Ticks Climb the Mountains: Ixodes Tick Infestation and Infection by Tick-Borne Pathogens

August 10, 2020

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32723635/

. 2020 Sep;11(5):101489.

doi: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101489.Epub 2020 Jun 8.

Ticks climb the mountains: Ixodid tick infestation and infection by tick-borne pathogens in the Western Alps

Aitor Garcia-Vozmediano 1, Aleksandra Iwona Krawczyk 2, Hein Sprong 3, Luca Rossi 4, Elisa Ramassa 5, Laura Tomassone 6

Abstract

In mountain areas of northwestern Italy, ticks were rarely collected in the past. In recent years, a marked increase in tick abundance has been observed in several Alpine valleys, together with more frequent reports of Lyme borreliosis. We then carried out a four-year study to assess the distribution and abundance of ticks and transmitted pathogens and determine their altitudinal limit in a natural park area in Piedmont region.

  • Ixodes ricinus (castor bean tick) and Dermacentor marginatus (ornate sheep tick) were collected from both the vegetation and hunted wild ungulates.
  • Tick abundance was significantly associated with altitude, habitat type and signs of animal presence, roe deer’s in particular.
  • Ixodes ricinus prevailed in distribution and abundance and, although their numbers decreased with increasing altitude, we recorded the presence of all active life stages of up to around 1700 m a.s.l., with conifers as the second most infested habitat after deciduous woods.
  • Molecular analyses demonstrated the infection of questing I. ricinus nymphs with B. burgdorferi sensu lato (15.5 %), Rickettsia helvetica and R. monacensis (20.7%), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (1.9 %), Borrelia miyamotoi (0.5 %) and Neoehrlichia mikurensis (0.5 %).
  • One third of the questing D. marginatus were infected with R. slovaca.
  • We observed a spatial aggregation of study sites infested by B. burgdorferi s.l. infected ticks below 1400 m. Borrelia-infected nymphs prevailed in open areas, while SFG rickettsiae prevalence was higher in coniferous and deciduous woods.
  • Interestingly, prevalence of SFG rickettsiae in ticks doubled above 1400 m, and R. helvetica was the only pathogen detected above 1800 m a.s.l.
  • Tick infestation on hunted wild ungulates indicated the persistence of tick activity during winter months and, when compared to past studies, confirmed the recent spread of I. ricinus in the area.

Our study provides new insights into the population dynamics of ticks in the Alps and confirms a further expansion of ticks to higher altitudes in Europe. We underline the importance of adopting a multidisciplinary approach in order to develop effective strategies for the surveillance of tick-borne diseases, and inform the public about the hazard posed by ticks, especially in recently invaded areas.

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**Comment**

Not that ticks can’t climb mountains – but migrating birds probably dropped them there:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/11/07/ticks-on-the-move-due-to-migrating-birds-and-photoperiod-not-climate-change/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/03/09/danish-study-shows-migrating-birds-are-spreading-ticks-their-pathogens-including-places-without-sustainable-tick-populations/

Regarding R. slovaca:

We also identified a case of R. slovaca infection in southern Rhineland-Palatinate. The patient reported a tick bite; the tick was identified as Dermacentor spp. Fever, lymphadenopathy of submandibular lymph nodes, and exanthema at the site of the tick bite developed 7 days later. Serologic examinations by using an immunofluorescent test (Focus Diagnostics, Cypress, CA, USA) showed antibody titers of 64 for immunoglobulin (Ig) M and 1,024 for IgG against rickettsiae of the spotted fever group. These results indicated an acute rickettsial infection. Because of strong cross-reactivity among all species in the spotted fever group, we cannot differentiate between antibodies against R. slovaca and other species in this group.  https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/15/12/09-0843_article

 

 

 

Category:

Anaplasmosis, Borrelia Miyamotoi (Relapsing Fever Group), Ehrlichiosis, Lyme, research, Rickettsia, Uncategorized

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Tick-borne Virus: All You Need to Know About the Disease That Has Killed 7 in China

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/tick-borne-virus-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-disease-thats-killed-7-in-china/

Tick-borne virus: All you need to know about the disease that has killed 7 in China

Belonging to the Bunyavirus category, China isolated the pathogen of the virus first in 2011. First identified in China, the virus has also been reported in Japan and Korea.
AP

Beijing: A new tick-borne virus has killed seven and infected 60 others, Chinese media reported, warning about the imminent possibility of human-to-human transmission.

