For many years, we have posted a selection of almost 20 research and news articles per week on social media. Now, we are excited to start sharing a weekly summary of those articles into a “Galaxy Radar,” a weekly blog post. We will feature a few articles with further discussion, as well as provide a list of other papers and news articles that came to our attention.
Our posts have generated important conversations in the tick- and vector-borne disease community, building awareness, advancing clinical understanding, and provoking debate. The comments on our posts have sparked unique insights and new ways of thinking about infection-associated chronic illness and the risk factors that we encounter in our daily lives.
Typically, we post our selections and let the resulting conversation develop organically. We truly appreciate all of your contributions, both fresh perspectives and criticisms. We also appreciate the care that you have shown for us and for each other in addressing this complex area of emerging infectious disease.
The research articles we select are meant to tell a story pointing back to our passion: the positive impact of direct detection of vector-borne diseases on patients’ lives. We don’t necessarily pick “the best” or the most impactful articles that come across our desks. Our team is not making those types of judgements. Rather, we select articles that point to topics that broaden the conversation around vector-borne disease. We will continue to do so and hope the Galaxy Radar format provides a concise summary, allowing you to keep abreast of this dynamic and complex landscape from the Galaxy perspective.
The topics we monitor fall into several distinct categories, including:
- Risk factors and prevention of vector-borne diseases, with a focus on One Health and how to safely live and work with animals;
- Performance of existing and promising new diagnostic approaches, especially as they inform clinical discovery;
- Associations between vector-borne pathogens and disease, particularly chronic conditions impacting the skin, eyes, joints, heart, and brain; and
- Complexity of treatment, including emerging therapies and their efficacy, particularly in the context of immune function.
We are, at heart, a diagnostics company. But we monitor these topics because they affect our customers and their testing needs. And although the challenges of vector-borne illness sometimes feel insurmountable, we firmly believe that science will provide solutions. Galaxy will continue to provide diagnostic leadership to get us there.
We look forward to your continued engagement as we go forward in this new chapter of sharing information. Together, we will advance the dialogue on vector-borne disease and ensure that future patients have access to the solutions they deserve.
Index
September 23, 2024: Identifying Children with Systemic Bartonellosis * 13-Year-Old with a Neck Mass * Identifying Acute Peripheral Facial Palsy Caused by Borreliosis in Children without Lumbar Puncture * Could Tick Allergy be Protective? * Neurosarcoidosis * How Similar are “Long” Diseases? * Immune Changes Prompted by Fever * Maintaining Political Momentum for One Health * US CDC Zoonotic and One Health Update Call * Galaxy Calendar
September 16, 2024: Bartonella rochalimae Found in Sonora, Mexico * Borrelia turicatae in Soft Ticks in South Texas * Lyme Disease in Argentina * PCR Detection of Tick-Borne Disease in Retained Dried Blood Samples * Balancing Infection Control and Vascular Interventions in Neuroborreliosis * Bartonella vinsonii Associated with Vision Problems and Endocarditis * Tick-Borne Infection and Pain: Biomarkers, Treatments, Ethics * Galaxy Calendar
September 9, 2024: Bartonella Eye Symptoms – Clotting in One Case, Bleeding in Another * Bartonella Osteomyelitis in a Child * Lyme Arthritis and Genetic Traits in the Patient * Babesiosis in a Patient without a Spleen * Continuing Education with Dr. Breitschwerdt * Coinfection Complexity Demonstrated in Mice * Reservoir Species’ Ecological Role * Worldwide Response to Zoonotic Disease * Galaxy Calendar
September 2, 2024: Tick-Borne Disease Triple Infection Increasing in Connecticut * Bartonella quintana in Organ Transplant * Childhood Development Complicated by Vision Problems and Tick-Borne Disease * Repeat Follow-up of Vision Loss Leads to a Bartonella henselae Diagnosis * Surprisingly High Bartonella Species Infection Rate in North Carolina * Media Using Pennsylvania’s Tick-Borne Disease Dashboard * Jake Picker’s “Bartonella Babe” Content Will Remain Available * Known Tick-Borne Pathogen Genera in the Amazon, but Different Lifecycles * Galaxy Diagnostics Calendar
August 26, 2024: September Mosquito Risk in the US & Late-Summer Lyme Disease Wave * A Research Breakthrough Two Decades in the Making * Zoonotic Risks Associated with Camels * Continuing Education * Galaxy Calendar
