| 1. |
- Bennet, Louise, et al.
(författare)
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Clinical appearance of erythema migrans caused by Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii : effect of the patient´s sex
- 2006
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Ingår i: Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift. - : SPRINGER WIEN. - 0043-5325 .- 1613-7671. ; 118:17-18, s. 531-537
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim: The aim in this survey was to study the clinical characteristics of infections caused by Borrelia genospecies in patients with erythema migrans where Borrelial origin was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. The aim was also to study factors influencing the clinical appearance of erythema migrans. Methods: The study was conducted in southern Sweden from May 2001 to December 2003 on patients 18 years and older attending with erythema migrans at outpatient clinics. All erythema migrans were verified by polymerase chain reaction, photographed and categorized into “annular” or “non-annular” lesions. A logistic regression model was used to analyze relations between the appearance of the erythema migrans (i.e., annular or non-annular) and factors that influenced its clinical appearances. Results: A total of 118 patients, 54 women (45.8%) and 64 men (54.2%), fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Of these patients, 74% were infected by B. afzelii, 26% by B. garinii ( p < 0.001). A total of 45% (38/85) of the erythema migrans were annular, 46% (39/85) were non-annular and 9.4% (8/85) were atypical. For men infected by B. afzelii the odds ratio of developing non-annular erythema migrans was 0.09 (95% CI: 0.03 - 0.33) in comparison with women with the same infection. Conclusions: In this prospective study of a large series of erythema migrans, where infecting genospecies were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction, the sex of patients infected with B. afzelii had a strong influence on the appearance of the rash. Patients infected by B. garinii more often had non-annular erythema migrans and a more virulent infection with more individuals presenting with fever, raised levels of C-reactive protein and seroreactivity in the convalescence sera.
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| 2. |
- Bennet, Louise, et al.
(författare)
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Clinical Aspects of Erythema Migrans in Southern Sweden
- 2005
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The aim of this study was to describe and categorize the different predominant patterns of PCR confirmed erythema migrans (EM) and to study possible correlations according to the clinical pictures and Borrelia substrains. Methods: Patients over 18 years old, seeking care with tick exposure and an EM were consecutively included during a study period of three years. We evaluated clinical and laboratory findings with regard to Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. spirochetes detected with nested Osp A PCR in skin biopsy specimens. Laboratory and serology testing were done acute, after 6 weeks and after 6 months. The patients were clinically evaluated at the initial visit and repeatedly after 14 days unitl recovery. Results: 118 patients (women=54, men=64) with a positive B. Burgdorferi s.l. PCR analysis were included. In this area totally 73.7% of the EM were caused by B. afzelii and 26.3% by B. garinii (p=0.0001). Leisons caused by B. garinii had a shorter duration from tick bite to the initial visit (p= 0.001) but there were no differences between the sizes of the EM, indicating a faster development of lesions caused by B. garinii. Patients with lesions caused by B. garinii to a greater extent had presented with fever at the initial visit (p=0.02). Also patients with B. garinii lesions to a greater extent had elevated levels of CRP at the initial visit (p=0.006). 45% of the EM were categorized as “annular”, 27% as “homogeneous”, 19% as “central erythemas” and 9% as “atypical”. The lesions caused by B. afzelii were predominately “annular” and the lesions caused by B. gaarinii were predominately “homogeneous”. Conclusions: In this study most EM were caused by B. afzelii. Leisons caused by B. garinii developed faster and the patients to a greater extent presented with fever and elevated levels of CRP at the initial visit. Leisons caused by B. garinii were mostly homogenous and by B. afzelii were mostly annular.
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| 3. |
- Bunikis, Jonas, et al.
(författare)
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Sequence typing reveals extensive strain diversity of the Lyme borreliosis agents Borrelia burgdorferi in North America and Borrelia afzelii in Europe.
