2023年7月22日

国家过敏症和传染病研究所(NIAID),美国国立卫生研究院的一部分,授予5个项目的研究更好地理解后处理莱姆病综合症(PTLDS),这是一个收集的症状,如疼痛、疲劳、和思考困难或“脑雾,”逗留后莱姆病的标准治疗。疾病控制和预防中心估计有476000人在美国每年感染莱姆病。PTLDS 10至20%的经验。tickborne疾病,包括莱姆病,变得更加普遍和广泛的在美国,越来越紧迫的是,我们了解疾病的所有方面,包括PTLDS的根源。我们预计,这些奖项将支持的研究提供重要的信息关于如何诊断和治疗这组复杂的症状。”Hugh Auchincloss, M.D., Acting NIAID Director Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi (and related species) that is transmitted by the bite of an infected tick. The classic sign of early-stage Lyme disease is a distinctive bullseye-shaped rash surrounding the tick bite. If not cured in its early stage, infection can advance to late-stage disease, which can be associated with fatigue, severe headaches, dizziness, facial paralysis and heart problems, as well as joint, tendon, muscle and nerve pain. Most cases of Lyme disease can be effectively treated with oral antibiotics. However, some patients suffer from symptoms that linger long after the initial course of antibiotics, even though the active infection appears to be gone. The cause of PTLDS is unknown, but scientists hypothesize that it may be due to a misguided immune response to Borrelia burgdorferi where the immune system attacks the patient's own cells; an ongoing Borrelia burgdorferi infection that is difficult to detect; or some other reason. Unfortunately, there is no standard treatment for PTLDS. Although long-term courses of antibiotics are often used, clinical studies have shown this approach to be either ineffective, or that the risks and side effects of long-term antibiotics outweigh their potential benefits. In addition, PTLDS is often difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are so varied, and because so far there is little evidence that the patients have an active Borrelia burgdorferi infection. Broadening our understanding of PTLDS may also contribute to our knowledge of a broader set of infection-associated chronic illnesses, such as Long COVID and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). Without understanding the biologic processes of these conditions, it will be very difficult to develop effective clinical interventions. The new NIAID awards for PTLDS, which will total approximately $3.2 million in first-year funding, will support work on possible causes of persistent PTLDS symptoms for five years. The award recipients are: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg Project title: The natural release of unusual peptidoglycan fragments drives persistent Lyme disease symptoms in susceptible hosts Principal investigator: Brandon Jutras, Ph.D. Grant: 1 R01 AI178711-01