Lyme Science Blog

Investigators reviewed questionnaires from 778 Lyme disease patients treated at the Geisinger Clinic, a health system in Pennsylvania. The authors determined the length of time a patient was ill before seeking medical attention, and the length of time between seeking care for Lyme disease and receiving lyme treatment. They found that the amount of time […]

PERSPECTIVE A growing number of specialties have described a shift to utilizing telemedicine in their practices. “The global pandemic of COVID-19 has dramatically altered the delivery of rheumatology outpatient services because of the redeployment of staff and efforts to minimize infection risk to patients and clinicians in line with physical distancing guidance,” writes Yeoh and colleagues. “Departments

I have identified several factors that might have contributed to treatment delays in 15 Lyme disease patients. All 15 subjects failed their initial antibiotic treatment. In many cases, their illness could have been mitigated had diagnosis and treatment occurred in the early stages of the disease. These 15 patients were part of a case series

One of the most important clues to understanding brain fog in Lyme disease may come from an unexpected source: COVID-19 research. A study by Remsik and colleagues, published in Cancer Cell, examined 13 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who developed severe cognitive symptoms — confusion, headaches, memory loss, and in some cases psychosis and seizures. The

Eye problems in Lyme disease span a wide range of ophthalmologic manifestations, from mild conjunctivitis to vision-threatening complications. Understanding the full spectrum of ocular involvement helps clinicians recognize Lyme disease when it presents with eye symptoms. The degree and frequency of ocular signs and symptoms varies widely, and many of these manifestations are rare but

Tetracyclines, including doxycycline, are typically not recommended for treating young children with lyme disease because the antibiotic may cause permanent staining of the teeth, explains Wormser and colleagues in a recently published article, “Is Doxycycline Appropriate for Routine Treatment of Young Children With Erythema Migrans?” ¹ In the article, Wormser discusses the risk to benefit

In 2014, a small study found that some people may, in fact, develop strain-specific immunity to Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria causing Lyme disease. “Once infected with a particular strain of the disease-causing bacteria, humans appear to develop immunity against that strain that can last six to nine years,” the authors wrote. [1] Ask the Lyme

After 37 years treating Lyme disease, I’ve learned that when a Lyme disease flare occurs, patients notice a return of 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 in intensity. Understanding what triggers these flares is essential