Lyme Science Blog

Autoimmune Arthritis After Lyme Disease: Could Infection Still Be Present? Patients who develop systemic autoimmune joint disease following Lyme disease are often treated with anti-inflammatory therapies, including disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). However, an important clinical question remains: could a persistent infection still be contributing to symptoms? Treatment Approaches After Lyme Disease In one study, patients […]

Netherlands Lyme Trial: Persistent Symptoms After Treatment QUALITY OF LIFE REMAINED POOR AFTER TREATMENT SOME PATIENTS CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE PTLDS THE DEBATE OVER LONG-TERM OUTCOMES CONTINUES Participants in the PLEASE trial were scored using an SF-36 physical component of health (PCS) scale. Their PCS scores of 31 to 32 were worse than those reported for

Do Steroids or Prednisone Worsen Lyme Disease Outcomes? Steroids may suppress immune responses Lyme facial palsy differs from Bell’s palsy Timing of antibiotics may influence outcomes Steroids and Lyme disease remain controversial because several studies have linked corticosteroid use to worse long-term outcomes when infection is unrecognized or treated too late. Use of corticosteroids in

Women With Chronic Lyme Disease May Suffer From a Severe Immune Response Triggered by the Disease Women may experience stronger immune responses to Lyme disease Immune dysfunction may contribute to persistent symptoms Biomarkers such as CCL19 may help explain ongoing illness According to a study by Wormser and colleagues from New York Medical College, “Patients

Can You Work With Lyme Disease? Many Lyme disease patients continue working Fatigue, pain, and brain fog can affect job performance Studies show Lyme disease may reduce productivity and work capacity Many people with Lyme disease continue working during treatment. However, fatigue, pain, neurologic symptoms, sleep disruption, and brain fog can make it difficult for

How Important Are T-Cell Chemokines in Chronic Manifestations of Lyme Disease? Researchers continue to investigate why some patients experience persistent symptoms after treatment for Lyme disease. One area of growing interest involves T-cell chemokines—immune signaling proteins that may contribute to prolonged inflammation and symptom persistence. T-cell chemokines are signaling proteins that help direct immune cells

Do Ticks Survive the Dryer? Most People Get This Wrong High heat kills ticks quickly in the dryer. Cold and warm washes often fail to kill ticks. Dry first, high heat, wash later if needed. Quick Answer: To kill a tick on your clothes, place the clothing directly in a dryer on high heat for

Watchful Waiting After Lyme Disease Treatment: Risks and PTLDS More than half of patients remained ill after initial treatment in one study. Researchers raised concerns about persistent symptoms after Lyme disease. Doctors remain divided over retreatment versus watchful waiting. by Daniel J. Cameron, MD MPH Physicians who prescribe no more than a three-week course of

Babesia Sweats and Lyme Coinfection: Why Symptoms Last Longer A landmark study found that 50% of patients with Babesia sweats and Lyme coinfection remained symptomatic for 3 months or more, compared to just 4% of those with Lyme disease alone. This pattern—prolonged illness that doesn’t respond to standard Lyme treatment—is one of the clearest signals

Do Different Lyme Disease Strains Cause Different Symptoms? Different Lyme strains may behave differently Genetic diversity may influence symptoms and severity Strain variation may complicate treatment and diagnosis Not everyone with Lyme disease experiences the same illness. Some patients recover quickly. Others develop widespread symptoms, neurologic complications, or persistent illness. One explanation may involve Lyme