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Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, Host Response and Control of Lyme Disease and...
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Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, Host Response and Control of Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Diseases

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Ticks".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2023) | Viewed by 32248

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Charles Pavia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biomedical Sciences, New York Institute of Technology, NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA
Interests: microbiology; immunology; Lyme disease; tick-borne pathogens
Dr. Gary P. Wormser

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Infectious Diseases, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA
Interests: microbiology; immunology; Lyme disease; babesiosis; human granulocytic anaplasmosis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the mid-1970s, a geographic clustering of an unusual rheumatoid arthritis-like condition, involving mostly children and young adults, occurred in northeastern Connecticut. This condition proved to be a newly discovered deer-tick-transmitted infection named Lyme disease and was caused by a previously unknown bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi.  Other diseases transmitted by the deer tick include babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, infections caused by Powassan virus, deer tick virus, Borrelia miyamotoi, and B. mayonii. There are numerous other tick-borne infections transmitted by other tick species, which include Rocky Mountain spotted fever in the USA and tick-borne encephalitis virus in Eurasia.

This Special Issue is open to all researchers involved in research on tick-borne pathogens and the diseases they cause; original research articles and reviews are welcome, mainly in the areas of epidemiology, pathogenesis, prevention and vaccine development.

Dr. Charles Pavia
Dr. Gary P. Wormser
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pathogens is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Lyme disease
  • tick-transmitted infections
  • pathogenesis
  • host response
  • epidemiology
  • vaccines

Published Papers (16 papers)

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Research

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28 pages, 402 KiB  
Article
Immunoblot Criteria for Diagnosis of Lyme Disease: A Comparison of CDC Criteria to Alternative Interpretive Approaches
by Richard Porwancher, Andrew Levin and Rosalie Trevejo
Pathogens 2023, 12(11), 1282; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12111282 - 26 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1353
Abstract
The current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) interpretive criteria for serodiagnosis of Lyme disease (LD) involve a two-tiered approach, consisting of a first-tier EIA, IFA, or chemiluminescent assay, followed by confirmation of positive or equivocal results by either immunoblot or a [...] Read more.
The current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) interpretive criteria for serodiagnosis of Lyme disease (LD) involve a two-tiered approach, consisting of a first-tier EIA, IFA, or chemiluminescent assay, followed by confirmation of positive or equivocal results by either immunoblot or a second-tier EIA. To increase overall sensitivity, single-tier alternative immunoblot assays have been proposed, often utilizing antigens from multiple Borrelia burgdorferi strains or genospecies in a single immunoblot; including OspA and OspB in their antigen panel; requiring fewer positive bands than permitted by current CDC criteria; and reporting equivocal results. Published reports concerning alternative immunoblot assays have used relatively small numbers of LD patients and controls to evaluate novel multi-antigen assays and interpretive criteria. We compared the two most commonly used alternative immunoblot interpretive criteria (labeled A and B) to CDC criteria using data from multiple FDA-cleared IgG and IgM immunoblot test kits. These single-tier alternative interpretive criteria, applied to both IgG and IgM immunoblots, demonstrated significantly more false-positive or equivocal results in healthy controls than two-tiered CDC criteria (12.4% and 35.0% for Criteria A and B, respectively, versus 1.0% for CDC criteria). Due to limited standardization and high false-positive rates, the presently evaluated single-tier alternative immunoblot interpretive criteria appear inferior to CDC two-tiered criteria. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, Host Response and Control of Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Diseases)
9 pages, 683 KiB  
Article
Plasma Blood Levels of Tafenoquine following a Single Oral Dosage in BALBc Mice with Acute Babesia microti Infection That Resulted in Rapid Clearance of Microscopically Detectable Parasitemia
by Dana G. Mordue, Synthia J. Hale, William E. Dennis, Chau V. Vuong, Xiu-Min Li, Nan Yang and Gary P. Wormser
Pathogens 2023, 12(9), 1113; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12091113 - 31 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1275
Abstract
Previous studies of mice infected with Babesia microti have shown that a single dose of tafenoquine administered orally is extremely effective at decreasing microscopically detectable parasitemia. However, a critical limitation of studies to date is the lack of data concerning the plasma levels [...] Read more.
