Laurie Martin

“The probability of being infected with Lyme disease is related to the risk of encounters with Ixodes scapularis ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, which reflects both the environmental tick hazard and human behaviors,” writes Bron and colleagues in the journal Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases¹  on the prevention of Lyme disease The authors compared […]

In the article, “Pathogens Manipulating Tick Behavior—Through a Glass, Darkly,” Benelli reviews the literature on tick behavior triggered by infections with Anaplasma, Borrelia, Babesia, Bartonella, Rickettsia, and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV).¹ You might think a deer tick would be worse off if infected. But, not so. It appears that deer ticks are actually more likely

Today, ticks harbor multiple infectious pathogens that can be transmitted to humans through a tick bite or tainted blood transfusion. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now reports that “a single tick can transmit multiple pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites.” [1] This can result in patients developing what is referred to as

While many people associate Lyme disease with manifestations such as Bell’s palsy, the circular Bull’s-eye rash, and flu-like symptoms, Lyme disease can also cause sensory, cognitive, neurologic, and cardiac complications, even in its earliest stage. But, the signs and symptoms of Lyme disease are all too frequently attributed to another medical condition. Objective signs of

Lyme disease is an infection caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), a spiral-shaped organism. The bacterium can be transmitted to a person through the bite of an infected Ixodes scapularis tick (a.k.a., the deer tick or black-legged tick). Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria is a type of spirochete that can penetrate virtually any organ or system

LYMErix was reportedly effective at preventing a Lyme disease rash. But the Lyme disease vaccine for humans was only 50% effective at preventing other manifestations of Lyme disease, according to the LYMErix package insert. LYMErix was voluntarily removed from the market due to low demand. In a survey of 1,015 adults in the U.S., author

So far, research has focused on questing behavior primarily in the laboratory. “Ticks must balance the need to quest for blood meal hosts with the risk of desiccation, all on a fixed energy budget,” writes Thomas from Washington State University. ¹ But Thomas and his team wanted to investigate questing patterns in a natural habitat.

Dr. Robert Bransfield, a New Jersey-based psychiatrist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne illnesses, has seen a broad range of sleep disorders in Lyme disease patients treated at his practice. He describes the various sleep disorders in the article “Neuropsychiatric Lyme Borreliosis: An Overview with a Focus on a Specialty Psychiatrist’s Clinical

Could Lyme disease in children lead to parental flooding described in a recent paper?  Parents experiencing flooding “are overwhelmed by the intensity and aversive nature of child negative affect,” writes Del Vecchio and colleagues in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology.1 When this occurs, parents “may be less likely to react effectively and instead may

The study by researchers in Slovenia looked at the potential effects of Lyme disease on pregnancy outcome. In their article, “Course and Outcome of Erythema Migrans in Pregnant Women,” Maraspin and colleagues describe pregnancy course and outcome for 304 women who were treated with antibiotics for early Lyme disease. All of the women had been