LDA NEWS & UPDATES
April 2021
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Joseph J. Burrascano Jr. MD is a physician who was an early innovator in the field of tick-borne diseases, having begun his clinical research in the mid-1980s in cooperation with several other key pioneers. In addition, he is well known for his educational presentations and for his monographs on diagnostic and treatment guidelines for Lyme and related tick-borne illnesses - a classic series that has been freely circulated around the world since 1989. Read blog.
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An April 14, 2021 PLOS 1 study, Cynthia Otto et al., 2021, suggests that specially trained dogs can sniff out COVID-19 samples with 96% accuracy.
The study, “Discrimination of SARS-CoV-2 infected patient samples by detection dogs: A proof of concept study,” comes out of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine Working Dog Center. Read more.
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A new study was published April 23, 2021, in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, “Examining prevalence and diversity of tick-borne pathogens in questing Ixodes pacificus ticks in California,” by Daniel Salkeld, et al. This is the first study to characterize bacteria carried by ticks in the chaparral in beach areas. Read more.
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In a recent study conducted by Vargas et al., patients suffering from self-reported post-Lyme treatment symptoms at the Lifespan Lyme Disease Center in Rhode Island took part in completing both a demo-
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graphic and medical survey. Findings from this sample of patients showed that this group of patients reported more severe symptoms than the general population as well as reporting higher than other clinical sample groups including cancer patients and chronic pain patients. Read more.
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According to its press release, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, one of 18 sites that conducted patient trials with lenzilumab, found this drug to be a safe, well-tolerated, and highly effective treatment |
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against COVID-19.
Lenzilumab works by preventing & treating an immune hyper-response, a life-threatening, systemic inflammatory response in the body triggered by the COVID-19 virus - “cytokine storms.” Read more.
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A new study shows that detection of Borrelia prophages, equated as “footprints” of Borrelia, can be used to identify the bacteria due to the close correlation between them and the exact prophages found in each Borrelia host. Evidence presented in this study shows that prophages can be released outside the bacterial cell following stressors such as antibiotic use and are easier to detect than the bacteria itself. Read more.
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In this recent study by Burtis et al. published in the Journal of Medical Entomology, researchers assessed the susceptibility of Ixodes scapularis ticks to Permethrin treatment on Shelter Island, NY where 4-poster devices have been implemented for deer topical treatment from 2008 to 2019. The 4-poster method has effectively reduced questing tick densities, but authors question whether the resulting selection pressure is strong enough for resistance to emerge in tick populations. Read more.
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A new study summarizes human surveillance data from 2011-2018 in the United States for Babesia infections reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS). Data shows an increasing trend of reported Babesia cases (14,159 total) during this time period, with white men in the middle and elderly age groups most affected. Read more.
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In this study, researchers found that multiplex COVID-19 Immunoblot (IB) assays offer many advantages for evaluating antibody responses to multiple SARS-CoV-2 proteins in a single sample in COVID-19 patients.
The authors found that IB assay results can be obtained in less than 3 hours after serum or plasma collection using pre-prepared IB membrane strips and require minimal washing and reagent addition steps. Read more.
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Case study shows that periodontitis was associated with COVID-19 complication including death, ICU admission and need for assisted ventilation. Findings also show COVID patients with periodontitis to have higher white blood cell counts, D-dimer and C Reactive Protein levels, biomarkers that are linked to worse disease outcome. Read more.
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The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and A.T. Still University are partnering on a Missouri tick study. This two-year research study is designed to better understand the distribution and species of ticks as well as the pathogens that they carry throughout Missouri. The study will run from April 2021 through September 2022. Read more.
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As a follow-up to its 2020 report from its 2020 citizen science project, the Maine Forest Tick Survey at the University of Maine is recruiting forest landowners in nine southern and coastal Maine counties to begin sampling for ticks in July 2021, when tick nymphs become active. The 2020 project collected 1643 ticks, and 445 of those black-legged nymphs were tested for pathogens. Twenty-five+% were carrying Borrelia burgdorferi, 7% anaplasma phagocytophilum, and 5% Babesia microti. Read more.
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Pfizer CEO, Albert Bourla, announced yesterday that an antiviral pill to treat Covid-19 may be available by the end of the year. The pill, taken orally at home, would be effective at the first sign of Covid-19 infection or exposure and is expected to be effective against variants. Read more.
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Many states and counties take steps to raise awareness regarding Lyme and tick-borne diseases during May. Declaring “May Lyme Awareness Month” is one move to help remind people spring is here, ticks are out, prevention & proper education are your best tools to staying healthy.
Contact your state, county, or local governing body and ask them to pass a May resolution to spread the word about Lyme & tick-borne diseases. Learn more.
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With blogs by:
Adrian Baranchuk, MD, Lyme Carditis 2021 Update
Kenneth Liegner, MD, Lyme & TBD Where We Are
Sue Faber, RN, BScN, Lyme & Pregnancy
James Occi, PhD (Cand.), Ticks
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