August 19, 2024: Infection and Brain Harm * How Many Neuroborreliosis Patients Try Repeat Doxycycline? * Natural Antibiotic Resistance in Rickettsia and Bartonella * Remembering Pat Smith * Veterinarians and One Health * Borrelia Genetic Mapping * Tick-Borne Disease in Western North Carolina * Galaxy Diagnostics Calendar
August 12, 2024: Identifying Cutaneous Bacillary Angiomatosis * mNGS for Diagnosis of Infectious Uveitis * Zoonotic Risk and Immunocompromised Children * Zoonotic Causes of Cytokine Storm Syndrome * From Galaxy Diagnostics CEO, Nicole Bell * The Bartonella quintana and Head Lice Debate * Defining a Dementia * Endemic Malaria Hides Other Causes of Febrile Disease * Revisiting the Indigenous and Early US History of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever * Genetic Groupings of Pathogens and Ticks * Air Monitoring of Zoonotic Disease * Galaxy Diagnostics Calendar
August 5, 2024: Confirmed Bartonella henselae Pleural Cavity Infection in a Child * Alfa-gal Syndrome Associated with a Heart Attack * Tick-Borne Pathogens Increase Their Range * CEO Nicole Bell Featured in BioBuzz * Lyme Disease Awareness, Including an In-Depth Article on the BBC Website * Cases Illustrating the Disconnect between Prevalence and Diagnostic Familiarity * Review of Diagnostic Methods for Rickettsia * Rickettsia Endosymbionts Manipulate Their Environment * Virginia USA Tick Tracking * Continuing Education Opportunity * Galaxy Diagnostics Calendar
July 29, 2024: Illustrated Tour of Bartonella and Erythrocyte Interactions * Three Case Reports, Three Different Tick-Borne Pathogens * Galaxy Diagnostics Scientist Changing the Record on Canine Bacterial Endocarditis * Report from the Alzheimer’s Pathobiome Initiative Meeting on July 27 * NASEM Expert Panel Holds First Meeting on Lyme IACI * Could Lyme Disease Involve a Cytotoxin? * Wisconsin Tick-Borne Disease Data, Looking at Anaplasmosis * Olympic Athlete Reports History of Lyme Disease * Vector-Borne Pathogens Everywhere You Look * Travel Medicine Questions Raised by Dengue * Reverse Zoonosis of SARS-CoV-2 in Pets and Wildlife * Galaxy Diagnostics Calendar
July 22,2024: North Carolina State University Research Continues to Raise Babesia Awareness * Sequencing Turns Around a Deadly Course, Twice * Clues to Identifying Hidden Intracellular Infections * Transplant Rickettsia parkeri Mystery * Determining Zoonotic Risk * Insights from Mayaro Virus Tracking * Preferred Organ of Rickettsia heilongjiangensis * Homelessness, Body Lice, and Bartonella Quintana * SFTSV Seroprevalence * Galaxy Diagnostics Calendar
July 15, 2024: More on the Bartonella and Babesia Publication from NCSU * Late Diagnosis of Lyme Disease and a Tragic End * Children with Nonspecific Bartonellosis Symptoms * Fungal Coinfection of Bartonella spp. * Neurological Manifestations of Ehrlichiosis * Tick Tracking * Using One Health Concepts * Furthering Research on Chronic Disease and the 2-Day Exercise Test * Galaxy Diagnostics Calendar
July 8, 2024: Sample Enrichment Breaks Sample Enrichment Breaks New Ground in Babesia Identification * Babesia Cases in the News * Novel Babesia Discoveries * Babesia on the Move through Archipelago * Review Papers * Rare Vector-Borne Cases * Ehrlichiosis Update on Medscape * Continuing Education * Galaxy Diagnostics Calendar
July 1, 2024: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Mimicking MIS-C * Direct Detection of Bartonella * Lyme Borrelia Encephalitis Case * T. gondii and Borrelia burgdorferi in Multiple Sclerosis * Emerging Biology in Infectious Disease Prevention and Treatment * Home-Based Monitoring of Orthostatic Hypotension * Using Bartonella to Trace Rat Journeys * Bartonella in Egypt * Galaxy Diagnostics Calendar
June 24, 2024: Galaxy Diagnostics Announces New Leadership * Lyme Disease in the National Press * Cytokine Mapping and Lyme Disease * Lyme Disease Ecology & Risk Research * Ehrlichia Co-infection, Geography * News on Tick-borne Disease Risks * One Health Development at Purdue * CDC Health Advisory on Dengue Virus * Galaxy Diagnostics Calendar
June 17, 2024: Unusual Bartonella Endocarditis Case * Alcoholism a Risk Factor for Bartonellosis * Counting Lyme Disease – Scottish Cases * A Long COVID Definition * Risk Map and Communicating Prevention * Tick Hybridization * H5N1 Infectious Course Varies by Species * Galaxy Diagnostics Calendar
June 10, 2024: Bartonella in Patients with Psychosis * Bartonella and Leprosy Co-infection * Lyme Disease Diagnosis Disparities * What’s a Negative Anaplasmosis Test Good For * Flea, Tick, and Pathogen Monitoring * Increasing Threat of Babesiosis in the US * Ehrlichiosis Information * Women & Health Care * Webinars Available * Galaxy Diagnostics Calendar
