Lyme Science Blog

The Many Presentations of the Lyme Disease Rash The Lyme disease rash, known as erythema migrans (EM), can appear in many different forms. While many people associate Lyme disease with the classic bull’s-eye rash, research shows that most Lyme disease rashes look very different from this textbook pattern. In the study “The Spectrum of Erythema […]

How Can Lyme Disease Affect Babies? Lyme disease during pregnancy has raised concerns about possible effects on maternal health and infant outcomes. In a recent study examining Lyme disease pregnancy outcomes, researchers used an international cross-sectional survey to explore how Lyme disease occurring during or around pregnancy may affect both mothers and their children. Participants

How common is Lyme carditis in patients referred for pacemaker implantation? In the study “Prevalence of Lyme Carditis in Patients with Atrioventricular Blocks,” Kaczmarek and colleagues aim to identify patients in whom Lyme carditis (LC) should be considered as the underlying cause of AV conduction disturbances.¹ Investigators examined 130 patients with AVB who had been

Chronic Babesia: Why Some Infections Won’t Clear For a complete overview of Babesia symptoms, testing, and treatment, visit our Babesia and Lyme disease guide. Chronic babesia infection is one of the most challenging conditions to treat—especially in immunocompromised patients. Patients with chronic or relapsing Babesia often report recurring symptoms such as night sweats, air hunger,

Top Lyme Disease Blogs of 2022 These top Lyme disease blogs of 2022 were the most popular articles for readers during the year. The list highlights important clinical insights about Lyme disease, Babesia, Borrelia miyamotoi, anaplasmosis, and other tick-borne illnesses. Click on the headline to read the full blog. Top Lyme Disease Blogs of 2022

Can Lyme Disease Affect the Thyroid? What to Know About Thyroiditis Can Lyme disease affect the thyroid? In rare cases, infection with Borrelia burgdorferi has been associated with autoimmune thyroiditis—raising important questions about how infection may influence immune function. Lyme disease and thyroid problems may occasionally occur together, particularly when infection triggers inflammation affecting multiple

MRI Helps Identify Lyme Arthritis, Avoid Child Surgery Fourteen children underwent knee surgery for what doctors thought was septic arthritis—but all 14 actually had Lyme disease. Yen and colleagues examined whether MRI imaging could have prevented these unnecessary surgical procedures in pediatric patients with acute knee effusion. The study reviewed medical records and MRI scans

Lyme Disease Brachial Plexopathy: Arm Weakness and Radicular Pain ARM WEAKNESS SHOCK-LIKE PAIN? COULD THIS BE LYME DISEASE? Lyme disease brachial plexopathy can present as progressive arm weakness, neck pain, and shock-like pains radiating from the shoulders. A 76-year-old man developed left arm weakness following what he believed was a mosquito bite. He was initially

Why Are Doctors Reluctant to Treat Lyme Disease? Why are doctors reluctant to treat Lyme disease? Many clinicians face regulatory pressure, professional stigma, insurance barriers, and the clinical complexity of managing persistent Lyme symptoms. Doctors may be reluctant to treat Lyme disease when symptoms persist beyond standard treatment—especially when care requires time-intensive, individualized evaluation. These

Are Lyme disease patients at greater risk for developing severe COVID-19? A new study looks at the risk of severe COVID-19 in patients with a history of exposure to Lyme disease. In their study “Correlation between COVID-19 severity and previous exposure of patients to Borrelia spp.,” Szewczyk‑Dąbrowska et al.² examined 3 groups of patients: those