Lyme Science Blog

The young woman was admitted to the emergency department with acute pleuritic chest pain and shortness of breath. (Pleuritic chest pain is characterized by sudden and intense sharp, stabbing, or burning pain in the chest when inhaling and exhaling.) The woman exhibited only mild tachycardia (100/min). However, “Considering the suspicion of acute myocarditis, the patient […]

Lyme disease aseptic meningitis can present as normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) with dementia, confusion, and gait disturbance — leading doctors to miss the underlying infection. An 80-year-old man in Pennsylvania developed progressive weakness, confusion, nausea, and fatigue over several days. CSF studies showed aseptic meningitis, CT scan revealed dilated ventricles, and he tested positive for

How many patients who underwent surgery for coronary heart disease (CHD) had evidence of a prior infection with Borrelia burgdorferi (the bacterium which causes Lyme disease)? A study by Pietruszka and colleagues, “Serologic Status of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Patients with Cardiovascular Changes,” sought to answer that question.¹ The authors examined the level of

In their article “Lyme Borreliosis as a Trigger for Autoimmune Disease,” Yehudina and colleagues present a unique case in which an infection with Borrelia burgdorferi (the bacteria which causes Lyme disease) triggered the autoimmune condition, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), also referred to as lupus.¹ As the authors point out, “long-term exposure of the host’s immune

Young adults and Lyme carditis represent a critical connection that clinicians often miss. Males aged 20-40 are at highest risk for developing complete heart block from Lyme disease, yet their cardiac symptoms are frequently dismissed as anxiety or stress. Understanding this demographic pattern can prevent diagnostic delays and unnecessary permanent pacemakers. By Dr. Daniel Cameron

In their article “Through the Eyes of Uncertainty: Giant Cell Arteritis and Lyme Neuroborreliosis in a Story of Vision Loss,” Wan and colleagues describe a unique case in which an elderly woman, who tested positive for both giant cell arteritis and Lyme disease, developed vision problems including an abrupt loss of vision.¹ An acute loss

Murison and colleagues discuss the findings in their report “Epidemiology and clinical manifestations of reported Lyme disease cases: Data from the Canadian Lyme disease enhanced surveillance system.”¹ “The results from this analysis describe the clinical manifestations associated with Canadian [Lyme disease] cases from the LDES system and show trends of LD diagnosis in several Canadian