Project description:A confirmed case of rickettsiosis acquired in South Africa and recognized in Poland was described. The patient fulfilled clinical criteria highly suggestive of African tick bite fever, such as eschars, regional lymphadenitis, cutaneous rash within 10 days after his return from sub-Saharan Africa. Infection with Rickettsia africae was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing.
Project description:Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is a delayed allergic response to red meat caused by the production of alpha-gal-specific IgE following certain tick bites. We designed this study to characterize the underlying immune response to tick bites associated with AGS. Our results suggest that Amblyomma americanum bites direct mouse immunity toward Th2 following the initial burst of proinflammatory response and facilitate host sensitization to the α-gal antigen.
Project description:Facial skin wounds are common problems seen and treated by emergency centers around the world. Among all wounds, cat and dog bites are frequently seen. Human bite injuries are both deceptive and difficult in their presentation and management. The injuries have a disfiguration effect with possible psychological impact on the patient. The aim of this paper is to compare experience with human bites of the face in our surgical unit, with other similar trials in term of reasons for the circumstances of injuries, age, and sex of the patients, site of injury, pan-time between consultation and treatment, incidence of infection and surgical management. Data in terms of age, gender distribution, circumstances of injury, location of injuries, evolution of surgical management and complications were recorded. We report here a series of 10 cases of human bite wounds to the face, admitted to our department, and treated with different reconstruction procedures.
Project description:IntroductionIn 25 to 35% of cases, the aetiological agent of scalp eschar and neck lymphadenopathy after a tick bite remains undetermined. To date, Rickettsia slovaca, Rickettsia raoultii and more recently Bartonella henselae have been associated with this syndrome.Case presentationA four-year-old Caucasian boy was admitted to hospital with fever, vomiting and abdominal pain. On physical examination, an inflammatory and suppurating eschar was seen on the scalp, with multiple enlarged cervical lymph nodes on both sides. Although no tick was found in this scalp lesion, a diagnosis of tick-borne lymphadenopathy was suggested, and explored by serology testing and polymerase chain reaction of a biopsy from the eschar. Francisella tularensis DNA was found in the skin biopsy and the serology showed titres consistent with tularaemia.ConclusionThis is, to the best of our knowledge, the first reported case of scalp eschar and neck lymphadenopathy after tick bite infection caused by F. tularensis.
Project description:BackgroundIncreasing numbers of tick-borne pathogens are being discovered, including those that infect humans. However, reports on co-infections caused by two or more tick-borne pathogens are scarce.Case presentationA 38-year-old male farmer was bitten by a hard tick, presented with fever (37.7 °C), severe headache and ejection vomiting. Lumbar puncture was performed in the lateral decubitus. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was clear, and analysis showed severe increased pressure (320 mm H2O), mild leukocytosis (126.0 × 106/L, mononuclear cells accounting for 73%) and elevated total protein concentration (0.92 g/L). Bacterial cultures of CSF and blood were negative. The diagnosis of Rickettsia raoultii and Tacheng tick virus 1 (TcTV-1) co-infection was confirmed by amplifying four rickettsial genetic markers and the partial small (S) RNA segment of TcTV-1 from the patient's blood. The patient gradually recovered after treatment with levofloxacin and ribavirin.ConclusionsThis is the first reported co-infection case with fever and meningitis caused by R. raoultii and TcTV-1. It is vital to screen for multiple pathogens in tick-bitten patients, especially in those with severe complex symptoms.
Project description:BackgroundScalp Eschar and Neck LymphAdenopathy after Tick bite is a zoonotic non-pathogen-specific disease most commonly due to Rickettsia slovaca and Rickettsia raoultii. Diagnosis is mostly based only on epidemiological and clinical findings, without serological or molecular corroboration. We presented a clinical case in which diagnosis was supported by entomological identification and by R. slovaca DNA amplifications from the tick vector.Case presentationA 6-year-old child presented with asthenia, scalp eschar and supraclavicular and lateral-cervical lymphadenopathy. Scalp Eschar and Neck LymphAdenopathy After Tick bite syndrome following a Dermacentor marginatus bite was diagnosed. Serological test on serum revealed an IgG titer of 1:1024 against spotted fever group rickettsiae, polymerase chain reaction assays on tick identified Rickettsia slovaca. Patient was successfully treated with doxycycline for 10 days.ConclusionsA multidisciplinary approach including epidemiological information, clinical evaluations, entomological identification and molecular investigations on tick, enabled proper diagnosis and therapy.
