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Clinical Microbiology Reviews Dec 2022Lyme borreliosis is caused by spirochetes belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi group, which are transmitted by tick species living in the temperate climate zones of... (Review)
Review
Lyme borreliosis is caused by spirochetes belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi group, which are transmitted by tick species living in the temperate climate zones of the Northern Hemisphere. The clinical manifestations of Lyme borreliosis are diverse and treated with oral or intravenous antibiotics. In some patients, long-lasting and debilitating symptoms can persist after the recommended antibiotic treatment. The etiology of such persisting symptoms is under debate, and one hypothesis entails persistent infection by a subset of spirochetes after antibiotic therapy. Here, we review and appraise the experimental evidence from animal studies on the persistence of B. burgdorferi sensu lato infection after antibiotic treatment, focusing on the antimicrobial agents doxycycline and ceftriaxone. Our review indicates that some animal studies found sporadic positive cultures after antibiotic treatment. However, this culture positivity often seemed to be related to inadequate antibiotic treatment, and the few positive cultures in some studies could not be reproduced in other studies. Overall, current results from animal studies provide insufficient evidence for the persistence of viable and infectious spirochetes after adequate antibiotic treatment. Borrelial nucleic acids, on the contrary, were frequently detected in these animal studies and may thus persist after antibiotic treatment. We put forward that research into the pathogenesis of persisting complaints after antibiotic treatment for Lyme borreliosis in humans should be a top priority, but future studies should most definitely also focus on explanations other than persistent B. burgdorferi sensu lato infection after antibiotic treatment.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Lyme Disease; Borrelia burgdorferi Group; Ixodes; Models, Animal
PubMed: 36222707
DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00074-22 -
Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases Mar 2017Ixodes ticks transmit Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis (LB). These tick species also transmit Borrelia miyamotoi, which...
Ixodes ticks transmit Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis (LB). These tick species also transmit Borrelia miyamotoi, which was recently found to cause infections in humans. We were interested in the prevalence of B. miyamotoi infection in ticks and natural hosts in The Netherlands, and to what extent ticks are co-infected with B. burgdorferi. In addition, erythema migrans has been sporadically described in B. miyamotoi-infected patients, but these skin lesions might as well represent co-infections with B. burgdorferi s.l. We therefore investigated whether B. miyamotoi was present in LB-suspected skin lesions of patients referred to our tertiary Lyme disease clinic. 3360 questing Ixodes ricinus nymphs as well as spleen tissue of 74 rodents, 26 birds and 10 deer were tested by PCR for the presence of B. miyamotoi. Tick lysates were also tested for the presence of B. burgdorferi s.l. Next, we performed a PCR for B. miyamotoi in 31 biopsies from LB-suspected skin lesions in patients visiting our tertiary Lyme center. These biopsies had been initially tested for B. burgdorferi s.l. by PCR, and the skin lesions had been investigated by specialized dermatologists. Out of 3360 unfed (or questing) nymphs, 313 (9.3%) were infected with B. burgdorferi s.l., 70 (2.1%) were infected with B. miyamotoi, and 14 (0.4%) were co-infected with B. burgdorferi s.l. and B. miyamotoi. Co-infection of B. burgdorferi s.l. with B. miyamotoi occurred more often than expected from single infection prevalences (p=0.03). Both rodents (9%) and birds (8%) were found positive for B. miyamotoi by PCR, whereas the roe deer samples were negative. Out of 31 LB-suspected skin biopsies, 10 (32%) were positive for B. burgdorferi s.l. while none were positive for B. miyamotoi. The significant association of B. burgdorferi s.l. with B. miyamotoi in nymphs implies the existence of mutual reservoir hosts. Indeed, the presence of B. miyamotoi DNA indicates systemic infections in birds as well as rodents. However, their relative contributions to the enzootic cycle of B. miyamotoi requires further investigation. We could not retrospectively diagnose B. miyamotoi infection using biopsies of LB-suspected skin lesions, supporting the hypothesis that B. miyamotoi is not associated with LB-associated skin manifestations. However, this warrants further studies in larger sets of skin biopsies. A prospective study focused on acute febrile illness after a tick bite could provide insight into the incidence and clinical manifestations of B. miyamotoi infection in The Netherlands.
