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Revista de Investigacion Clinica;... 2018Lyme disease (LD) is a multisystemic inflammatory disease caused by pathogenic spirochetes, belonging to the genospecies complex Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato... (Review)
Review
Lyme disease (LD) is a multisystemic inflammatory disease caused by pathogenic spirochetes, belonging to the genospecies complex Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (B.b.s.l.). Around the world, distinct species of Ixodes tick vectors transmit different species of Borrelia. Despite the rising recognition and occurrence of tick-borne disease in Latin America, serology has proven to be inconclusive in detecting suspected LD cases. Recently, new B.b.s.l. strains or new related species have been described in Brazil, Uruguay, and Chile. This could explain the lack of confirmatory tests, such as indeterminate Western blots (WBs) and polymerase chain reactions, in detecting suspected LD cases in this region of the world. Future studies will need to determine the extension of novel B.b.s.l. species infections in ticks, reservoirs, and humans in Latin America. The existence of these new Borrelia genomic species should prompt the development of innovative diagnostic and clinical approaches.
Topics: Blotting, Western; Borrelia; Borrelia Infections; Humans; Latin America; Lyme Disease; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Tick-Borne Diseases
PubMed: 30067716
DOI: 10.24875/RIC.18002509 -
Acta Tropica Dec 2015Tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) is a zoonotic disease caused by several Borrelia species transmitted to humans by Ornithodoros tick vectors. In West Africa, Borrelia... (Review)
Review
Tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) is a zoonotic disease caused by several Borrelia species transmitted to humans by Ornithodoros tick vectors. In West Africa, Borrelia crocidurae is a common cause of disease in many rural populations. Small mammals act as reservoirs of infection. We report here the results of surveys that investigated the occurrence of B. crocidurae infection in rodents and insectivores from eight countries of West and Central Africa. Animals were identified at the species level and tested for Borrelia either by examination of thick blood film, intra-peritoneal inoculation of blood or brain tissues into laboratory mice, or by molecular techniques. A total of 4358 small mammals belonging to 38 species and 7 families were collected, including 3225 specimens collected in areas where the occurrence of Ornithodoros sonrai tick in rodent burrows was documented, and 1133 in areas where this tick was absent. In areas with O. sonrai, Borrelia infection was demonstrated in 287 of 3109 (9.2%) small mammals tested, and none was documented in 1004 animals tested from other areas. There was no relationship between the occurrence of Rhipicephalus, Hyaloma and Argas ticks in burrows and the distribution of Borrelia infection in small mammals. The 287 specimens infected by Borrelia belonged to 15 rodent and shrew species, including three Saharo-Sahelian species - Gerbillus gerbillus, Gerbillus occiduus and Gerbillus tarabuli - identified as reservoirs for TBRF with a distribution restricted to this area. In Sudan and Sudano-Sahelian areas, Arvicanthis niloticus, Mastomys erythroleucus and Mastomys huberti were the main reservoir of infection. Although most small mammals species collected had a large distribution in West and Central Africa, the fact that only animals collected in areas with O. sonrai were found infected suggest that this tick is the only vector of TBRF in rodents and insectivores in this part of Africa.
Topics: Africa, Western; Animals; Borrelia Infections; Disease Reservoirs; Ecosystem; Humans; Male; Ornithodoros; Rain; Rhipicephalus; Rodentia
PubMed: 26327444
DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2015.08.016 -
Oecologia Dec 2022In seasonal environments, appropriate adaptations are crucial for organisms to maximize their fitness. For instance, in many species, the immune function has been...
In seasonal environments, appropriate adaptations are crucial for organisms to maximize their fitness. For instance, in many species, the immune function has been noticed to decrease during winter, which is assumed to be an adaptation to the season's limited food availability. Consequences of an infection on the health and survival of the host organism could thus be more severe in winter than in summer. Here, we experimentally investigated the effect of a zoonotic, endemic pathogen, Borrelia afzelii infection on the survival and body condition in its host, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus), during late autumn-early winter under semi-natural field conditions in 11 large outdoor enclosures. To test the interaction of Borrelia infection and energetic condition, four populations received supplementary nutrition, while remaining seven populations exploited only natural food sources. Supplementary food during winter increased the body mass independent of the infection status, however, Borrelia afzelii infection did not cause severe increase in the host mortality or affect the host body condition in the late autumn-early winter. While our study suggests that no severe effects are caused by B. afzelii infection on bank vole, further studies are warranted to identify any potentially smaller effects the pathogen may cause on the host fitness over the period of whole winter.
Topics: Animals; Borrelia burgdorferi Group; Lyme Disease; Seasons; Rodentia; Borrelia Infections; Arvicolinae; Ixodes
PubMed: 36242620
DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05272-y -
Parasites & Vectors May 2022Relapsing fever borreliosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Borrelia, inflicting recurrent episodes of fever and spirochetemia in humans....
