Lyme Science Blog

Doctors have also shared their frustration in a survey taken by Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious disease specialist and associate professor at the University of Alberta’s medical school. Lyme disease myths may lead to frustrations for doctors. The survey reported that “30% [of doctors] said they have been pressured to give antibiotics and almost 90% […]

Following is a list of the top blogs on Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses for 2019 according to our readers.  (Please click on the headline to read the complete Lyme disease blogs.) 1.) First report of Lyme disease causing mitral valve endocarditis There have been multiple reports documenting cardiac manifestations of Lyme disease, including

Can Controlled Burns Reduce Tick Populations? FEWER TICKS AFTER BURNS? DOES IT LAST? Can controlled burns reduce tick populations—and does the effect last? Quick Answer: Controlled burns may reduce tick density in the short term, but long-term effects are uncertain as vegetation and animal hosts return. Clinical Insight: Environmental strategies like controlled burns may help

Can Lyme Disease Be Fatal? When Untreated Lyme Carditis Leads to Death Quick Answer: Lyme disease is rarely fatal, but untreated Lyme carditis can lead to dangerous heart rhythm abnormalities and sudden death. When cardiac symptoms appear, antibiotics should not be delayed. Can you die from Lyme disease? While uncommon, untreated Lyme carditis can cause

Bannwarth Syndrome and Weight Loss: An Atypical Case of Neurologic Lyme Disease SEVERE BACK PAIN WITH NO CLEAR CAUSE? LYME DISEASE MAY PRESENT AS BANNWARTH SYNDROME “The pain was severe—and nothing explained it.” In some patients, Lyme disease presents not with fatigue or joint pain—but with intense nerve pain, weakness, and unusual systemic symptoms. Quick

Lyme Disease Treatment Guidelines Strike Out: An Editorial There is growing evidence supporting the existence and severity of chronic manifestations of Lyme disease despite recent treatment guidelines for Lyme disease. Treatment guidelines influence how physicians diagnose and treat patients across the United States, and when they fail to reflect emerging clinical evidence, patients with persistent

Is It a Heart Condition—or Lyme Disease in Children? Heart symptoms in a child? Is this a primary heart issue? Lyme disease can affect the heart. What if it’s not a primary heart condition? Chest pain, palpitations, fainting, or fatigue in children may be attributed to cardiac disease—but can reflect Lyme carditis. A national study

Can Lyme Disease Show Up on an MRI? What Brain Imaging Reveals Can Lyme disease show up on an MRI? Sometimes—but often it does not. Many patients with neurologic Lyme disease have normal brain imaging, even when symptoms such as brain fog, memory problems, or nerve pain are severe. Quick answer: Brain MRI in Lyme

C6 Peptide Test May Indicate Borrelia miyamotoi Infection POSITIVE C6 TEST—BUT WESTERN BLOT IS NEGATIVE? IT MAY NOT BE LYME DISEASE Quick Answer: A positive C6 peptide test with a negative Western blot may suggest Borrelia miyamotoi infection rather than Lyme disease. Clinical Insight: When laboratory results don’t match the clinical picture, alternative tick-borne infections

Treatment of Lyme Arthritis: Are DMARDs Appropriate? The decision to use DMARD therapy in Lyme arthritis depends on whether persistent infection has been adequately treated or excluded. The treatment of Lyme arthritis with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) remains controversial. DMARDs are designed to slow inflammatory disease progression, but their role in Lyme arthritis depends on