Previous studies of mice infected with Babesia microti have shown that a single dose of tafenoquine administered orally is extremely effective at decreasing microscopically detectable parasitemia. However, a critical limitation of studies to date is the lack of data concerning the plasma levels of tafenoquine that are needed to treat babesiosis. In the current study, we begin to address this gap by examining the plasma levels of tafenoquine associated with the rapid reduction of B. microti patent parasitemia in a mouse model of babesiosis. In the current study, we infected BALB/c mice with 1 × 107 B. microti-infected red blood cells. Two days post-infection, mice were treated with 20 mg/kg of tafenoquine succinate or vehicle control administered orally by gavage. Parasitemia and plasma levels of tafenoquine were evaluated every 24 h post-treatment for 96 h. This allowed us to correlate blood plasma levels of tafenoquine with reductions in parasitemia in treated mice. Consistent with previous studies, a single oral dose of 20 mg/kg tafenoquine resulted in a rapid reduction in parasitemia. Plasma levels of tafenoquine 24 h post-administration ranged from 347 to 503 ng/mL and declined thereafter. This blood plasma tafenoquine level is similar to that achieved in humans using the current FDA-approved dose for the prevention of malaria. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, Host Response and Control of Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Diseases)
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5 pages, 194 KiB  
Communication
Frequency of Positive Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Testing for Borrelia burgdorferi on Whole Blood Samples That Tested Positive for Babesia microti by PCR from an Endemic Area for Both Infections in New York State
by Guiqing Wang, Jian Zhuge and Gary P. Wormser
Pathogens 2023, 12(8), 1066; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12081066 - 21 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1714
Abstract
Because both Babesia microti and Borrelia burgdorferi can be transmitted by the bite of a single coinfected Ixodes scapularis tick, an attempt was made to determine the frequency with which whole blood samples that tested positive for B. microti infection by polymerase chain [...] Read more.
Because both Babesia microti and Borrelia burgdorferi can be transmitted by the bite of a single coinfected Ixodes scapularis tick, an attempt was made to determine the frequency with which whole blood samples that tested positive for B. microti infection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) would also test positive by PCR for B. burgdorferi infection. Over a 7-year period from 2013 to 2019, 119 different patients tested positive for B. microti infection by PCR on at least one blood sample. Among the 118 patients with a positive B. microti PCR blood sample that could also be tested by a qualitative PCR for B. burgdorferi, only one patient tested positive (0.85%, 95% CI 0.02 to 4.6%). Routine PCR testing of every B. microti PCR-positive blood specimen to detect B. burgdorferi coinfection appears to have a low yield, even in a highly endemic geographic area for both of these infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, Host Response and Control of Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Diseases)
15 pages, 3479 KiB  
Article
Lyme Disease Agent Reservoirs Peromyscus leucopus and P. maniculatus Have Natively Inactivated Genes for the High-Affinity Immunoglobulin Gamma Fc Receptor I (CD64)
by Alan G. Barbour, Jonathan V. Duong and Anthony D. Long
Pathogens 2023, 12(8), 1056; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12081056 - 18 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1090
Abstract
The abundant and widely distributed deermice Peromyscus leucopus and P. maniculatus are important reservoirs for several different zoonotic agents in North America. For the pathogens they persistently harbor, these species are also examples of the phenomenon of infection tolerance. In the present study [...] Read more.
