2024
Vaccination to Prevent Lyme Disease: A Movement Towards Anti-Tick Approaches
Johnson E, Hart T, Fikrig E. Vaccination to Prevent Lyme Disease: A Movement Towards Anti-Tick Approaches. The Journal Of Infectious Diseases 2024, 230: s82-s86. PMID: 39140718, PMCID: PMC11322886, DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiae202.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTransmission of tick-borne pathogensTick-borne pathogensIxodes spp ticksInhibited tick feedingTick feedingDisease vaccineTick vectorWildlife reservoirsOuter surface protein ALyme disease vaccineLyme diseaseTicksBorrelia burgdorferiLyme disease casesPreventing Lyme diseasePathogensFood and Drug AdministrationSurface protein AOspA-based vaccinesVaccineFeedingLymeProtein AFoodPrevent transmission
2023
A ticking time bomb hidden in plain sight
Narasimhan S, Fish D, Pedra J, Pal U, Fikrig E. A ticking time bomb hidden in plain sight. Science Translational Medicine 2023, 15: eadi7829. PMID: 37851823, DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adi7829.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsConceptsHuman infectionsInfection riskTick-borne pathogensDeer ticksRiskHuman useAnimal hostsVaccineFrankenbacteriosis targeting interactions between pathogen and symbiont to control infection in the tick vector
Mazuecos L, Alberdi P, Hernández-Jarguín A, Contreras M, Villar M, Cabezas-Cruz A, Simo L, González-García A, Díaz-Sánchez S, Neelakanta G, Bonnet S, Fikrig E, de la Fuente J. Frankenbacteriosis targeting interactions between pathogen and symbiont to control infection in the tick vector. IScience 2023, 26: 106697. PMID: 37168564, PMCID: PMC10165458, DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106697.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchHuman granulocytic anaplasmosisPathogen infection/transmissionTick-borne pathogensTick-borne diseasesInfection/transmissionTick vectorGranulocytic anaplasmosisWildtype populationTick microbiotaPathogensModel pathogenTransovarialAnaplasmosisMSP4TicksAssociated reductionCompetitionLarvaeDisease riskParatransgenesisSymbiontsInfectionCommensal bacteriaBacteriaControl
2020
Fractionation of tick saliva reveals proteins associated with the development of acquired resistance to Ixodes scapularis
Černý J, Lynn G, DePonte K, Ledizet M, Narasimhan S, Fikrig E. Fractionation of tick saliva reveals proteins associated with the development of acquired resistance to Ixodes scapularis. Vaccine 2020, 38: 8121-8129. PMID: 33168347, DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.10.087.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTick-borne pathogensTick immunityTick salivaTick vaccinesMultiple tick-borne pathogensIxodes scapularisGuinea pig modelTick salivary antigensTick rejectionTick Ixodes scapularisPig modelTick feedingNortheast USASalivary antigensGlobal medical problemDevelopment of vaccinesTicksMain vectorPathogensSaliva fractionsScapularisMedical problemsImmunityVaccineSaliva
2010
Tick Histamine Release Factor Is Critical for Ixodes scapularis Engorgement and Transmission of the Lyme Disease Agent
Dai J, Narasimhan S, Zhang L, Liu L, Wang P, Fikrig E. Tick Histamine Release Factor Is Critical for Ixodes scapularis Engorgement and Transmission of the Lyme Disease Agent. PLOS Pathogens 2010, 6: e1001205. PMID: 21124826, PMCID: PMC2991271, DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1001205.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsBiomarkers, TumorBlotting, WesternBorrelia burgdorferiFeeding BehaviorFemaleHistamineHumansImmunizationIxodesLyme DiseaseMiceMice, Inbred C3HReverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain ReactionRNA, MessengerRNA, Small InterferingSalivaTick InfestationsTumor Protein, Translationally-Controlled 1ConceptsTick-borne pathogensB. burgdorferi transmissionTick engorgementB. burgdorferi burdenHistamine-releasing factorRapid feeding phaseBurgdorferi-infected ticksAnimal healthTick feedingTick salivaDiverse infectious agentsDisease agentsTicksIxodes scapularisLyme disease agentRNA interferenceFeeding phaseVaccine potentialQuantitative reverse transcription PCRReverse transcription-PCRHistamine releaseEffective vaccineVascular permeabilityBlood flowInfectious agents
