Article
Immunology
Bijaya Sharma, Julie E. McCarthy, Cecily A. Freliech, Morgen M. Clark, Linden T. Hu
Summary: Unrecognized immunodeficiency may contribute to antibiotics' failure in treating Lyme disease symptoms. The study showed that the efficacy of doxycycline was significantly lower in mice lacking adaptive immunity, especially B cells, with the most pronounced effect seen in immunodeficient C3H mice. Additionally, the addition of a single dose of ceftriaxone to doxycycline treatment effectively cleared infection in severely immunodeficient C3H mice.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Bryna L. Fitzgerald, Barbara Graham, Mark J. Delorey, Adoracion Pegalajar-Jurado, M. Nurul Islam, Gary P. Wormser, John N. Aucott, Alison W. Rebman, Mark J. Soloski, John T. Belisle, Claudia R. Molins
Summary: This study used metabolomics to analyze metabolic responses in patients with Post-treatment Lyme disease symptoms/syndrome (PTLDS) compared to clinically cured non-PTLDS patients. The findings revealed observable metabolic differences between PTLDS and non-PTLDS patients at multiple time points, with distinct patterns of metabolite abundance. A small number of metabolites could be used to define PTLDS versus non-PTLDS patients at specific time points, and these findings were validated in a second patient cohort. These results suggest that metabolite-based measurement can help distinguish patients with PTLDS and provide insights into the underlying biochemistry of PTLDS.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Maroun M. Sfeir, Jennifer K. Meece, Elitza S. Theel, Dane Granger, Thomas R. Fritsche, Allen C. Steere, John A. Branda
Summary: Modified two-tiered testing algorithms are acceptable alternatives for Lyme disease diagnosis. The study found that these algorithms showed higher sensitivity in patients with acute erythema migrans and comparable specificity in other types of Lyme disease patients and control subjects.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Finja Huendersen, Stefanie Forst, Erich Kasten
Summary: The study found that patients with Lyme disease have lower quality of life and sleep, as well as cognitive impairments in attention and memory. Depressive symptoms are common among Lyme patients, and the disease is often diagnosed late.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Klaudia Sowula, Joanna Szaleniec, Mateusz Dworak, Maria Przeklasa, Malgorzata Maraj, Piotr Ceranowicz, Jerzy Tomik
Summary: The study aimed to evaluate the frequency of vertigo symptoms and potential labyrinth damage in patients diagnosed with Lyme disease (LD). Vertigo is often associated with labyrinth and hearing-organ damage in LD patients, and antibiotic therapy is effective in reducing otoneurological symptoms.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Shaghayegh Jahanbani, Paige S. Hansen, Lisa K. Blum, Effie E. Bastounis, Nitya S. Ramadoss, Mallesh Pandrala, Jessica Marie Kirschmann, Grace Sisemore Blacker, Zelda Z. Love, Irving L. Weissman, Fahimeh Nemati, Michal Caspi Tal, William H. Robinson
Summary: This study sequenced the antibody repertoire of plasmablasts in Bb-infected humans and identified their binding specificities. The researchers found that by conjugating a TLR9-agonist CpG oligo to an anti-BmpA monoclonal antibody, they were able to enhance macrophage phagocytosis of Bb.
CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Elisa Kortela, Mari Kanerva, Satu Kurkela, Jarmo Oksi, Asko Jarvinen
Summary: This study evaluated the conditions behind the symptoms in patients with suspected Lyme borreliosis (LB) referred to an infectious diseases clinic. The results showed that LB was unlikely in half of the patients, with most cases having other conditions to explain their symptoms.
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Christa D. Jackson, Kinsey A. Hilliard, Charles R. Brown
Summary: The deficiency of 12/15-lipoxygenase (12/15-LO) exacerbates ankle swelling and arthritis severity in Lyme arthritis, suggesting that 12/15-LO lipid metabolites play a crucial role in resolving inflammatory arthritis. Therapeutic treatment with lipoxin A4 (LXA(4)) can alleviate joint edema and pain in Lyme arthritis patients.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Sanna Avellan, Daniel Bremell
Summary: The study found that adjunctive corticosteroids do not improve or impair the outcome for patients with LNB PFP treated with doxycycline.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Merle Margarete Boehmer, Katharina Ens, Stefanie Boehm, Susanne Heinzinger, Volker Fingerle
Summary: Lyme borreliosis is the most common tick-borne disease in Germany, with mandatory notification of acute LB manifestations in Bavaria since 2013. The study identified regional differences in LB incidence, with the Bavarian Forest and parts of Franconia as high-risk areas. High risk populations for LB include 5-9-year-old males and 60-69-year-old females.
