Lyme Science Blog

Lyme Meningitis and Hyponatremia: A Missed Clue Can Lyme disease cause low sodium? It can through SIADH. And the diagnosis is often delayed. Lyme meningitis hyponatremia is an uncommon but important clinical presentation that may be overlooked. Hyponatremia—low sodium levels in the blood—can occur in many conditions, including disorders of the central nervous system. However, […]

Lyme Disease or Rheumatoid Arthritis? How to Tell the Difference Quick Answer: Lyme disease can mimic rheumatoid arthritis, causing joint pain, stiffness, and fatigue—but Lyme is driven by infection, not autoimmune inflammation. Clinical Insight: When joint symptoms don’t follow a typical autoimmune pattern—or don’t respond to treatment—it may be important to consider Lyme disease. Joint

Bullous Erythema Migrans: An Atypical Lyme Disease Rash Erythema migrans rash does not always appear as the classic bull’s-eye lesion associated with Lyme disease. Several reports have described urticarial, linear, granulomatous, and bullous variants, which can lead to misidentification, delayed diagnosis, and delayed treatment. In their article, “Vesiculobullous Lyme disease: A case series,” the authors

Doxycycline After Tick Bite: Does It Prevent Lyme? A single dose of doxycycline is often recommended after a tick bite to prevent Lyme disease. However, the evidence supporting this strategy is limited and primarily shows a reduction in the Lyme disease rash known as erythema migrans rather than reliable prevention of Lyme disease itself. Deciding

Fatal Babesiosis Without Classic Risk Factors: A Missed Warning Symptoms worsened over two weeks No tick exposure was reported Severe infection led to rapid decline and death A man presented to the emergency department with fatigue, generalized weakness, and intermittent subjective fevers that had worsened over a 2-week period. He also reported headaches, vision changes,

Meningoencephalitis Borrelia Miyamotoi: Case Report Meningoencephalitis Borrelia Miyamotoi: Case ReportMeningoencephalitis Borrelia miyamotoi can occur even in immunocompetent patients. A 73-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with a 16-day history of confusion and intermittent headaches. He was an avid gardener and reportedly had tick bites in the past but none that he noticed in the

Tick Bite Red Meat Allergy: Alpha-Gal Syndrome Explained ALLERGIC TO MEAT AFTER A TICK BITE? SYMPTOMS HOURS AFTER EATING? COULD THIS BE ALPHA-GAL SYNDROME? A tick bite can trigger a red meat allergy known as alpha-gal syndrome—a delayed immune reaction that many patients do not immediately connect to prior tick exposure. “I ate meat my

COVID-19: When Lyme disease and tick-borne illnesses may not be considered The woman presented with fever, myalgias, diarrhea, and a dry cough. The authors discuss the risk of premature closure in such cases. “Premature closure refers to forming a conclusion and stopping the diagnostic assessment too early in the diagnostic process, in which case alternative

Babesia: Symptoms, Treatment, and Congenital Transmission Can Babesia Be Passed From Mother to Baby? Yes. Babesia can be transmitted during pregnancy, though it is rare. This case shows that one twin may be infected while the other is not. Babesia is a tick-borne infection that primarily affects red blood cells and commonly causes anemia, along

Lyme Disease in Pregnancy: Risks to the Baby and What to Watch For Can Lyme disease affect your baby? Is congenital Lyme disease possible? Here’s what pregnant women need to know. Lyme disease in pregnancy raises important questions about risks to both the mother and the developing baby. While many pregnancies result in healthy outcomes,