Lyme Science Blog

Do You Have Lyme Disease for Life? Patient: “Doctor, do I have Lyme disease for life? Am I stuck with this forever?”Dr. Cameron: “That’s a question I hear often. The short answer is no—you don’t have Lyme disease for life. But the longer answer is more complicated, and it depends on when you were diagnosed, […]

Lyme Disease Racial Disparities: Why Diagnoses Are Missed Lyme disease is often missed in non-White patients—leading to delayed diagnosis, more severe illness, and worse outcomes. Lyme disease racial disparities affect how quickly patients are diagnosed, how severe their illness becomes, and how they move through the healthcare system. A large study analyzing more than 168,000

Do You Need Antibiotics After a Tick Bite? Why Doctors Disagree Tick bite antibiotics are one of the most contested decisions in Lyme disease prevention. Depending on which doctor you see, you might get a full course, a single pill, or nothing at all. When it comes to preventing Lyme disease, doctors disagree on the

Can Lyme Disease Spread in Under 24 Hours? The Tick Bite Myth Explained Can Lyme disease spread in under 24 hours? Yes—under certain conditions, transmission may occur faster than commonly believed. Many people are told they are safe if a tick is removed within 24–36 hours. This widely repeated advice—known as the 24–36 hour tick

Fiber and Lyme Disease: How Gut Health May Support Recovery STILL DEALING WITH GUT ISSUES AFTER LYME? BLOATING, CONSTIPATION, OR IBS-LIKE SYMPTOMS? COULD FIBER HELP YOUR RECOVERY? Fiber and Lyme disease recovery may be more closely connected than many patients realize. Gut health plays a key role in immune function, and fiber supports the microbiome

Why I Stayed in Lyme Disease Care The Patients Who Changed My Path In 1987, I met three patients who would change the course of my medical career. Each had been diagnosed with Lyme disease. Each had already completed treatment. And yet — each remained ill. At the time, I hadn’t been trained to manage

Shortness of Breath in Lyme Disease: What to Know When It’s Hard to Breathe: Could it be Lyme? Shortness of breath can feel frightening — especially when it strikes without warning or a clear cause. While heart and lung conditions are common culprits, there’s another, often-overlooked possibility: Lyme disease. This tick-borne infection doesn’t just cause

Still Sick After Lyme Treatment? PTLDS or Persistent Infection? Many patients are told their Lyme disease has been treated successfully. But what if the symptoms don’t go away? Quick Answer: Post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS) may reflect more than a lingering immune response—it may signal persistent infection or co-infection in some patients. Clinical Insight: When

Babesia Treatment Duration: Why 10 Days Isn’t Enough for Some Patients Babesia treatment duration is one of the most misunderstood aspects of managing this co-infection, particularly when symptoms persist beyond standard timelines. Babesia treatment duration often needs to extend beyond standard timelines, especially in patients with persistent symptoms or co-infections. I recently treated a patient

As we continue to grapple with the long-term effects of COVID-19 and deepen our understanding of post-infectious syndromes like Long COVID, it’s become increasingly clear: not all infections resolve cleanly. Some linger, disrupt multiple systems, and defy simplistic explanations. Lyme disease is one of those conditions. For years, Lyme has presented primary care clinicians with