2023
Repeated Tick Infestations Impair Borrelia burgdorferi Transmission in a Non-Human Primate Model of Tick Feeding
Narasimhan S, Booth C, Philipp M, Fikrig E, Embers M. Repeated Tick Infestations Impair Borrelia burgdorferi Transmission in a Non-Human Primate Model of Tick Feeding. Pathogens 2023, 12: 132. PMID: 36678479, PMCID: PMC9861725, DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12010132.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNon-human primatesImmune responseLyme diseaseTick transmissionAnimal modelsGuinea pigsNon-human primate modelProtective immune responseTick feedingTick infestationRobust immune responseTick salivary antigensElicit immune responsesHuman Lyme diseaseClinical manifestationsHuman pathogensPrimate modelSalivary antigensNon-natural hostsVaccine targetsDiseaseVaccine discoveryTick resistanceBorreliaNatural host
2022
The environment, the tick, and the pathogen – It is an ensemble
Couret J, Schofield S, Narasimhan S. The environment, the tick, and the pathogen – It is an ensemble. Frontiers In Cellular And Infection Microbiology 2022, 12: 1049646. PMID: 36405964, PMCID: PMC9666722, DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1049646.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsConceptsTick-pathogen interactionsCritical environmental factorsBiotic factorsAbiotic factorsMammalian hostsEnvironmental microbiotaTick biologyEnsemble of interactionsMolecular understandingMolecular studiesGeographic distributionNorthcentral USAPathogen acquisitionTick-borne diseasesBiologyNew insightsEnvironmental factorsPredominant vectorLyme diseaseTicksInfection prevalenceInteractionPublic health problemPathogensHost
2021
mRNA vaccination induces tick resistance and prevents transmission of the Lyme disease agent
Sajid A, Matias J, Arora G, Kurokawa C, DePonte K, Tang X, Lynn G, Wu MJ, Pal U, Strank NO, Pardi N, Narasimhan S, Weissman D, Fikrig E. mRNA vaccination induces tick resistance and prevents transmission of the Lyme disease agent. Science Translational Medicine 2021, 13: eabj9827. PMID: 34788080, DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abj9827.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTick-borne infectionsTick-borne infectious diseaseEngorgement weightDisease agentsTicksTick exposureLyme disease agentGuinea pigsTick biteNormal blood mealBlood mealNucleoside-modified mRNALyme diseasePigsLocal rednessMRNA vaccinationMRNA vaccinesBite siteSalivary proteinsPrevents transmissionInfectious diseasesDiseaseVaccineResistanceEffective inductionHygromycin A in the Lymelight
Arnaboldi PM, Narasimhan S. Hygromycin A in the Lymelight. Cell Host & Microbe 2021, 29: 1599-1601. PMID: 34762823, DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2021.10.007.Commentaries, Editorials and Letters