Lyme Science Blog

Treatment for Lyme Arthritis After Knee Replacement Treatment for Lyme arthritis typically involves antibiotic therapy and may prevent unnecessary orthopedic surgery. Doctors described a 67-year-old avid outdoorsman who developed Lyme arthritis after knee replacement surgery and was successfully treated with antibiotics. Ten months earlier, the patient had received a partial knee replacement of the left […]

Can Lyme Disease Cause Jaundice? Can Lyme disease cause jaundice? Although uncommon, Lyme disease has been reported to cause hyperbilirubinemia and jaundice in rare cases. Several case reports describe patients who developed severe jaundice before Lyme disease was recognized as the underlying cause. Lyme disease can affect multiple organ systems. In addition to common symptoms

Atypical Symptoms of Lyme Disease: Numbness, Paresthesia, and Abdominal Wall Weakness Lyme disease does not always present with classic symptoms such as joint pain, fever, or fatigue. In some patients, atypical symptoms of Lyme disease—including numbness, paresthesia, and abdominal wall weakness—may be the first signs of neurologic infection. Reda and colleagues describe a case highlighting

Subacute Transverse Myelitis Caused by Borrelia Infection Subacute transverse myelitis is a rare but serious neurologic complication that can occur with Lyme disease. The condition results from inflammation of the spinal cord and can be triggered by infections, including Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium responsible for Lyme disease. This rare complication falls within the broader spectrum

Lyme Carditis Heart Block in a Young Man: A Case Report Lyme carditis heart block can occur even in otherwise healthy young adults. In some cases, the first sign of Lyme disease is a disturbance in the heart’s electrical system that slows the heartbeat dangerously. When doctors dismiss symptoms as anxiety or assume someone is

Lyme Disease and Depression: A Case of Treatment-Resistant Depression in a Teenager Lyme disease and depression can be closely linked. Treatment-resistant depression in teenagers rarely prompts Lyme disease testing—even when accompanied by cognitive decline, academic failure, and a history of tick exposure. Neuropsychiatric symptoms—including depression, anxiety, irritability, and cognitive impairment—are increasingly recognized manifestations of neurologic

Atypical Lyme Disease Symptoms That Complicate Diagnosis Atypical Lyme disease symptoms can make diagnosing the infection difficult. While many clinicians recognize the classic erythema migrans “bull’s-eye” rash, some patients develop unusual rashes or other atypical findings that delay recognition of Lyme disease. Lyme disease can present with a broad range of symptoms. Many are familiar

POTS Brain Fog and Cognitive Deficits POTS brain fog is one of the most disabling symptoms reported by patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome — and it is especially common in patients who also have Lyme disease. A study by Wells and colleagues confirms what many patients already know: POTS brain fog involves measurable impairments

Gastrointestinal Lyme Disease and Gastroparesis Gastrointestinal Lyme disease symptoms may occur when the infection affects the autonomic nervous system. Patients may develop nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, reflux, and delayed stomach emptying known as gastroparesis. In their article, “Unique Case of Gastroparesis in a Chronic Lyme Disease Patient,” Qasawa et al. discuss the case of a

Lyme Arthritis After Surgery: Five Reported Cases Lyme arthritis can develop after orthopedic surgery and may be mistaken for postoperative infection. In a review of the medical literature, Hess and colleagues describe five cases in which patients developed Lyme arthritis after joint procedures. Hess et al. reported these cases to highlight an important diagnostic challenge