Powassan virus in children. Case reports
Powassan virus (POWV) is a tick-borne illness that can cause severe encephalitis. Animal studies have shown the virus can be transmitted to humans following a tick bite within 15 minutes. However, the cases described in a recent article “Powassan Virus Encephalitis Following Brief Attachment of Connecticut Deer Ticks” by Feder et al. “strongly suggest that infected ticks may also rapidly transmit POWV to people.” [1]
4 distinct post-treatment Lyme disease syndromes?
In a recent editorial, Dr. Allen Steere describes the clinical features and proposed mechanisms triggering what he believes are 4 distinct post-treatment Lyme disease syndromes (PTLDS) in patients who fail antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease. [1]
Three deaths associated with Lyme carditis
This Inside Lyme Podcasts with Dr. Daniel Cameron discusses three deaths associated with Lyme carditis who were diagnosed by autopsy.
COVID-19 or Lyme disease triggers autoimmune dysfunction?
In this edition, I will be discussing 64-year-woman with autonomic dysfunction with a history of Lyme disease and COVID-19.
Could Borrelia miyamotoi infections explain persistent symptoms in Lyme disease patients?
“This is the first study to investigate the presence of B. miyamotoi antibodies in a clinical population experiencing persistent symptoms and suspected tick-borne illness,” writes Delaney and colleagues from Columbia University Irving Medical Center. [1] According to the findings, Lyme disease patients testing positive for Borrelia miyamotoi were more likely to present with sleepiness and pain.
Opinion: Low COVID-19 vaccine trust among Lyme disease patients
I have Lyme disease patients who do not trust the COVID-19 vaccine. Apparently, there is also a low trust for the COVID-19 vaccine among Black Americans, writes P.R. Lockhart in an NBC News article entitled, “Experts warn of low Covid vaccine trust among Black Americans.”[1] The Black American concerns are similar to the concerns of Lyme disease patients.
16-year-old male with Lyme disease presenting with palpitations and chest pain
Welcome to an Inside Lyme Podcast. I will be discussing the case of a 16-year-old male with Lyme disease presenting with palpitations and chest pain. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal written by Glanternik and colleagues in 2017.
Brain fog in COVID-19 and Lyme disease patients
COVID-19 patients report having brain fog, as do patients with Lyme disease. Brain fog can be a common symptom following an infection, Marie Grill, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic tells Wired magazine. There are several theories regarding the cause of brain fog, including immune dysfunction, a reaction to a cocktail of medications, changes in blood flow to the brain, and post-traumatic stress.
COVID-19 and Lyme disease symptoms overlap
There are a growing number of COVID-19 symptoms. Many of them, including neurological and psychiatric complications, overlap with symptoms of Lyme disease. Varatharaj and colleagues described neurological and neuropsychiatric complications of COVID-19 in an article published online in Lancet Psychiatry. [1]
Changes in smell can be a sign of COVID-19 and Lyme disease
Patients with COVID-19 often report changes in smell, including a loss of smell. In fact, an estimated 80% of patients have smell disturbances. “Smell loss is so common in people with the disease that some researchers have recommended its use as a diagnostic test because it may be a more reliable marker than fever or other symptoms,” writes Sutherland in Scientific America. [1]