The abundant and widely distributed deermice Peromyscus leucopus and P. maniculatus are important reservoirs for several different zoonotic agents in North America. For the pathogens they persistently harbor, these species are also examples of the phenomenon of infection tolerance. In the present study a prior observation of absent expression of the high-affinity Fc immunoglobulin gamma receptor I (FcγRI), or CD64, in P. leucopus was confirmed in an experimental infection with Borreliella burgdorferi, a Lyme disease agent. We demonstrate that the null phenotype is attributable to a long-standing inactivation of the Fcgr1 gene in both species by a deletion of the promoter and coding sequence for the signal peptide for FcγRI. The Fcgr1 pseudogene was also documented in the related species P. polionotus. Six other Peromyscus species, including P. californicus, have coding sequences for a full-length FcγRI, including a consensus signal peptide. An inference from reported phenotypes for null Fcgr1 mutations engineered in Mus musculus is that one consequence of pseudogenization of Fcgr1 is comparatively less inflammation during infection than in animals, including humans, with undisrupted, fully active genes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, Host Response and Control of Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Diseases)
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7 pages, 211 KiB  
Article
False-Positive Serology for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Long Island, New York, during 2011–2021
by Monirul I. Sajib, Pooja Lamba, Eric D. Spitzer and Luis A. Marcos
Pathogens 2023, 12(3), 503; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12030503 - 22 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2486
Abstract
Cases of rocky mountain spotted fever (RMSF) are increasingly reported every year in Long Island, New York. In clinical practice, an uncommonly high number of referrals with a positive RMSF IgG test result have been seen in our tick-borne disease clinic. The aim [...] Read more.
Cases of rocky mountain spotted fever (RMSF) are increasingly reported every year in Long Island, New York. In clinical practice, an uncommonly high number of referrals with a positive RMSF IgG test result have been seen in our tick-borne disease clinic. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical–epidemiological characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized patients with positive serologies for RMSF in our academic center in Long Island, NY. We found that out of twenty-four patients with a positive serology for RMSF, only one case met the case definition per CDC criteria, two had suspected RMSF, and the other twenty-one did not have a clinical picture consistent with RMSF. A high number of false-positive RMSF serology may be due to other spotted fever rickettsioses in Long Island. Further studies are needed to investigate the presence of another Rickettsia spp. (such as Rickettsia amblyommatis) in this area that may affect humans. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, Host Response and Control of Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Diseases)
17 pages, 1779 KiB  
Article
Effects of Regulatory T Cell Depletion in BALB/c Mice Infected with Low Doses of Borrelia burgdorferi
by Kaitlyn N. Santiago, Tanya Kozlik, Elizabeth S. Liedhegner, Rebecca A. Slick, Michael W. Lawlor and Dean T. Nardelli
Pathogens 2023, 12(2), 189; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12020189 - 25 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1194
Abstract
We previously demonstrated that a depletion of regulatory T (Treg) cells in Lyme arthritis-resistant C57BL/6 mice leads to pathological changes in the tibiotarsal joints following infection with Borrelia burgdorferi. Here, we assessed the effects of Treg cells on the response to B. [...] Read more.
We previously demonstrated that a depletion of regulatory T (Treg) cells in Lyme arthritis-resistant C57BL/6 mice leads to pathological changes in the tibiotarsal joints following infection with Borrelia burgdorferi. Here, we assessed the effects of Treg cells on the response to B. burgdorferi infection in BALB/c mice, which exhibit infection-dose-dependent disease and a different sequence of immune events than C57BL/6 mice. The depletion of Treg cells prior to infection with 1 × 102, but not 5 × 103, organisms led to increased swelling of the tibiotarsal joints. However, Treg cell depletion did not significantly affect the development of histopathology at these low doses of infection. BALB/c mice depleted of Treg cells before infection with 1 × 103 spirochetes harbored a higher borrelial load in the hearts and exhibited higher levels of serum interleukin-10 five weeks later. These results indicate that Treg cells regulate certain aspects of the response to B. burgdorferi in a mouse strain that may display a range of disease severities. As the presentation of Lyme disease may vary among humans, it is necessary to consider multiple animal models to obtain a complete picture of the various means by which Treg cells affect the host response to B. burgdorferi. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, Host Response and Control of Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Diseases)
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14 pages, 672 KiB  
Article
Effects of Neighborhood-Scale Acaricidal Treatments on Infection Prevalence of Blacklegged Ticks (Ixodes scapularis) with Three Zoonotic Pathogens
by Richard S. Ostfeld, Sahar Adish, Stacy Mowry, William Bremer, Shannon Duerr, Andrew S. Evans, Jr., Ilya R. Fischhoff, Fiona Keating, Jennifer Pendleton, Ashley Pfister, Marissa Teator and Felicia Keesing
Pathogens 2023, 12(2), 172; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12020172 - 21 Jan 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2696
Abstract
Acaricides are hypothesized to reduce human risk of exposure to tick-borne pathogens by decreasing the abundance and/or infection prevalence of the ticks that serve as vectors for the pathogens. Acaricides targeted at reservoir hosts such as small mammals are expected to reduce infection [...] Read more.
