What Is Bourbon Virus? Symptoms, Risk, and a Possible Treatment Breakthrough Bourbon virus is a rare but potentially serious tick-borne illness with no approved treatment. New research suggests a possible antiviral therapy—but human data are still limited. Rare infection. Severe symptoms. No proven treatment—yet. Most people have never heard of Bourbon virus. But for those […]

Powassan Virus in Maine: Prevalence and Tick-Borne Infection Risk Powassan virus in Maine is a growing concern. Although rare, the virus can be severe, with a fatality rate of approximately 10%. In 2013, a Maine woman died from the disease, and by 2017, 10 residents had been infected. An increase in cases of Powassan virus

Fatal Lyme Carditis: When Negative Tests Delay Diagnosis Fatal Lyme carditis can occur when early symptoms are missed and testing is negative. In this case, a 17-year-old from New York died after weeks of flu-like illness despite multiple medical evaluations. This case highlights a broader issue in Lyme disease: testing may be negative even when

Is It Polio—or a Tick-Borne Infection Like Powassan Virus? Polio-like symptoms? But tests are negative? A tick-borne virus may be missed. What if it’s not polio? Severe weakness, paralysis, and neurologic symptoms may resemble polio—but can reflect a tick-borne infection such as Powassan virus. While vacationing in rural Newfoundland, a man developed nausea, vomiting, abdominal

What Blood Type Do Ticks Prefer? What blood type do ticks prefer? A pilot study explored whether ticks are more attracted to certain human blood groups—and the findings may surprise you. To investigate this question, Žákovská and colleagues from Masaryk University in the Czech Republic conducted an in vitro study using blood samples placed on

Borrelia Persistence: The “Third Rail” of Lyme Disease Borrelia persistence remains one of the most debated and controversial questions in Lyme disease. A growing number of researchers are now examining whether the bacteria can remain active after standard antibiotic treatment in patients who continue to experience symptoms. The working group, led by Dr. John Aucott

When Children Are Told They Don’t Have Lyme Disease: Medically Unexplained Symptoms When children are told they don’t have Lyme disease, their symptoms are often labeled as medically unexplained. This can leave families without clear answers while symptoms persist. From the Archives (2019) This article reflects clinical observations from a period when families of children

Lyme Disease Consultations Common in France Lyme disease consultations are common in France, but not all patients are ultimately diagnosed with Lyme borreliosis. According to Haddad and colleagues, more than 1,000 individuals consulted one of three French centers for presumed Lyme borreliosis. However, only about 10% received a final diagnosis of Lyme disease. “The most

Babesia Early Lyme: When Co-infection Appears During Treatment Babesia early Lyme co-infection is more common than many clinicians realize. In a study of 52 patients with early Lyme disease, 4 (7.7%) had convincing evidence of Babesia microti co-infection, writes Wormser. These patients, along with 2 additional suspected cases, highlight why Babesia should be considered during

Lyme Neuroborreliosis in Children: 9 Cases and Key Symptoms Lyme neuroborreliosis in children remains uncommon but clinically important. “The exact prevalence of Lyme neuroborreliosis in France is unknown because reporting is not required,” Guet-Revillet explains. “Nevertheless, the condition appears to be rare.” Some children present with neurologic symptoms that resemble viral infections, delaying diagnosis. The