Lyme Science Blog

Lyme Disease Public Health Failure: Lessons From Malaria Control Lyme disease public health failure stands in stark contrast to the success of malaria control efforts in the United States. This raises a critical question: why did malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases elicit effective national interventions, while Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses have not? Lyme […]

What Diseases Do Ticks Carry? Multiple Infections Explained Ticks can transmit multiple infectious agents, making them one of the most important vectors of disease in the United States. “Besides the rise in the number of cases of Lyme disease, caused by genospecies of the Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. complex, important tick-borne diseases also include anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis,

Can Lyme Disease Be Misdiagnosed as Somatic Symptom Disorder in Children? Persistent symptoms may be attributed to psychiatric causes A pediatric study reclassified children with suspected Lyme disease The findings highlight challenges in Lyme disease misdiagnosis Can Lyme Disease Be Misdiagnosed? Can Lyme disease be misdiagnosed as somatic symptom disorder? The question remains controversial. Patients

Can Lyme Disease Cause Knee Pain? Why It’s Often Missed Lyme disease knee pain can mimic arthritis, sports injuries, or overuse conditions—making it one of the most commonly missed presentations of tick-borne illness. Clinical Insight: Knee pain in Lyme disease may present with swelling, intermittent symptoms, or fluctuating severity—patterns that differ from typical orthopedic injury.

POTS and Lyme Disease: Symptoms Often Mistaken for Anxiety POTS causes dizziness, rapid heart rate, and fatigue—especially when standing. In Lyme disease patients, these symptoms are frequently mistaken for anxiety. Recognizing the autonomic pattern is the first step toward accurate diagnosis. POTS and Lyme disease may be linked through autonomic dysfunction. Many patients experience symptoms

Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Cases Could Reach 2 Million Post-treatment Lyme disease cases are rising, and a 2019 study estimates that nearly 2 million Americans may be affected. This growing number highlights a critical gap in Lyme disease care: many patients continue to experience symptoms despite standard treatment. For a significant number of patients, standard antibiotic

Can Lyme Disease Cause AFib? Lyme Carditis and Atrial Fibrillation AFib may rarely occur with Lyme carditis Heart rhythm changes can precede classic findings Early recognition may improve outcomes Patients frequently ask whether Lyme disease can cause atrial fibrillation (AFib). Lyme carditis is more commonly associated with atrioventricular (AV) block, but rare presentations involving atrial

Asian Longhorned Tick: Symptoms, Diseases, and the New Tick Spreading in America A newer tick species continues spreading in the U.S. Researchers are still learning its health risks Human bites may help identify where it is spreading The Asian longhorned tick is a newer tick species spreading across the United States. Patients commonly ask whether

Military Tick Bite Risk: Evidence From a German Army Study Military training increases tick exposure Risk varies by season and environment Prevention remains important in endemic regions The authors examined the incidence of tick bites among military personnel specifically occurring during field training and the rate of complications resulting from the bite. Military tick bite

1H-MRS Early Lyme Neuroborreliosis: Brain Injury Missed by MRI 1H-MRS early Lyme neuroborreliosis may reveal neurologic damage that is not visible on standard MRI scans. This raises an important clinical concern: patients with Lyme disease symptoms can include neurologic complaints even when conventional imaging appears normal. The authors conducted a study to determine whether 1H-MRS