Topics: Animals; Arachnid Vectors; Birds; Borrelia; Borrelia Infections; Coinfection; DNA, Bacterial; Deer; Disease Reservoirs; Humans; Ixodes; Lyme Disease; Netherlands; Nymph; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Prospective Studies; Rodentia; Skin
PubMed: 28065617
DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.12.012 -
Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine Mar 2018Borrelia burgdorferi infection is common in horses living in Lyme endemic areas and the geographic range for exposure is increasing. Morbidity after B. burgdorferi...
Borrelia burgdorferi infection is common in horses living in Lyme endemic areas and the geographic range for exposure is increasing. Morbidity after B. burgdorferi infection in horses is unknown. Documented, naturally occurring syndromes attributed to B. burgdorferi infection in horses include neuroborreliosis, uveitis, and cutaneous pseudolymphoma. Although other clinical signs such as lameness and stiffness are reported in horses, these are often not well documented. Diagnosis of Lyme disease is based on exposure to B. burgdorferi, cytology or histopathology of infected fluid or tissue and antigen detection. Treatment of Lyme disease in horses is similar to treatment of humans or small animals but treatment success might not be the same because of species differences in antimicrobial bioavailability and duration of infection before initiation of treatment. There are no approved equine label Lyme vaccines but there is strong evidence that proper vaccination could prevent infection in horses.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Borrelia burgdorferi; Consensus; Horse Diseases; Horses; Lyme Disease; North America; Seroepidemiologic Studies
PubMed: 29469222
DOI: 10.1111/jvim.15042 -
BMJ Global Health Jun 2022() infection, the most frequent tick-transmitted disease, is distributed worldwide. This study aimed to describe the global seroprevalence and sociodemographic... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
INTRODUCTION
() infection, the most frequent tick-transmitted disease, is distributed worldwide. This study aimed to describe the global seroprevalence and sociodemographic characteristics of in human populations.
METHODS
We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and other sources for relevant studies of all study designs through 30 December 2021 with the following keywords: '' AND 'infection rate'; and observational studies were included if the results of human antibody seroprevalence surveys were reported, the laboratory serological detection method reported and be published in a peer-reviewed journal. We screened titles/abstracts and full texts of papers and appraised the risk of bias using the Cochrane Collaboration-endorsed Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. Data were synthesised narratively, stratified by different types of outcomes. We also conducted random effects meta-analysis where we had a minimum of two studies with 95% CIs reported. The study protocol has been registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021261362).
RESULTS
Of 4196 studies, 137 were eligible for full-text screening, and 89 (158 287 individuals) were included in meta-analyses. The reported estimated global seroprevalence was 14.5% (95% CI 12.8% to 16.3%), and the top three regions of seroprevalence were Central Europe (20.7%, 95% CI 13.8% to 28.6%), Eastern Asia (15.9%, 95% CI 6.6% to 28.3%) and Western Europe (13.5%, 95% CI 9.5% to 18.0%). Meta-regression analysis showed that after eliminating confounding risk factors, the methods lacked western blotting (WB) confirmation and increased the risk of false-positive antibody detection compared with the methods using WB confirmation (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.6 to 2.2). Other factors associated with seropositivity include age ≥50 years (12.6%, 95% CI 8.0% to 18.1%), men (7.8%, 95% CI 4.6% to 11.9%), residence of rural area (8.4%, 95% CI 5.0% to 12.6%) and suffering tick bites (18.8%, 95% CI 10.1% to 29.4%).
CONCLUSION
The reported estimated global seropositivity is relatively high, with the top three regions as Central Europe, Western Europe and Eastern Asia. Using the WB to confirm serological results could significantly improve the accuracy. More studies are needed to improve the accuracy of global Lyme borreliosis burden estimates.
PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER
CRD42021261362.
Topics: Borrelia burgdorferi; Borrelia burgdorferi Group; Europe; Humans; Lyme Disease; Male; Middle Aged; Seroepidemiologic Studies
PubMed: 35697507
DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-007744 -
Experimental & Applied Acarology Jul 2022Ixodes ricinus ticks transmit Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) as well as Borrelia miyamotoi. Larvae become infected when feeding on infected rodents, with...