Acaricides are hypothesized to reduce human risk of exposure to tick-borne pathogens by decreasing the abundance and/or infection prevalence of the ticks that serve as vectors for the pathogens. Acaricides targeted at reservoir hosts such as small mammals are expected to reduce infection prevalence in ticks by preventing their acquisition of zoonotic pathogens. By reducing tick abundance, reservoir-targeted or broadcast acaricides could reduce tick infection prevalence by interrupting transmission cycles between ticks and their hosts. Using an acaricide targeted at small-mammal hosts (TCS bait boxes) and one sprayed on low vegetation (Met52 fungal biocide), we tested the hypotheses that infection prevalence of blacklegged ticks with zoonotic pathogens would be more strongly diminished by TCS bait boxes, and that any effects of both acaricidal treatments would increase during the four years of deployment. We used a masked, placebo-controlled design in 24 residential neighborhoods in Dutchess County, New York. Analyzing prevalence of infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Babesia microti in 5380 nymphal Ixodes scapularis ticks, we found little support for either hypothesis. TCS bait boxes did not reduce infection prevalence with any of the three pathogens compared to placebo controls. Met52 was associated with lower infection prevalence with B. burgdorferi compared to placebo controls but had no effect on prevalence of infection with the other two pathogens. Although significant effects of year on infection prevalence of all three pathogens were detected, hypothesized cumulative reductions in prevalence were observed only for B. burgdorferi. We conclude that reservoir-targeted and broadcast acaricides might not generally disrupt pathogen transmission between reservoir hosts and tick vectors or reduce human risk of exposure to tick-borne pathogens. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, Host Response and Control of Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Diseases)
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7 pages, 638 KiB  
Article
Procalcitonin as a Potential Biomarker in the Study of Babesiosis Caused by B. microti
by Michael Lum, Caitlin Gauvin, Sophia K. Pham, Aikaterini Papamanoli, Eric D. Spitzer, Andreas P. Kalogeropoulos and Luis A. Marcos
Pathogens 2022, 11(11), 1222; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11111222 - 23 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1422
Abstract
Procalcitonin is gaining momentum in the study of protozoal sepsis, but its utility as a biomarker has yet to be fully discovered in human babesiosis. A total of 33 cases of acute babesiosis dating between 2012 and 2019 were retrospectively collected from Stony [...] Read more.
Procalcitonin is gaining momentum in the study of protozoal sepsis, but its utility as a biomarker has yet to be fully discovered in human babesiosis. A total of 33 cases of acute babesiosis dating between 2012 and 2019 were retrospectively collected from Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH) and Stony Brook South Hampton Hospital (SHH), both of which are located on Long Island, NY. Cases were cross-referenced for the need for ICU admission, and the procalcitonin levels were measured by the use of BRAHMS Elecsys assay at SBUH and BRAHMS Architect assay at SHH. Our study demonstrated that the log-transformed procalcitonin levels had a linear correlation with log-transformed maximum parasitemia, which suggests that procalcitonin directly correlates with parasitemia values. Furthermore, when comparing values that predict ICU admission, our ROC analysis of procalcitonin demonstrated similar AUC values to the percentage of parasitemia, suggesting that procalcitonin may assist in determining the severity of disease. We demonstrate that procalcitonin may directly correlate with the parasitemia percentage and have prognostic capabilities, which suggests that procalcitonin may have biomarker potential in human babesiosis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, Host Response and Control of Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Diseases)
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10 pages, 739 KiB  
Article
Linear Peptide Epitopes Derived from ErpP, p35, and FlaB in the Serodiagnosis of Lyme Disease
by Paul M. Arnaboldi, Adiya S. Katseff, Mariya Sambir and Raymond J. Dattwyler
Pathogens 2022, 11(8), 944; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11080944 - 20 Aug 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1435
Abstract
Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the northern hemisphere. Current serodiagnostics are insensitive in early infection. Sensitivity in these seroassays is compromised by the necessity to preserve specificity in the presence of cross-reactive epitopes in Borrelia burgdorferi target antigens. We [...] Read more.
Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the northern hemisphere. Current serodiagnostics are insensitive in early infection. Sensitivity in these seroassays is compromised by the necessity to preserve specificity in the presence of cross-reactive epitopes in Borrelia burgdorferi target antigens. We evaluated the efficacy of using synthetic peptides containing epitopes unique to B. burgdorferi as antigen targets in a Lyme disease seroassay. We performed linear B cell epitope mapping of the proteins p35 (BBH32) and ErpP to identify unique epitopes. We generated peptides containing these newly identified linear epitope sequences along with previously identified epitopes from the antigens FlaB and VlsE and evaluated their diagnostic capabilities via ELISA using large serum sets. Single-epitope peptides, while specific, demonstrated insufficient sensitivity. However, when epitopes from FlaB, ErpP, or p35 were combined in tandem with an epitope from VlsE, the sensitivity of the assay was significantly increased without compromising specificity. The identification of additional unique epitopes from other B. burgdorferi antigens and the further development of a combined multi-peptide-based assay for the laboratory diagnosis of Lyme disease offers a way to address the poor specificity associated with the use of whole protein antigen targets and thus significantly improve the laboratory diagnosis of Lyme disease. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, Host Response and Control of Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Diseases)
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Review

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19 pages, 1233 KiB  
Review
Tick-Borne Co-Infections: Challenges in Molecular and Serologic Diagnoses
by Santiago Sanchez-Vicente and Rafal Tokarz
Pathogens 2023, 12(11), 1371; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12111371 - 20 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1320
Abstract
Co-infections are a poorly understood aspect of tick-borne diseases. In the United States alone, nineteen different tick-borne pathogens have been identified. The majority of these agents are transmitted by only two tick species, Ixodes scapularis and Amblyomma americanum. Surveillance studies have demonstrated [...] Read more.
Co-infections are a poorly understood aspect of tick-borne diseases. In the United States alone, nineteen different tick-borne pathogens have been identified. The majority of these agents are transmitted by only two tick species, Ixodes scapularis and Amblyomma americanum. Surveillance studies have demonstrated the presence of multiple pathogens in individual ticks suggesting a risk of polymicrobial transmission to humans. However, relatively few studies have explored this relationship and its impact on human disease. One of the key factors for this deficiency are the intrinsic limitations associated with molecular and serologic assays employed for the diagnosis of tick-borne diseases. Limitations in the sensitivity, specificity and most importantly, the capacity for inclusion of multiple agents within a single assay represent the primary challenges for the accurate detection of polymicrobial tick-borne infections. This review will focus on outlining these limitations and discuss potential solutions for the enhanced diagnosis of tick-borne co-infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, Host Response and Control of Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Diseases)
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34 pages, 2450 KiB  
Review
The In Vitro Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato: Shedding Light on the Known Unknowns
by Klaus-Peter Hunfeld, Peter Kraiczy, Douglas E. Norris and Benedikt Lohr
Pathogens 2023, 12(10), 1204; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12101204 - 28 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1941
Abstract
Human Lyme borreliosis (LB) represents a multisystem disorder that can progress in stages. The causative agents are transmitted by hard ticks of the Ixodes ricinus complex that have been infected with the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. Today, LB is considered the most [...] Read more.
