Lyme Science Blog

What Is Chronic Lyme Disease? Chronic Lyme disease refers to a multisystem illness with persistent or recurring symptoms following infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease. Shor and colleagues identified a broad range of symptoms, signs, and medical conditions present in patients with acute and chronic Lyme disease. These manifestations were observed […]

Lyme Disease Cluster at a North Carolina Camp A cluster of Lyme disease cases in children attending a wilderness camp in North Carolina highlights the growing risk of Lyme disease in the southern United States. The number of tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease, has been steadily rising as tick populations expand into new territories. One

Causes of Long-Term Lyme Disease Symptoms Long-term Lyme disease symptoms may arise from a complex interaction between infection, immune response, and inflammation. Many patients continue to experience fatigue, pain, and cognitive symptoms months or years after initial infection. These symptoms are often difficult to explain through standard testing alone. Understanding the underlying mechanisms—rather than focusing

Breast Cancer and Lyme Disease: One Woman’s Message Patients living with Lyme disease often experience a wide range of symptoms. Because the illness can affect many body systems, it can sometimes be difficult to know when a new symptom is related to Lyme disease—or when it may represent something entirely different. One woman’s experience illustrates

Low Awareness of Lyme Disease in Canada, Survey Finds Awareness of Lyme disease in Canada remains surprisingly low, even among people who spend large amounts of time outdoors. Researchers surveyed 137 participants from 11 professional and recreational organizations across New Brunswick between December 2018 and February 2019 to better understand knowledge of Lyme disease in

What Is a Lyme Literate Doctor (LLMD)? What is a Lyme literate doctor (LLMD)—and why do so many patients search for one? Many people turn to this term when symptoms don’t fit a single diagnosis or standard testing hasn’t provided answers. Many patients searching for a Lyme literate doctor (LLMD) are looking for a physician

Do Antibiotics Work for Lyme Disease? Evidence and Studies Antibiotics for Lyme disease are widely used, but an important question remains: do they help patients who present primarily with non-specific symptoms? An article entitled “Antibiotic treatment in patients that present with solely non-specific symptoms and positive serology at a Lyme centre,” published in the European

Flaws in Lyme Disease Clinical Trials: ALDF Article Critiqued Debate continues over whether persistent symptoms after Lyme disease treatment may reflect ongoing infection. An article from the American Lyme Disease Foundation (ALDF) argues that clinical trials show no evidence of persistent infection, but important limitations of those trials are often overlooked. Dr. Phillip Baker, former

Is Suppressing Immunity Harmful to Lyme Disease Patients? Some Lyme disease patients take medications that suppress the immune system to treat autoimmune or inflammatory diseases. But does suppressing immunity worsen Lyme disease? A study examining Lyme disease patients receiving tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) inhibitors found these individuals were more likely to develop complications and treatment