Galaxy Radar – Week of June 24, 2024

Galaxy Diagnostics Announces New Leadership

Galaxy Diagnostics is excited to announce new leadership: Nicole Bell has officially accepted the position of CEO and Jeff Clark has joined as Chair of the Board. Our cofounders remain committed to the mission of advancing diagnostic solutions and improving patient outcomes.

Drs. Ed Breitschwerdt and Amanda Elam will continue to serve on the Board of Directors and along with Dr. Ricardo G. Maggi will continue to support the growth and success of the company. Find out more about our progress here.

Lyme Disease in the National Press

What the Latest Science Says About Lyme Disease by T Pasricha in The Washington Post – Post-acute sequelae of infectious disease is a contested area of research in Lyme disease, COVID and beyond. In this article, the author presents a controversial case for post-treatment Lyme disease (PTLD). While it is good to finally see national media attention on chronic Lyme disease, many patients, doctors, and patient advocates see the coverage as inaccurate and insufficient.

Much has been written about reporting on contested illnesses, such as J. Rehmeyer’s How to Report with Accuracy and Sensitivity on Contested Illnesses published on The Open Notebook.

Cytokine Mapping and Lyme Disease

A Comprehensive Genetic Map of Cytokine Responses in Lyme Borreliosis by J Botey-Bataller et al. publishing from the Netherlands, Germany and Romania – Cytokine quantitative trait loci can be used to determine how cytokines behave in specific tissues and under specific stimuli. Scientists used this technique to identify patterns associated with Lyme disease susceptibility.

Cytokines Mapping for Tissue-Specific Expression, eQTLs and GWAS Traits by LE Salnikova et al. publishing from the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Federal Research and Clinical Center of Intensive Care Medicine and Rehabilitology in Nature in 2020 – This article provides background on the process and lessons of cytokine mapping.

Galaxy Diagnostics Lyme Borrelia Nanotrap Antigen Test is up to two times more sensitive than conventional antibody testing. Find out more.

Lyme Disease Ecology & Risk Research

Opposing Patterns of Spatial Synchrony in Lyme Disease Incidence by AE Ali et al. publishing from University of Virginia, Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of Maine and University of California – Patterns such as temperature, kind of ground cover, human behaviors, etc. impact Lyme disease risk. New research finds that how these elements all fit together is not the same in every location, but they form broad groupings in the upper Midwest and in the Northeast. This is the kind of One Health information that allows for targeted interventions. The most effective interventions in one region may differ from the most effective interventions in another.

How Do Host Population Dynamics Impact Lyme Disease Risk Dynamics in Theoretical Models? by JDT Savage & CM Moore publishing from Colby College and Dartmouth College – Part of what makes Lyme disease risk difficult to predict and track is that the complex ecology of the pathogen can lead to unexpected outcomes. In this computer model of just three host species, the complications become apparent.

Ehrlichia Co-infection, Geography

Ehrlichia spp. Infection Worsens Cardiac Damage in Dogs with Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis by LG Zanfagnini et al. publishing from Brazil – Co-infections can create disease patterns that are more than the sum of the parts. In this study, researchers found that #Ehrlichia species coinfection with canine visceral leishmaniasis worsened heart damage in dogs.

The Microbiota of Amblyomma americanum Reflects Known Westward Expansion by L Martinez-Villegas et al. publishing from The Ohio State University – As the A. americanum tick expands its territory west, #Ehrlicia chaffeensis, E. ewingii and #Anaplasma phagocytophilum are two types of bacteria traveling with this tick population.

Find out about additional tick-borne pathogen tests available at Galaxy Diagnostics, including testing for Ehrlicia spp.

News on Tick-borne Disease Risks

Protect Yourself from Ticks and Lyme Disease by C McDevitt on The Latest News + Events, City of Philadelphia – Amidst a sharp rise in Lyme disease cases in the US, Philadelphia advises people to check for ticks after visiting parks.

Some Push to Track Potentially Deadly Meat Allergy Caused by Tick Bite by M Anderson & SJ Cox III on WRDW – Looking at Georgia, public health reporting of alpha-gal syndrome lags behind what one doctor says is the likely actual case burden. At the national level, a law to make alpha-gal syndrome a reportable disease is being considered.

Epidemiological Survey and Genetic Diversity of Bartonella in Fleas Collected from Rodents in Fujian Province, Southeast China by S Zhou et al. publishing from Fujian Center for Disease Control and Prevention – Researchers collected fleas from rodents in Southeastern China from 2016 to 2022. Seven flea species were identified and five species of Bartonella were found. Among those Bartonella species, considerable genetic variation was found.

One Health Development at Purdue

Purdue Trustees Endorse Launch of One Health Initiative, Advancing University Strengths in Human, Animal, Plant, Environmental Health by P. Fiorini on Purdue News – This initiative brings together a half dozen colleges and partnerships with existing life science companies, government, and business development in the region.

CDC Health Advisory on Dengue Virus

Increased Risk of Dengue Virus Infections in the United States – Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne pathogen, has been breaking records worldwide in 2024, with a public health emergency declared in Puerto Rico and one locally-acquired case confirmed in Florida. Now the US CDC has issued a health advisory.

Galaxy Diagnostics Calendar

Independence Day Holiday on July 4, 2024 – The laboratory will be closed on Thursday, July 4. Please do not ship samples on Wednesday, July 3. We will be open normally on Friday, July 5.

The Alzheimer’s Pathobiome Initiative Symposium on July 27, 2024 – Edward Breitschwerdt, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), will be presenting with Janice Bush, CVM, on “Bartonella henselae, Neurobartonellosis and Alzheimer’s Disease: Is there a link?”

Project Lyme Gala on September 24, 2024 – Meet Galaxy Diagnostics CEO Nicole Bell and Cofounder Amanda Elam at the event.

ILADS Annual Scientific Conference, November 7-10, 2024 – Galaxy Diagnostics speakers will include CEO Nicole Bell. Find us in the exhibitor hall.