Lyme Science Blog

Powassan Virus Encephalitis Cases: 4 Clinical Case Reports These 4 Powassan virus encephalitis cases highlight the varied clinical presentations of this serious tick-borne infection. Powassan virus (POWV) can cause severe disease, including infection of the brain (encephalitis) or infection of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis). Symptoms may include confusion, loss of […]

Pregnancy, breast feeding and Lyme Welcome to another selection from my book “An Expert’s Guide on Navigating Lyme disease.” The book highlights the findings of my first 600 Lyme disease Science blogs.  In this episode, I will discuss pregnancy, breast feeding, and Lyme disease. Pregnancy and breast feeding are particularly concerning topics for Lyme disease

Severe Anaplasmosis: Multi-Organ Complications Severe anaplasmosis can cause multi-organ complications, especially in immunocompromised patients. In their case report “Severe Anaplasmosis With Multiorgan Involvement in a Rheumatoid Arthritis Patient,” Aydin et al. describe a 66-year-old woman, residing in Connecticut, who was admitted to the emergency department with confusion and lethargy. The patient was disoriented and had

Altered mental status due to Lyme disease An 84-year-old man was admitted to the hospital due to an altered mental status. He had a history of stroke and mild to moderate dementia. According to his wife, he had been having hallucinations 3 to 4 days prior to his hospitalization. And although he suffered from dementia,

False-Positive HIV Test from Babesiosis When Babesia Mimics HIV Infection Investigators describe the case of a patient with acute babesiosis who prior to treatment tested positive for HIV. The 60-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department with intermittent fever, fatigue, anorexia, and worsening jaundice for three weeks. He was referred by his primary care

Military Lyme disease After 37 years treating Lyme disease, I’ve seen few papers address the issues of military Lyme disease for members of the military and their families. This is an area that merits greater exploration and has serious implications for Lyme disease recovery among those who serve. The following selection from my book “An

Can Lyme disease cause seizures? ‘Yes. A 55-year-old man presented to the emergency department with tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizures as the first manifestation of neuroborreliosis. His seizures began suddenly, progressed rapidly requiring intubation, and resolved completely after IV ceftriaxone treatment for Lyme disease. This case demonstrates that Lyme disease can cause seizures when spirochetes invade

Celebrities with Lyme disease Welcome to another selection from my book “An Expert’s Guide on Navigating Lyme disease.” The book highlights the findings of my first 600 Lyme disease Science blogs.  In this episode, I will discuss the struggles and successes for celebrities with Lyme disease. Celebrities shared their struggle. The following celebrities shared their

Numbness and Tingling in Lyme Disease: Full-Body Case Study When Numbness Spreads Everywhere: A Case of Lyme Neuropathy A 25-year-old woman developed numbness and tingling throughout her torso, which later spread to her entire body. She presented to a neurology clinic with complaints that had been ongoing for 4 weeks. She did not recall a

Lyme frustration Welcome to another selection from my book “An Expert’s Guide on Navigating Lyme disease.” The book highlights the findings of my first 600 Lyme disease Science blogs.  In this episode, I will discuss doctor and patient Lyme frustration. A doctor’s perspective when his son was diagnosed with Lyme. A researcher from the University