Ixodes ricinus ticks transmit Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) as well as Borrelia miyamotoi. Larvae become infected when feeding on infected rodents, with horizontal transmission of B. burgdorferi and horizontal and vertical transmission of B. miyamotoi. We studied seasonal dynamics of infection rates of I. ricinus and their rodent hosts, and hence transmission risk of these two distinctly different Borrelia species. Rodents were live-trapped and inspected for ticks from May to November in 2013 and 2014 in a forest in The Netherlands. Trapped rodents were temporarily housed in the laboratory and detached ticks were collected. Borrelia infections were determined from the trapped rodents and collected ticks. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and B. miyamotoi were found in ticks as well as in rodents. Rodent density was higher in 2014, whereas tick burden as well as the Borrelia infection rates in rodents were higher in 2013. The density of B. miyamotoi-infected nymphs did not differ between the years. Tick burdens were higher on Apodemus sylvaticus than on Myodes glareolus, and higher on males than on females. Borrelia-infection rate of rodents varied strongly seasonally, peaking in summer. As the larval tick burden also peaked in summer, the generation of infected nymphs was highest in summer. We conclude that the heterogeneity of environmental and host-specific factors affects the seasonal transmission of Borrelia spp., and that these effects act more strongly on horizontally transmitted B. burgdorferi spp. than on the vertically transmitted B. miyamotoi.
Topics: Animals; Borrelia; Borrelia Infections; Borrelia burgdorferi; Ecosystem; Female; Forests; Ixodes; Lyme Disease; Male; Murinae; Nymph; Seasons
PubMed: 35840866
DOI: 10.1007/s10493-022-00720-z -
Scientific Reports May 2019Lyme borreliosis (LB), caused by bacteria of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Borrelia) species, is the most common tick-borne infection in the northern hemisphere....
Lyme borreliosis (LB), caused by bacteria of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Borrelia) species, is the most common tick-borne infection in the northern hemisphere. LB diagnostics is based on clinical evaluation of the patient and on laboratory testing, where the main method is the detection of Borrelia specific antibodies in patient samples. There are, however, shortcomings in the current serology based LB diagnostics, especially its inability to differentiate ongoing infection from a previously treated one. Identification of specific biomarkers of diseases is a growing application of metabolomics. One of the main methods of metabolomics is nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. In the present study, our aim was to analyze whether Borrelia growth in vitro and infection in vivo in mice causes specific metabolite differences, and whether NMR can be used to detect them. For this purpose, we performed NMR analyses of in vitro culture medium samples, and of serum and urine samples of Borrelia infected and control mice. The results show, that there were significant differences in the concentrations of several amino acids, energy metabolites and aromatic compounds between Borrelia culture and control media, and between infected and control mouse serum and urine samples. For example, the concentration of L-phenylalanine increases in the Borrelia growth medium and in serum of infected mice, whereas the concentrations of allantoin and trigonelline decrease in the urine of infected mice. Therefore, we conclude that Borrelia infection causes measurable metabolome differences in vitro and in Borrelia infected mouse serum and urine samples, and that these can be detected with NMR.
Topics: Animals; Bacteriological Techniques; Biomarkers; Borrelia burgdorferi; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Humans; Lyme Disease; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Metabolome; Metabolomics; Mice
PubMed: 31142787
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44540-5 -
PloS One 2018To determine whether human Borrelia miyamotoi infection occurs in the far-western United States, we tested archived sera from northwestern California residents for...
To determine whether human Borrelia miyamotoi infection occurs in the far-western United States, we tested archived sera from northwestern California residents for antibodies to this emerging relapsing fever spirochete. These residents frequently were exposed to I. pacificus ticks in a region where B. miyamotoi tick infection has been reported. We used a two-step B. miyamotoi rGlpQ assay and a B. miyamotoi whole-cell lysate (WCL) assay to detect B. miyamotoi antibody. We also employed Borrelia hermsii and Borrelia burgdorferi WCL assays to examine if these Borrelia induce cross reacting antibody to B. miyamotoi. Sera were collected from 101 residents in each of two consecutive years. The sera of 12 and 14 residents in years one and two, respectively, were B. miyamotoi rGlpQ seroreactive. Sufficient sera were available to test 15 of the 26 seropositive samples using B. miyamotoi and B. hermsii WCL assays. Two residents in year one and seven residents in year two were seroreactive to both Borrelia antigens. Although discernible differences in seroreactivity were evident between the B. miyamotoi and B. hermsii WCL assays, infection with one or the other could not be determined with certainty. Sera from two Borrelia burgdorferi /B. miyamotoi seropositive subjects reacted strongly against B. miyamotoi and B. hermsii WCL antigens. Ecological, epidemiological, and clinical data implicated B. miyamotoi as the probable cause of infection among those whose sera reacted against both antigens. Our findings suggest that human B. miyamotoi infection occurs in northern California and that B. hermsii and B. burgdorferi infections produce antibodies that cross-react with B. miyamotoi antigens. Health care professionals in the far-western United States should be aware that B. miyamotoi disease may occur throughout the geographic distribution of I. pacificus and that improved relapsing fever group spirochete antibody assays are urgently needed.
