea control is imperative to lessen the risk of infection in other cats, dogs and, indeed, people, in whom this agent is the cause of cat-scratch disease.

Among the tick-borne agents associated with feline fever are Ehrlichia species. Less is known about the particular causal agents of ehrlichiosis in cats compared with canine ehrlichiosis, but , together with lethargy and inappetence, is a commonly reported clinical abnormality in cats with suspected . Professor Lappin suggests that testing for these intracellular pathogenic bacteria might be indicated for cats with such signs and points to the importance of using preventive products that either rapidly kill attached ticks or, ideally, stop ticks from biting in the first place since it is known that, in dogs, Ehrlichia canis may be transmitted as early as 3 hours after tick attachment.

Commenting on the rationale for these two articles, the authors write: “We hope that these pieces of work will help answer many of the questions faced by veterinary clinicians regarding vector-borne pathogens in our feline patients. They represent a to try to ensure the information is relevant to all readers in order to help combat diseases in that have traditionally been overlooked.”

Explore further

AAFP releases updated feline retrovirus guidelines to the veterinary community

More information: Michael R Lappin et al, Role of vector-borne pathogens in the development of fever in cats: 1. Flea-associated diseases, Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery (2020). DOI: 10.1177/1098612X19895941

Category:

Activism, Bartonella, Ticks, Transmission

Non-Anticoagulant Heparin As A Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Prevents Lyme Disease Infection

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31961652/

2020 Jan 30. doi: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.9b00425. [Epub ahead of print]

Non-anticoagulant Heparin as a Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Prevents Lyme Disease Infection.

Lin YP1,2, Yu Y3, Marcinkiewicz AL1, Lederman P1, Hart TM1,4, Zhang F3, Linhardt RJ3,5,6.

Abstract

Lyme disease (LD) is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl). After transmission to humans by ticks, Bbsl spreads to multiple organs, leading to arthritis, carditis, and neuroborreliosis. No effective prophylaxis against human LD prior to tick exposure is currently available. Thus, a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) against LD is needed. The establishment of LD bacteria at diverse sites is dictated partly by the binding of Bbsl to proteoglycans (PGs) and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in tissues. The drug heparin is structurally similar to these GAGs and inhibits Bbsl attachment to PGs, GAGs, cells, and tissues, suggesting its potential to prevent LD. However, the anticoagulant activity of heparin often results in hemorrhage, hampering the development of this compound as LD PrEP.

We have previously synthesized a non-anticoagulant version of heparin (NACH), which was verified for safety in mice and humans. Here, we showed that NACH blocks Bbsl attachment to PGs, GAGs, and mammalian cells. We also found that

  • treating mice with NACH prior to the exposure of ticks carrying Bbslfollowed by continuous administration of this compound prevents tissue colonization by Bbsl.
  • Furthermore, NACH-treated mice develop greater levels of IgG and IgM against Bbsl  at early stages of infection, suggesting that the upregulation of antibody immune responses may be one of the mechanisms for NACH-mediated LD prevention.

This is one of the first studies examining the ability of a heparin-based compound to prevent LD prior to tick exposure. The information presented might also be extended to prevent other infectious diseases agents.

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**Comment**

I found this study fascinating on multiple levels and have had my thoughts on heparin for years due to it helping my husband’s Lyme/MSIDS case substantially.

For whatever reason he developed hyper coagulation (thick blood) after he became infected with tick-borne illness.  I’ve found that many other patients have experienced this as well.  Heparin is used as an anti-coagulant and is often the drug of choice for such patients.  My husband immediately improved on it due hyper coagulation’s ability to make you sluggish and tired as blood flow and oxygen delivery are impeded.  On top of that, thick blood impedes treatment, nutrients from food, and supplements from being distributed and utilized.  It’s a big deal.

The reason we even suspected hyper coagulation in the first place was due to visually seeing it clog blood catheters when he received blood ozone therapy and gave blood.  It looked like bloody snot and caused his blood to be a deep burgundy instead of a bright red.