- 2004
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Ingår i: Microbiology. - : Microbiology Society. - 1350-0872 .- 1465-2080. ; 150:6, s. 1741-1755
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The genetic polymorphism of Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia afzelii, two species that cause Lyme borreliosis, was estimated by sequence typing of four loci: the rrs-rrlA intergenic spacer (IGS) and the outer-membrane-protein gene p66 on the chromosome, and the outer-membrane-protein genes ospA and ospC on plasmids. The major sources of DNA for PCR amplification and sequencing were samples of the B. burgdorferi tick vector Ixodes scapularis, collected at a field site in an endemic region of the north-eastern United States, and the B. afzelii vector Ixodes ricinus, collected at a similar site in southern Sweden. The sequences were compared with those of reference strains and skin biopsy isolates, as well as database sequences. For B. burgdorferi, 10-13 alleles for each of the 4 loci, and a total of 9 distinct clonal lineages with linkage of all 4 loci, were found. For B. afzelii, 2 loci, ospC and IGS, were examined, and 11 IGS genotypes, 12 ospC alleles, and a total of 9 linkage groups were identified. The genetic variants of B. burgdorferi and B. afzelii among samples from the field sites accounted for the greater part of the genetic diversity previously reported from larger areas of the north-eastern United States and central and northern Europe. Although ospC alleles of both species had higher nucleotide diversity than other loci, the ospC locus showed evidence of intragenic recombination and was unsuitable for phylogenetic inference. In contrast, there was no detectable recombination at the IGS locus of B. burgdorferi. Moreover, beyond the signature nucleotides that specified 10 IGS genotypes, there were additional nucleotide polymorphisms that defined a total of 24 subtypes. Maximum-likelihood and parsimony cladograms of B. burgdorferi aligned IGS sequences revealed the subtype sequences to be terminal branches of clades, and the existence of at least three monophyletic lineages within B. burgdorferi. It is concluded that B. burgdorferi and B. afzelii have greater genetic diversity than had previously been estimated, and that the IGS locus alone is sufficient for strain typing and phylogenetic studies.
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| 4. |
- Bunikis, Jonas, et al.
(författare)
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Typing of Borrelia relapsing fever group strains.
- 2004
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Ingår i: Emerging Infectious Diseases. - 1080-6040 .- 1080-6059. ; 10:9, s. 1661-1664
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Partial sequencing of the 16S-23S rDNA intergenic spacer showed two to four genotypes each for Borrelia hermsii and B. turicatae, both relapsing fever agents transmitted by argasid ticks, and for B. miyamotoi and B. lonestari, transmitted by ixodid ticks. Field surveys of Ixodes ticks in Connecticut and Sweden showed limited local diversity for B. miyamotoi.
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| 5. |
- Comstedt, Pär, et al.
(författare)
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Migratory passerine birds as reservoirs of Lyme borreliosis in Europe.
- 2006
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Ingår i: Emerging Infectious Diseases. - 1080-6040. ; 12, s. 1087-1095
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To define the role of birds as reservoirs and disseminators of Borrelia spirochetes, we characterized tick infestation and reservoir competence of migratory passerine birds in Sweden. A total of 1,120 immature Ixodes ricinus ticks were removed from 13,260 birds and assayed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Borrelia, followed by DNA sequencing for species and genotype identification. Distributions of ticks on birds were aggregated, presumably because of varying encounters with ticks along migratory routes. Lyme borreliosis spirochetes were detected in 160 (1.4%) ticks. Borrelia garinii was the most common species in PCR-positive samples and included genotypes associated with human infections. Infestation prevalence with infected ticks was 5 times greater among ground-foraging birds than other bird species, but the 2 groups were equally competent in transmitting Borrelia. Migratory passerine birds host epidemiologically important vector ticks and Borrelia species and vary in effectiveness as reservoirs on the basis of their feeding behavior.
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| 6. |
- Fraenkel, Carl-Johan, et al.
(författare)
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Determination of Novel Borrelia Genospecies in Swedish Ixodes ricinus Ticks.
