Bacterial tick-borne diseases caused by Bartonella spp., Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Coxiella burnetii, and Rickettsia spp. among patients with cataract surgery

Commentary: Bartonella species, as well as other tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease, are known to cause eye problems. In this study, patients who underwent cataract surgery, were found to be infected with several different tick-borne pathogens. 4.6% of cataract patients were positive by antibody testing for Bartonella, and approximately 2% of those patients who were seronegative for Bartonella had evidence of an undescribed Bartonella species by DNA analysis (PCR) in their eye. Serological studies showed that Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato was also found to be positive in 34.8% of patients with cataracts. The study concluded that “serological studies have shown that antibodies to B. burgdorferi sensu lato and Bartonella sp. are detected significantly more frequently in patients with cataracts in comparison with the control group”. We know that oxidative stress is a major factor in chronic disease, and fungi, bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and systemic and autoimmune diseases may all cause inflammation that can affect the eye and result in cataract surgery.

Bacterial tick-borne diseases caused by Bartonella spp., Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Coxiella burnetii, and Rickettsia spp. among patients with cataract surgery, Medical Science – Monitor