Lyme Science Blog

Lyme-induced cardiac problems persist despite antibiotic treatment 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 […]

Case report: Meningitis secondary to Lyme disease 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

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 Mimicking ALS and MS: A Misdiagnosis Case Bartonella and Lyme disease can cause severe neurological symptoms that mimic ALS and MS. Bartonella and Lyme disease mimicking ALS and MS is a recognized clinical challenge, particularly when neurologic symptoms evolve and testing is inconclusive. For an overview, see Bartonella. In their article,

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

Can Babesia Cause Anemia? When Infection Destroys Red Blood Cells Can Babesia infection cause anemia? Yes—and in some cases, it can lead to rapid destruction of red blood cells, causing fatigue, weakness, and serious complications. Babesia infects red blood cells directly, and in rare cases may also trigger autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA), where the body