All Posts Tagged With: "europe"

Genotypic variation and mixtures of Lyme Borrelia in Ixodes ticks from North America and Europe

Full article: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0010650 

Excerpt:

BACKGROUND: Lyme disease, caused by various species of Borrelia, is transmitted by Ixodes ticks in North America and Europe. Studies have shown the genotype of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) or the species of B. burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) affects the ability of the bacteria to cause local or disseminated infection in humans. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We used a multilocus PCR electrospray mass spectrometry assay to determine the species and genotype Borrelia from ticks collected in New York, Connecticut, Indiana, Southern Germany, and California and characterized isolates from parts of the United States and Europe. These analyses identified 53 distinct genotypes of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto with higher resolution than ospC typing. Genotypes of other members of the B. burgdorferi sensu lato complex were also identified and genotyped including B. afzelii, B. garinii, B. lusitaniae, B. spielmanii, and B. valaisiana. While each site in North America had genotypes unique to that location, we found genotypes shared between individual regions and two genotypes found across the United States. Significant B. burgdorferi s.s. genotypic diversity was observed between North America and Europe: only 6.6% of US genotypes (3 of 45) were found in Europe and 27% of the European genotypes (3 of 11) were observed in the US. Interestingly, 39% of adult Ixodes scapularis ticks from North America were infected with more than one genotype of B. burgdorferi s.s. and 22.2% of Ixodes ricinus ticks from Germany were infected with more than one genotype of B. burgdorferi s.l.

Tick-Borne Encephalitis Among U.S. Travelers – Europe & Asia

Full article: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/303/21/2132?etoc

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is the most common arbovirus transmitted by ticks in Europe. Approximately 10,000 cases of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) are reported annually in Europe and Russia.1 Although TBE is endemic in parts of China, information regarding its incidence is limited.12 TBEV is closely related to Powassan virus (POWV), another tick-borne flavivirus that is a rare cause of encephalitis in North America and Russia; TBEV and POWV can cross-react in serologic tests.34 Before 2000, two cases of TBE in North American travelers to Europe were reported.56 State health officials or clinicians send specimens from patients with unexplained encephalitis to CDC as part of routine surveillance and diagnostic testing. CDC recently reviewed all 2000-2009 laboratory records to identifycases of TBE among U.S. travelers; the five cases identified are summarized in this report. All five cases had TBEV or POWV immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies in serum and were confirmed as acute TBE cases by plaque-reduction neutralization tests against both viruses. All four patients who had traveled to Europe or Russia had biphasic illnesses (a common feature of TBE) and made nearly complete recoveries. The fifth patient, the first reported case of TBE in a U.S. traveler to China, had a monophasic illness with severe encephalitis and neurologic sequelae. Health-care providers should be aware of TBE, should counsel travelers about measures to reduce exposure to tick bites, and should consider the diagnosis of TBE in travelers returning from TBE-endemic countries with meningitis or encephalitis.

Excerpt:

A clear and present danger: tick-borne diseases in Europe

Linda comments:  How many of you have friends that live or have lived in Europe?  Could they be suffering from tick-borne diseases?
Excerpt:
Ticks can transmit a variety of viruses, bacteria or parasites
that can cause serious infections or conditions in humans and
animals. While tick-borne diseases are becoming an increasing and
serious problem in Europe, tick-borne diseases are also
responsible for major depressions in livestock production and
mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Asia. This
review will focus on the most important circulating
tick-transmitted pathogens in Europe (Borrelia spp., Anaplasma
phagocytophilum, Babesia spp., tick-borne encephalitis virus,
Rickettsia spp. and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus).

Climate Warming and Tick-borne Encephalitis, Slovakia

Increased tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) cases have been reported in central Europe. To investigate temporal trends in the altitude at which TBE cases occur in Slovakia, we analyzed the number of TBE cases during 1961–2004. Since 1980, TBE cases moved from lowlands to submountainous areas, most likely because of rising temperature.

If the observed trend continues, the number of TBE foci in the mountain areas >500 m will probably increase in future decades. Whether this would affect the total number of TBE cases is a matter for discussion. Higher areas are less densely inhabited by local residents but often visited for leisure activities and recreation. The possibility of TBE emergence should be therefore considered by the management of recreation facilities and tourist resorts in areas with habitats suitable for TBE vectors

Military issues, related to service in the military

While I have no doubt this retired lieutenant colonel was diagnosed with Lyme disease,  my question is, has/was any thought given to how many chemical toxins he was exposed to during his military career?? 

With a full career in the military this poor guy was shot full of vaccines!!  How dirty were those vaccines.  Many say that vaccines can and has given patients, especially military personnel.

Lord knows the foods he was fed no doubt were GMO foods?

Bottom-line, we NEED to stop labeling everything with the word “Lyme”!  We need to focus on detoxing environmental toxins, and the poisons in GMO foods.   Plus, if we get word of the work “Lyme” no doubt more insurance companies would pay for treatments.  After all, Lyme symptoms can and are labeled with Fibro, Arthritis, Alzheimers, etc., etc., etc.

Keep your thinking caps on folks, there is more than one way to win this war against the diseases we are dealing with today!!

Angel Huggzz

Linda

Drwal drops election bid due to conditions
Medical issues related to service in military
BY JENNIFER BOOTON Staff Writer

Drwal, a 24-year veteran of the U.S. Army who retired as a lieutenant colonel after serving in various regions around the world, has been dealing with military-related injuries for over a decade.

“I had a couple of injuries when I was in the military,” he said. “I suffered injuries to both of my legs, which caused walking problems, and I suffered some neurological problems that affected speech and balance.”

Drwal, a member of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 67, also suffered from a tick-related disease while he was abroad, although the symptoms did not surface until years later.

“Last year I got really sick, and it turns out I had Lyme disease, and they are finding more and more troops that have been stationed in Europe have been coming down with it,” he said. “It just came on last year, attacking my joints and my neurological system.”

Full article: http://suburban.gmnews.com/news/2009/0917/front_page/003.html