Tracheocele Presenting with Intermittent Dysphonia: A Case Report

Although Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) are found in a great diversity of vertebrates, most studies in North America have focused on the role of mammals as spirochete reservoir hosts. We investigated the roles of birds as hosts for subadult Ixodes pacificus ticks and potential reservoirs of the Lyme disease spirochete B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) in northwestern California. Overall, 623 birds representing 53 species yielded 284 I. pacificus larvae and nymphs. We used generalized linear models and zero-inflated negative binomial models to determine associations of bird behaviors, taxonomic relationships and infestation by I. pacificus with borrelial infection in the birds. Infection status in birds was best explained by taxonomic order, number of infesting nymphs, sampling year, and log-transformed average body weight. Presence and counts of larvae and nymphs could be predicted by ground- or bark-foraging behavior and contact with dense oak woodland. Molecular analysis yielded the first reported detection of Borrelia bissettii in birds. Moreover, our data suggest that the Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla), a non-resident species, could be an important reservoir for B. burgdorferi s.s. Of 12 individual birds (9 species) that carried B. burgdorferi s.l.-infected larvae, no birds carried the same genospecies of B. burgdorferi s.l. in their blood as were present in the infected larvae removed from them. Possible reasons for this discrepancy are discussed. Our study is the first to explicitly incorporate both taxonomic relationships and behaviors as predictor variables to identify putative avian reservoirs of B. burgdorferi s.l. Our findings underscore the importance of bird behavior to explain local tick infestation and Borrelia infection in these animals, and suggest the potential for bird-mediated geographic spread of vector ticks and spirochetes in the far-western United States.

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“…All analyses above were completed in R (version 3.0.1) using the packages “stats” [ 64 ], “pscl” [ 65 , 66 ], and “AICcmodavg” [ 67 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Spirochetes in Wild Birds in Northwestern California: Associations with Ecological Factors, Bird Behavior and Tick Infestation

Newman

Eisen

et al. 2015

PLoS ONE

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“…TDR data were analysed using the diveMove package [ 41 ] in the R statistical environment [ 42 ]. Dives and their phases (descent, bottom, ascent and post-dive phases) were identified and characterised in terms of duration and maximum depth acheived.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Utilisation of Intensive Foraging Zones by Female Australian Fur Seals

2015

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Within a heterogeneous environment, animals must efficiently locate and utilise foraging patches. One way animals can achieve this is by increasing residency times in areas where foraging success is highest (area-restricted search). For air-breathing diving predators, increased patch residency times can be achieved by altering both surface movements and diving patterns. The current study aimed to spatially identify the areas where female Australian fur seals allocated the most foraging effort, while simultaneously determining the behavioural changes that occur when they increase their foraging intensity. To achieve this, foraging behaviour was successfully recorded with a FastLoc GPS logger and dive behaviour recorder from 29 individual females provisioning pups. Females travelled an average of 118 ± 50 km from their colony during foraging trips that lasted 7.3 ± 3.4 days. Comparison of two methods for calculating foraging intensity (first-passage time and first-passage time modified to include diving behaviour) determined that, due to extended surface intervals where individuals did not travel, inclusion of diving behaviour into foraging analyses was important for this species. Foraging intensity ‘hot spots’ were found to exist in a mosaic of patches within the Bass Basin, primarily to the south-west of the colony. However, the composition of benthic habitat being targeted remains unclear. When increasing their foraging intensity, individuals tended to perform dives around 148 s or greater, with descent/ascent rates of approximately 1.9 m•s-1 or greater and reduced postdive durations. This suggests individuals were maximising their time within the benthic foraging zone. Furthermore, individuals increased tortuosity and decreased travel speeds while at the surface to maximise their time within a foraging location. These results suggest Australian fur seals will modify both surface movements and diving behaviour to maximise their time within a foraging patch.

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“…This diverticulum forms part of a broader group of cysts known as paratracheal cysts [ 3 ]. Histologic findings are consistent with air-filled cysts lined by pseudostratified epithelium [ 4 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 70%

“…Most tracheoceles are diagnosed incidentally since many are asymptomatic or present with nonspecific symptoms [ 2 , 3 , 10 ]; therefore, only about 30 cases have been reported in the literature worldwide. The exact prevalence is unknown but the incidence is approximately 2.4% or lower; making the condition rare [ 4 , 6 , 11 – 13 ]. Nevertheless, if symptomatic, these are mostly compressive in nature, leading to chronic cough, dysphonia, stridor, dysphagia, palpable neck mass, and, occasionally, vocal fold paralysis [ 4 , 7 , 10 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Incidental Tracheocele as an Unusual Presentation of Pneumomediastinum in the Trauma Setting

et al. 2023

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Patient: Female, 25-year-old Final Diagnosis: Tracheocele Symptoms: Asymptomatic Medication:— Clinical Procedure: Computed tomography • flexible laryngoscopy/bronchoscopy Specialty: Otolaryngology Objective: Rare disease Background: Tracheocele are rarely encountered air cysts formed due to tracheal wall outpouching through a weak vantage point. The majority are acquired in the adult population and are associated with conditions that weaken the tracheal wall. Most tracheoceles are diagnosed incidentally since many are asymptomatic or present with non-specific symptoms. Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) scans are the most common imaging modality for diagnosis of silent tracheal cysts. Tracheocele have been very rarely documented in the trauma setting; therefore, in the setting of multiple body trauma diagnosis can be challenging. Case Report: We report a case of an acquired tracheocele after a high-impact blunt thoracic trauma with an admission diagnosis of suspected tracheal perforation. MDCT of the neck and chest demonstrated an irregularly multicystic-shaped air collection at the right posterolateral trachea upon evaluation. Flexible laryngoscopy and bronchos-copy results were unremarkable. Conclusions: Tracheocele are rare and asymptomatic pseudo-diverticulum of the tracheal wall. Many are diagnosed incidentally with imaging studies for other conditions. Nevertheless, in the trauma setting its diagnosis can be challenging and misleading. Consideration of conditions such as tracheocele is important to prevent any unwar-ranted treatment modalities.

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Tracheocele Presenting with Intermittent Dysphonia: A Case Report

Cited by 5 publications

References 16 publications

Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Spirochetes in Wild Birds in Northwestern California: Associations with Ecological Factors, Bird Behavior and Tick Infestation

Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Spirochetes in Wild Birds in Northwestern California: Associations with Ecological Factors, Bird Behavior and Tick Infestation

Utilisation of Intensive Foraging Zones by Female Australian Fur Seals

Incidental Tracheocele as an Unusual Presentation of Pneumomediastinum in the Trauma Setting

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