- 2002
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Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Microbiology. - 1098-660X. ; 40:9, s. 3308-3312
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A total of 301 adult questing Ixodes ricinus ticks were collected at 15 different locations along the south and east coasts of Sweden to determine the Borrelia genospecies diversity. Thirty-two ticks (11%) were found to be positive by nested PCR with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato-specific primers. Species determination was based on partial sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and the flagellin gene. Five different Borrelia species were found. The nucleotide sequence of the Borrelia DNA found in two ticks differed extensively from the nucleotide sequences of the Borrelia DNA found in the other ticks, and analysis revealed that they were closely related to the relapsing fever borrelia species Borrelia miyamotoi. This is the first report of a B. miyamotoi-like borrelia in I. ricinus and in Europe. Moreover, the Borrelia DNA of two ticks (6%) clustered within the B. valaisiana complex. B. valaisiana has not previously been reported in Sweden. B. afzelii DNA was found in 14 ticks (44%), and B. garinii DNA was found in 10 ticks (31%). B. burgdorferi sensu stricto DNA was found in four ticks (13%). We conclude that all of the known human-pathogenic species (B. garinii, B. afzelii, and B. burgdorferi sensu stricto) and B. valaisiana found elsewhere in Europe are also present in the Swedish host-seeking tick population and that a B. miyamotoi-like Borrelia species seems to be present in I. ricinus ticks in Europe.
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| 7. |
- Nordberg, Marika, et al.
(författare)
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Aetiology of Tick-Borne Infections in an Adult Swedish Population : are Co-Infections with Multiple Agents Common?
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In Scandinavia, tick-borne infections affecting humans include Lyme borreliosis (LB), tickborne encephalitis (TBE) and human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA). Each of these infections can present with unspecific symptoms. In this prospective clinical study, we recruited patients based on two independent inclusion criteria; 1) patients with unspecific symptoms, i.e. fever (e38.0°C) or a history of feverishness and/or any combination of headache, myalgia or arthralgia and 2) patients with erythema migrans (EM). A total of 206 patients fulfilled the study. Among these, we could identify 186 cases of LB (174 with EM), 18 confirmed and two probable cases of HGA and two cases of TBE. Thirteen of the HGA cases presented without fever. Furthermore, 22 of the EM patients had a sub-clinical coinfection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum, based on serology. Both TBE cases had coinfections, one with Borrelia burgdorferi and one with Anaplasma phagocytophilum. We conclude that it is important to consider several causative agents and possible co-infections in the clinical management of infectious diseases where ticks may be suspected as vectors.
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| 8. |
- Nordberg, Marika, et al.
(författare)
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Aetiology of tick-borne infections in an adult swedish population-are co-infections with multiple agents common
- 2014
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Ingår i: Open Journal of Clinical Diagnostics. - Scientific Research : Scientific Research Publishing, Inc.. - 2162-5816 .- 2162-5824. ; 4:1, s. 31-40
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In Scandinavia, tick-borne infections affecting humans include Lyme borreliosis (LB), tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA). Each of these infections can present with unspecific symptoms. In this prospective clinical study, we recruited patients based on two independent inclusion criteria; 1) patients with unspecific symptoms, i.e. fever (≥38.0˚C) or a history of feverishness and/or any combination of headache, myalgia or arthralgia and 2) patients with erythema migrans (EM), following an observed tick bite or tick exposure within one month prior to onset of symptoms. A total of 206 patients fulfilled the study. Among these, we could identify 186 cases of LB (174 with EM), 18 confirmed and two probable cases of HGA and two cases of TBE. Thirteen of the HGA cases presented without fever. Furthermore, 22 of the EM patients had a sub-clinical co-infection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum, based on serology. Both TBE cases had co-infections, one with Borrelia burgdorferi and one with Anaplasma phagocytophilum. We conclude that it is important to consider several causative agents and possible co-infections in the clinical management of infectious diseases where ticks may be suspected as vectors.
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| 9. |
- Sandholm, Kerstin, et al.
