Authors utilise scanning electron microscopy to show that Borrelia burgdorferi initiates systemic vascular spread by targeting pericytes, while crossing of the lymphatic endothelium occurs via sequent...

An emerging hallmark of disease is transcription of pathogen-associated molecular patterns from within the genome–known as viral mimicry. We propose a statistical physics framework to measure “selecti...

Hear the biggest stories from the world of science | 24 September 2025

Tick-borne encephalitis virus can infect the nervous system and cause life-threatening illness. Finding the cellular gateway it uses could transform prevention and treatment.

In the Czech Republic, tick-borne diseases are reaching a ten-year high in 2025. Lyme disease, in particular, has seen a dramatic rise. Experts warn of further increases in the autumn. By the end of A...

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Abstract. In this cross-sectional analysis, we analyzed 117 US clinics in Lyme endemic states that provide nontraditional care for Lyme disease. We found t

Science is an economic driver in Hamilton, Mont., thanks to Rocky Mountain Laboratories, a federal research lab. Now, layoffs and funding cuts are having an impact in this town far from Washington.

Background Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), is the most common vector-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere, with Ixodes ticks as its primary vectors. However, many p...

Ixodes scapularis (formerly Ixodes dammini) ticks are the most important invertebrate vector of human diseases in North America (1). These ticks are responsible for spreading most cases of Lyme disease (predominantly caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto in North America), which affects an estimated 476,000 individuals in the United States yearly (2), as well as six other human pathogens—Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti, Borrelia miyamotoi, Borrelia mayonii, Ehrlichia muris eauclairensis, and deer tick virus/Powassan virus (3, 4). Tick feeding can trigger immunologic processes at the bite site in the skin, which may threaten the ability of the tick to survive during the blood meal (5). To prevent this from occurring, Ixodes ticks secrete saliva containing anticoagulants and immunomodulatory compounds into the feeding site, which dampens the host’s immune response and ensures that the tick can remain attached until completion of feeding (6–8). This secretion also contributes to the spread of B. burgdorferi into new hosts, both by providing a mechanism to exit the tick (9–11) and by dampening the immune response while the pathogen establishes the infection (12–19).

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Colorado research biologist Joe Cardiello was excited about being involved in what could become lifesaving research for people who have been impacted by Lyme disease.