All Posts Tagged With: "Borrelia"

Excerpt:

We describe a 6-year-old boy who developed Borrelia
burgdorferi-associated lymphocytoma cutis on the ear.
Lymphocytoma is a benign polyclonal B-cell lymphoproliferative
process; it is defined as a subacute manifestation of early
disseminated borrelial infection. Clinical history, physical
examination, and serodiagnosis tests are often sufficient to
establish diagnosis, but sometimes, histopathologic analysis is
needed to exclude malignant cutaneous lymphomas. The outcome is
always favorable but after antibiotic therapy, the lesion
disappears promptly. Copyright (c) 2010. Published by Elsevier
SAS.

Excerpt:

The known spectrum of skin manifestations in cutaneous Lyme disease is continuously expanding and can not be regarded as completed. Besides the classical manifestations of cutaneous borreliosis like erythema (chronicum) migrans, borrelial lymphocytoma and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans evidence is growing that at least in part also other skin manifestations, especially morphea, lichen sclerosus and cases of cutaneous B-cell lymphoma are causally related to infections with Borrelia. Also granuloma annulare and interstitial granulomatous dermatitis might be partly caused by Borrelia burgdorferi or similar strains. There are also single reports of other skin manifestations to be associated with borrelial infections like cutaneous sarcoidosis, necrobiosis lipoidica and necrobiotic xanthogranuloma. In addition, as the modern chameleon of dermatology, cutaneous borreliosis, especially borrelial lymphocytoma, mimics other skin conditions, as has been shown for erythema annulare centrifugum or lymphocytic infiltration (Jessner Kanof) of the skin.

Excerpt:

In this study, we evaluated Amblyomma americanum (lone star tick)
in Mississippi for the presence of Ehrlichia chaffeensis,
causative agent of human monocytic ehrlichiosis; Ehrlichia
ewingii, causative agent of human and canine granulocytic
ehrlichiosis; Borrelia lonestari, putative agent of southern
tick-associated rash illness; Francisella tularensis, the agent
of tularemia; and Rickettsia spp., particularly R. amblyommii, a
suspected pathogen. We collected adult A. americanum from four
regions of Mississippi: Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and
East. Of the ticks collected, 192 were dissected and DNA was
extracted for nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays to
detect the above bacteria. In all, 3% of tick extracts had
evidence of Borrelia sp., 4% for E. chaffeensis, 6% for E.
ewingii, and 44% for a Rickettsia species. As determined by
sequencing, most Rickettsia spp. were R. amblyommii. In addition,
extracts from 42 pools (total of 950) of larval A. americanum
collected in Southwest Mississippi were tested for the presence
of E. chaffeensis and Rickettsia species. Of these extracts from
pools, nine of 37 (24%) were PCR positive for a Rickettsia sp.,
most often, R. amblyommii; none had evidence of E. chaffeensis,
supporting the ability of lone star ticks to transovarially
transmit R. amblyommii, but not E. chaffeensis. This study
demonstrates E.

Full article: http://eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&id=20202419&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks

Excerpt:

Data regarding the type, frequency, and distribution of
tick-borne pathogens and bacterial agents are not widely
available for many tick species that parasitize persons in the
southern United States. We therefore analyzed the frequency and
identity of pathogens and bacterial agents in ticks removed from
humans and subsequently submitted to the Texas Department of
State Health Services, Zoonosis Control Program, from October 1,
2004, through September 30, 2008. The data showed associations of
bacterial agents and potential vectors. Tick-related illnesses
may pose unidentified health risks in areas such as Texas, where
incidence of human disease related to tick bites is low but well
above zero and where ticks are not routinely suspected as the
cause of disease. Cause, treatment, and prevention strategies can
be better addressed through collecting sufficient data to
establish baseline assessments of risk. 

Full article: www.emedicine.com/DERM/topic381.htm 

Excerpt:

BACKGROUND: Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology, while Lyme borreliosis is a multisystemic disorder caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between sarcoidosis and Lyme borreliosis in a region of Japan where Lyme borreliosis is endemic. METHODS: We determined the seroprevalence of anti-Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies as well as antibodies three Japanese Borrelia strains by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and dotblot assay using purified Borrelia-specific proteins in 46 patients with confirmed sarcoidosis and 150 controls (50 disease controls and 100 healthy controls) in Hokkaido, the affected region. RESULTS: Fifteen patients with sarcoidosis (32.6%) tested positive for Borrelia spirochete in both assays, compared with two disease controls (4.0%) and two healthy controls (2.0%). The seroprevalence of anti-Borrelia antibodies in patients with sarcoidosis was much higher in the affected region than in the region in our previous study were Lyme borreliosis is non-endemic. CONCLUSION: In a region where Lyme borreliosis is endemic, Borrelia infection may be partially associated with sarcoidosis.

