"Filament formation associated with spirochetal infection: a comparative approach to Morgellons disease."
Filament formation associated with spirochetal infection: a comparative approach to Morgellons disease.
AI Summary
Key Findings
Abstract
Bovine digital dermatitis is an emerging infectious disease that causes lameness, decreased milk production, and weight loss in livestock. Proliferative stages of bovine digital dermatitis demonstrate keratin filament formation in skin above the hooves in affected animals. The multifactorial etiology of digital dermatitis is not well understood, but spirochetes and other coinfecting microorganisms have been implicated in the pathogenesis of this veterinary illness. Morgellons disease is an emerging human dermopathy characterized by the presence of filamentous fibers of undetermined composition, both in lesions and subdermally. While the etiology of Morgellons disease is unknown, there is serological and clinical evidence linking this phenomenon to Lyme borreliosis and coinfecting tick-borne agents. Although the microscopy of Morgellons filaments has been described in the medical literature, the structure and pathogenesis of these fibers is poorly understood. In contrast, most microscopy of digital dermatitis has focused on associated pathogens and histology rather than the morphology of late-stage filamentous fibers. Clinical, laboratory, and microscopic characteristics of these two diseases are compared.
Affiliation
International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society, Bethesda, MD, USA.
External References
- PubMed ID:
- 22253541
Comments
Sign in or create a free account to join the conversation.
Sign in to commentBe the first to comment.