BACKGROUND
Relapsing fever borreliosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Borrelia, inflicting recurrent episodes of fever and spirochetemia in humans. Borrelia persica, the causative agent of relapsing fever in Israel, is prevalent over a broad geographic area that extends from India to Egypt. It is transmitted by the soft tick Ornithodoros tholozani and causes disease in humans as well as domestic cats and dogs. The goal of this study was to survey domestic dogs and cats in Israel for infection with B. persica.
METHODS
Blood, sera and demographic and clinical data were collected from dogs and cats brought for veterinary care in central Israel. PCR followed by DNA sequencing was used to detect B. persica DNA in blood samples, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect antibodies reactive with B. persica antigens in sera from the same animals. This is the first serological survey of B. persica in dogs and the first survey for antibodies reactive with a relapsing fever Borrelia sp. in cats globally.
RESULTS
Four of the 208 dogs (1.9%) and three of 103 cats (2.9%) sampled were positive by PCR for B. persica DNA, and 24 dogs (11.5%) and 18 cats (17.5%) were seropositive for B. persica antigen by ELISA. The ratio between PCR-positivity and seropositivity in both the dog and cat populations was 1:6. All four PCR-positive dogs and two of three PCR-positive cats were seronegative, suggesting a probable recent infection. Thrombocytopenia showed significant association with seropositivity in dogs (P = 0.003). In cats, anemia had a significant association with seropositivity (P = 0.0001), and thrombocytopenia was associated with the combined prevalence of seropositivity or PCR-positivity (P = 0.022).
CONCLUSIONS
Borrelia persica infection is more prevalent and widespread in domestic canine and feline populations in Israel than previously thought. Dogs and cats may play a role as reservoirs and sentinels for human infection. Precautions should be taken to prevent transfusion-transmitted infection between blood donor and recipient animals.
Topics: Animals; Borrelia; Borrelia Infections; Cat Diseases; Cats; DNA; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Israel; Ornithodoros; Relapsing Fever; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Thrombocytopenia
PubMed: 35534871
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05223-9 -
Ophthalmic Research 2022Lyme borreliosis can cause many diverse manifestations, also ocular disease where the diagnosis of ocular borreliosis is challenging. The primary aim was to report on...
INTRODUCTION
Lyme borreliosis can cause many diverse manifestations, also ocular disease where the diagnosis of ocular borreliosis is challenging. The primary aim was to report on the evidence of Borrelia spirochetes in the ocular tissue in presumed ocular borreliosis.
METHODS
A systematic review of pathological eye conditions was performed where Borrelia has been suspected in relevant ocular tissue, together with a case report of diagnosed uveitis with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed Borrelia afzelii in the vitreous. The evidence for clinical and laboratory diagnosis was evaluated systematically. As a secondary aim, the treatment of ocular Borrelia infection was also evaluated for confirmed cases.
RESULTS
Thirteen includable studies were found, and after the removal of case duplicates, eleven unique cases were extracted. Apart from the present case report, 4 other cases reported strong evidence for the detection of B. spirochetes in ocular tissue. Four cases presented reasonable evidence for assumed detected Borrelia, while three additional cases showed only weak diagnostic credibility that Borrelia was detected.
CONCLUSION
This systematic review, including all reported cases and our case report, supports evidence of ocular infection of Borrelia species. Furthermore, in case of suspicion of infection and seronegativity, it is justified to look for Borrelia in eye tissue samples. In addition, microscopy without using PCR is not sufficient to confirm the diagnosis of borreliosis on ocular tissue. In the articles studied, there was no unambiguous recommendation of treatment.
Topics: Borrelia; Borrelia burgdorferi Group; Eye Infections; Humans; Lyme Disease; Uveitis
PubMed: 35034015
DOI: 10.1159/000521307 -
Annals of Internal Medicine Jul 2015
Topics: Borrelia Infections; Female; Humans; Male
PubMed: 26053967
DOI: 10.7326/M15-1219 -
Acta Oto-laryngologica 198873 patients with vertigo were studied regarding serum antibodies to Borrelia spirochete antigen, using an indirect immunofluorescence method. Ten patients (14%) had...
73 patients with vertigo were studied regarding serum antibodies to Borrelia spirochete antigen, using an indirect immunofluorescence method. Ten patients (14%) had serological evidence of Borrelia infection. All 10 patients had severe, incapacitating vertigo. Four of the Borrelia patients had positional vertigo and all 10 had positional nystagmus when tested using ENG. Five of them had unilateral caloric weakness. Five patients had abnormal oculomotor tests. Borrelia infection is an etiological factor which should be considered in patients suffering from vertigo especially if positional nystagmus is present.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Borrelia Infections; Female; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nystagmus, Pathologic; Posture; Saccades; Vertigo
PubMed: 3421091
DOI: 10.3109/00016488809107377 -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2017Identifying as the causative agent of Lyme disease in 1981 was a watershed moment in understanding the major impact that tick-borne zoonoses can have on public health...