Are you sick and tired?  My FIGHT4YOURHEALTH program can change your life even if you think LYME is your only problem. Learn more and become vibrantly healthy again.

Garry F. Gordon MD,DO,MD(H)
President, Gordon Research Institute
www.gordonresearch.com

Full article: http://bolenreport.com/feature_articles/feature_article072.htm

Excerpt:

Most people battling chronic Lyme disease think of the illness as an infection caused by a bacterium known commonly as Borrelia Burgdorferi, generally transmitted via the bite of an infected tick.  What many don’t recognize, however, is that recovery from chronic Lyme disease requires a recognition that the disease is truly a much more complex illness.  Recovery often challenges one to consider more than just infection as the single causative agent involved in the disease process.  It is through looking beyond the infectious component of Lyme disease and understanding the equally important aspects of damaging heavy metals and other toxic insults that a more full and lasting recovery may be realized.

Garry F. Gordon MD, DO, MD (H) co-founded the American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM) and serves as the President of Gordon Research Institute.  Dr. Gordon graciously spent a couple of hours with me sharing his views on chronic Lyme disease and those factors that are important in recovering from chronic illness. 

Dr. Gordon acknowledges Lyme disease as a serious infection which can lead to a wide-variety of health challenges.  He does not, however, hyperfocus on the specific tick-borne pathogens which cause the disease.  He instead believes that a multitude of infections are prevalent in anyone with chronic ill health.  In addition to these numerous infections, our state of health is closely tied to our total body burden of endogenous and exogenous toxins.  When looking at why illness is present, it is important to look at a number of factors including genetics, chronic infections, and total body burden of heavy metals and other toxins.

Peering into one’s genetic makeup can be quite helpful when establishing the proper course of action and considering what factors may have contributed to one’s state of health.  The more precisely a practitioner can understand the genetic contributors, the more accurately a treatment protocol can be outlined to fit a person’s unique needs.  As an example, a specific gene mutation can suggest an inability of the body to remove toxic heavy metals.  Thus, even tests performed to determine whether or not one is heavy metal toxic can be incorrect if the metals are not being released due to this specific genetic profile.  Where many doctors may miss a heavy metal toxicity issue in these patients, a practitioner incorporating a genetic review into their diagnostic workup is much better equipped to evaluate the potential impact of toxic metals on the overall state of health.

Excerpt:

This case serves to underscore several clinical points. Firstly, Lyme borreliosis may present by mimicking a malignancy. Secondly, a previous episode of borrelial infection may not confer immunity. Reinfection is uncommon, but is more likely to occur in patients whose previous episode was promptly treated rather than in those with longstanding infection, who have a well‐developed antibody response before treatment.5 Thirdly, patients may not specifically recall a tick bite. Thus, it is important that a history of tick exposure risk, which may be residential, occupational or recreational, is sought from patients. Finally, Beevor’s sign has a useful localisation value

Full article: http://www.ams.ac.ir/AIM/0363/018.pdf

Excerpt:

A 16-year-old male with headache, vomiting, fever, neck stiffness, and a positive Kerning’s sign was referred to Boali Medical Center. The cerebrospinal fluid examination revealed a lymphocytic meningitis, and the blood smears was positive for Borrelia. He was successfully treated with doxycycline

Background: Morphea, granuloma annulare (GA) and lichen sclerosus et atrophicans (LSA) have also been suggested to be linked to Borrelia infection. Previous studies based on serologic data or detection of Borrelia by immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) reported contradictory results. Thus, we examined skin biopsies of morphea, GA and LSA by PCR to assess the prevalence of Borrelia DNA in an endemic area and to compare our results with data in the literature.

Methods: Amplification of DNA sequences of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato by nested PCR from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded skin biopsies of morphea, GA and LSA, followed by automated sequencing of amplification products. PCR-based studies on Borrelia species in these disorders published until July 2009 were retrieved by a literature search. Continued