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Lyme Science Blog

woman with lyme disease and heart problems sitting on bed

Lyme disease and the heart, when AV block progresses rapidly

Lyme disease can trigger various heart problems, including Lyme carditis, which typically occurs early on in the disease.  “Lyme carditis is an important reversible cause of heart block, especially in endemic areas,” wrote Aljadba et al. in their article, “Lyme carditis manifesting as Wenckebach heart block.”¹ “Prompt recognition of this potentially lethal condition, with appropriate initiation […]

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Woman being examined for co-infections with Babesiosis and Lyme disease

Co-infections Babesiosis and Lyme disease, missed diagnosis can have “dire consequences”

The woman had a three-week history of a fever (maximum temperature, 104 F], chills, nausea, and productive cough of yellow sputum. Six weeks prior to her onset of symptoms, the woman had been vacationing in Connecticut, an area endemic for Lyme disease. She reported having 2 tick bites during the previous year. Her examination and

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Lyme arthritis in children

Lyme arthritis in children can present throughout the year

The study’s objective was to “evaluate the seasonality of pediatric Lyme disease in three endemic regions in the United States,” writes Sundheim. Participants had been treated at 8 different medical centers throughout the Northeast and UpperMidwest. Of the 690 children with Lyme disease, 77 (11.2%) had a single EM lesion, 247 (35.7%) had early disseminated

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frustration in lyme disease patient as he talks to doctor

Points of view: Lyme disease patients and physicians

The authors looked at the perceptions, representations, and experiences of patients who had Lyme disease with nonspecific symptoms and no objective manifestations of the disease. This small study included 12 patients with confirmed and non-confirmed Lyme disease or unexplained symptoms. “Our study highlights that some physicians may also experience a lack of knowledge and information

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lyme arthritis in children being treated by doctor wrapping knee

High cost of treating Lyme arthritis in children with surgery

In their article “The Impact of Operative Intervention in Pediatric Lyme Arthritis,” Tout et al. described 149 children admitted to a tertiary care children’s hospital in Pennsylvania who had been diagnosed with Lyme arthritis between 2008 and 2018.¹ All of the children met the CDC case definition, had Lyme arthritis, and were culture negative. The

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death-powassan-virus

Case report: Powassan meningoencephalitis

The patient presented to the hospital with fevers, headaches, fatigue, and a history of night sweats, according to the case report, “Powassan Meningoencephalitis: A Case Report Highlighting Diagnosis and Management.” He had a history of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), Lyme disease, and reactive arthritis. He was not on any medication for Lyme disease or CLL. And

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physician-frustration-lyme-disease-patients

Physician frustration with Lyme disease patients

They found that some physicians are frustrated with Lyme disease (LD) patients. “Providers described challenges and frustrations in counseling patients with strong preconceptions of LD diagnosis and treatment in the context of chronic infection,” the authors wrote. The authors came to this conclusion after a series of focus groups with 14 clinicians from three primary

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Man being examined with stethescope for mitral valve problems from Lyme carditis.

Mitral valve dysfunction from Lyme carditis

The 22-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with cardiac problems. He suffered from morbid obesity and  complained of chest pain and lightheadedness for several days. During his examination, he was sweaty with a fast pulse of 115. He also reported having an erythema migrans (EM) rash. Clinicians initially suspected the patient had non-segment elevation

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