Lyme Science Blog

Borrelia antibodies found in patients with coronary heart disease 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 […]

Can Lyme Disease Trigger Autoimmune Disease Like Lupus? Lyme disease may trigger autoimmune disease in some patients, including conditions such as lupus. In rare cases, infection with Borrelia burgdorferi may contribute to immune dysregulation and the development of new autoimmune symptoms. Can Lyme Disease Trigger Autoimmune Disease? In their article “Lyme Borreliosis as a Trigger

Young adults most at-risk for Lyme carditis 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

Vision problems in patient with Lyme disease and giant cell arteritis 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

Inside look at Lyme disease in Canada 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

Bartonella and Lyme Disease Mimics ALS and MS Bartonella and Lyme disease can cause severe neurological symptoms that mimic ALS and MS. For an overview, see Bartonella. In their article, “Bartonella- and Borrelia-Related Disease Presenting as a Neurological Condition Revealing the Need for Better Diagnostics,” Ericson and colleagues describe the case of a 61-year-old female,

RMSF in Pregnancy: Atypical Case Without Rash RMSF in pregnancy can present without the classic rash or tick bite history. A 37-year-old pregnant woman was admitted to the hospital at 31 weeks gestation due to severe headaches and a fever that had been ongoing for 1 week. A few days prior to admission, she developed

Babesia Anemia: When Infection Destroys Blood Cells Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is a rare red blood cell disorder that occurs when antibodies directed against a person’s own red blood cells cause them to burst, leading to insufficient concentration in the blood. The disorder has only rarely been associated with a Babesia infection. An elderly man,

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Symptoms: Atypical Case Rocky Mountain spotted fever symptoms can be atypical and challenging to diagnose. Rocky Mountain spotted fever was initially identified in the Rocky Mountain region. However, RMSF cases are now reported throughout the nation, with higher incidence in the southeastern and south-central regions. In their article, “Unconventional Rocky Mountain

Top 10 Lyme disease blogs for 2023! 1)  What does a Lyme flare up feel like? When a Lyme disease flare occurs, patients will notice a return of the symptoms they have experienced before or a worsening of existing symptoms. Some patients may also develop new symptoms. A flare-up can come and go and vary