Lyme Science Blog

Can Lyme Disease Cause Speech Problems or Slurred Speech? Speech problems in Lyme disease may reflect neurologic dysfunction Patients may struggle with word finding, fluency, or slurred speech Cognitive slowing and neuroinflammation may contribute to symptoms Speech problems in Lyme disease may include slurred speech, word-finding difficulty, slowed verbal processing, stuttering, or trouble expressing thoughts […]

Black Children More Likely to Be Diagnosed Later With Lyme Disease Studies suggest that Black children may be more likely to receive a later diagnosis of Lyme disease compared with white children. Delayed recognition of early Lyme disease may contribute to higher rates of disseminated infection at the time of diagnosis. One study found that

Erythema Migrans Rash: Not Always a Bull’s-Eye Erythema migrans rash is often not a bull’s-eye Many Lyme rashes look different than expected Recognition may improve early diagnosis In the study “The Spectrum of Erythema Migrans in Early Lyme Disease: Can We Improve Its Recognition?”, investigators examined images of lesions from 69 participants, including 43 men

Can Babies Be Born With Lyme Disease? Lyme disease during pregnancy raises important questions Symptoms during pregnancy may be overlooked or delayed Early recognition and treatment may improve outcomes Can babies be born with Lyme disease? This question remains one of the most debated topics surrounding Lyme disease during pregnancy. Researchers continue studying whether Lyme

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 Relapse Despite Treatment Chronic Babesia may persist despite treatment Immunocompromised patients face higher relapse risk Persistent parasitemia may require prolonged therapy Chronic Babesia can be difficult to eradicate in some patients, particularly those who are immunocompromised or have underlying hematologic disorders. While many individuals improve with standard therapy, others experience

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 thyroiditis may occasionally occur when infection triggers inflammation affecting multiple systems. In the article

Lyme Arthritis vs Septic Arthritis in Children: Can MRI Help? Symptoms can overlap closely Children may appear seriously ill MRI may guide decisions Distinguishing Lyme arthritis from septic arthritis in children can be challenging because both conditions may present with fever, knee swelling, elevated inflammatory markers, and difficulty walking. Researchers examined whether MRI findings could

Lyme Disease Brachial Plexopathy: Arm Weakness and Nerve Pain Brachial plexopathy may occur in Lyme neuroborreliosis. Arm weakness, radicular pain, and meningitis can overlap. Tick exposure may go unrecognized. Lyme disease brachial plexopathy is an uncommon neurologic presentation that may initially resemble cervical radiculopathy, peripheral neuropathy, or other nerve disorders. In one published case, a