Lyme Science Blog

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 […]

Lyme Carditis in Children Is Rising—and It’s More Than Heart Block Cases are increasing Heart involvement is broader Costs are significantly higher Early recognition matters Lyme carditis in children is increasing across the United States. A national study highlights not only rising case numbers—but a broader range of cardiac complications than previously recognized. In their

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

Can the C6 Peptide Test Detect Borrelia miyamotoi? The C6 peptide Lyme test may cross-react with Borrelia miyamotoi. Negative Western blot results can complicate diagnosis. Additional testing may be needed after tick exposure and fever. A positive C6 Lyme disease test does not always confirm classic Lyme disease. Researchers have found that the C6 peptide

Lyme Arthritis Treatment: Methotrexate, DMARDs, and Persistent Symptoms Lyme arthritis treatment can be challenging Persistent joint symptoms may have more than one explanation Antibiotics, DMARDs, and shared decision-making require caution Lyme arthritis treatment becomes more complicated when joint symptoms persist after antibiotic therapy. Some patients may have ongoing infection, some may have post-infectious inflammation, and

Does Lyme Disease Show Up on MRI? Brain Lesions and Cognitive Symptoms Routine MRI findings may be normal Brain lesions can be nonspecific Advanced imaging may reveal hidden changes Many patients ask whether Lyme disease shows up on MRI or causes brain lesions. The answer is complicated. Routine MRI scans may appear normal even when

Delayed Antibiotics and Lyme Disease: What Are the Risks? Delays can change outcomes Early treatment matters Stewardship has trade-offs Timing may be critical Does delaying antibiotics affect outcomes? A large study suggests that delayed or withheld antibiotic treatment can significantly increase complications—and raises important questions for Lyme disease care. What the Study Found In a

Children With Lyme Disease: Delays and Challenges Parents of children with Lyme disease often describe a difficult path marked by delayed diagnosis, persistent symptoms, and frustration with the medical system. In fact, one study found that in Ontario, Canada adolescents ages 15 to 19 comprised the group most frequently hospitalized for Lyme disease.¹ The number

CDC Lyme Disease Criteria: Why Some Patients Do Not Meet Diagnostic Criteria CDC surveillance criteria are often confused with diagnosis Erythema migrans may be diagnosed clinically without testing Some Lyme presentations may not fit narrow diagnostic frameworks CDC surveillance criteria for Lyme disease are often misunderstood and may be confused with clinical diagnosis. Importantly, CDC

Hispanic Risk of Lyme Disease Hispanic risk of Lyme disease may be influenced by differences in access to care, awareness, and prevention practices. In their article, “Knowledge and prevention of tick-borne diseases among Hispanic and non-Hispanic residents of Maryland and Virginia,” Hu and colleagues found that Hispanics were more likely to have disseminated Lyme disease