Transverse myelitis and Lyme disease – a case.
I will be discussing 25-year-old man with transverse myelitis and Lyme disease. This is not the first case of transverse myelitis and Lyme disease patients according to the authors. Their search revealed six other cases of neurologic Lyme disease associated with acute transverse myelitis.
Congenital transmission of Babesia, diagnosed in twin at 5 weeks old
In this case report entitled “A Five-Week-Old Twin With Profound Anemia: A Case Report of Asymmetric Congenital Babesiosis,” the authors describe congenital transmission of babesiosis in a five-week-old twin.[1] The mother showed no evidence of having Lyme disease or another tick-borne illness during her pregnancy.
Case series: No complications with Lyme disease and pregnancy
There is not much information available about the impact of Lyme disease during pregnancy. However, in their article “Case Report: Lyme Borreliosis and Pregnancy - Our Experience,” Trevisan and colleagues share their experience in treating 11 pregnant women with Lyme disease from 2008 to 2020 at Trieste University Hospital. [1]
A Babesia infection 3 weeks after treatment for Lyme disease. An Inside Lyme podcast.
I will discuss a 67-year-old woman with a Babesia infection 3 weeks after treatment for Lyme disease. Could this delay explain why some patients remain ill or relapse?
Tafenoquine: Treatment for relapsing Babesia
In a case report entitled “Use of tafenoquine to treat a patient with relapsing babesiosis with clinical and molecular evidence of resistance to azithromycin and atovaquone,” Marcos and colleagues describe an immunocompromised patient with Babesia microti who received treatment with tafenoquine after experiencing several relapses. [1]
Single tick bite leads to 3 diseases in elderly woman
In their article “Triple Tick Attack,” doctors describe the case of a 74-year-old woman living in Connecticut who developed three tick-borne diseases as the result of a single tick bite. While Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness, ticks can transmit other bacterium, causing various “co-infections,” which can be difficult to diagnose.
Facial nerve dysfunction after treatment for Lyme disease
Some individuals with Facial Nerve Palsy (Bell’s palsy) have reportedly had facial nerve dysfunction, as long as one year after antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease. Some suffer from synkinesis, where patients present with unwanted contractions of the muscles of the face during attempted movement. They may notice forceful eye closure when they attempt to smile or other muscle spasms during routine facial movements.
Babesia and Anaplasmosis in a child with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Parents have enough to worry about if their child suffers from an underlying disease. In this case report “Do Not Forget About the Ticks: An Unusual Cause of Fever, GI Distress, and Cytopenias in a Child With ALL,” Ungar and colleagues describe a 5-year-old boy with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, who also contracted Babesia and Anaplasmosis. [1]
Anaplasmosis leading to neurological symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia
Anaplasmosis, formerly called human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) is a co-infection from a tick that typically causes acute disease. In their article, "Trigeminal Neuralgia As the Principal Manifestation of Anaplasmosis: A Case Report," LeDonne and colleagues described human granulocytic anaplasmosis in an 80-year-old woman with neurological symptoms. [1]
Lyme disease with bilateral facial palsy, formally known as Bell’s palsy
Bell’s palsy has been described as an early complication of Lyme disease. Doctors have since reserved the term Bell’s palsy for facial nerve palsy due to a virus. More recently doctors use the term facial palsy in patients diagnosed with Lyme disease.
