Lyme Science Blog

JAMA Review Overlooks Chronic Manifestations of Lyme Disease A JAMA review concluded that short courses of antibiotics—such as 10 days of doxycycline for erythema migrans and 14 days for early neurologic Lyme disease—are effective. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} However, the review excluded a substantial body of literature describing persistent symptoms and chronic manifestations of Lyme disease. What Was […]

Do Deer Keds Transmit Lyme Disease? Revisiting Earlier Assumptions Deer keds are often mistaken for flying ticks Researchers have detected pathogen DNA in deer keds Current evidence does not establish human transmission Editor’s Update: Earlier versions of this article discussed whether deer keds might play a role in transmitting Lyme-related pathogens. Since then, I have

Don’t Dismiss the Poor Quality of Life in Lyme Disease Quality of life findings in Lyme disease depend heavily on study design. Excluding patients with persistent symptoms may underestimate disease burden. Ascertainment bias can affect how Lyme disease outcomes are interpreted. Lyme disease quality of life may be underestimated when studies exclude patients with persistent

Lyme Disease Co-Infections: Symptoms, Testing, and Treatment Lyme disease co-infections are common Co-infections may worsen symptoms and delay recovery Identifying co-infections can change treatment decisions Lyme disease co-infections may complicate diagnosis, worsen symptoms, and alter treatment decisions. Patients diagnosed with Lyme disease may also carry additional infections transmitted through the same tick bite. In some

Fatal Lyme Carditis: Can Lyme Disease Kill You? Lyme carditis may cause dangerous heart rhythm abnormalities Cardiac symptoms may develop even when Lyme disease is not suspected Early recognition and treatment may reduce the risk of severe complications Lyme carditis is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening complication of Lyme disease. Although most patients recover with

Persistent Lyme Disease Symptoms After Treatment Persistent Lyme disease symptoms may continue after standard treatment Fatigue, pain, and cognitive problems may significantly affect quality of life Delayed diagnosis, neurologic involvement, and coinfections may complicate recovery The Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) published evidence-based treatment guidelines in 2006 which states, “Considerable confusion and controversy exist

Do Probiotics Prevent C. Diff in Lyme Disease? Antibiotics may increase C. diff risk Probiotics may lower gastrointestinal complications Balancing treatment risks and benefits remains important There are at least 300,000 new cases of Lyme disease every year in the United States. As this patient group requires antibiotic therapy to treat Lyme disease and other

Can Lyme Disease Cause Chest Pain or Gallbladder Symptoms? Chest pain may signal Lyme carditis or myocarditis Gallbladder symptoms can complicate diagnosis Early recognition may prevent delayed treatment Chest pain and gallbladder symptoms are not problems most people immediately associate with Lyme disease. However, Lyme carditis and myocarditis can present with symptoms that mimic gallbladder

Can Doxycycline Cause Pancreatitis? What the Evidence Shows Can doxycycline cause pancreatitis? Possibly—but reported cases are rare, and alternative explanations often exist. Doxycycline is widely used in the treatment of Lyme disease and is generally well tolerated. When pancreatitis develops during treatment, clinicians should carefully evaluate metabolic and systemic causes before concluding the medication is

New Borrelia Species Complicate Lyme Disease Diagnosis Researchers identified new Borrelia species associated with Lyme-like illness. Some patients presented with neurologic symptoms, rash, or severe systemic illness. The findings highlight ongoing challenges in Lyme disease diagnosis and testing. Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia bacteria, but researchers continue to identify additional Borrelia species associated with