Tick that feeds on birds may increase the range of Lyme disease.

Tick that feeds on birds may increase the range of Lyme disease.A tick that is not known to bite people may play a role in the transmission of Lyme disease, according to a new article. This study adds to a growing body of evidence that indicates that in order to understand the spread of Lyme disease, researchers must consider the ecology of all of its various hosts and vectors. Blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) are the primary vector of Lyme disease to humans, but researchers at Old Dominion University in Virginia are focusing on another tick, Ixodes affinis, even though it doesn't bite people. In their paper published in the Journal of Medical Entomology, "New records of Ixodes affinis parasitizing avian hosts in southeastern Virginia," Erin Heller and co-authors document Ixodes affinis parasitizing five songbird species on which it had not previously been recorded. This is important because birds are able to travel long distances, and bring tick hitchhikers with them. As the range of Ixodes affinis expands northwards and overlaps more with that of the human-biting blacklegged tick, the authors predict that having two competent tick vectors may increase transmission of the pathogen throughout the system and lead to an increase in the number of Lyme disease cases in humans.

New light shed on Lyme disease-causing bacteria.

New light shed on Lyme disease-causing bacteria.A new species of bacteria that causes Lyme disease needs the same amount of time for transmission after a tick bite compared to previously implicated bacteria, according to new research. Existing guidelines for frequent tick checks and prompt removal of attached ticks remain the same. The duration of attachment of a single nymphal blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) needed for the tick to be likely to transmit the bacterial species Borrelia mayonii, identified in 2016, is 48 hours or more, according to the study. By 72 hours, however, likelihood of transmission has risen significantly. This timeframe aligns with existing research on Borrelia burgdorferi, previously the sole bacteria species known to cause Lyme disease in the United States. The research is published in the Entomological Society of America's Journal of Medical Entomology.

What is Lyme disease.

What is Lyme disease? Lyme disease or Lyme borreliosis is an infectious tick-borne disease, caused by the Borrelia spirochete, a gram-negative microorganism. Lyme disease is named after a cluster of cases that occurred in and around Old Lyme and Lyme, Connecticut in 1975. Before 1975, elements of Borrelia infection were also known as "tick-borne meningopolyneuritis", Garin-Bujadoux syndrome, Bannwarth syndrome or sheep tick fever. It is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected ticks.

Lyme bacteria survive 28-day course of antibiotics months after infection.

Lyme bacteria survive 28-day course of antibiotics months after infection.Lyme bacteria can survive a 28-day course of antibiotic treatment four months following infection by tick bite, according to a new study using a primate model for the disease. Despite testing negative for Lyme disease, some subjects were infected with Lyme bacteria in heart, brain and other organs. Based on a single, extensive study of Lyme disease designed by Tulane University researchers, the study employed multiple methods to evaluate the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes, the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, before and after antibiotic treatment in primates. The study also measured the antibody immune response to the bacteria both pre- and post- treatment, as this is how current diagnostics typically evaluate Lyme disease in humans. The data show that living B. burgdorferi spirochetes were found in ticks that fed upon the primates and in multiple organs after treatment with 28 days of oral doxycycline. The results also indicated that the immune response to the bacteria varied widely in both treated and untreated subjects. "It is apparent from these data that B. burgdorferi bacteria, which have had time to adapt to their host, have the ability to escape immune recognition,tolerate the antibiotic doxycycline and invade vital organs such as the brain and heart," said lead author Monica Embers, PhD, assistant professor of microbiology and immunology at Tulane University School of Medicine.

Avian influenza viruses can persist in footbaths and manure.

Avian influenza viruses can persist in footbaths and manure.Growers shouldn’t assume the disinfectants they use in footbaths are effective against avian influenza (AI), indicates a study from the University of California–Davis. Researchers conducted a survey about biosecurity practices in California and then used the information to design experiments to test the effectiveness of footbath disinfectants against AI. They also evaluated the longevity of AI viruses under different conditions. “Surprisingly,” they say, quaternary ammonia and quaternary ammonia plus glutaraldehyde-based footbaths did not eliminate highly pathogenic H5N8 or low-pathogenic H6N2 particles on boots. However, a chlorine-based granulated disinfectant was able to destroy the virus, say Rüdiger Hauck* and colleagues. To evaluate the longevity of AI viruses in litter and feces, they seeded different bedding samples from commercial layer, broiler and turkey production units with the same two AI viruses. Live H5N8 particles in layer feces remained for at least 96 hours, compared to less than 60 hours in broiler and turkey bedding. However, H6N2 low-pathogenic viruses persisted less than 24 hours in all the different substrates. This knowledge may help producers determine effective litter treatments to destroy AI viruses in the bedding material.

Study shows link between E. maxima, Clostridium.

Study shows link between E. maxima, Clostridium. New research by Callie McQuain, DVM, veterinarian and grad student at the University of Georgia, substantiates anecdotal field experience indicating that Eimeria maxima is the type of coccidia that most interacts with Clostridium perfringens and leads to necrotic enteritis (NE). The reason why C. perfringens grows so readily in these flocks is because of the type of damage E. maxima causes to intestinal mucosa. Common industry knowledge has been that E. maxima is the No. 1 coccidial species that leads to NE. Clostridium is part of the gut flora. Together with the coccidial damage, it creates a perfect storm that allows it to grow exponentially and results in NE. As poultry producers either reduce or eliminate antibiotics, it’s hard to stop NE from becoming severe. The emphasis now is on preventing the coccidia from damaging the gut. McQuain recommends adding citric acid or some kind of acidity to the water system, which decreases the pH so Clostridium will not grow as fast. It is also important to quickly collect birds that have succumbed to NE to minimize the presence of Clostridium in the poultry house.

Twitter can reveal our shared mood.

Twitter can reveal our shared mood.In the largest study of its kind, researchers have analyzed mood indicators in text from 800 million anonymous messages posted on Twitter. These tweets were found to reflect strong patterns of positive and negative moods over the 24-hour day. Circadian rhythms, widely referred to as the 'body clock', allows people's bodies to predict their needs over the dark and light periods of the day. Most of this circadian activity is regulated by a small region in the hypothalamus of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which is particularly sensitive to light changes at dawn and dusk, and sends signals through nerves and hormones to every tissue in the body. The research team looked at the use of words relating to positive and negative emotions, sadness, anger, and fatigue in Twitter over the course of four years. The public expressions of affect and fatigue were linked to the time they appeared on the social platform to reveal changes within the 24-hours.