More than 37 people in East China‘s Jiangsu province contracted the SFTS Virus in the first half of year 2020. Later, 23 people were found infected in East China’s
Anhui province, Global Times quoted media reports. (See link for article)

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**Comment**
While the world is fixated on COVID, there are other viruses that are deadly, and SFTS is one of them.
Important points:
  1. Symptoms include fever, coughing, thrombocytopenia (low platelets), leukcytopenia (love white blood cells), neurological issues and gastrointestinal disorders.
  2. SFTS has a 30% fatality rate.
  3. The Asian Longhorned tick appears to be the culprit which is now spreading across the U.S. ,despite the weather, by migrating birds.
  4. They don’t know if human to human transmission occurs.
  5. Since this was first isolated in 2011 you would think we would have better answers for something that kills 30% of the people it infects….

For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/08/11/death-from-tick-borne-virus-sfts/  This article states the woman may have been infected by the bite from a cat.  If this is true, human to human transmission is highly probable.

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/09/12/three-surprising-things-i-learned-about-asian-longhorned-ticks-the-tick-guy-tom-mather/  We need answers on this tick fast because they line up on a blade of grass like a cluster-bomb.  Brush against it and you have hundreds if not thousands of ticks on you all at once.
And while researchers are quick to report it transmits Lyme disease rarely, it’s still a possibility:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/10/26/researchers-conclude-asian-longhorned-tick-contributes-minimally-to-lyme-disease-in-the-u-s/
uninfected H. longicornis larvae could acquire B. burgdorferi s.s. while feeding on infected Mus musculus mice (infection prevalence >50% in freshly fed larvae) but that the infection was lost during the molt to the nymphal stage. None of 520 tested molted nymphs were found to be infected, indicating that transstadial passage of B. burgdorferi s.s. is absent or rare in H.
This tick should be a grave concern to all of us.

Category:

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ticks, Transmission, Viruses

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CDC Director Acknowledges Hospitals Have a Monetary Incentive to Overcount Coronavirus Deaths

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/cdc-director-acknowledges-hospitals-have-a-monetary-incentive-to-overcount-coronavirus-deaths

CDC director acknowledges hospitals have a monetary incentive to overcount coronavirus deaths

by Andrew Mark Miller, Social Media Producer
August 01, 2020 10:13 AM

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield agreed that some hospitals have a monetary incentive to overcount coronavirus deaths as they do deaths for other diseases.

“I think you’re correct in that we’ve seen this in other disease processes, too. Really, in the HIV epidemic, somebody may have a heart attack but also have HIV — the hospital would prefer the [classification] for HIV because there’s greater reimbursement,” Redfield said during a House panel hearing Friday when asked by Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer about potential “perverse incentives.”  (See link for article)

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**Comment**

I posted on this in April:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/04/11/hospitals-paid-extra-to-list-patients-as-covid19-3x-as-much-if-the-patient-is-on-a-ventilator/

Due to Dr Jensen this became public knowledge, but he paid for it, as have many doctors who dare defy the narrative:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/08/01/censored-dr-simone-fired-from-hospital/ (I include the fact the State Medical Board came after Jensen in the comment section. Thankfully the case was dropped)

This same CDC has monetary incentives to undercount Lyme disease.  They also NEVER, EVER will admit people can be chronically infected because that would stop lucrative vaccine development and manufacturing.

They can do whatever they please because they have no accountability and are allowed to own patents and have financial conflicts of interest but still determine public health policy.  A true case of the fox guarding the hen-house.

The rest of the world is finally getting a taste of what Lyme patients have dealt with for over 40 years.

Category:

Activism, Viruses

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The People With Hidden Immunity Against COVID-19

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200716-the-people-with-hidden-protection-from-covid-19?

The People With Hidden Immunity Against COVID-19

By Zaria Gorvett 19th July 2020
While the latest research suggests that antibodies against Covid-19 could be lost in just three months, a new hope has appeared on the horizon: the enigmatic T cell.

The clues have been mounting for a while. First, scientists discovered patients who had recovered from infection with Covid-19, but mysteriously didn’t have any antibodies against it. Next it emerged that this might be the case for a significant number of people. Then came the finding that many of those who do develop antibodies seem to lose them again after just a few months.

In short, though antibodies have proved invaluable for tracking the spread of the pandemic, they might not have the leading role in immunity that we once thought. If we are going to acquire long-term protection, it looks increasingly like it might have to come from somewhere else.  (See link for article)

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**Comment**

The article points out that the researchers tested blood samples years before COVID and found T Cells specifically tailored to detect proteins on the surface of it.  They found some could test negative for antibodies but positive for T cells that identify COVID.  The finding is prevalent – 40-60% of unexposed individuals had these cells.

They now believe immunity is twice as common as previously thought.

Highly specific T cells hang around in the blood years after an infection and continue to identify and kill pathogens contributing to the immune system’s “long-term” memory, especially when it recognizes an old foe.

The article explains that the innate immune system, made up of white blood cells and chemical signals, is the first line of defense which then starts the production of antibodies weeks later. A little less than a week after infection, T cells get activated and start recognizing infected cells. The T cells or other parts of the immune system they recruit then eliminates the invaders before they can create viral factories that churn out copies.

