Body Fitness Health

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

[AlternativeAnswers] Germ that causes cat scratch disease not necessarily mild

Germ that causes cat scratch disease not necessarily mild

(mailto:news@vin.com?subject=RE:%20Article%20-%20Germ%20that%20causes%20cat%20scratch%20disease%20not%20necessarily%20mild)

September 20, 2010
By: Edie Lau
For The VIN News Service

The pathogen best known for causing cat scratch disease is responsible for
a host of serious illnesses in humans that may be misdiagnosed due to lack
of awareness in the medical community.

Researchers studying the Bartonella genus of bacteria say veterinarians
and veterinary staff, along with others who work with animals — including
groomers, trainers and shelter and rescue organization personnel — are at
particular risk of infection owing to their frequent exposure to animals and
animal parasites such as fleas.

"I think it's more common than we think in the veterinary community,"
said Dr. Bruno Chomel, a DVM and professor in the Center for Vectorborne
Diseases at the University of California, Davis.

The scope and significance of Bartonella infection among humans in
veterinary circles and at large is just beginning to be understood.

story continues here:

_http://news.vin.com/VINNews.aspx?articleId=16570_
(http://news.vin.com/VINNews.aspx?articleId=16570)

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[AlternativeAnswers] Tick-Borne Disease Agents in Various Wildlife from Mississippi

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

Tick-Borne Disease Agents in Various Wildlife from Mississippi

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To cite this article:
Ashley H. Castellaw, Erle F. Chenney, Andrea S. Varela-Stokes.
Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases. -Not available-, ahead of print.
doi:10.1089/vbz.2009.0221.

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Ashley H. Castellaw, Erle F. Chenney, and Andrea S. Varela-Stokes

Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi
State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi.

Address correspondence to:

Andrea S. Varela-Stokes

Department of Basic Sciences

College of Veterinary Medicine
Mississippi State University

Mississippi State, MS 39762
E-mail:

Abstract
Because tick-borne diseases are becoming increasingly important throughout
the world, monitoring their causative agents in wildlife may serve as a
useful indicator of potential human exposure. We assessed the presence of
known and putative zoonotic, tick-borne agents in four wildlife species in
Mississippi. Animals were tested for exposure to or infection with Ehrlichia
chaffeensis, Ehrlichia ewingii, Borrelia lonestari, Rickettsia spp.,
Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Francisella tularensis
. Whole blood and serum were tested from white-tailed deer (WTD;
Odocoileus virginianus) and feral swine (Sus scrofa); serum was tested from raccoons
(Procyon lotor) and opossums (Didelphis virginiana). We used polymerase
chain reaction to detect all agents in blood, whereas an indirect fluorescent
antibody assay was used to detect antibodies to E. chaffeensis, B.
lonestari, and Rickettsia parkeri (spotted fever group rickettsiae) antigens in
serum.
Molecular evidence of infection with E. chaffeensis, B. lonestari, and An.
phagocytophilum was detected only in WTD. Antibodies to E. chaffeensis
antigen were detected in 43.9% of WTD, 32.8% of swine, 42.1% of raccoons, and
15.8% of opossums. Serologic evidence of exposure to B. lonestari antigen
was found in 19.3% of WTD, 6.9% of swine, and 5.3% of raccoons, but not in
opossums. Interestingly, the percent of animals with antibodies reactive to
spotted fever group rickettsiae (R. parkeri antigen) was highest in
raccoons (73.7%) and opossums (57.9%). These results support the role of WTD as
reservoirs for E. chaffeensis, B. lonestari, and An. phagocytophilum, as well
as provide additional evidence for exposure of raccoons and opossums to E.
chaffeensis. Finally, we provide new data that feral swine may have
antibodies to these agents.
Thus, in general, these four wildlife species are exposed to tick-borne
disease agents in Mississippi, suggesting that ticks carry and have the
potential to transmit the agents to humans in the state.
[Note: they only looked for Borrelia lonestari, not any other species of
borrelia.]

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[AlternativeAnswers] Meningoradiculitis and encephalomyelitis due to Borrelia burgdorferi: a follow-u

Neurol. 1989 Sep;236(6):322-8.
Meningoradiculitis and encephalomyelitis due to Borrelia burgdorferi: a
follow-up study of 72 patients over 27 years.
Krüger H, Reuss K, Pulz M, Rohrbach E, Pflughaupt KW, Martin R, Mertens HG.

Abstract
In 1987, follow-up studies were conducted on 72 patients who had had
meningoradiculitis and encephalomyelitis (8 patients) due to Borrelia
burgdorferi 5-27 years previously. These patients had not been treated with
antibiotics, either during the acute disease or during the interval prior to
follow-up studies. The patients had exhibited the typical symptoms of Bannwarth's
syndrome during the acute phase. At the follow-up studies, 33 patients
showed no, and 23 only mild, clinical residual symptoms including normal CSF
findings and low-positive serum IgG borrelia antibody titres (IFT; ELISA).
Three patients without sequelae exhibited persistent intrathecal secretion of
oligoclonal B. burgdorferi-specific CSF IgG antibodies (Immunoblot;
positive borrelia CSF IgG antibody titres). Thirteen patients exhibited
mild-to-medium sequelae with persistent intrathecal formation of oligoclonal B.
burgdorferi-specific CSF IgG antibodies, up to 21 years after the acute
illness. This persistence can be interpreted as an "immunological scar syndrome".
Our follow-up studies appear to indicate that neurological manifestations
of B. burgdorferi infections are generally (with few exceptions) of a benign
nature. Most patients can be classified as having been cured without
antibiotic therapy. No late manifestations of chronic progressive CNS
borreliosis comparable to that of neurosyphilis have been seen following acute
untreated neuroborreliosis.

PubMed: _http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2795099_ (http://
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2795099)

These guys never got treated in spite of a close to guaranteed Lyme
infection. It is a bit fun to read the paper, since some of them obviously have
titers high enough to warrant the investigating med's to recommend an
antibiotic treatment....after 27 yrs. But these guys are like; Huh, why me I feel
just ok? While yet another guy who doesn't qualify for treatment on the
grounds of IgG still has to treat himself with corticostereoids for a chronic
licen ruber planus, which I personally willing bet >1€ is caused by
persistent Lyme. Dr G.

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