Article
Microbiology
Paul M. Arnaboldi, Adiya S. Katseff, Mariya Sambir, Raymond J. Dattwyler
Summary: This study evaluated the efficacy of using synthetic peptides containing unique epitopes from B. burgdorferi as antigen targets in Lyme disease seroassay. The results showed that combining epitopes from different antigens significantly increased the sensitivity of the assay without compromising specificity. These findings provide a new approach to improve the laboratory diagnosis of Lyme disease.
Article
Immunology
Bharti Bhatia, Chadwick Hillman, Philip E. Stewart, Patricia Rosa
Summary: The highly conserved gene bba30 on the linear plasmid lp54 of Lyme disease spirochetes was found to be not required during the experimental mouse-tick infectious cycle, suggesting its potential role in the natural life cycle of Borrelia burgdorferi remains undefined.
INFECTION AND IMMUNITY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Gary P. Wormser, Donna McKenna, Eliana Jacobson, Elayna M. Shanker, Keith D. Shaffer, Carol Scavarda, Paul Visintainer
Summary: The study found that patients with erythema migrans who received antibiotic treatment for less than 7 days were more likely to experience at least one symptom than those treated for 7 days or more. Additionally, there was a significantly lower percentage of males among the treated group compared to untreated study subjects.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Zsuzsa Kalmar, Violeta Briciu, Mircea Coroian, Mirela Flonta, Amanda-Lelia Radulescu, Adriana Topan, Andrei Daniel Mihalca, Mihaela Lupse
Summary: The study in Romania found specific IgG and IgM antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. among healthy blood donors. Higher seroprevalence was observed in men, older individuals, and those engaged in outdoor work.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Thomas Cafiero, Alvaro Toledo
Summary: The spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi has a variety of membrane proteins involved in its complex life cycle, including GroEL which is a cytoplasmic chaperone protein that binds plasminogen and components of the extracellular matrix to help establish infection and dissemination.
Editorial Material
Infectious Diseases
Pierre H. Boyer, Emilie Talagrand-Reboul, Aurelien Guffroy, Frederic Schramm, Benoit Jaulhac, Antoine Grillon
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Yann Gomard, Olivier Flores, Marion Vittecoq, Thomas Blanchon, Celine Toty, Olivier Duron, Patrick Mavingui, Pablo Tortosa, Karen D. McCoy
Summary: Characterizing microbial interactions within the seabird soft tick Ornithodoros maritimus revealed an increase in bacterial diversity over tick development, with adult male ticks exhibiting higher diversity than adult females. The study found that co-occurrence was more common than co-exclusion in bacterial networks, with some interactions maintained throughout development. Stable associations identified in the tick microbiota are likely responsible for key biological functions.
Editorial Material
Microbiology
Emilie Talagrand-Reboul, Pierre H. Boyer, Philippe Riegel, Frederic Schramm, Cecile Ronde-Oustau, Jean-Yves Jenny, Benoit Jaulhac, Antoine Grillon
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Axel Ursenbach, Frederic Schramm, Francois Severac, Yves Hansmann, Nicolas Lefebvre, Yvon Ruch, Xavier Argemi
Summary: 16S PCR sequencing has a significant clinical impact on patient management, particularly for suspected CSF infections, patients with culture-negative samples, and those with previous antibiotic treatments.