2009
Late Manifestations of Lyme Borreliosis
Hovius J, van Dam A, Fikrig E. Late Manifestations of Lyme Borreliosis. 2009, 9-25. DOI: 10.1128/9781555815486.ch2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchLyme borreliosisObjective clinical manifestationsFrequent clinical signsB. burgdorferiB. burgdorferi infectionHost immune responseCommon vector-borne diseaseClinical manifestationsErythema migransAntibiotic treatmentClinical signsBurgdorferi infectionImmune responsePositive culturesLate manifestationTick-borne pathogensLyme diseaseBorreliosisBorrelia burgdorferiDiseaseCausative agentB. afzeliiB. gariniiInfected tissuesBurgdorferi
2008
Salivating for Knowledge: Potential Pharmacological Agents in Tick Saliva
Hovius JW, Levi M, Fikrig E. Salivating for Knowledge: Potential Pharmacological Agents in Tick Saliva. PLOS Medicine 2008, 5: e43. PMID: 18271624, PMCID: PMC2235897, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.0050043.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2000
Cutting Edge: Infection by the Agent of Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis Prevents the Respiratory Burst by Down-Regulating gp91phox
Banerjee R, Anguita J, Roos D, Fikrig E. Cutting Edge: Infection by the Agent of Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis Prevents the Respiratory Burst by Down-Regulating gp91phox. The Journal Of Immunology 2000, 164: 3946-3949. PMID: 10754283, DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.164.8.3946.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHGE bacteriaNADPH oxidase enzyme complexHL-60 cellsNADPH oxidaseHuman granulocytic ehrlichiosisEnzyme complexPromyelocytic cell lineTick-borne pathogensInfected cellsCell linesOrganismsMRNA levelsGp91phox proteinRT-PCRDirect inhibitionBacteriaFACS analysisPathogensMRNA expressionOxidaseGenerate superoxide anionCellsRespiratory burstSplenic neutrophilsMicrobes
1997
Immunization against the agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis in a murine model.
Sun W, IJdo JW, Telford SR, Hodzic E, Zhang Y, Barthold SW, Fikrig E. Immunization against the agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis in a murine model. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 1997, 100: 3014-3018. PMID: 9399947, PMCID: PMC508513, DOI: 10.1172/jci119855.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHuman granulocytic ehrlichiosisGranulocytic ehrlichiosisC3H/HeN miceAgent of HGEMimic human diseaseTick-borne infectionsTransient neutropeniaHeN miceMurine modelPolymorphonuclear leukocytesTick-borne pathogensAoHGEMiceImmunityEhrlichiosisSyringe inoculationHuman diseasesAgentsNeutropeniaImmunizationInfectionLeukocytesDiseaseAntibodies
1995
Coexistence of antibodies to tick-borne pathogens of babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, and Lyme borreliosis in human sera
Magnarelli LA, Dumler JS, Anderson JF, Johnson RC, Fikrig E. Coexistence of antibodies to tick-borne pathogens of babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, and Lyme borreliosis in human sera. Journal Of Clinical Microbiology 1995, 33: 3054-3057. PMID: 8576376, PMCID: PMC228637, DOI: 10.1128/jcm.33.11.3054-3057.1995.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLyme borreliosisTick-borne agentsTick-borne pathogensSerum samplesCoexistence of antibodiesB. microti infectionIndirect fluorescent antibodyMaximal antibody titersConnecticut patientsErythema migransSerologic evidenceSerologic testingClinical pictureAntibody titersTotal immunoglobulinMicroti infectionClinical diagnosisEnd pointBabesia microtiBorrelia burgdorferiEhrlichia chaffeensisBorreliosisFluorescent antibodyAntibodiesE. chaffeensis