Project description:Tick-borne infectious diseases and allergies are a growing problem worldwide. Tick bite allergy has been associated with the direct effect of immunoglobulin E (IgE) response to tick salivary antigens, or secondary to the induction of allergy to red meat consumption through IgE antibodies against the carbohydrate α-Gal (Gal α 1-3Gal β 1-(3)4GlcNAc-R). However, despite the growing burden of this pathology, the proteins associated with anaphylaxis to tick bite have not been characterized. To address this question, a comparative proteomics approach was used to characterize tick proteins producing an IgE antibody response in a healthy individual with record of tick bites, which had not resulted in any allergic reactions, and two patients with anaphylactic reactions to Rhipicephalus bursa or Hyalomma marginatum tick bites. Both patients and the healthy individual were red meat tolerant. The results supported a patient-specific IgE antibody response to tick species responsible for the anaphylaxis to tick bite. Both patients and the healthy individual serologically recognized tick proteins with and without α-Gal modifications, with proteins differentially recognized by patients but not control sera. These proteins could be used as potential antigens for diagnostics, treatment and prevention of tick bite-induced allergies.
Project description:IntroductionTicks are the most important obligate blood-feeding vectors of human pathogens. With the advance of high-throughput sequencing, more and more bacterial community and virome in tick has been reported, which seems to pose a great threat to people.MethodsA total of 14 skin specimens collected from tick-bite patients with mild to severe symptoms were analyzed through meta-transcriptomic sequencings.ResultsFour bacteria genera were both detected in the skins and ticks, including Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Corynebacterium and Propionibacterium, and three tick-associated viruses, Jingmen tick virus (JMTV), Bole tick virus 4 (BLTV4) and Deer tick mononegavirales-like virus (DTMV) were identified in the skin samples. Except of known pathogens such as pathogenic rickettsia, Coxiella burnetii and JMTV, we suggest Roseomonas cervicalis and BLTV4 as potential new agents amplified in the skins and then disseminated into the blood. As early as 1 day after a tick-bite, these pathogens can transmit to skins and at most four ones can co-infect in skins.DiscussionAdvances in sequencing technologies have revealed that the diversity of tick microbiome and virome goes far beyond our previous understanding. This report not only identifies three new potential pathogens in humans but also shows that the skin barrier is vital in preventing horizontal transmissions of tick-associated bacteria or virus communities to the host. It is the first research on patients' skin infectome after a tick bite and demonstrates that more attention should be paid to the cutaneous response to prevent tick-borne illness.
Project description:BackgroundMyocarditis is a known cause of sudden cardiac death of the athlete. The impact of direct chest trauma in at-risk sports or activities in patients with a history of myocarditis has never been demonstrated or studied. We report herein two cases of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia secondary to non-penetrating blunt chest trauma while playing contact sports.Case summaryThe first patient, a 26-year-old man described a brief loss of consciousness after having received blunt impact to the chest (typical intensity) while playing a rugby match. The loss of consciousness was total and proceeded by rapid and regular palpitations. He had a history of viral myocarditis 10 years prior with a fibrotic sequalae in the inferolateral wall on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (left ventricular ejection fraction 71%). Right apical ventricular pacing induced a sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia reproducing the patient's symptoms. A subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator was implanted. The second patient is a 22-year-old professional rugby player with no known notable history. During a match, a direct blow to the chest wall was followed by a cardiac arrest. A ventricular fibrillation was cardioverted to pulseless electrical activity. Patient died despite cardiopulmonary resuscitation. An autopsy identified a myocardial sequela of fibrosis with no acute inflammatory remodelling compatible with a previous myocarditis.DiscussionMyocarditis may increase the risk of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias caused by blunt impact to the chest, particularly in contact sports. Screening and prevention measures should be considered to reduce this risk.