After years of being on heparin and subsequently needing iron sucrose infusions due to low ferritin, he decided to try going off of it and taking systemic enzymes and fish oil instead.  He’s had no problem going off the heparin.  Read about enzymes here: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/11/18/link-between-inflammation-mental-sluggishness-shown-how-msm-systemic-enzymes-and-melatonin-can-help/  Please read comment section as I explain and have other links to enzymes and other substances which directly help inflammation. Enzymes are known to:

  • mop up debris within the blood
  • prevent and dissolve blood clots by dissolving fibrin
  • break down and remove circulating immune complexes
  • kill pathogens
  • control inflammation
  • improve alkalinity
  • help with detoxification

FYI: fish oil makes the blood more slippery:  https://heartmdinstitute.com/heart-health/is-it-safe-to-mix-fish-oil-and-blood-thinners/

Excerpt & warning when used with other blood thinners and anti-coagulants:

The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil help make blood platelets less likely to clot; antiplatelet blood thinners do the same thing. Too much of both can increase the risk for excessive bleeding from minor, everyday cuts or from the gastrointestinal side effects of drugs like aspirin or NSAIDs, as well as bruising or injuries that may occur as the result of a fall. Blood that is too thin also raises the risk of hemorrhagic stroke, especially in patients over age 85.

Modest amounts of fish oil, say 1–2 grams daily, generally can be tolerated even if you are taking prescription blood thinners. However, doing this is not without some risk—so it’s absolutely essential that you be up front with your doctor about the fish oil products you’re taking and how much, to avoid unsafe drug interactions. I cannot emphasize this enough. You must work collaboratively with your physician and regularly monitor the clotting agents in your blood.

To read more about heparin:  https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/heparin-intravenous-route-subcutaneous-route/description/drg-20068726  He started out with self-injecting but it’s very painful and causes bruising.  He then used it sub-lingually with similar success and without the negative side effects of injections.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Category:

research, Ticks, Transmission, Treatment

CDC Website Updated Today: Possibility of Mother to Fetus Transmission Of Lyme Disease

https://www.lymehope.ca/news-and-updates/cdc-website-updated-today-possibility-of-mother-to-fetus-transmission-of-lyme?

CDC Website Updated Today: Possibility of Mother to Fetus Transmission of Lyme Disease

1/31/2020

Picture

The CDC has updated their website today in three different spots to address the very important issue of maternal-fetal transmission of Lyme disease, from an infected mother to her fetus/baby.

The first update is in the Transmissionsection under ‘Are there other ways to get Lyme disease‘  which states:  ​

‘Untreated Lyme disease during pregnancy can lead to infection of the placenta. Spread from mother to fetus is possible but rare. Fortunately, with appropriate antibiotic treatment, there is no increased risk of adverse birth outcomes. There are no published studies assessing developmental outcomes of children whose mothers acquired Lyme disease during pregnancy.’
The second update is in the Lyme Disease FAQ under the question ‘I am pregnant and think I have Lyme disease, what should I do? which states:
‘If you are pregnant and suspect you have contracted Lyme disease, contact your physician immediately.  Untreated Lyme disease during pregnancy can lead to infection of the placenta. Spread from mother to fetus is possible but rare. Fortunately, with appropriate antibiotic treatment, there is no increased risk of adverse birth outcomes.* There are no published studies assessing developmental outcomes of children whose mothers acquired Lyme disease during pregnancy.’* Silver HM. Lyme disease during pregnancy . Infect Dis Clin North Am. 1997 Mar;11(1):93-7.
The third update is to the Pregnancy and Lyme Disease poster.

Clearly addressing the possibility of transmission from an infected mother to her baby is so important and we hope and trust this will open new doors for families who have expressed concern that their children were infected in-utero, so as to access medical treatment, support, follow-up and care.  This update also provides confirmation of the necessity for urgent, dedicated, scientific and medical research, in this area.

It is clear that the issue of maternal-fetal transmission of Lyme disease requires urgent research and a collective, multi-disciplinary, ‘all-hands on deck’ approach to address this alternate mode of transmission.

We are thankful for CDC leadership on this specific issue. Other countries around the world will take note.

It is time that ALL voices are heard, validated and acted upon. We can and must work together for the sake of our children and future generations.

It is also important to note that the HHS Tick-Borne disease working group subcommittee Clinical Aspects of Lyme Disease, recently issued a report which also included a section:
image-233_orig
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And, please remember, this is only about Lyme disease.  Most patients are infected with numerous pathogens which the CDC refuses to recognize.  Transmission studies on these pathogens hasn’t been done because they aren’t even considering them.  The effects of being infected with multiple things isn’t even on their radar, let alone being considered as an issue with maternal transmission.
They continue to tell us over and over ad nauseam that all of this is rare.

 

 

 

Category:

Activism, Lyme, Transmission