Identifying as the causative agent of Lyme disease in 1981 was a watershed moment in understanding the major impact that tick-borne zoonoses can have on public health worldwide, particularly in Europe and the USA. The medical importance of tick-borne diseases has long since been acknowledged, yet little is known regarding the occurrence of emerging tick-borne pathogens such as spp., spp., spp., " Neoehrlichia mikurensis", and tick-borne encephalitis virus in questing ticks in Romania, a gateway into Europe. The objective of our study was to identify the infection and co-infection rates of different genospecies along with other tick-borne pathogens in questing ticks collected from three geographically distinct areas in eastern Romania. We collected 557 questing adult and nymph ticks of three different species (534 , 19 , and 4 ) from three areas in Romania. We analyzed ticks individually for the presence of eight different genospecies with high-throughput real-time PCR. Ticks with were then tested for possible co-infections with spp., spp., " Neoehrlichia mikurensis", and tick-borne encephalitis virus. spp. was detected in ticks from all sampling areas, with global prevalence rates of 25.8%. All eight genospecies were detected in ticks: (14.8%), (8.8%), (5.1%), (4.9%), (0.9%), s.s (0.4%), and (0.2%). Regarding pathogen co-infection 64.5% of infected were positive for more than one pathogen. Associations between different genospecies were detected in 9.7% of ticks, and 6.9% of ticks tested positive for co-infection of spp. with other tick-borne pathogens. The most common association was between and (4.3%), followed by and (3.0%). The most frequent dual co-infections were between spp. and spp., (1.3%), and between spp. and " Neoehrlichia mikurensis" (1.3%). The diversity of tick-borne pathogens detected in this study and the frequency of co-infections should influence all infection risk evaluations following a tick bite.
Topics: Animals; Biodiversity; Borrelia; Borrelia Infections; Coinfection; Europe; Genotype; Geography; Humans; Ixodes; Lyme Disease; Tick Infestations; Tick-Borne Diseases; Zoonoses
PubMed: 28261565
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00036 -
Emerging Infectious Diseases May 2023Infection with Borrelia miyamotoi in California, USA, has been suggested by serologic studies. We diagnosed B. miyamotoi infection in an immunocompromised man in...
Infection with Borrelia miyamotoi in California, USA, has been suggested by serologic studies. We diagnosed B. miyamotoi infection in an immunocompromised man in California. Diagnosis was aided by plasma microbial cell-free DNA sequencing. We conclude that the infection was acquired in California.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Male; Borrelia; Borrelia Infections; California; Ixodes; Immunocompromised Host
PubMed: 37081591
DOI: 10.3201/eid2905.221638 -
Scandinavian Journal of Infectious... 1985Spirochetes were cultivated from 17% of 114 Ixodes ricinus ticks in the Stockholm area. Three strains of these spirochetes were selected for studies by electron... (Review)
Review
Spirochetes were cultivated from 17% of 114 Ixodes ricinus ticks in the Stockholm area. Three strains of these spirochetes were selected for studies by electron microscopy. These three strains had definite morphological similarities to spirochetes of the genus Borrelia, as judged by the number of flagella, absence of cytoplasmic tubules, and dimensions. The three strains were not identical, but seemed to consist of two different kinds of cells, one with eight and one with eleven flagella. The three strains were also shown to react with a monoclonal antibody that reacts with Lyme disease spirochetes (Borrelia burgdorferi), but not with strains of other Borreliae, Treponemes, or Leptospiras. These results indicate the possibility of transmission of Borrelia spirochetes from ticks to humans in Sweden. The antibody response to one of the spirochetal strains isolated from Swedish I. ricinus was studied in 37 patients with the typical clinical picture of erythema chronicum migrans (ECM), in 45 patients with chronic meningitis (CMe) cured by high-dose intravenous penicillin, in 298 patients with post-infectious arthritis, and in controls. The antibody response was estimated by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The antibody levels differed significantly between patients with CMe and healthy individuals (p less than 0.001), both with respect to serum antibody levels and CSF-antibody levels. The antibody levels also differed significantly between patients with ECM and healthy controls as measured by ELISA (p less than 0.05), whereas the difference was not significant as measured by IFA. Five of 298 patients with post-infectious arthritis had higher titers than any of the controls, and two of these five patients had titers higher than any patient with CMe or ECM. These results indicate spirochetal aetiology of ECM, and in some patents with CMe or postinfectious arthritis. As a diagnostic test for ECM, both IFA and ELISA were of limited value, since only 5/37 (14%) ECM patients were positive by IFA, and 14/37 (38%) by ELISA. Regarding patients with CMe, 23/45 (51%) were seropositive by IFA and 30/45 (67%) by ELISA. However, measurement of CSF-antibodies were found to be a more sensitive method than measurement of serum antibodies both by IFA and ELISA, since 38/45 (84%) CMe patients were positive by IFA, and 41/45 (91%) by ELISA. In addition, estimation of CSF antibodies was also found to be a more specific method than estimation of serum antibodies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Topics: Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Arachnid Vectors; Arthritis; Borrelia; Borrelia Infections; Erythema; Humans; Lyme Disease; Meningitis; Sweden; Tick Toxicoses; Ticks
PubMed: 3903977
DOI: 10.3109/inf.1985.17.suppl-45.01