Human Lyme borreliosis (LB) represents a multisystem disorder that can progress in stages. The causative agents are transmitted by hard ticks of the Ixodes ricinus complex that have been infected with the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. Today, LB is considered the most important human tick-borne illness in the Northern Hemisphere. The causative agent was identified and successfully isolated in 1982 and, shortly thereafter, antibiotic treatment was found to be safe and efficacious. Since then, various in vitro studies have been conducted in order to improve our knowledge of the activity of antimicrobial agents against B. burgdorferi s. l. The full spectrum of in vitro antibiotic susceptibility has still not been defined for some of the more recently developed compounds. Moreover, our current understanding of the in vitro interactions between B. burgdorferi s. l. and antimicrobial agents, and their possible mechanisms of resistance remains very limited and is largely based on in vitro susceptibility experiments on only a few isolates of Borrelia. Even less is known about the possible mechanisms of the in vitro persistence of spirochetes exposed to antimicrobial agents in the presence of human and animal cell lines. Only a relatively small number of laboratory studies and cell culture experiments have been conducted. This review summarizes what is and what is not known about the in vitro susceptibility of B. burgdorferi s. l. It aims to shed light on the known unknowns that continue to fuel current debates on possible treatment resistance and mechanisms of persistence of Lyme disease spirochetes in the presence of antimicrobial agents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, Host Response and Control of Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Diseases)
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14 pages, 1152 KiB  
Review
Human Borrelia miyamotoi Infection in North America
by Jed Burde, Evan M. Bloch, Jill R. Kelly and Peter J. Krause
Pathogens 2023, 12(4), 553; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12040553 - 03 Apr 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2619
Abstract
Borrelia miyamotoi is an emerging pathogen that causes a febrile illness and is transmitted by the same hard-bodied (ixodid) ticks that transmit several other pathogens, including Borrelia species that cause Lyme disease. B. miyamotoi was discovered in 1994 in Ixodes persulcatus ticks in [...] Read more.
Borrelia miyamotoi is an emerging pathogen that causes a febrile illness and is transmitted by the same hard-bodied (ixodid) ticks that transmit several other pathogens, including Borrelia species that cause Lyme disease. B. miyamotoi was discovered in 1994 in Ixodes persulcatus ticks in Japan. It was first reported in humans in 2011 in Russia. It has subsequently been reported in North America, Europe, and Asia. B. miyamotoi infection is widespread in Ixodes ticks in the northeastern, northern Midwestern, and far western United States and in Canada. In endemic areas, human B. miyamotoi seroprevalence averages from 1 to 3% of the population, compared with 15 to 20% for B. burgdorferi. The most common clinical manifestations of B. miyamotoi infection are fever, fatigue, headache, chills, myalgia, arthralgia, and nausea. Complications include relapsing fever and rarely, meningoencephalitis. Because clinical manifestations are nonspecific, diagnosis requires laboratory confirmation by PCR or blood smear examination. Antibiotics are effective in clearing infection and are the same as those used for Lyme disease, including doxycycline, tetracycline, erythromycin, penicillin, and ceftriaxone. Preventive measures include avoiding areas where B. miyamotoi-infected ticks are found, landscape management, and personal protective strategies such as protective clothing, use of acaricides, and tick checks with rapid removal of embedded ticks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, Host Response and Control of Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Diseases)
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21 pages, 729 KiB  
Review
Borrelia miyamotoi: A Comprehensive Review
by Dawn W. Cleveland, Cassidy C. Anderson and Catherine A. Brissette
Pathogens 2023, 12(2), 267; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12020267 - 07 Feb 2023
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3450
Abstract
Borrelia miyamotoi is an emerging tick-borne pathogen in the Northern Hemisphere and is the causative agent of Borrelia miyamotoi disease (BMD). Borrelia miyamotoi is vectored by the same hard-bodied ticks as Lyme disease Borrelia, yet phylogenetically groups with relapsing fever Borrelia, and [...] Read more.
