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Post by LymeEnigma on May 28, 2008 11:21:26 GMT -8
Is Lyme disease always poly microbial? – The jigsaw hypothesis David C. Owen University of Wales, College of Medicine, Accident and Emergency, Heath Park, Cardiff United Kingdom, Cardiff, United Kingdom Summary Lyme disease is considered to be caused by Borrelia species of bacteria but slowly evidence is accumulating which suggests that Lyme disease is a far more complex condition than Borreliosis alone. This hypothesis suggests that it may be more appropriate to regard Lyme disease as a tick borne disease complex. Over recent years numerous different microbes have been found in ticks which are known to be zoonotic and can coinfect the human host. The hypothesis suggests that multiple coinfections are invariably present in the clinical syndromes associated with Lyme disease and it is suggested that these act synergistically in complex ways. It may be that patterns of coinfection and host factors are the main determinants of the variable clinical features of Lyme disease rather than Borrelia types. An analogy with a jigsaw puzzle is presented with pieces representing Borreliae, coinfections and host factors. It is suggested that many pieces of the puzzle are missing and our knowledge of how the pieces fit together is rudimentary. It is hoped that the hypothesis will help our understanding of this complex, enigmatic condition. www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WN2-4K9C6V6-1&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=997763e75a963659ee1e8e1420d10468 |
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Post by LymeEnigma on May 28, 2008 11:24:07 GMT -8
BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF LYME DISEASE SPIROCHETES: UNIQUE BACTERIA OF THE BORRELIA BURGDORFERI SPECIES GROUP Michal Krupka, Milan Raska, Jana Belakova, Milada Horynova, Radko Novotny, Evzen Weigl Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Hnevotinska 3, Palacky University, 775 15 Olomouc, Czech Republic b Department of Microscopy Methods, Faculty of Medicine, Hnevotinska 3, Palacky University, 775 15 Olomouc, Czech Republic *e-mail: majkl.krupka@centrum.cz Received: September 15, 2007; Accepted: November 28, 2007 Key words: Borrelia burgdorferi/Lyme disease/Spirochete Background: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato is a group of at least twelve closely related species some of which are responsible for Lyme disease, the most frequent zoonosis in Europe and the USA. Many of the biological features of Borrelia are unique in prokaryotes and very interesting not only from the medical viewpoint but also from the view of molecular biology. Methods: Relevant recent articles were searched using PubMed and Google search tools. Results and Conclusion: This is a review of the biological, genetic and physiological features of the spirochete species group, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. In spite of a lot of recent articles focused on B. burgdorferi sensu lato, many features of Borrelia biology remain obscure. It is one of the main reasons for persisting problems with prevention, diagnosis and therapy of Lyme disease. The aim of the review is to summarize ongoing current knowledge into a lucid and comprehensible form. Full article: publib.upol.cz/~obd/fulltext/Biomed/2007/2/175.pdf |
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Post by LymeEnigma on May 28, 2008 11:25:02 GMT -8
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Post by enochroot on May 28, 2008 20:57:31 GMT -8
Wow, quite a read that Doc Bleiweiss link!
I tried to to the thumb in the tibia test to myself...
or is it like tickling - Only works if somebody else
is doing it?
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Post by nyxie63 on May 29, 2008 5:43:03 GMT -8
Dr B's essay is what really got my mind reeling to the possibility of having lyme. I send it to people who suspect they might have it. It's opened more than a few eyes.
Not going to try the thumb/tibia thing. Have bone bruises there (fell UP the stairs on the back deck) and it's gonna hurt, regardless.
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Post by LymeEnigma on May 29, 2008 8:22:05 GMT -8
Someone at Lymenet Europe actually found that link a short while back. I just recently read it and, although the paper is very poorly referenced, it is an interesting read.
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Post by LymeEnigma on May 29, 2008 8:29:13 GMT -8
Is he touching on gastroparesis, here?
Tried it. Yeah, it works. Now I need to find a healthy subject to try it on and, darn it, Haku is still in bed....
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Post by LymeEnigma on Jun 3, 2008 9:01:45 GMT -8
[New aspects of the pathogenesis of lyme disease] [Article in Polish] Zajkowska JM, Hermanowska-Szpakowicz T. Klinika Chorób Zakaźnych i Neuroinfekcji AM w Białymstoku. Morphological changes of B. burgdorferi as well as changes in expression of surface proteins caused by environmental determinants are essential in pathogenesis of Lyme disease. Cysts, spherical form (spheroplasts, L-form) and "blebs" (gemmae) can be responsible for long lasting antigenic stimulation, signs of chronic borreliosis, and even probably connected with MS and Alzheimer disease. Mechanisms to avoid elimination and persistence in the host include: expression of low heterogenic Osp A, B replaced by polymorphic in sequence and antigenic reactivity OspC, the hindrance of access to some membrane proteins by other proteins on the spirochete's surface, effects of tick saliva proteins action. Hiding of spirochetes is possible by invagination into fibrocytes membrane as well as, coating by antigens derived from lymphocytes B. Distribution of spirochetes is facilitated by binding to platelets through integrin aIIb b3, and to the endothelial cells through integrins av b3 i a5b1, recognition of decorin by lipoproteins DbpA i DbpB, receptor for NAG (N-acetyl glucosamina). Endothelial cells, toxic products of granulocytes, monocytes, macrophages as well as phagocytosis counterpart in pathogenesis. Induced cytokines are connected with activation subsets of T lymphocytes involved in inflammatory response. Cytokines produced by Th1 as cytotoxic CD8 accompany the disease. Important are also dendritic cells regarded as initiators of Th1 response with participation of IL-12. In pathogenesis of Lyme disease participation of autoimmunity is notified, especially molecular similarities between OspA and human lymphocytic antigen (hLFA-1). Neurotoxin, produced by B. burgdorferi Bbtox1 was identified. Encephalopathy signs in Lyme borreliosis could be result of releasing toxico-metabolic products, ability of spirochetes to pass the blood-brain barrier as well as, effect of lymphocytes migration. Active invasion of brain endothelium as ability to adherence to endothelial wall could be the source of focused or disseminated inflammation of brain vessels. Antiaxonal antibodies could disturb axon conduction without damaging. But damage of white matter could be connected with damage of mielin production cells, probably by antibodies, induced in cross reaction.All emphasis mine. PMID: 12194230 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12194230 |
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Post by LymeEnigma on Jun 10, 2008 10:32:41 GMT -8
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Post by LymeEnigma on Jun 23, 2008 9:30:33 GMT -8
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Post by LymeEnigma on Jul 15, 2008 11:18:38 GMT -8
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Post by LymeEnigma on Jul 27, 2008 10:14:32 GMT -8
Clinical Findings for Patients with Lyme Borreliosis Caused by Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato with Genotypic and Phenotypic Similarities to Strain 25015 Abstract: In the course of performing culture isolation of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato for the diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis in Slovenia, we encountered nine patients who were infected with atypical strains. Molecular analyses of these strains suggested that they were more closely related to the North American tick isolate, strain 25015 (which belongs to the DN127 genomic group of B. burgdorferi sensu lato), than they were to the three species (B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia garinii, and Borrelia afzelii) hitherto found to be associated with European Lyme borreliosis. Review of the case histories of these patients revealed some atypical clinical features and variability in clinical presentation. In this study, we present the clinical findings for these patients and discuss their significance for the diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis. The DN127 genomic group shares with B. burgdorferi sensu stricto the distinction of being present in both the Old and New Worlds. Full text: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/514551?cookieSet=1 |
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