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Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2020 Jul 6. Epub 2020 Jul 6.

Department of Medical Microbiology, OLVG, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Modified two-tier testing (MTTT) for Lyme borreliosis (i.e. confirmation with an EIA instead of an immunoblot) has been shown to have improved sensitivity compared with standard two-tier testing (STTT) in samples from American patients, without losing specificity. Read More

Vet Sci 2020 Jun 30;7(3). Epub 2020 Jun 30.

Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30601, USA.

The genus contains two major clades, the Lyme borreliosis group, which includes the causative agents of Lyme disease/borreliosis ( sensu stricto and other related sensu lato genospecies), and the relapsing fever borreliosis group ( and ). Other unclassified reptile- and echidna-associated spp. (i. Read More

Eng Life Sci 2017 Oct 20;17(10):1078-1087. Epub 2017 Jul 20.

Institute of Microstructure Technology Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Karlsruhe Germany.

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne infectious disease in Europe and North America. Previous studies discovered the immunogenic role of a surface-exposed lipoprotein (VlsE) of . We employed high density peptide arrays to investigate the antibody response to the VlsE protein in VlsE-positive patients by mapping the protein as overlapping peptides and subsequent in-depth epitope substitution analyses. Read More

Cureus 2020 May 30;12(5):e8363. Epub 2020 May 30.

Internal Medicine, Saint James School of Medicine, Chicago, USA.

A 39-year-old-man presented to the emergency room with a complaint of febrile jaundice and diffuse arthralgia. The patient had a temperature of 100°F, severe jaundice, and scleral icterus. Laboratory workup showed severe hyperbilirubinemia and elevated serum creatinine, and the rest of the serum chemistry was unremarkable. Read More

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2020 May 30;98(1):115095. Epub 2020 May 30.

Department of Infectious Diseases, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

High cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of the chemokine CXCL13 have been associated with Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB), and have recently been studied as a potential diagnostic marker. It has proven difficult to establish a reliable diagnostic cut-off, possibly in part due to heterogenicity of case-control groups. Our purpose was to investigate CSF CXCL13 concentrations in patients with similar clinical presentations, facial palsy. Read More

J Hered 2020 Jul 1. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.

Blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) are considered to be the main vector of Lyme disease in eastern North America. They may parasitize a wide range of bird and mammal hosts. Northward dispersal of blacklegged ticks has been attributed largely to movement of hosts to areas outside of the current range of the tick, in conjunction with climate change. Read More

Orv Hetil 2020 07;161(28):1181-1185

Fül-Orr-Gégészeti és Fej-Nyaksebészeti Osztály,Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén Megyei Központi Kórház és Egyetemi Oktatókórház, Miskolc, Szentpéteri kapu 72-76., 3526.

Parry-Romberg syndrome is a rare, slowly progressive, autolimitated disease, characterized by unilateral facial atrophy. It is usually manifested in childhood and young adulthood. Because of the degree of atrophy and the variety of symptoms, the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of Parry-Romberg syndrome are a major challenge. Read More

Sci Rep 2020 Jun 30;10(1):10596. Epub 2020 Jun 30.

MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) - Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (IRD) - Université de Montpellier (UM), Montpellier, France.

Lyme disease (LD) and relapsing fevers (RF) are vector-borne diseases caused by bacteria of the Borrelia genus. Here, we report on the widespread infection by a non-described Borrelia species in passerine-associated ticks in tropical rainforests of French Guiana, South America. This novel Borrelia species is common in two tick species, Amblyomma longirostre and A. Read More

BMC Vet Res 2020 Jun 30;16(1):221. Epub 2020 Jun 30.

College of Veterinary Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, 6965 Cumberland Gap Parkway, Harrogate, TN, USA.

Background: The Cumberland Gap Region (CGR) of the United States is a natural corridor between the southeastern, northeastern, and midwestern regions of the country. CGR has also many species of ticks and mosquitos that serve as competent vectors for important animal and human pathogens. In this study, we tested dogs from six different animal shelters in the CGR for Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), anaplasmosis, Lyme disease, canine ehrlichiosis and canine heartworm disease. Read More

Sci Rep 2020 Jun 29;10(1):10552. Epub 2020 Jun 29.

Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle - UR7290, Virulence bactérienne précoce-groupe Borrelia, Université de Strasbourg, 67000, Strasbourg, France.

Lyme borreliosis is the most prevalent vector-borne disease in northern hemisphere. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato spirochetes are transmitted by Ixodes species ticks. During a blood meal, these spirochetes are inoculated into the skin where they multiply and often spread to various target organs: disseminated skin sites, the central nervous system, the heart and large joints. Read More

Can J Neurol Sci 2020 Jun 29:1-11. Epub 2020 Jun 29.

Ann Parasitol 2020 ;66(2):255-257

Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, ul. Głęboka 30, 20-612 Lublin, Poland.

The aim of this study was to recognise the etiological factor of a disease with symptoms of lameness and cardiac failure, which occurred in one dog 4 weeks after invasion by ticks. A serological examination as well as molecular examination (PCR) was done. In the sample of the serum, the presence of antibodies specific to Borrelia burgdorferi were detected. Read More

Clin Infect Dis 2020 Jun 25. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

Mayo Clinic, Division of Clinical Microbiology.

Sci Rep 2020 Jun 24;10(1):10289. Epub 2020 Jun 24.

Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, United States of America.

Lyme borreliosis (LB) is the archetypal emerging zoonosis and is dependent on transmission by ticks in the genus Ixodes. Understanding the origin, maintenance, and spread of these ticks contributes much to our understanding of the spread of LB and other disease agents borne by these ticks. We collected 1232 Ixodes scapularis ticks from 17 east coast sites ranging from New Hampshire to Florida and used mtDNA, three nuclear genetic loci, and incorporated Bayesian analyses to resolve geographically distinct tick populations and compare their demographic histories. Read More

J Travel Med 2020 Jun 24. Epub 2020 Jun 24.

I.I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 15 Khmelnytskogo St, Kyiv, 01601, Ukraine.

The current report provides the most comprehensive data on human cases of Lyme borreliosis in Ukraine. The analysis of the epidemiological data collected over 2000-2019 from 24 administrative regions of Ukraine and the city of Kyiv demonstrates that the incidence of this emerging tick-borne disease has been increasing alarmingly. Read More

Case Rep Cardiol 2020 3;2020:5309285. Epub 2020 Jun 3.

Department of Internal Medicine, Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in the United States due to infection. This case demonstrates a 20-year-old male patient presenting with complaints of annular skin rash, malaise, fever, and lightheadedness after significant outdoor exposure. Physical exam revealed multiple large targetoid lesions on the back and extremities. Read More

J Infect 2020 Jun 18. Epub 2020 Jun 18.

National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Centre for Infectious Disease Control, PO box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands. Electronic address:

Objectives: A single dose of doxycycline after a tick bite can prevent the development of Lyme borreliosis in North America, but extrapolation to Europe is hampered by differences in Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies and tick species. We assessed the efficacy of prophylaxis after a tick bite in Europe.

Methods: We conducted an open-label randomized controlled trial, administering a single dose of 200 mg doxycycline within 72 hours after removing an attached tick from the skin, compared to no treatment. Read More

Pol Merkur Lekarski 2020 Jun;48(285):170-173

Kharkiv National Medical University, Kharkiv, Ukraine.

Lifelong withdrawal from the donor population of those who have been diagnosed with babesiosis must be used for transmission prevention.

Aim: The aim of the study was a detection of Babesia antibodies level with the usage of experimental Babesia divergens whole-cell slide antigen and commercial B. microti immunofluorescence assay substrate slide (Fuller Laboratories, USA). Read More

J Endod 2020 Jun 17. Epub 2020 Jun 17.

Associate Professor, Department of Dental Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.

