Link: http://eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&id=20434741&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks

Excerpt:

The
treatment with ceftriaxone stopped the progression, but the
patient is still suffering from severe invalidating cognitive
disorders. We also comment on the pathophysiology and review the
literature of other clinical cases. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier
Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Excerpt:

Lyme disease (borreliosis) is an infectious disease caused by the Borrelia
spirochaetes, usually transmitted to humans by the Ixodes ticks. It is
manifested by a wide spectrum of clinical symptoms varying according to the
time elapsed from the infection. The paper describes orofacial symptoms of
the disease in a woman who has suffered from a chronic borreliosis for 3
years.
Multiorgan clinical manifestations of borreliosis might occur in the
masticatory organ and this fact should be taken into consideration in the
differential diagnosis of pain by medical and dental practitioners.

Excerpt:

Results

An informative pattern was obtained by combining two of the analysed parameters: (i), the fractions of HLA-DR-expressing CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells, respectively, and (ii), the level of CD40 on CD14+ CD16- monocytes. Patients infected with gram-negative bacteria or EBV showed a marked increase in monocyte CD40, while this effect was less pronounced for tuberculosis, borrelia and influenza. The bacterial agents could be distinguished from the viral agents by the T cell result; CD4+ T cells reacting in bacterial infection, and the CD8+ T cells dominating for the viruses. Patients with systemic autoimmunity also showed a increased activation, but with similar engagement of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Analysis of soluble TNF alpha receptors was less informative due to a large inter-individual variation.

Conclusion

Immunophenotyping including the combination of the fractions of HLA-DR expressing T cell subpopulations with the level of CD40 on monocytes produces an informative pattern, differentiating between bacterial origin, viral origin and systemic autoimmunity. Furthermore, it provides some indication of a subacute bacterial infection, such as borreliosis or tuberculosis. This flow cytometric method is suitable for clinical diagnostic laboratories, and may help in the assessment of patients with uncharacteristic inflammatory symptoms.

Summary Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha antagonists are very effective treatments for immune-mediated inflammatory disorders. Adverse events include severe infections and episodes of lupus-like syndrome, multiple sclerosis-like demyelination and other neuropathies. The pathomechanisms of these autoimmune-like syndromes after TNF-alpha blockade are still unknown. We report a patient with psoriasis who developed a lupus-like syndrome during infliximab treatment, which was finally diagnosed as an exaggerated systemic infection with Borrelia burgdorferi. This case suggests that autoimmune-like syndromes may actually represent pre-existing or newly acquired nonseptic bacterial or viral infections, which have escaped immune surveillance during TNF-alpha blockade. Each autoimmune-like syndrome during TNF-alpha blockade should therefore be carefully examined for potential causative infection.

Excerpt:

In the present study, we report the occurrence of borreliosis in
patients from the Brazilian Amazonic region. Nineteen (7.2%) out
of 270 dermatological patients with different skin diseases (no
one with clinical Lyme disease), tested positive by ELISA for
Borrelia burgdorferi. Serum samples from 15 out of the 19
ELISA-positive patients were further evaluated by Western blot.
Presence of Borrelia burgdorferi specific IgG was confirmed in
eight (53.3%) out of the
15 patients. All eight patients with ELISA and Western blot
positive reactions were treated with doxycycline, according to
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. One of
them had clinical manifestations of colagenosis and was sent to
the Department of Internal Medicine for further investigation.
Data presented here suggested that borreliosis “lato sensu” is in
the Brazilian Amazon region.

The laboratory diagnosis of early disseminated Lyme borreliosis
(LB) rests on IgM and IgG antibodies in serum. The purpose of
this study was to refine the statistical interpretation of IgM
and IgG by combining the diagnostic evidence provided by the two
immunoglobulins and exploiting the whole range of the
quantitative variation in test values. ELISA assays based on
purified flagella antigen were performed on sera from 815 healthy
Danish blood donors as negative controls and 117 consecutive
patients with confirmed neuroborreliosis (NB).

Full article: http://eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&id=20402677&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks

In the present study, we report the occurrence of borreliosis in patients from the Brazilian Amazonic region. Nineteen (7.2%) out of 270 dermatological patients with different skin diseases (no one with clinical Lyme disease), tested positive by ELISA for Borrelia burgdorferi. Serum samples from 15 out of the 19 ELISA-positive patients were further evaluated by Western blot. Presence of Borrelia burgdorferi specific IgG was confirmed in eight (53.3%) out of the 15 patients. All eight patients with ELISA and Western blot positive reactions were treated with doxycycline, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. One of them had clinical manifestations of colagenosis and was sent to the Department of Internal Medicine for further investigation. Data presented here suggested that borreliosis “lato sensu” is in the Brazilian Amazon region.

RESULTS: Antibodies were detected in all evaluated groups. In
group of neuroborreliosis (lymphocytic meningitis with cranial
nerve invoIvement) there was no essential difference with control
group.
It was stated in group of forestry workers with serological
features of infection B. burgdorferi lasting for years.
CONCLUSIONS: Results of the study do
not support the thesis of participation of IgG autoantibodies
against gangliosides in pathogenesis early disseminated Lyme
borreliosis in form of lymphocytic meningitis with cranial nerves
paresis. Antibodies against endogenous glicosfingolipides in Lyme
borreliosis probably can lead to affecting nervous system
(demielinisation and polineuropathy) but probably require
long-term immunization, what is suggested by results of examined
group of patients with the multi-annual serological features of
infection.

Excerpt:

Lyme disease is a multisystem infectious disease with a wide
variety of symptoms involving the skin as well as the nervous
system. Lyme disease is caused by spirochaete Borrelia
burgdorferi transmitted by Ixodes ticks in endemic regions.
A case of 45 year old woman suffering from borreliosis, psoriasis
and depression is presented in the paper. In the study a
standardized screening list was applied to evaluate the
psychiatric health state–Classification of Psychic Disorders
(DSM-IV) and Hamilton Scale. Patient was diagnosed with a major
depressive episode (MDE) according to DSM-IV Diagnosis Criteria.
Patient obtained a score 21 on the 24-item in Hamilton Rating
Scale of Depression.

Families who bring Christmas trees into their homes should watch out for ticks this holiday season because the tiny blood-sucking, disease-ridden creatures often survive winter temperatures, German daily Bild reported.

The Local (news@thelocal.de)