(författare)
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Early Immune Responses to Borrelia garinii and Borrelia afzeliiin Lyme Borreliosis : Local Complement Activation in Erythema Migrans and in vitro Studies ofComplement Activation, Phagocytosis and Cytokine Profile
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- An optimal eradication of spirochetes in Lyme borreliosis depends on the early immune response, including the potent actions of the complement system. We here assessed possible differences between two Borrelia burgdorferi genospecies in their ability to activate complement, and the consequences of complement activation in terms of phagocytosis and induction of cytokines.Early local complement activation was assessed immunohistochemically in skin biopsies from patients with erythema migrans (EM) caused by B. afzelii or B. garinii. Complement activation, phagocytosis and early cytokine and chemokine release were studied in vitro by incubating clinical isolates of B. afzelii (K78 from a human skin biopsy) and B. garinii (LU59 from human cerebrospinal fluid) in human whole blood.B. afzelii and B. garinii were detected in skin biopsies from EM and deposition of C3-fragments and IgG was found adjacent to the spirochetes. In vitro, B. garinii LU59 induced higher complement activation (measured as the generation of C3a and C5b-9), while B. afzelii K78 recruited more factor H. Phagocytosis by granulocytes and monocytes was demonstrated to be largely dependent on complement activation since phagocytosis was substantially reduced by addition of the C3 inhibitor compstatin or a C5a receptor antagonist. The early cytokine and chemokine release in human blood in response to live spirochetes revealed a rapid and pronounced pro-inflammatory response, mainly associated with the Th1- and Th17-types.We conclude that complement is activated locally in the skin in EM, and that B. garinii LU59 activates complement more than B. afzelii K78. Complement activation is pivotal for efficient phagocytosis of Borrelia spirochetes, especially in early infection before specific antibodies are produced. Both B. garinii LU59 and B. afzelii K78 induce proinflammatory cytokines rapidly, but no clear differences were seen between the two genospecies in this respect.
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| 10. |
- Sjöwall, Johanna, et al.
(författare)
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Decreased Th1-Type Inflammatory Cytokine Expression in the Skin Is Associated with Persisting Symptoms after Treatment of Erythema Migrans
- 2011
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 6:3, s. 0018220-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Despite the good prognosis of erythema migrans (EM), some patients have persisting symptoms of various character and duration post-treatment. Several factors may affect the clinical outcome of EM, e. g. the early interaction between Borrelia (B.) burgdorferi and the host immune response, the B. burgdorferi genotype, antibiotic treatment as well as other clinical circumstances. Our study was designed to determine whether early cytokine expression in the skin and in peripheral blood in patients with EM is associated with the clinical outcome. Methods: A prospective follow-up study of 109 patients with EM was conducted at the A land Islands, Finland. Symptoms were evaluated at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months post-treatment. Skin biopsies from the EM and healthy skin were immunohistochemically analysed for expression of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10, IL-12p70 and interferon (IFN)-gamma, as well as for B. burgdorferi DNA. Blood samples were analysed for B. burgdorferi antibodies, allergic predisposition and levels of systemic cytokines. Findings: None of the patients developed late manifestations of Lyme borreliosis. However, at the 6-month follow-up, 7 of 88 patients reported persisting symptoms of diverse character. Compared to asymptomatic patients, these 7 patients showed decreased expression of the Th1-associated cytokine IFN-gamma in the EM biopsies (p = 0.003). B. afzelii DNA was found in 48%, B. garinii in 15% and B. burgdorferi sensu stricto in 1% of the EM biopsies, and species distribution was the same in patients with and without post-treatment symptoms. The two groups did not differ regarding baseline patient characteristics, B. burgdorferi antibodies, allergic predisposition or systemic cytokine levels. Conclusion: Patients with persisting symptoms following an EM show a decreased Th1-type inflammatory response in infected skin early during the infection, which might reflect a dysregulation of the early immune response. This finding supports the importance of an early, local Th1-type response for optimal resolution of LB.
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