June 3, 2024: Human Genetics and Lyme Disease * About the Bartonella Four Species IFA Panel from Galaxy Diagnostics * Relevant COVID-19 Research * Biosecurity Standards for Rickettsia Research * Chiggers as a Zoonotic Disease Vector * Information and Guideline Updates * Antibiotics and Auto-Brewery Syndrome * Meetings and Presentations
May 27, 2024: Identifying Borrelia and Bartonella in Children * Mapping Pathogens * Mapping the Human Brain * Medscape Updated Cat Scratch Disease Entry * Find Us at Meetings and Presentations
May 13, 2024: Chronic Lyme in Time Magazine * Dr. Sunjya Schweig Discusses the Lyme Borrelia Nanotrap Urine Antigen Test * Documenting the Relationship between Multiple Sclerosis and Borrelia burgdorferi Remains Elusive * Nicole Bell on Caregiving and Lyme Disease Research * Bartonella and Herpesviruses * Treatment of Cutaneous Bacillary Angiomatosis in Immunocompetent Patients * Lyme Disease Risk Tracking * Revisiting Suspected Long COVID Revealing Bartonella henselae * Rabies Prevention – Change to US Dog Import Rules * Endangered Species Day – Bartonella in Vulnerable and Endangered Species
May 6, 2024: Cerebral Vasculitis Due to Rickettsiosis * Anaplasmosis with Rash and Rhabdomyolysis * News for Lyme Disease Awareness * Tick-Borne Disease Awareness: Bartonella & RMSF * Vaccine Targets for Bartonella quintana * Theileria’s “Immortal Cells” * One Health Stories
April 29, 2024: Lyme Disease & Autoimmune Disease * B. afzelii in Children * Post-COVID Reactivation of Bartonella henselae * Infective Endocarditis with Glomerulonephritis Points toward Bartonella * : Honoring the Life of Jake Picker * On the Differential * One Health Positive News * D. auratus Tick Range * Awareness Days
April 22, 2024: Direct and Indirect Detection Work Together * FGFR Inhibitors for Treatment of Neuroborreliosis? * IVIG and Clinical Testing (from 2021) * Update on Asian Longhorned Ticks *Animal Sentinels * Tick Awareness * Developments in Prevention * CDC ZOHU Call
April 15, 2024: Multiple Diagnoses with Tick-Borne Pathogens (Giant Cell Arteritis, Yezo Virus, Breast Cancer, HLH) * Less Common Symptoms of Tick-Borne Pathogens * Increasing Global Footprint of Relapsing Fever Group Borrelia * Mediterranean Spotted Fever with Photographs * Animal Pathogens Expanding Territories (PE, Theileria, Babesia gibsoni, Avian Influenza) * Dietary Supplement Packaging Safety and Children
April 8, 2024: Occupational Risk and Mitigation * Regional Variability of Environmental Risk * One Health Programs Making a Difference * NEW Video from Dr. Breitschwerdt discussing the Bartonella 4-Species Serology Panel * Spotted Fever Rickettsia in South Carolina * Bartonella schoenbuchensis in Germany * Updated Ohio Department of Health Tick Website * Increased Tick Counts in the UK * Reverse Zoonosis * Immune Effects of Dormant Bacteria
April 1, 2024: Headlines in Immunology: Immune Evasion * Cancer * Fibromyalgia * Autism and Neuropsychiatric * Immune Evolution and Plague (Y. Pestis) * Random Peptide Array * Immunology Writing in 2020/2021 * Also: Emerging Zoonotic Diseases
March 25, 2024: Farmworker Awareness Week * Bartonellosis after COVID-19 * Review of Bartonella Findings in the Mediterranean Region * New Bartonella Findings in Animals * New Borrelia Findings in Animals * New Serology Target for Borrelia * Conference: RESI South 2024 * Galaxy Diagnostics Is Closed Friday
March 18, 2024: Less Common Bartonellosis Presentations * Identifying Lyme Disease Patients * Testing Synovial Fluid vs. Serum * Disease Testing for Conduction Disorders in Denmark * Next-Generation Sequencing to Speed Bartonellosis Diagnosis * One Health and SARS-CoV-2 * Tick News * Nominations: WHO DTAG for Neglected Tropical Diseases * Galaxy Diagnostics Closed March 29
March 11, 2024: Tissue PCR Identifies a Case of Bartonellosis * Flea Research from Galaxy Diagnostic Scientists and Others * Warm Winter and an Early Tick Season * Limitations of Powassan Virus Serology * Cacchi-Ricci Disease with Polymicrobial Chronic Infection * Additional Bartonella Headlines * One Health Headlines * Fundraising for The Bartonella Discovery Project * Long COVID Awareness Day* Upcoming Conferences
March 4, 2024: Tick-Borne Pathogens Found in New York City Parks * Targeted Antibiotic for Lyme Disease Going to Phase I * From Cancer Research to Long-Haul Diseases * 18-Year-Old with High Troponin and a Rash * Aptamers for Anaplasma * Theileria orientalis Ikedia * Pathogens Modifying Phospholipid Metabolism * Protecting Cats from Flea-Borne Diseases * International Women’s Day
February 26, 2024: Announcing Galaxy Radar * Effects of the CDC Lyme Disease Reporting Change * Case Study: Atypical Lyme Disease Rash * Babesia Round Up * Sciencey Science * A One Health Snake Story and AI * March ZOHU Call Free CE * Heart Month * Rare Disease Day