This explains why antibody testing is fruitless at the beginning of infection, as Lyme/MSIDS patients are painfully aware.  Also, here is a picture of borrelia (Lyme) living quite happily with a macrophage:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/06/26/fluorescent-image-of-borrelia-living-quite-happily-with-a-macrophage/

There are 4 types of T cells:

  • Helper T cells cooperate with B cells in antibody production and activation of macrophages and inflammation.
  • Memory T cells persist in the blood stream to provide protection for future infections.
  • Suppressor T cells protect healthy tissues.
  • Killer T cells kill virus infected cells directly.

When it is proven & accepted that Bb infects white blood cells, it will give a potential answer to some late-disseminated Lyme cases as an immune-deficiency syndrome demonstrating why some patients have frequent and prolonged infections and may acquire new allergies as well as Mast Cell issues.

This is extremely important work that must be done if the Lyme community is to move forward.  We don’t need more climate data, we need research on pathogen persistence, better testing, better treatment, and a host of other crucial issues that will actually help Lyme patients.  Make sure you express this to Congressman Frank Pallone as well as demanding a hearing on the issues of Lyme before HHS gets another dime of tax-payer money:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/08/02/house-approves-increased-funding-for-lyme-im-not-impressed-please-contact-congressman-pallone/

 

 

Category:

Uncategorized

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What Lyme & Autism Have in Common Will Surprise You

August 9, 2020

https://dariningelsnd.com/lyme-and-autism/

July 6, 2020

By Dr. Darin Ingels N.D.

When speaking with children who are chronically ill, it can be difficult to understand what is causing their symptoms.

Children, naturally, might not know how to accurately describe their pains or illness. When there are multiple symptoms, it can be even more challenging as they grow and change so quickly.

For children with autism or other language disorder, they may be limited or unable to communicate why they feel the way they feel. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Lyme disease are examples of what seem to be entirely different diseases, but they share an overlap of symptoms.

While autism is usually seen as a developmental disorder and Lyme disease and infectious disease, the two have more in common than you might think. There are interesting connections between the two, especially when diagnosed in children.

Sad boy with symptoms of lyme disease

Symptoms shared by both Autism and Lyme:

  • Neurological symptoms that include difficulty with communication and confusion, disorientation, muscle twitching, sensitivity to light, brain fog, and delayed development.
  • Psychological problems that impact behaviors, obsessive-compulsive disorder, an increased sense of doom, anxiety and outbursts.
  • Physical health issues such as muscle weakness, arthritis, and rashes.
  • Gut health issues including food allergies, bloating, constipation or diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

These symptoms are common features of autism and Lyme disease.

Coincidentally, many of these symptoms are also displayed in auto-immune disorders.

Tests for Lyme can be misleading, as they have a poor accuracy. A specialist is always needed in order to get a better sense of other treatment options because both autism and Lyme can have long-term issues.

However, there are treatments that benefit Lyme and autism alike. Focusing on gut health has been an important part of treatment for both conditions. This is because we are seeing the benefits of specific diets in patients with autism and/or Lyme.

Nutritional support strengthens the integrity of the intestinal membranes, balances the billions of bacteria in our gut and improves digestion and elimination.

All of this help support the immune function of the gut, which ultimately affects brain function.

An effective nutritional protocol would support the immune system, reduce symptoms, calm the nervous system and strengthen the body’s ability to fight infections.

Autoimmune conditions such as autism and Lyme disease benefit greatly from proper diet and lifestyle modifications.

Wheat

Removing casein, dairy, sugar, processed foods and gluten from the diet will allow the body to heal and aid in the detoxification process, naturally.

Reducing environmental factors like external and emotional stressors are extremely important for both Lyme and ASD.

Stress responses increase the load on the immune & nervous system, which can lead to exhaustion and further relapse into symptoms.

Identifying these triggers help you to work around them and eventually train your nervous system to create new patterns and get rid of the old ones. Autoimmune conditions have very unique impacts on the immune system, especially Lyme and autism.

Consider speaking to a specialist about your symptoms, especially if they mimic other autoimmune conditions. And never be afraid to get a second or even third opinion, as it may be necessary in order to get to the root of problem.

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For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/12/22/identification-evaluation-and-management-of-children-with-autism-spectrum-disorder/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/09/28/toxic-metal-pollution-linked-with-development-of-autism-spectrum-disorder/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/09/05/pans-autism-the-immune-system-an-interview-with-expert-neurologist-dr-richard-frye/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/10/26/clinical-trial-shows-most-kids-with-autism-are-not-born-with-it/

Category:

Autism, diet and nutrition, Gut Health, Inflammation, Lyme, Psychological Aspects, Uncategorized

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