by Daniel J. Cameron, MD MPH 1. Growing list of eye problems in Lyme disease Ophthalmic manifestations of tick-borne diseases are increasing. And, “although ocular involvement can be self-limited, delays in diagnosis may result in vision impairment and even blindness,” stated Sathiamoorthi from the Mayo Clinic. 2. Study raises concerns for Babesia patients and blood banks Babesiosis, an […]
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Questing black-legged ticks (I. scapularis) associated with Lyme disease (LD) were collected at several locations on the Outer Banks of North Carolina between 1991 and 2009. The authors found that in October 1991, Borrelia burgdorferi-infected I. scapularis ticks were detected at 50% of the sites (four of the eight). “The spirochetes were consistently detected in
by Daniel J. Cameron, MD MPH “Knowledge of systemic and ophthalmic manifestations combined with an understanding of the epidemiology of disease vectors is crucial for the diagnosis of tick-borne diseases,” she explains. While manifestations may be present with LD and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ocular involvement is rare in other tick-borne diseases such as babesiosis,
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The Screening Gap in Tick-Borne Disease Management Babesia undertesting is a significant problem in tick-borne disease management. A study examining nearly 3 million specimens found that only 3% involved testing for Babesia—yet research shows up to 30% of Lyme disease patients may be co-infected. Babesia Undertesting: The Numbers When data was collected from 7 large
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Lyme meningitis parkinsonism that mimics idiopathic Parkinson’s disease can be fully reversible with antibiotic treatment. A 79-year-old avid hunter developed two months of rapidly progressing weakness, persistent headache, shuffling gait, bradykinesia, tremor, and other parkinsonian symptoms initially attributed to degenerative neurologic disease. After diagnosis of Lyme meningitis based on CSF findings, positive serology, and tick
Lyme meningitis, manifesting as Parkinsonism, is fully reversed with ceftriaxone Read More »
by Daniel J. Cameron, MD MPH In a recent issue of the American Journal of Dermatopathology, Lynch and colleagues report on the case of a 21-year-old man who suffered hair loss following a tick bite to the scalp. [2] The man presented with nonscarring alopecia, a pattern of hair loss similar to alopecia-areata, also known
Hair loss in Lyme disease – the last straw? Read More »
Lyme literate doctor criticism surfaced in a 2016 JAMA article for prescribing prolonged antibiotics to a patient with Lyme disease and Babesia. The authors used a rare adverse drug reaction to attack individualized care — while ignoring critical gaps in their own argument. The Case: DRESS Syndrome After Lyme Treatment The case report describes an
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Studies have found that patients with Lyme disease experience exaggerated responses to pain and non-painful stimuli despite antibiotic treatment. Lopez-Sola and colleagues describe those same responses in patients with fibromyalgia — a condition associated with widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, cognitive, emotional, and sleep-related symptoms. In addition to pain-related changes, fibromyalgia patients show reduced tolerance to
Can we measure the brain’s exaggerated response to pain and sensory input? Read More »
by Daniel J. Cameron, MD MPH The authors take an in-depth look at BYS and how it compares to Lyme disease (LD) found in the United States. Although there are slight differences between the diseases, BYS and LD share similarities on many fronts. [1] “Despite the increasing number of suspect cases, this disease [BYS] is
Brazil faces same problems with Lyme disease as seen in the USA Read More »
by Daniel J. Cameron, MD MPH The article, Hemifacial spasm from Lyme disease: Antibiotic treatment points to cause, examines the case of a 44-year-old patient who was diagnosed with Lyme disease as a result of her rapid improvement following antimicrobial therapy. “Antibiotic administration for diagnostic purposes is not a recommended medical practice, of course, but the
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