Galaxy Radar – Week of May 13, 2024

Chronic Lyme in Time Magazine

Long Dismissed, Chronic Lyme Disease is Finally Getting Its Moment by J Ducharme – Patients experiencing long-term Lyme disease symptoms have been faced with disbelief and lack of insurance coverage. This article, with photographs from Jiatong Lu’s documentary project on chronic Lyme disease, tells their story. It also describes the new hope for for accurate diagnosis and potential treatment. The US CDC and National Institutes of Health have acknowledged the condition exists and over $50 million in grant funding (new funding for the research that led to the Galaxy Diagnostics Lyme Borrelia Nanotrap Urine Antigen test mentioned) is going to researchers.

Dr. Sunjya Schweig Discusses the Lyme Borrelia Nanotrap Urine Antigen Test

More sensitive and reliable direct detection with the Lyme Borrelia Nanotrap Urine Antigen Test supports confirmation of active infection at all stages of Lyme disease. Find out how Dr. Sunjya Schweig uses it in his practice:

 

Documenting the Relationship between Multiple Sclerosis and Borrelia burgdorferi Remains Elusive

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Borrelia burgdorferi Infections in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis in Poland by A Pawełczyk et al. publishing from Poland – The relationship between infectious disease and chronic illness can be difficult to sort out with scientific certainty. Over the years, multiple sclerosis has been studied against Toxoplasma gondii and Borrelia burgdorferi with mixed results. This new study from Poland discusses this history as well as why this study can’t resolve the questions. One issue is that studies, including this one, are generally retrospective. Patients with MS are tested for serology for these pathogens, but the problem is: Were they infected before or after the development of MS? Is it possible that MS leaves patients more susceptible to these infections? Studies that answer these questions may be difficult and expensive to complete but would bring more conclusive proof.

Nicole Bell on Caregiving and Lyme Disease Research

The Lyme Boss Podcast, Episode 106. Hear Nicole Bell, Chief Business Officer at Galaxy Diagnostics, on The Lyme Boss Podcast episode 106. This episode draws on Ms. Bell’s experience as a caregiver for a loved one with Lyme disease, emphasizing the need for caregivers to prioritize their well-being and highlighting ongoing efforts to improve Lyme disease diagnostics and research.

Bartonella and Herpesviruses

Diagnostic Challenges of Lyme Co-infections: Lessons from a Lyme and Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (HSV-1) Cocktail by M Bhatia, M Abdelbaky & L Lahoti publishing from Saint Peter’s University Hospital – A 55-year-old woman had facial nerve palsy. She tested positive for #LymeDisease, but was that the whole story? After testing positive for HSV-1, the questions were: Was the Lyme serology accurate? Was the HSV-1 new? Or a reactivation secondary to Lyme disease?

Bartonella henselae Infection May Occasionally Distract Immune Control of Latent Human Herpesviruses, commentary by G Ciccarese, G Serviddio & F Drago writing from Italy [free Medscape login required] – In response to a case study from 2023 (Cat Scratch Disease Presenting with Concurrent Pityriasis Rosea in a 10-year-old Girl [Medscape]), the authors discuss what is known about the relationship between Bartonella infection, Epstein Barr virus, and herpesviruses.

Treatment of Cutaneous Bacillary Angiomatosis in Immunocompetent Patients

A Systematic Review on Antibiotic Therapy of Cutaneous Bacillary Angiomatosis Not Related to Major Immunocompromising Conditions: From Pathogenesis to Treatment by S Rotundo et al. publishing from Italy – Cutaneous bacillary angiomatosis is a symptom of #Bartonella infection most commonly found in people with immunosuppressive conditions. However, people without identifiable immunosuppression also sometimes experience this. What is the best treatment?

Lyme Disease Risk Tracking

New Pa. Online Dashboard Gives Info on Tickborne Diseases, as Warm Weather Arrives on WFMZ – Pennsylvania has launched an online tick risk dashboard that allows residents to see current information on tickborne disease case counts by county.

The DC Region Has a High Lyme Disease Rate. How Can You Protect Yourself from Tick Bites? By L Bui on WTOP – Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases are a high risk in the Washington, DC, area. Use of tick protection is necessary when visiting the region’s many beautiful outdoor areas. This tourist destination highlights the importance of travel history awareness in diagnosing Lyme disease.

Dr. Sarah Maxwell, Ph.D., May Awareness Guest Blog – County-Level TBD Data in the U.S. on the Lyme Disease Association blog – Sarah Maxwell, Ph.D., discusses her progress mapping county-level tick-borne disease data in the US, a project supported by a grant from the Lyme Disease Association. Tick-borne disease has a number of dedicated patient-engagement groups funding research and moving the needle on prevention, detection, and treatment.

Revisiting Suspected Long COVID Revealing Bartonella henselae

Unmasking Bartonella henselae Infection in the Shadows of Long COVID Thanks to Clinical Metagenomics by A Aubry et al. publishing from France – Following COVID-19, a patient had symptoms for 5 months, including swollen axillary lymph nodes. Was it Long COVID? Metagenomic analysis of a lymph node biopsy revealed Bartonella henselae infection. This is the second time we are highlighting this article, following a case where a man whose Bartonella henselae abscess that had been under successful treatment worsened after he developed COVID-19.

Rabies Prevention – Change to US Dog Import Rules

In Effort to Prevent Rabies, CDC Launches New Rules for Bringing Dogs into the US by J Howard on CNN – While dogs can get rabies from other animals, the strain spread between dogs has not been found in the US since 2007. Last week, the US CDC announced new dog import rules to protect this success. Ending human rabies cases by 2030 is a UN Sustainable Development Goal, with ending rabies in dogs recognized as a major step toward that goal.

Endangered Species Day – Bartonella in Vulnerable and Endangered Species

Genomic Properties of a Bartonella quintana Strain from Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) Revealed by Genome Comparison with Human and Rhesus Macaque Strains by S Sato et al. publishing from Nihon University – Bartonella quintana, generally only found in human hosts, has previously been found in rhesus macaques and has now been found in a second species, the Japanese macaque. The two macaque strains are more closely related to each other than to one human strain, Toulouse, but more samples need to be collected to better understand any genetic variety in the pathogen in humans. These two species of macaque are considered “least concern,” but the majority of macaque species are vulnerable or endangered.

Isolation of Bartonella henselae and Two New Bartonella Subspecies, Bartonella koehlerae Subspecies boulouisii subsp. nov. and Bartonella koehlerae Subspecies bothieri subsp. nov. from Free-Ranging California Mountain Lions and Bobcats by BB Chomel et al. publishing from California, France, Japan, Taiwan and China – In this research from 2016, wild cats carried unique strains of Bartonella koehlerae and a couple carried Bartonella henselae from domestic cats. Without specifically discussing the One Health concept, this study captures a whole web of one health interactions between humans, domestic and wild animals, and the environment.