BMC INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Marwa Bachir, Lorenzo Guglielmetti, Simone Tunesi, Typhaine Billard-Pomares, Sheila Chiesi, Jeremy Jaffre, Hugo Langris, Valerie Pourcher, Frederic Schramm, Nadine Lemaitre, Jerome Robert
Summary: Female sex, birth in the West-Pacific region, and resistance to streptomycin were independently associated with HR-TB, but treatment success rates did not significantly differ between HR-TB and DS-TB. Rapid molecular testing remains the only effective way to make early diagnosis of HR-TB and adapt treatment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Vincent Gies, Yannick Dieudonne, Florence Morel, Wladimir Sougakoff, Raphael Carapito, Aurelie Martin, Noelle Weingertner, Lea Jacquel, Fabrice Hubele, Cornelia Kuhnert, Sophie Jung, Frederic Schramm, Pierre Boyer, Yves Hansmann, Francois Danion, Anne-Sophie Korganow, Aurelien Guffroy
Summary: This case report describes a 48-year-old man who developed severe disseminated BCG disease after treatment for hematological malignancy, without prior BCG instillation and with a history of uncomplicated BCG vaccination in infancy. Laboratory investigations showed no known or candidate gene mutations related to IEI or defects involving the IFN gamma pathway. The BCG strain isolated from the patient was most closely related to the M. bovis BCG Tice strain, suggesting an unexpected relationship between the patient's secondary immunodeficiency and the acquired BCG infection.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zachary J. Oppler, Kayleigh R. O'Keeffe, Karen D. Mccoy, Dustin Brisson
Summary: The genus Borrelia consists of genetically diverse bacterial species, which can cause diseases in humans and domestic animals. Molecular, ecological, and evolutionary studies have provided significant contributions towards understanding the natural history, biology, and evolutionary genetics of Borrelia species, but integrating these studies is required to identify the evolutionary causes and consequences of genetic variation within and among Borrelia species.
CURRENT ISSUES IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Claire Bonsergent, Marion Vittecoq, Carole Leray, Louisiane Burkart, Karen D. McCoy, Laurence Malandrin
Summary: Avian infecting piroplasms, particularly a new Babesia species from yellow-legged gull chicks in southern France, exhibit high prevalence and parasitemia without obvious clinical signs. The genetic diversity and possible transmission through soft ticks are discussed in this study.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Respiratory System
Pascale Bemer, Olivia Peuchant, Helene Guet-Revillet, Julien Bador, Charlotte Balavoine, Damien Basille, Guillaume Beltramo, Francois-Xavier Blanc, Elodie Blanchard, Sarah Boulanger, Anne Bourgoin, David Boutoille, Emmanuelle Cambau, Frederique Canis, Didier Caparros, Anne Carricajo, Christian Carriere, Gerard Couetdic, Francis Couturaud, Jean-Charles Dalphin, Tristan Degot, Marion Desquiens, Gilles Devouassoux, Jean-Marie Duez, Oana Dumitrescu, Magali Dupuy-Grasset, Alice Gaudart, Marjolaine Georges, Cendrine Godet, Sylvain Godreuil, Aurelie Guillouzouic, Farida Hamdad-Daoudi, Genevieve Hery-Arnaud, Christelle Koebel, Aurore Lagrange, Philippe Lanotte, Sylvain Marchand-Adam, Faiza Mougari, Marlene Murris, Isabelle Patry, Michele Perouse de Montclos, Laurent Raskine, Karine Risso, Christine Segonds, Dominique Sicard, Dominique Terru, Anne Vachee, Jean-Michel Vergnon, Christian Martin, Frederic Schramm, Claire Andrejak
Summary: Recent study in France showed a good adherence to ATS/IDSA recommendations for the treatment of nontuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary disease (NTM-PD), with treatment being associated with better survival. The study also identified age, treatment, and M. abscessus as significant independent prognostic factors for NTM-PD patients.
