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Limits on antibiotics for Lyme disease leave doctors in Limbo
Physicians have long been advised to stick to a fixed treatment duration when prescribing antibiotics for Lyme disease. But a growing number of clinicians are finding that patients remain sick or experience a new onset of symptoms once treatment ends. Current guidelines recommend a 14- to 28-day course of antibiotics. Yet at least one-third of their patients remain ill years after treatment. [1,2] In turn, clinicians are left in limbo. How do they get their patients better?
Patients should be warned of Lyme disease complications, including Lyme encephalopathy
It came as a surprise to read that physicians at a Lyme disease clinic, located in an endemic region of New York State, have reportedly never seen a patient with Lyme encephalopathy and question whether it exists. The Lyme Disease Diagnostic Center is a walk-in diagnostic, treatment and research facility for adults 18 years and older suspected of having a tick-borne illness. It has been in business for 27 years and is situated in an area where the number of cases of Lyme disease is steadily rising.
2015 – Google searches on Lyme disease jump to their highest level
2015 was a good year for Lyme disease awareness, according to Google Trends data. From Hollywood movie sets to European high society, individuals struck down by Lyme disease were coming out and sharing their frustrations. In turn, the illness captured the public's attention. Not just in the United States, but globally. In several countries, Internet searches on Lyme disease skyrocketed in 2015 compared to previous years.
Survey finds most Connecticut residents are unaware of Babesia and Anaplasmosis
Babesiosis, a malaria-like illness caused by microscopic parasites, has been identified by the CDC as an emerging health threat in the United States. A newly released survey of Connecticut residents finds that, surprisingly, few individuals living in the Lyme-endemic southwestern region of the state, are aware of Babesia. And, even fewer are familiar with Anaplasmosis.
Time to designate Lyme disease as a pandemic?
The number of residents in Connecticut who have a history of a tick-borne illness is overwhelming. According to a 2014 survey, published in Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, 30% of the residents sampled had received treatment for a tick-transmitted illness, while 50% reported another family member having had a tick-borne disease. [1]
25th anniversary of first study describing chronic neurologic Lyme disease
Twenty-five years ago, researchers acknowledged the existence of chronic illness due to Lyme disease with a landmark study that described chronic neurologic manifestations of the disease. The 1990 study would profoundly impact the future course of research and treatment. Once believed to be caused by an acute, self-limited infection, Lyme disease was beginning to be viewed as a more potentially damaging and debilitating illness.
Top Lyme and tick-borne disease stories of 2015
Some of the top stories on Lyme and tick-borne diseases for 2015 included a list of celebrities and wealthy businessmen stepping out publicly to share their own personal struggles with the illness. Such openness has generated global awareness about the devastating impact Lyme disease can have on any individual, regardless of your social status or income level.
Culture evidence of Lyme disease in antibiotic treated patients living in the Southeast
Findings from a new study bolster the belief that Lyme disease is a growing problem in the Southeast. For the first time, researchers have cultivated Borrelia burgdorferi strains and Borrelia bissettii-like strains from antibiotic treated patients living in the South. The findings are reported in the December 2015 issue of Clinical Microbiology and Infection.
Renewed call for dialogue on Lyme disease
"Lyme disease: time for a new approach? Many more questions than answers" is the headline of an editorial published in the December 2015 issue of the British Medical Journal (BMJ). The authors emphasize concerns physicians have over the many unanswered questions surrounding the illness and call for more dialogue within the medical and research communities.
Babesia and Lyme — it’s worse than you think
Babesia, a tick-borne infection that causes malaria-like symptoms, has been making headlines over the past two years as the number of reported cases increases, and concerns grow over the seriousness of the disease and its ability to be transmitted through the blood supply.