Lyme Science Blog

Lyme Meningitis Symptoms: Can Lyme Disease Cause Meningitis? Lyme disease can cause meningitis in some patients Confusion, weakness, fatigue, and cognitive changes may occur Neurologic Lyme disease should remain in the differential diagnosis Lyme meningitis symptoms can include headache, fatigue, weakness, confusion, neurologic changes, and sometimes dementia-like symptoms. In some cases, Lyme disease may present […]

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? Can infection trigger autoimmunity? In rare cases, Lyme disease may contribute to immune dysregulation. Lupus-like symptoms can sometimes emerge after infection. 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

Lyme Carditis: Complete Heart Block May Be an Early Sign Lyme carditis can cause heart block, fainting, and palpitations Symptoms may appear even when classic Lyme signs are absent Early recognition may prevent unnecessary permanent pacemaker placement Lyme carditis often presents with non-specific symptoms, such as lightheadedness, syncope, dyspnea, palpitations, and chest pain, the authors

Lyme Disease Vision Loss: Eye Problems and Blurry Vision Vision symptoms may have many causes Lyme disease can occasionally affect the eyes and optic nerve Vision changes require careful evaluation Lyme disease vision loss is uncommon but may occur in some patients with neurologic or ocular involvement. Patients frequently ask whether Lyme disease can cause

Does Canada Have Lyme Disease? What Canadian Surveillance Reveals Lyme disease is reported across Canada Symptoms vary by age and region Early recognition remains important Does Canada have Lyme disease? Canadian surveillance data confirm that Lyme disease is reported across multiple provinces and can present with dermatologic, neurologic, cardiac, and arthritic manifestations. Murison and colleagues

Bartonella and Lyme Disease Mimicking ALS and MS: A Misdiagnosis Case Bartonella and Lyme disease mimicking ALS and MS is a recognized clinical challenge, particularly when neurologic symptoms worsen while testing remains inconclusive. For an overview, see Bartonella. In their article, “Bartonella- and Borrelia-Related Disease Presenting as a Neurological Condition Revealing the Need for Better

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Treatment in Pregnancy RMSF in pregnancy may present without a rash Delayed diagnosis can increase maternal and fetal risk Prompt doxycycline treatment remains critical A 37-year-old pregnant woman was admitted to the hospital at 31 weeks gestation due to severe headaches and fever that had persisted for one week. A few

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, shortness of breath, and serious complications. Babesia infection directly invades red blood cells and may occasionally trigger autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA), a condition

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Symptoms: Atypical Case RMSF symptoms may appear atypical early. Neurologic symptoms can complicate diagnosis. Early doxycycline treatment remains critical. Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) was initially identified in the Rocky Mountain region. However, cases are now reported throughout the United States, particularly in southeastern and south-central regions. Although RMSF is often