Topics: Antibodies, Bacterial; Antigens; Borrelia; Borrelia Infections; California; Endemic Diseases; Humans; Serologic Tests; Species Specificity
PubMed: 29420552
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191725 -
Arthritis Research & Therapy 2009Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato is the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis in humans. This inflammatory disease can affect the skin, the peripheral and central nervous... (Review)
Review
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato is the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis in humans. This inflammatory disease can affect the skin, the peripheral and central nervous system, the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular system and rarely the eyes. Early stages are directly associated with viable bacteria at the site of inflammation. The pathogen-host interaction is complex and has been elucidated only in part. B. burgdorferi is highly susceptible to antibiotic treatment and the majority of patients profit from this treatment. Some patients develop chronic persistent disease despite repeated antibiotics. Whether this is a sequel of pathogen persistence or a status of chronic auto-inflammation, auto-immunity or a form of fibromyalgia is highly debated. Since vaccination is not available, prevention of a tick bite or chemoprophylaxis is important. If the infection is manifest, then treatment strategies should target not only the pathogen by using antibiotics but also the chronic inflammation by using anti-inflammatory drugs.
Topics: Antibodies, Bacterial; Borrelia burgdorferi; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Lyme Disease
PubMed: 20067594
DOI: 10.1186/ar2853 -
PloS One 2020Lyme borreliosis and Relapsing fever are considered emerging and re-emerging diseases that cause major public health problems in endemic countries. Epidemiology and... (Review)
Review
Lyme borreliosis and Relapsing fever are considered emerging and re-emerging diseases that cause major public health problems in endemic countries. Epidemiology and geographical distribution of these diseases are documented in the US and in Europe, yet in Mexico, studies are scarce and scattered. The aims of this study were (1) to present the first confirmatory evidence of an endemic case of Lyme disease in Mexico and (2) to analyze the epidemiological trend of these both diseases by compiling all the information published on Borrelia in Mexico. Two databases were compiled, one of human cases and another of wild and domestic animals in the country. The analysis included the evaluation of risk factors for the human population, the diversity of Borrelia species and their geographic distribution. Six Borrelia species were reported in a total of 1,347 reports, of which 398 were of humans. Women and children from rural communities were shown to be more susceptible for both Lyme borreliosis and Relapsing fever. The remaining reports were made in diverse mammalian species and ticks. A total of 17 mammalian species and 14 tick species were recorded as hosts for this bacterial genus. It is noteworthy that records of Borrelia were only made in 18 of the 32 states, mainly in northern and central Mexico. These results highlight the importance of performing further studies in areas where animal cases have been reported, yet no human studies have been done, in order to complete the epidemiological panorama for Lyme borreliosis and Relapsing fever. Finally, the search for Borrelia infections in other vertebrates, such as reptiles and amphibians is recommended to gain a more accurate view of Borrelia species and their distribution. The geographical approach presented herein justifies an intense sampling effort to improve epidemiological knowledge of these diseases to aid vector control and prevention programs.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Domestic; Animals, Wild; Borrelia; Data Management; Humans; Ixodes; Lyme Disease; Mexico; Recurrence; Relapsing Fever
PubMed: 32941463
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238496 -
Emerging Infectious Diseases Oct 2022Ehrlichia minasensis is a new pathogenic bacterial species that infects cattle, and Borrelia theileri causes bovine borreliosis. We detected E. minasensis and B....
Ehrlichia minasensis is a new pathogenic bacterial species that infects cattle, and Borrelia theileri causes bovine borreliosis. We detected E. minasensis and B. theileri DNA in cattle from southwestern Colombia by using PCR. E. minasensis and B. theileri should be considered potential etiologies of febrile syndrome in cattle from Colombia.
Topics: Animals; Borrelia Infections; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Colombia; DNA; Polymerase Chain Reaction
PubMed: 36148977
DOI: 10.3201/eid2810.220657