Lyme Science Blog

Lyme carditis diagnosis during a COVID-19 quarantine A 42-year-old man from New York City received a Lyme carditis diagnosis after quarantining in upstate New York during the COVID-19 pandemic. The case is discussed in the article “A curious case of Lyme carditis in an urban hospital,” by Brissett et al. 1 “Lyme carditis was a surprise […]

Powassan Virus: A Rare but Dangerous Tick-Borne Infection Powassan virus is a rare but serious tick-borne infection that can cause severe neurologic disease, including encephalitis and meningitis. Unlike Lyme disease, which may require prolonged tick attachment, Powassan virus transmission can occur rapidly. In their article “Underrecognized Tickborne Illnesses: Borrelia Miyamotoi and Powassan Virus”, Della-Giustina et

Can Lyme Disease Trigger an Autoimmune Disease? Can Lyme disease trigger an autoimmune disease? The relationship between Lyme disease and autoimmune conditions has been debated for years. Some researchers believe infections like Lyme disease may trigger immune responses that resemble autoimmune disease in certain patients. Others argue that many of these cases reflect ongoing infection

Can Lyme Disease Trigger Sarcoidosis? The relationship between Lyme disease and sarcoidosis has drawn increasing interest among researchers. Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disorder characterized by granulomas—clusters of immune cells that can affect multiple organs, most commonly the lungs and lymph nodes. According to the American Lung Association, an “infection or exposure to something in the

Tick Bites on Children: Why Prevention Is Failing Tick bites on children are more common than many parents realize. A 2021 study found that children younger than 9 years old account for the highest number of emergency department visits related to tick bites. A study published in April 2021 examined emergency department (ED) visits for

Powassan Virus Encephalitis: Does It Affect Everyone? Can Powassan virus encephalitis or other neurologic damage affect everyone who becomes infected? The Powassan virus (POWV) can be transmitted in as little as 15 minutes and is spread primarily through the bite of an infected deer tick. There is currently no specific treatment for Powassan virus infection,

How Long Does It Take to Get Lyme Disease After a Tick Bite? A study by Eisen and colleagues addressed a frequently asked question: How long does it take to get Lyme disease? According to their findings, the probability of becoming infected with Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb)—the bacterium that causes Lyme disease—increases the longer an infected

Maine woman dies from deer tick virus This case report describes an elderly woman from Maine, who was diagnosed post-mortem with a rare deer tick virus, known as the Powassan virus. The 72-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with myalgias, chills, and an erythema migrans rash on her left scapula. She reportedly had 2

Can Ticks Be Tested for Lyme Disease? Ticks can be tested for Lyme disease and other tick-borne pathogens. Laboratories may analyze a removed tick for Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium responsible for Lyme disease. However, the accuracy of tick testing may depend on whether the tick is engorged. A study by Gasmi et al. found that

Can Lyme Disease Cause Stomach Pain? Stomach pain can be a symptom of Lyme disease. In some cases, severe abdominal pain is not caused by a gastrointestinal disorder at all but by neurologic Lyme disease affecting the nerves that supply the abdominal wall. In one reported case, stomach pain from Lyme disease sent a 71-year-old