Topic: Evidence of Borrelia Burgdorferi in the South
Bugg
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8095
posted
Southerners, we need your help, PLEASE.
A statewide tick collection study has been completed in Tennessee wherein a number of ixodes scapularis ticks were found, particularly in the middle Tennessee area. However, when these 883 ticks were tested for pathogens, NONE CONTAINED BORRELIA BURGDORFERI. Some did contain B. miyomotoi, a relapsing fever type of organism. Unfortunately, at this time, we don't understand whether B. miyomoti can infect humans and, if so, what symptoms it can cause. It shares about 95% similarity to that of B. Burgdorferi.
Anyway, this study obviously does not help in raising awareness of our cause in Tennessee. The ``good'' news (in terms of awareness) is that the Tennessee Department of Health has, thus far, 18 reported cases of lyme disease this year.
So, where do we go from here?
If you live in a state which borders Tennessee and have any information, no matter how scant, from the Department of Health or CDC or studies, regarding findings of borrelia burgdorferi, would you PLEASE E-MAIL IT TO ME.
I am trying to compile data about the existence of lyme disease to present to the Tennessee medical community.
Thanks so much for reading this and for any help you may provide-
Posts: 1155 | From Southeast | Registered: Oct 2005
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sparkle7
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10397
posted
Someone posted info a few weeks ago about a new variety of borrelia found in the south recently.
You may want to go back & search the message board.
Analysis of borrelia isolates collected from ticks, birds and rodents from the southeastern United States revealed the presence of well established populations of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia bissettii, Borrelia carolinensis and Borrelia sp. nov.
Multilocus sequence analysis of five genomic loci from seven samples representing Borrelia sp. nov. isolated from nymphal Ixodes minor collected in South Carolina showed their close relatedness to California strains known as genomospecies 1 and separation from any other known species of B. burgdorferi sensu lato complex.
One nucleotide difference in the size of 5S-23S intergenic spacer region, 1 substitution in 16S rRNA gene signature nucleotides, and silent nucleotide substitutions in sequences of flagellin and p66 genes clearly separate Borrelia sp. nov. isolates from South Carolina into two subgroups.
The sequences of isolates of each subgroup share the same RFLP patterns of 5S-23S intergenic spacer region and contain unique signature nucleotides in the 16S rRNA gene.
We propose that seven Borrelia sp. nov. isolates from South Carolina and two California isolates designated as genomospecies 1 comprise a single species which we name Borrelia americana sp. nov.
The currently recognized geographic distribution of B. americana is South Carolina and California. All strains are associated with Ixodes pacificus or Ixodes minor and their rodent and bird hosts.
Posts: 7772 | From Northeast, again... | Registered: Oct 2006
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
HA! I was trying to remember....
I thought I remembered someone posting about Tennessee recently .. and ticks and Lyme there. I knew I'd read something about it but couldn't come up with it.
Well, the brilliant person that I am... I just stumbled on it.
Don't laugh.. it was me that posted it... and it was just yesterday!
posted
You may want to contact www.tic-nc.org or 919-542-2529. [email protected] .there is a lady there that was collecting them in her back yard for testing. Marcia herman-giddens.
Hope this helps.
Posts: 261 | From Piedmont | Registered: May 2008
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posted
That is interesting about the new variety of borrelia being found in the south. I am from South Carolina.
The article says that the South Carolina borrelia samples showed their close relatedness to California strains and that the currently recognized geographic distribution of B. americana is SC and Calif.
All of that makes sense because one of the Western Blot bands I tested positive for was band 30, which is purported to be an outer surface protein common in one California stain.
posted
Why would Bb skip TN, when other surrounding states have it?
You can do a search for reports from other states easily by plugging the state name and lyme or borreia into google search box. Or do search on pubmed.
Here are two articles that suggest there is a lot of variability in strains in the south, so I would be wondering about the testing that was done in the statewide tick testing survey. Testing only finds what it is looking for, and if it doesn't look for the right things, it comes up emptyhanded. Do you have a link to the results of the survey?
Bugg
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8095
posted
Thanks so much for your responses and help!!!
I have to admit I'm surprised by the results from this statewide tick collection as I know we have a number of reported LYME DISEASE CASES, in fact 30 in 2007, in Tennessee. I'm sure the numbers would be higher if more physicians would even test for it.
Thanks so much for the abstracts. Yes the researcher who sent me the information on the lastest tick collection is going to start collecting info from migratory birds. I'm a little confused by that abstract however as it indicates these birds in TN have b. burgdorferi and doesn't say the ticks on them have b. burgdorferi...
Why can't we find the darn ticks in TN that are transmitting this disease???
Also, I think it's worth noting that his study only looked at I. scapularis and not the Lone Star Tick which has been found to transmit STARI.
Can someone please clarify something for me: When you go to the CDC's website and see the number of reported cases listed by your state, does that mean those people were bitten in that state or does that just mean a resident of that state had that disease?????
Thanks so much for the help....I'm trying so hard to get the doctors in TN to recognize this....
Posts: 1155 | From Southeast | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
IgG antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi in rodents in Tennessee TM Kollars, DD Ourth, TD Lockey, D ... - JOURNAL OF SPIROCHETAL AND TICK BORNE ..., 1996 - jstd.org ... as raccoons and rodents can provide important informa- tion in surveillance programs7 and may indicate areas of increased risk for Lyme disease in Tennessee. ...
Strain was B31 They used both ELISA and Western Blot. Positive was 31 and 34. Or one of 31 OR 34 AND one of 25, 39, 41, or 83.
Posts: 426 | From Berkeley, CA | Registered: Feb 2009
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Bugg
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8095
posted
Thanks so much for the Tennessee information..
Also, fyi...If anyone wants to see their lyme statistics for their state for 2008, see the following link:
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
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