Black patients ’ Lyme disease often diagnosed late, possibly due to missed signs
FINDINGSA UCLA study suggests that many physicians may not have the knowledge or training to properly recognize how Lyme disease appears on the skin of Black patients. The disease, caused by the tick-borne Borrelia bacterium, generally begins with a bull ’s-eye–shaped rash on the skin, along with fever, headache, chills and muscle pain; if not diagnosed promptly and treated with antibiotics, it can lead to more severe and long-lasting symptoms.UCLA ’s Dr. Dan Ly found that approximately 1 in 3 Black patients who were newly diagnosed with Lyme disease already had related neurological complications such as meningitis, ...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - October 1, 2021 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news
We Used to Have a Lyme Disease Vaccine. Are We Ready to Bring One Back?
At my animal hospital in upstate New York, an epicenter of the U.S. tick epidemic, my dog Fawn lets out a whimper as the veterinarian injects her with her annual Lyme disease shot. I roll my eyes. She doesn’t know how good she has it.
The injection means that if a tick bites her (and in rural New York, a tick always does), the creepy crawly will feast on dog blood that’s been supercharged with a Lyme bacteria-killing substance, and Lyme disease won’t be transmitted to Fawn.
I wish I could be shot up with that superpower. Currently, there is no human vaccine for Lyme disease—even though more than two...
Source: TIME: Health - June 17, 2021 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Mandy Oaklander Tags: Uncategorized Disease feature Source Type: news
Lyme Disease Pathogen Present in Ticks Near the Coast
In Northern California, the proportion of ticks infected with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi was the same in shrubland along beaches as in woodland habitats. (Source: The Scientist)
Source: The Scientist - April 26, 2021 Category: Science Tags: News & Opinion Source Type: news
New study identifies bird species that could spread ticks and Lyme disease
(Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies) A new study published in the journalGlobal Ecology and Biogeography used machine learning to identify bird species with the potential to transmit the Lyme disease bacterium (Borrelia burgdorferi) to feeding ticks. The team developed a model that identified birds known to spread Lyme disease with 80% accuracy and flagged 21 new species that should be prioritized for surveillance. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - January 27, 2021 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news
Veterinary college receives $3.5 million NIH grant to develop Lyme disease vaccine
(Virginia Tech) Renowned tick immunobiologist Utpal Pal wants to adapt the rabies vaccination platform to produce antibodies that can protect against Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease. The intention is to apply this work to other tick-borne diseases in the future. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - October 2, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news
Notes from the Field: Four Cases of Lyme Disease at an Outdoor Wilderness Camp --- North Carolina, 2017 and 2019
The recent discovery of Lyme-infected ticks at the location of an outdoor wilderness program in North Carolina highlights the importance of vectorborne disease prevention. (Source: CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report)
Source: CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report - January 30, 2020 Category: American Health Tags: DEET Lyme Disease (Borrelia burgdorferi Infection) MMWR Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report Source Type: news
Lone Star Ticks Expanding Range Into Northeast, Report Says
(CNN/CBS) — The climate crisis is making us more vulnerable to ticks in an unprecedented and growing threat to public health, according to a new report.
Bacterial and protozoan tick-borne diseases doubled in the United States between 2004 and 2016, the report notes, and in 2017, more than 90% of the 60,000 vector-borne diseases in the United States were linked to these particular bloodsucking bugs.
The warmer temperatures brought by the climate crisis, in addition to ecological changes and reforestation, have extended the bugs’ range into regions that had not seen certain types of ticks for many decades, if eve...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - December 5, 2019 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Health – CBS Boston Tags: Boston News Health Syndicated CBSN Boston Lone Star Tick ticks Source Type: news
Lyme disease symptoms: The major warning sign that could signal you have the condition
LYME disease is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium named Borrelia, spread by ticks found in the woods. It can easily be caught and if a person experiences this one particular sign it could be a major warning that you may be at risk of having the disease. What is it? (Source: Daily Express - Health)
Source: Daily Express - Health - October 31, 2019 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
How Common is Lyme Disease Globally and in Urban Settings?
Discussion
Lyme disease (LD) is caused by several genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi senu lato that are transmitted by ticks of the Ixodes ricinus complex. In the U.S. and Europe it is the most common vector-borne disease. It is named for Lyme, Connecticut in the 1970s when it was “discovered,” but there are reports of LD-type disease in Europe since 1883. There are 18 distinct genospecies with B. afzelii, B. garinii and B. burgdorferi sensu stricto being the 3 most common ones causing human infection. There are many species of Ixodes ticks but only 4 commonly bite humans. Ixodes ricinus mainly in Europe, I, p...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - October 14, 2019 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Pediatric Education Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
Updated CDC Recommendation for Serologic Diagnosis of Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is a tickborne zoonosis for which serologic testing is the principal means of laboratory diagnosis. (Source: CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report)
Source: CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report - August 15, 2019 Category: American Health Tags: Lyme Disease (Borrelia burgdorferi Infection) MMWR Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report Source Type: news
FDA OKs Streamlined Lyme Disease Tests to Aid Earlier Diagnosis FDA OKs Streamlined Lyme Disease Tests to Aid Earlier Diagnosis
The modified approach for detecting exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi uses two enzyme immunoassays, with no need for Western blot.FDA Approvals (Source: Medscape Emergency Medicine Headlines)
Source: Medscape Emergency Medicine Headlines - July 30, 2019 Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Infectious Diseases News Alert Source Type: news
The Dengue Dance?
Discussion
Dengue is an important arboviral infection that affects about 40% of the world population. It is found mainly in topical and subtropical areas of the world mainly in developing countries but it range is spreading including the United States. A review of common arboviruses can be found here. It is a flaviavirus with 4 distinct serotypes named DENV-1 through DENV-4 and is spread by A. aegypti a day biting mosquito. Infection with one serotype confers immunity to that serotype but not the others. It does offer some protection for cross-infection but this only lasts a few months. Incubation period is 3-14 days with ...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - July 29, 2019 Category: Pediatrics Authors: pediatriceducationmin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
Lyme disease: Having this feeling in your head could mean you are at risk
LYME DISEASE is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium named Borrelia, spread by ticks. It can easily be caught and having a feeling in your head could mean you have the disease. (Source: Daily Express - Health)
Source: Daily Express - Health - July 5, 2019 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
South East corner of England is one of the worst areas in EUROPE for Lyme disease-carrying ticks
Researchers from across Europe, including the University of East London, mapped reports of the Lyme disease-causing Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria in ticks from 2010 to 2017. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Source: the Mail online | Health - May 7, 2019 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Case of tick-borne relapsing fever in Mexico
(PLOS) Tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) is a recurring fever caused by exposure to infected Borrelia bacteria. Several cases have been reported in Mexico, but the disease gets little attention. Now, researchers reporting in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases describe the details of an additional case of TBRF in Sonora, Mexico in 2012. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - April 11, 2019 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news
