Lyme Science Blog

“One day, when traveling in California for a meeting, I received a call informing me that one of my sons, then aged 39, had been walking his dog when he collapsed into unconsciousness with a heart rate of 35/minute and had been taken to a local hospital,” writes Plotkin.¹ A Lyme infection was suspected. His […]

Patients with autoimmune disorders are at risk for POTS, along with individuals who have had a viral illness or a serious infection, such as Lyme disease. In fact, POTS and Lyme disease patients often present with similar symptoms. For instance, POTS patients frequently report having “brain fog,” also a common complaint among Lyme disease patients.

The authors reference a small study to support their recommendation for using a single doxycycline dosage for Lyme disease prevention. The study, conducted by Drs. Fish, Nadelman and Wormser, however, involved adults, not children. ² And it was designed to demonstrate that a single dose of doxycycline could prevent an erythma migrans (EM) rash. It

A small study examined the risk of developing disseminated Lyme disease for people with weakened immune systems. Researchers enrolled 7 patients with an EM (erythema migrans) rash who were diagnosed with Lyme disease. In these 7 patients, signs of disseminated LB (43%) and the isolation rates of borreliae from blood before antibiotic treatment (40%) were

Study findings suggest that current Lyme disease treatment may not eliminate the Borrelia burgdorferi infection or the immune system may fail to clear the infection or bacterial debris, resulting in ongoing symptoms. In the past few years, several new treatments for Lyme disease have been investigated in the laboratory or made available to patients in

Central sensitization syndrome (CSS) involves changes in the central nervous system, particularly the brain and spinal cord. This syndrome “is thought to involve hyperactivation of central neurons, leading to various synaptic and neurotransmitter/neuromodulator changes,” writes Batheja. There are several potential causes of central sensitization, which include: • Genetic factors • Increase in neurotransmitters that facilitate

Although researchers have gained a better understanding of atrial fibrillation, also called AFib or AF, many of the causes and risk factors are still unknown. Now, for the first time, a study examines the prevalence of atrial fibrillation in Lyme disease patients. “It is hypothesized that in some cases the AF [atrial fibrillation] might be

Researchers identified azlocillin after screening nearly 8,000 drug compounds. They found that in the test tube and in mice, azlocillin was effective against drug-tolerant Borrelia burgdorferi s.s., the pathogen causing Lyme disease. But will late stage Lyme disease treatment soon include azlocillin, an FDA-approved drug that is often used to treat infections such as Pseudomonas

Previous studies in Florida revealed two distinct groups of Babesia microti which were dependent on host species (i.e. cotton rats and raccoons). Investigators in the current study looked for the presence of Babesia species in small and medium-sized mammals in East Texas. A total of 480 wild mammals were trapped, sampled, and screened. Using molecular analysis, they identified

The Tortoise and the Hare fable tells the story of a race between a tortoise (a creature that moves very slowly) and a hare (a creature that can run very fast). The hare is very confident of winning, so it stops during the race and falls asleep. The tortoise continues to move very slowly but