BMC PULMONARY MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Marwa Bachir, Lorenzo Guglielmetti, Simone Tunesi, Typhaine Billard-Pomares, Sheila Chiesi, Jeremy Jaffre, Hugo Langris, Valerie Pourcher, Frederic Schramm, Nadine Lemaitre, Jerome Robert
Summary: This study assessed the impact of rapid diagnostic tests on the treatment of HR-TB in France and found that early implementation of molecular detection can shorten the time to adequate treatment.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION
(2022)
Letter
Infectious Diseases
Baptiste Hoellinger, Celestine Simand, Katy Jeannot, Carlos Garijo, Mircea Cristinar, Fanny Reisz, Francois Danion, Axel Ursenbach, Nicolas Lefebvre, Pierre Boyer, Yves Hansmann, Antoine Studer, Frederic Schramm, Yvon Ruch
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Karen D. D. McCoy, Celine Toty, Marlene Dupraz, Jeremy Tornos, Amandine Gamble, Romain Garnier, Sebastien Descamps, Thierry Boulinier
Summary: Climate change has significant impacts on species in polar regions. The expansion of the seabird tick, Ixodes uriae, in the high Arctic has been linked to climate change. However, recent population genetic data and host serology suggest that the tick has been present in Svalbard for a long time, maintaining high population sizes and a transmission cycle of Lyme disease bacteria.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Florence Nono Almeida, Carole Leray, Justine Boutry, Alexandra ter Halle, Marion Vittecoq, Jennifer F. Provencher, Karen D. McCoy
Summary: By analyzing pellets collected from monitored nests in a gull colony, it was found that breeding gulls decrease the ingestion of plastic during reproduction, potentially providing safer and more digestible food to chicks.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Letter
Infectious Diseases
Baptiste Hoellinger, Francois Danion, Yves Hansmann, Frederic Schramm, Yvon Ruch
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Charly Souc, Nicolas Sadoul, Thomas Blanchon, Marion Vittecoq, Christophe Pin, Eric Vidal, Alain Mante, Remi Choquet, Karen D. McCoy
Summary: This study highlights the importance of studying individuals of different ages and from different colonies in order to understand seabird movement strategies. Local breeding success and the availability of food resources may explain part of the among-colony differences observed, which should be tested explicitly.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Harold Salant, Yaarit Nachum-Biala, Doni Zivotofsky, Tsachi Even Tzur, Gad Baneth
Summary: This study describes the presentation, clinical signs, parasitemia levels, laboratory findings and treatment of dogs infected with B. negevi. Treatment with imidocarb dipropionate was helpful for recovery from clinical disease but did not facilitate parasite elimination, and it is therefore recommended to treat canine B. negevi infection with the combination of atovaquone and azithromycin.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2024)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Gervillien Arnold Malonga, Almoustapha Issiaka Maiga, Dimitry Moudiongui Mboungou Malanda, Mahamadou Saliou, Juth ece Private Malanda-Kiminou, Oumar Dolo, Anicet Luc Magloire Boumba, Alhassane Ba, Robert Murphy, Jean Felix Peko, Anne-Genevieve Marcelin, Vincent Calvez, Stephane Marot
Summary: A serological survey in sub-urban areas of the capital cities of Congo and Mali reveals human contact with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) associated with previously described CCHFV risk factors.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2024)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Aleksander Wymazal, Sabina Nowak, Robert W. Myslajek, Anna Bajer, Renata Welc-Faleciak, Maciej Szewczyk, Iga Kwiatkowska, Kinga M. Stepniak, Michal Figura, Agnieszka Kloch
Summary: The wolf population in Central and Eastern Europe has been increasing, but their frequent contacts with humans make them a potential zoonotic reservoir. This study found a high prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in free-ranging wolves from Poland.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2024)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Nannet D. Fabri, Hans Heesterbeek, Joris P. G. M. Cromsigt, Frauke Ecke, Hein Sprong, Lonneke Nijhuis, Tim R. Hofmeester, Nienke Hartemink
Summary: In many parts of the northern hemisphere, different species of deer, small mammals, and birds coexist and their composition can strongly influence the outbreak potential of tick-borne pathogens. This study investigates how the abundance and composition of vertebrate communities affect the basic reproduction number R0 of tick-borne pathogens, and shows that species composition plays a substantial role in the outbreak potential of tick-borne diseases.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2024)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Lynn M. Osikowicz, Maria R. Rizzo, Andrias Hojgaard, Sarah E. Maes, Rebecca J. Eisen
Summary: This article describes the prevalence and diversity of Lyme disease in the United States. By using different detection methods, the authors found various species of spirochetes present in specific tick species, revealing the potential transmission of pathogens among ticks.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2024)
Review
Infectious Diseases
El-Sayed El-Alfy, Ibrahim Abbas, Somaya Saleh, Rana Elseadawy, Ragab M. Fereig, Mohamed Abdo Rizk, Xuenan Xuan
Summary: Published data on tick-borne pathogens in camels worldwide have been collected, providing an overview of their global prevalence and species diversity. Evidence of natural infection of camels with certain tick-borne pathogens is limited, particularly because most of the camels were considered healthy at the time of sampling. More research is needed to understand the role of camels in maintaining and transmitting these pathogens.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2024)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Saana Sipari, Mikko Kiljunen, Minna Nylund, Eva R. Kallio
Summary: This study introduces a stable isotope analysis method to directly identify tick breeding hosts by sampling field collected larvae. The results show that stable isotope signatures can reflect the diet of the breeding host of the mother tick.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2024)