Detection of Neoehrlichia mikurensis in 11 persons who attribute their persistent health complaints to a tick-borne disease
Background: Neoehrlichia mikurensis infections can cause symptomatic disease, particular among immunosuppressed persons. Long-lasting asymptomatic carriage of N. mikurensis may be common in endemic areas. This study explores possible associations between carriage of N. mikurensis DNA and persistent...
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000840 |
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| author | Audun Olav Dahlberg Audun Aase Harald Reiso Rune Midgard Hanne Quarsten |
| author_facet | Audun Olav Dahlberg Audun Aase Harald Reiso Rune Midgard Hanne Quarsten |
| author_sort | Audun Olav Dahlberg |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Neoehrlichia mikurensis infections can cause symptomatic disease, particular among immunosuppressed persons. Long-lasting asymptomatic carriage of N. mikurensis may be common in endemic areas. This study explores possible associations between carriage of N. mikurensis DNA and persistent health complaints in persons who attribute their symptoms to a tick-borne disease. Methods: Eleven persons tested positive for N. mikurensis DNA by PCR in a study cohort of 285 persons reporting persistent health complaints. The 11 persons were tested again in a follow-up sample. Oral doxycycline treatment was given if the confirmatory PCR-test was positive. Treatment response was assessed by telephone interview. Demographics, clinical manifestations, tick exposure, physical health, somatic symptom burden and fatigue were compared to persons with negative N. mikurensis PCR (controls, N = 274). Results: Six persons had detectable N. mikurensis DNA in a follow-up sample up to 9.5 months after the index sample. Seven persons (one without a positive confirmative test) received doxycycline treatment. Three reported symptom restitution after completed antibiotic treatment. However, their symptoms were not clearly attributed to infection by N. mikurensis. We did not find any significant differences between infected persons and non-infected controls regarding their clinical manifestations and health burdens. Conclusions: We corroborate previous evidence of long-term carriage of N. mikurensis, but cannot infer that to be causative of persistent health complaints. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9d9353cb128e4e30924c9a5542b0767e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1877-9603 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases |
| spelling | doaj-art-9d9353cb128e4e30924c9a5542b0767e2025-02-05T04:31:26ZengElsevierTicks and Tick-Borne Diseases1877-96032025-01-01161102391Detection of Neoehrlichia mikurensis in 11 persons who attribute their persistent health complaints to a tick-borne diseaseAudun Olav Dahlberg0Audun Aase1Harald Reiso2Rune Midgard3Hanne Quarsten4Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, St. Olav Hospital Trust, NO-7006 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Neurology, Møre og Romsdal Hospital Trust, NO-6412 Molde, Norway; Corresponding author at: Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, St. Olav Hospital Trust.Department of Method Development and Analytics, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, NO-0213 Oslo, NorwayNorwegian National Advisory Unit on Tick-borne Diseases, Sørlandet Hospital Trust, Post-box 783, N-4809 Arendal, NorwayNorwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Neurology, Møre og Romsdal Hospital Trust, NO-6412 Molde, NorwayDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Sørlandet Hospital Trust, NO-4615 Kristiansand, Norway; Co-corresponding author at: Department of Medical Microbiology, Sørlandet Hospital Trust, NO-4615 Kristiansand, Norway.Background: Neoehrlichia mikurensis infections can cause symptomatic disease, particular among immunosuppressed persons. Long-lasting asymptomatic carriage of N. mikurensis may be common in endemic areas. This study explores possible associations between carriage of N. mikurensis DNA and persistent health complaints in persons who attribute their symptoms to a tick-borne disease. Methods: Eleven persons tested positive for N. mikurensis DNA by PCR in a study cohort of 285 persons reporting persistent health complaints. The 11 persons were tested again in a follow-up sample. Oral doxycycline treatment was given if the confirmatory PCR-test was positive. Treatment response was assessed by telephone interview. Demographics, clinical manifestations, tick exposure, physical health, somatic symptom burden and fatigue were compared to persons with negative N. mikurensis PCR (controls, N = 274). Results: Six persons had detectable N. mikurensis DNA in a follow-up sample up to 9.5 months after the index sample. Seven persons (one without a positive confirmative test) received doxycycline treatment. Three reported symptom restitution after completed antibiotic treatment. However, their symptoms were not clearly attributed to infection by N. mikurensis. We did not find any significant differences between infected persons and non-infected controls regarding their clinical manifestations and health burdens. Conclusions: We corroborate previous evidence of long-term carriage of N. mikurensis, but cannot infer that to be causative of persistent health complaints.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000840Neoehrlichia mikurensisTick-borne infectionsLong-term carriageDoxycyclinePersistent health complaintsCo-infections |
| spellingShingle | Audun Olav Dahlberg Audun Aase Harald Reiso Rune Midgard Hanne Quarsten Detection of Neoehrlichia mikurensis in 11 persons who attribute their persistent health complaints to a tick-borne disease Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases Neoehrlichia mikurensis Tick-borne infections Long-term carriage Doxycycline Persistent health complaints Co-infections |
| title | Detection of Neoehrlichia mikurensis in 11 persons who attribute their persistent health complaints to a tick-borne disease |
| title_full | Detection of Neoehrlichia mikurensis in 11 persons who attribute their persistent health complaints to a tick-borne disease |
| title_fullStr | Detection of Neoehrlichia mikurensis in 11 persons who attribute their persistent health complaints to a tick-borne disease |
| title_full_unstemmed | Detection of Neoehrlichia mikurensis in 11 persons who attribute their persistent health complaints to a tick-borne disease |
| title_short | Detection of Neoehrlichia mikurensis in 11 persons who attribute their persistent health complaints to a tick-borne disease |
| title_sort | detection of neoehrlichia mikurensis in 11 persons who attribute their persistent health complaints to a tick borne disease |
| topic | Neoehrlichia mikurensis Tick-borne infections Long-term carriage Doxycycline Persistent health complaints Co-infections |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24000840 |
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