Lyme Science Blog

Lyme Disease in Veterans: Symptoms, Co-Infections, and Missed Diagnoses Lyme disease in veterans may be underrecognized—especially when testing results are incomplete or misleading. In a study examining Lyme disease veterans receiving care through the Veterans Affairs system, investigators reviewed clinical and laboratory findings to better understand the presentation of Lyme disease and associated tick-borne infections. […]

Lyme Myelopathy: Acute Transverse Myelitis as a Treatable Cause Lyme disease is a rare but important—and potentially reversible—cause of acute transverse myelitis. Clinical signs and symptoms of acute transverse myelitis (ATM) depend on the region of the spinal cord involved, explain Kaiser and colleagues in a recent case report, “Lyme myelopathy: Case report and literature

Borrelia Miyamotoi Blood Smear: Why It Fails to Detect Infection A negative blood smear does not rule out Borrelia miyamotoi infection. Why Blood Smears Fail to Detect Borrelia miyamotoi Diagnosing Borrelia miyamotoi can be challenging. Some clinicians have suggested using blood smears to confirm infection. However, Telford and colleagues demonstrate that microscopy is not a

Opsoclonus in Lyme Disease: Erratic Eye Movements in a Child Opsoclonus—rapid, uncontrolled eye movements—is a rare neurologic manifestation of Lyme disease. Opsoclonus is typically associated with infection or malignancy, particularly neuroblastoma. However, it has rarely been reported in Lyme disease, explain Gibaud and colleagues in a case report “Opsoclonus in a child with neuroborreliosis.” [1]

Somatic Symptoms vs Depression in Lyme Disease Depression scores in Lyme disease patients may reflect physical symptoms rather than a primary mood disorder. A one-year prospective study followed 52 adult Lyme disease patients presenting with erythema migrans (EM). Participants reported symptoms including fatigue, headaches, joint pain, muscle pain, and cognitive complaints. Patients with more severe

Lyme Endocarditis Causing Mitral Valve Disease In March 2017, a 68-year-old man was admitted to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, with symptoms suggestive of advanced heart failure. “He had a chronic cough and progressive dyspnea, which were consistent with New York Heart Association class IV symptoms of heart failure,” writes Fatima. “He also had

Lyme Disease Without Rash: Why Symptoms Are Often Missed Lyme disease without a rash is more common than many patients and clinicians expect. When erythema migrans is absent or unrecognized, early symptoms may be overlooked—leading to missed or delayed diagnosis. Early Lyme disease often presents with nonspecific symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, mild cognitive changes,

Lyme Carditis Causing Complete Heart Block After Travel to Mexico Lyme carditis can cause life-threatening heart block—even without a rash or known tick bite. A previously healthy woman presented with sudden-onset dyspnea and chest pain. Four days earlier, she experienced a syncopal episode. Electrocardiogram (EKG) revealed a third-degree atrioventricular (AV) heart block. The patient, a

Elderly Lyme Disease Patients More Likely to Have Unfavorable Treatment Outcomes Older Lyme disease patients may have slower recovery and a higher risk of incomplete treatment response. The authors reviewed 1,220 patients across age groups, comparing disease course and long-term outcomes. The study included 224 elderly patients treated at the University Medical Center Ljubljana in

Do Lyme Disease Prevention Methods Really Work? What the Evidence Shows Do Lyme disease prevention methods actually work? Tick checks, repellents, and protective clothing are widely recommended—but the evidence supporting them is more limited and inconsistent than many expect. For a broader overview of prevention strategies, see Lyme disease prevention: what works and what doesn’t.