Lyme Science Blog

Bannwarth syndrome is characterized by painful radiculopathy, neuropathy, varying degrees of motor weakness and facial nerve palsy, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lymphocytic pleocytosis. Five patients presented with peripheral nervous system involvement (primarily axonal in nature), which is consistent with BWS, writes Shah and colleagues.  Three of the cases of neurological lyme disease are discussed below. 61-year-old […]

In a retrospective study, entitled “Secondary dementia due to Lyme neuroborreliosis,” Kristoferitsch and colleagues describe several case reports of patients diagnosed with dementia-like syndromes due to Lyme neuroborreliosis or Lyme disease that help address the question – can lyme disease cause dementia.2 Rapid improvement with antibiotic treatment The authors’ case report featuring a 76-year-old woman

Doctors described a 67-year-old avid outdoorsman who received treatment for Lyme arthritis after having had knee surgery. Ten months earlier, the man had received a partial knee replacement for his left knee due to advanced single compartment degenerative arthritis. Over a 3-month-period, the man developed progressive left knee pain and swelling.  He later presented with a

Two recently published case reports address the question: Can Lyme disease cause jaundice?  While it is uncommon, the authors conclude, hyperbilirubinemia can be a sign of Lyme disease, and should be considered as a differential diagnosis in patients with severe jaundice and exposure to areas endemic for Lyme disease. 1,2  39-year-old man with fever and

“A 58-year-old woman was seen in the outpatient neurology clinic of this hospital in early autumn because of hypoesthesia [numbness], paresthesia, and weakness,” writes Reda and colleagues in a paper describing atypical symptoms of Lyme disease. Her initial symptoms began 10 weeks prior with back pain occurring between her shoulders. But the pain resolved without

Subacute transverse myelitis is a neurologic syndrome caused by inflammation of the spinal cord.  It can be caused by various infections, including Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria causing Lyme disease. Immune system disorders, vascular and other inflammatory disorders can also trigger the condition which damages or destroys myelin, an insulating substance that surrounds nerves, including those in

If left untreated, Lyme disease can progress causing heart block and other cardiac problems, such as cardiomyopathy and myocarditis “due to spirochete infiltration of cardiac and pericardial structures,” according to the authors of a newly published case report.¹ “Clinical suspicion of early disseminated Lyme carditis is essential in patients presenting with new-onset high-degree AV [heart]

One study found a high prevalence of depression in Lyme disease patients. Between January 2008 and December 2014, 1 in 5 patients treated at the Lyme Center Apeldoorn in the Netherlands was diagnosed with depression and Lyme disease. ¹ Meanwhile, Dr. Robert Bransfield, a psychiatrist specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne illnesses, reports “In my

Lyme disease can present with a broad range of symptoms. Many of them are familiar to clinicians. But in some cases, a patient may exhibit atypical symptoms, including rashes other than the well-known “bull’s eye” rash. These unique presentations of Lyme disease can make diagnosing the illness particularly difficult. For instance, Sharma reports, “Our case

A recent study by Wells and colleagues ¹ confirms findings from previous studies which demonstrated that POTS patients with brain fog have impaired short-term memory and diminished alertness. POTS is characterized by a substantial increase in heart rate and sometimes a drop in blood pressure when the individual stands up. This can cause lightheadedness, heart