Atypical Lyme Rash in Children: A Case of Erythema Migrans Case reports often illustrate how Lyme disease can present in unexpected ways, particularly in children. The Lyme rash in children does not always resemble the classic bull’s-eye pattern many people expect. In their article, “Giant Erythema in a Child with Lyme Disease,” Banadyha and colleagues […]
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Lyme carditis and heart failure A 52-year-old woman from Pennsylvania developed symptoms over a two-week period that included shortness of breath, fever, chills, fatigue, and joint pain with stiffness. She also reported dizziness and intermittent pre-syncope, described as near-fainting episodes. “Echocardiography demonstrated new-onset mildly depressed left ventricular systolic dysfunction,” the authors report. “Interestingly, coronary CTA
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Lyme Disease Co-Infections: Symptoms, Causes, and Why They Matter Ticks can carry more than one infection Co-infections may worsen symptoms Diagnosis and treatment become more complex Quick Answer: Lyme disease co-infections occur when a tick transmits multiple pathogens, such as Babesia, Bartonella, or Ehrlichia. These infections can worsen symptoms, complicate diagnosis, and require different treatment
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Powassan Encephalitis: How Fast Can a Tick Cause Brain Infection? INFECTED TICK BITE—MINUTES, NOT DAYS? POWASSAN VIRUS CAN CAUSE RAPID BRAIN INFECTION A child returns from a camping trip. Within days, he develops fever, headache, and neck stiffness. Soon after, he becomes nonverbal and requires ICU care. Could a tick bite cause this—so quickly? Quick
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Abdominal Pain, Ileus, and Constipation Due to Lyme Disease ABDOMINAL PAIN WITH NORMAL TESTS? LYME DISEASE MAY AFFECT GUT FUNCTION “Everything came back normal—but the symptoms kept getting worse.” Lyme disease is not typically thought of as a gastrointestinal illness. Yet in some patients, abdominal pain and severe constipation are among the most troubling symptoms.
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Is It Lyme Disease? Unexpected Symptoms That May Be Missed UNEXPECTED LYME PRESENTATIONS? WHEN SYMPTOMS DON’T FIT THE TEXTBOOK Lyme disease does not always look like a rash, fever, or swollen knee. Sometimes it begins with symptoms that seem unrelated—foot pain, dizziness, palpitations, vision changes, tinnitus, or unexplained fatigue. That is why Lyme disease can
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Why Treating Lyme Disease Is More Complex Than You Think By 1990, I had started prescribing intravenous ceftriaxone (Rocephin), based on emerging reports of its effectiveness in chronic neurologic Lyme disease. This adjustment was influenced by reports from doctors Dr. Logigian, Kaplan, and Steere, who documented the treatment of chronic neurologic Lyme disease cases. I
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Negative Lyme Test but Still Sick? A Case of Delayed Diagnosis Symptoms persisted for years Testing was negative Diagnosis was delayed Treatment led to recovery Can you still have Lyme disease with a negative test? This case highlights how delaying consideration of Lyme disease can prolong symptoms—and how treatment can still lead to recovery. Negative
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Rifampin for Lyme Disease: When Doxycycline Isn’t Enough DOXYCYCLINE— NOT ENOUGH? WHEN RIFAMPIN MAY HELP What happens when doxycycline isn’t enough to treat Lyme disease? Doxycycline has long been a first-line treatment for Lyme disease due to its effectiveness against both Borrelia burgdorferi and certain co-infections. Quick Answer: Rifampin may be considered in select Lyme
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Can Lyme Disease Cause Jaw Pain? TMJ Arthritis and Misdiagnosis Can Lyme disease cause jaw pain? Yes. In some cases, Lyme disease can affect the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), causing inflammation that mimics a common temporomandibular disorder (TMD). When TMJ treatments don’t work, the underlying cause may not be mechanical—it may be infection. Key Insight: Lyme
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