Borrelia miyamotoi is an emerging tick-borne pathogen in the Northern Hemisphere and is the causative agent of Borrelia miyamotoi disease (BMD). Borrelia miyamotoi is vectored by the same hard-bodied ticks as Lyme disease Borrelia, yet phylogenetically groups with relapsing fever Borrelia, and thus, has been uniquely labeled a hard tick-borne relapsing fever Borrelia. Burgeoning research has uncovered new aspects of B. miyamotoi in human patients, nature, and the lab. Of particular interest are novel findings on disease pathology, prevalence, diagnostic methods, ecological maintenance, transmission, and genetic characteristics. Herein, we review recent literature on B. miyamotoi, discuss how findings adapt to current Borrelia doctrines, and briefly consider what remains unknown about B. miyamotoi. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, Host Response and Control of Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Diseases)
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Other

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10 pages, 606 KiB  
Perspective
Does Experimental Reduction of Blacklegged Tick (Ixodes scapularis) Abundance Reduce Lyme Disease Incidence?
by Richard S. Ostfeld and Felicia Keesing
Pathogens 2023, 12(5), 714; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12050714 - 13 May 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2443
Abstract
Controlling the abundance of blacklegged ticks is considered the foundation for the prevention of human exposure to pathogens transmitted by these vectors in eastern North America. The use of broadcast or host-targeted acaricides is generally found to be effective at reducing the local [...] Read more.
Controlling the abundance of blacklegged ticks is considered the foundation for the prevention of human exposure to pathogens transmitted by these vectors in eastern North America. The use of broadcast or host-targeted acaricides is generally found to be effective at reducing the local abundance of ticks. However, studies that incorporate randomization, placebo controls, and masking, i.e., “blinding”, generally find lower efficacy. The few studies that include measurements of human–tick encounters and cases of tickborne disease have not shown impacts of acaricidal treatments. We compile literature on relevant studies from northeastern North America to address possible causes for discrepancies in study outcomes and suggest possible mechanisms that could underlie the diminished efficacy of tick control in reducing cases of tickborne disease in people. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, Host Response and Control of Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Diseases)
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8 pages, 237 KiB  
Opinion
Common Neurologic Features of Lyme Disease That May Present to a Rheumatologist
by Swati Govil, Eugenio Capitle, Alexandra Lacqua, Reena Khianey, P.K. Coyle and Steven E. Schutzer
Pathogens 2023, 12(4), 576; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12040576 - 09 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2393
Abstract
Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) infection, has a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations and severity. Patients with possible Lyme disease may seek out or be referred to rheumatologists. Today, the most common reason to engage a rheumatologist is due to complaints [...] Read more.
Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) infection, has a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations and severity. Patients with possible Lyme disease may seek out or be referred to rheumatologists. Today, the most common reason to engage a rheumatologist is due to complaints of arthralgia. After skin, neurologic manifestations of Lyme disease are now among the most common. Therefore, it is important for rheumatologists to be aware of clues that suggest neurologic Lyme disease and prompt help from a neurologist experienced with Lyme disease. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, Host Response and Control of Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Diseases)
5 pages, 198 KiB  
Case Report
Failure of an Approximately Six Week Course of Tafenoquine to Completely Eradicate Babesia microti Infection in an Immunocompromised Patient
by Prithiv J. Prasad and Gary P. Wormser
Pathogens 2022, 11(9), 1051; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11091051 - 15 Sep 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1824
Abstract
Although tafenoquine was highly effective for eliminating microscopically detectable parasitemia in mouse models of Babesia microti infection, all of the mice which were assessed developed a relapse of infection, except for those which had been treated concomitantly with artesunate. We report an immunocompromised [...] Read more.
Although tafenoquine was highly effective for eliminating microscopically detectable parasitemia in mouse models of Babesia microti infection, all of the mice which were assessed developed a relapse of infection, except for those which had been treated concomitantly with artesunate. We report an immunocompromised patient with a similar relapse of parasitemia despite a 46-day course of tafenoquine treatment. More data on whether a longer duration of tafenoquine treatment or using a higher maintenance dose, versus adding a second drug to the regimen, will prevent relapse when tafenoquine is used to treat a highly immunocompromised patient with babesiosis should be investigated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, Host Response and Control of Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Diseases)
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