This report documents a case of a patient who developed neuropathy, which presented as dental pain and was later diagnosed with Lyme disease. A healthy female patient presented to the endodontist with toothache symptoms. Her symptoms included intense pain in the left mandible irradiating into the temporalis area and through her neck, tingling on the lower left lip and left side of her tongue. Read More

Can Commun Dis Rep 2020 May 7;46(5):125-131. Epub 2020 May 7.

Background: Lyme disease (LD) is emerging in many parts of central and eastern Canada. Serological testing is most commonly used to support laboratory diagnosis of LD. Standard two-tiered testing (STTT) for LD involves detection of antibodies using an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) followed by IgM and/or IgG immunoblots. Read More

Ther Adv Chronic Dis 2020 24;11:2040622320922005. Epub 2020 May 24.

Department of Infectious Diseases, Dr. Rath Research Institute BV, San Jose, CA, USA.

Background: Lyme disease (LD) is a tick-borne infection caused by sensu lato. The current therapeutic approach to this disease is limited to antibiotics. However, after their administration, about 20% of patients experience delayed onset of this illness manifesting as lingering persistent symptoms. Read More

BJGP Open 2020 Jun 16. Epub 2020 Jun 16.

Consultant Statistician, Oxford, UK

BMC Neurol 2020 Jun 13;20(1):244. Epub 2020 Jun 13.

Department of Oral Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.

Background: Subacute transverse myelitis is one of the late manifestations of neuroborreliosis with only a few cases described to the present day.

Case Presentation: We present magnetic resonance imaging, cerebrospinal fluid, and electroneurography findings of a young female patient suffering from neuroborreliosis-associated transverse myelitis with a wide constellation of symptoms including papilloedema. Magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical spine has shown an enlargement of the spinal cord in the mid-cervical region. Read More

Proteins 2020 Jun 9. Epub 2020 Jun 9.

Graduate School of Life Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Japan.

Structural characterization of alternatively folded and partially disordered protein conformations remains challenging. Outer surface protein A (OspA) is a pivotal protein in Borrelia infection, which is the etiological agent of Lyme disease. OspA exists in equilibrium with intermediate conformations, in which the central and the C-terminal regions of the protein have lower stabilities than the N-terminal. Read More

Mil Med 2020 Jun 9. Epub 2020 Jun 9.

Infectious Disease Service, Department of Medicine, Brooke Army Medical Center, 3551 Roger Brooke Dr, Fort Sam, Houston, TX 78234.

Mil Med 2020 Jun 9. Epub 2020 Jun 9.

Infectious Disease Service, Department of Medicine, Brooke Army Medical Center, 3551 Roger Brooke Dr, Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234.

Mil Med 2020 Jun 9. Epub 2020 Jun 9.

United States Military Academy, Department of Chemistry and Life Science, Bartlett Hall, 753 Cullum Road, West Point, NY 10996.

Healthcare (Basel) 2020 Jun 4;8(2). Epub 2020 Jun 4.

International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society, 2 Wisconsin Circle, Suite 700, Chevy Chase, MD 20815-7007, USA.

Lyme disease (Lyme borreliosis) is a complex multisystem illness with varying clinical manifestations. This tick-borne zoonosis is caused by the spirochetal bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) and, worldwide, presents with at least 20 different types of rashes. Certain cutaneous rashes are inherently interconnected to various stages of Lyme disease. Read More

Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2020 Jun 29;76(Pt 6):235-240. Epub 2020 May 29.

School of Biological Science and Technology, University of Jinan, Jinan, People's Republic of China.

Mitochondria, chloroplasts and several species of bacteria have outer membrane proteins (OMPs) that perform many essential biological functions. The β-barrel assembly machinery (BAM) complex is one of the OMPs of Borrelia burgdorferi, the pathogenic spirochete that causes Lyme disease, and its BamA component (BbBamA) includes a C-terminal β-barrel domain and five N-terminal periplasmic polypeptide-transport-associated (POTRA) domains, which together perform a central transport function. In the current work, the production, crystallization and X-ray analysis of the three N-terminal POTRA domains of BbBamA (BbBamA-POTRA P1-P3; residues 30-273) were carried out. Read More

Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020 19;10:241. Epub 2020 May 19.

Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France.

Spirochetes of the genus are divided into relapsing fever borreliae and Lyme disease borreliae. Immunoserological assays have been poorly developed for relapsing fever borreliae, where direct detection methods are more adapted to the pathophysiology of these infections presenting with massive bacteraemia. However, emergence of the novel agent of relapsing fever has renewed interest in serology in this context. Read More

Trends Microbiol 2020 May 29. Epub 2020 May 29.

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA. Electronic address:

The complement system is an ancient arm of the innate immune system that plays important roles in pathogen recognition and elimination. Upon activation by microbes, complement opsonizes bacterial surfaces, recruits professional phagocytes, and causes bacteriolysis. Borreliella species are spirochetal bacteria that are transmitted to vertebrate hosts via infected Ixodes ticks and are the etiologic agents of Lyme disease. Read More

J Med Microbiol 2020 Jun 1;69(6):781-791. Epub 2020 Jun 1.

Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.

Ticks are the most important vectors of human pathogens, leading to increased public health burdens worldwide. Tick-borne pathogens include viruses (e.g. Read More

Ann Clin Microbiol Antimicrob 2020 May 30;19(1):22. Epub 2020 May 30.

Department of Pathology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA.

A series of cases in the Northeast of the US during 2013-2015 described a new Borrelia species, Borrelia miyamotoi, which is transmitted by the same tick species that transmits Lyme disease and causes a relapsing fever-like illness. The geographic expansion of B. miyamotoi in the US also extends to other Lyme endemic areas such as the Midwestern US. Read More

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis 2020 Apr 28;97(4):115071. Epub 2020 Apr 28.

Department of Infectious Diseases, University Medical Center Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Clinical trials of oral penicillin preparations in the United States for treating Lyme disease patients with erythema migrans are limited to 2 studies. The results of these studies demonstrated a less than optimal outcome of this treatment. However, there were serious methodologic concerns in both studies precluding the interpretation that phenoxymethylpenicillin specifically should be regarded as ineffective. Read More

Cureus 2020 Apr 25;12(4):e7823. Epub 2020 Apr 25.

Neurology, Marcus Neuroscience Institute, Boca Raton Regional Hospital, Boca Raton, USA.

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an acute paralytic neuropathy. Limited reports of GBS caused by tick-borne pathogens exist. Lyme disease is a tick-borne infectious disease that is commonly caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. Read More

Antibiotics (Basel) 2020 May 25;9(5). Epub 2020 May 25.

Department of Biology and Environmental Science, University of New Haven, West Haven, CT 06516, USA.

Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are spherical bodies containing proteins and nucleic acids that are released by Gram-negative bacteria, including , the causative agent of Lyme disease. The functional relationship between OMVs and host neuron homeostasis is not well understood. The objective of this study was to examine how OMVs impact the host cell environment. Read More

Zoonoses Public Health 2020 06;67(4):407-415

Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA.

An estimated 300,000 cases of Lyme disease occur in the United States annually. Disseminated Lyme disease may result in carditis, arthritis, facial palsy or meningitis, sometimes requiring hospitalization. We describe the epidemiology and cost of Lyme disease-related hospitalizations. Read More

BMJ 2020 May 26;369:m1041. Epub 2020 May 26.

Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location AMC, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, and Amsterdam Multidisciplinary Lyme borreliosis Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Lyme borreliosis is the most common vectorborne disease in the northern hemisphere. It usually begins with erythema migrans; early disseminated infection particularly causes multiple erythema migrans or neurologic disease, and late manifestations predominantly include arthritis in North America, and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans (ACA) in Europe. Diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis is based on characteristic clinical signs and symptoms, complemented by serological confirmation of infection once an antibody response has been mounted. Read More

Trends Parasitol 2020 Jul 23;36(7):634-645. Epub 2020 May 23.

Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt, D-60596 Frankfurt, Germany. Electronic address:

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the northern hemisphere and is caused by spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex. Lyme borreliae infect diverse vertebrate reservoirs without triggering apparent manifestations in these animals; however, Lyme borreliae strains differ in their reservoir hosts. The mechanisms that drive those differences are unknown. Read More

Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020 May 21;17(10). Epub 2020 May 21.

Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 06 Bratislava, Slovakia.

Lyme disease (LD) is the most common tick-borne human disease in Europe, and , which is associated with avian reservoirs, is one of the most genetically diverse and widespread human pathogenic genospecies from the sensu lato (s.l.) complex. Read More

Environ Microbiol 2020 May 25. Epub 2020 May 25.

Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764 Oberschleissheim, Germany.

Members of the Borrelia (B) burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) species complex are known to cause human Lyme borreliosis. Read More

Biodivers Data J 2020 5;8:e50123. Epub 2020 May 5.

INRAE, BIOEPAR, Oniris, F-44307, Nantes, France INRAE, BIOEPAR, Oniris F-44307, Nantes France.

Background: In Europe, ticks are major vectors of both human and livestock pathogens (e.g. Lyme disease, granulocytic anaplasmosis, bovine babesiosis). Read More

Am J Case Rep 2020 May 20;21:e924347. Epub 2020 May 20.

Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Pinnacle, Harrisburg, PA, USA.

BACKGROUND Elevation of creatine kinase (CK) activity has been shown to be predictive of acute kidney injury (AKI) in rhabdomyolysis. Patients with extremely high CK activity with preserved renal function are uncommon. This report describes a case of non-traumatic rhabdomyolysis, with a markedly elevated CK activity, without associated AKI. Read More

Sci Rep 2020 May 19;10(1):8246. Epub 2020 May 19.

Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, 68105, USA.

The Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi exhibits dramatic changes in gene expression as it transits between its tick vector and vertebrate host. A major hurdle to understanding the mechanisms underlying gene regulation in B. burgdorferi has been the lack of a functional assay to test how gene regulatory proteins and sigma factors interact with RNA polymerase to direct transcription. Read More

Clin Pract Cases Emerg Med 2020 May 23;4(2):150-153. Epub 2020 Apr 23.

Brooke Army Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

Introduction: Facial diplegia, a rare variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), is a challenging diagnosis to make in the emergency department due to its resemblance to neurologic Lyme disease.

Case Report: We present a case of a 27-year-old previously healthy man who presented with bilateral facial paralysis.

Discussion: Despite the variance in presentation, the recommended standard of practice for diagnostics (cerebrospinal fluid albumin-cytological dissociation) and disposition (admission for observation, intravenous immunoglobulin, and serial negative inspiratory force) of facial diplegia are the same as for other presentations of GBS. Read More

J Obstet Gynaecol Can 2020 05;42(5):644-653

Halifax, NS.

Objective: Lyme disease is an emerging infection in Canada caused by the bacterium belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato species complex, which is transmitted via the bite of an infected blacklegged tick. Populations of blacklegged ticks continue to expand and are now established in different regions in Canada. It usually takes more than 24 hours of tick attachment to transfer B. Read More

PLoS Pathog 2020 May 15;16(5):e1008516. Epub 2020 May 15.

Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.

Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, B. afzelii and B. garinii, is a chronic, multi-systemic infection and the spectrum of tissues affected can vary with the Lyme disease strain. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2020 May 13;13(1):247. Epub 2020 May 13.

Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.

Background: Both incidence and geographical range of tick-borne disease has increased across the USA. Similar to people, dogs are hosts for Anaplasma spp., Babesia spp. Read More

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2020 May 12. Epub 2020 May 12.

Department of Immunology, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic.

In Lyme disease, the interpretation of diagnostic assays is often misunderstood. Cross-reactions of Borrelia proteins with antigens from other bacterial species are well known. Therefore, to diagnose Lyme disease, the finding of positive IgM antibodies must be accompanied by objectively verified clinical signs and a history of a possible tick exposure. Read More