Lyme Science Blog

Lyme Disease Misdiagnosis: Why Diagnosis Is Often Delayed SYMPTOMS DON’T ADD UP? SEEN MULTIPLE DOCTORS? COULD THIS BE MISSED LYME DISEASE? Lyme disease misdiagnosis is common, and many patients experience long delays before receiving the correct diagnosis—even when symptoms begin early. Many patients face years of misdiagnosis before Lyme disease is recognized. A study by […]

Can Babesia Be Missed on Testing? When Diagnosis Is Clinical Can Babesia tests be negative even if you’re infected? Yes—and this is one of the most common challenges in diagnosing tick-borne infections. Patients may have symptoms consistent with Babesia, yet blood smears, PCR, and antibody tests come back negative. In these cases, diagnosis may depend

Severe Lyme Carditis in a 15-Year-Old Boy Severe Lyme carditis in an adolescent can present with life-threatening arrhythmias requiring emergency intervention. A 15-year-old boy with a heart rate of 300 beats per minute developed ventricular tachycardia requiring cardioversion and temporary pacing. After antibiotic treatment, his heart block resolved completely, and he remained symptom-free at one-year

Could Race Affect the Diagnosis and Treatment of Lyme Disease? Race and Lyme disease diagnosis may influence delays in care, access to treatment, and clinical outcomes. Using data from Geisinger electronic medical records, researchers identified 9,657 Lyme disease cases diagnosed between 2006 and 2014 in central and northeastern Pennsylvania. Are African-Americans less likely to be

Babesia Clinical Presentations: A Case of Variable Symptoms Babesia clinical presentations can vary widely, ranging from mild symptoms to severe neurologic and systemic illness. A woman was admitted to the emergency room with fever, chills, lethargy, fatigue, and marked changes in sensorium. Clinicians initially suspected sepsis, but she was later diagnosed with concurrent Babesia and

Could a Blood Transfusion Transmit Lyme Disease? Lyme disease is primarily spread by tick bites But transmission through blood has been questioned Borrelia can survive in stored blood under certain conditions Human transmission through transfusion has not been confirmed Could Lyme disease be transmitted through a blood transfusion? The risk remains theoretical but biologically plausible.

How Effective Is Permethrin-Treated Clothing in Preventing Tick Bites? Works well at first Protection declines with washing Not complete protection How effective is permethrin-treated clothing? It can reduce tick exposure—but it does not prevent all tick bites and should not be relied on alone. Many people assume treated clothing provides full protection. The reality is

Are Southern Nymphal Deer Ticks Hiding? Southern nymphal deer ticks may behave differently than those in the Northeast, potentially reducing human exposure. In their article, Tietjen and colleagues from Texas A&M University explored whether immature stages of Ixodes scapularis reside in leaf litter or soil rather than on vegetation. Researchers collected samples of leaf litter,

Lyme Disease Mimics Prosthetic Joint Infection After Knee Replacement Lyme disease can mimic prosthetic joint infection, leading to unnecessary surgery and delayed diagnosis. An 83-year-old man from Pennsylvania was admitted with knee pain, erythema, and fever for 3 days. Examination revealed a moderate effusion and limited range of motion in a knee that had undergone

Delayed Babesia Diagnosis: Why Follow-Up Visits Matter A delayed Babesia diagnosis can occur when symptoms emerge after initial Lyme disease treatment, highlighting the importance of follow-up care. Doctors treated a 67-year-old woman for early Lyme disease with a 21-day course of amoxicillin after she presented with an erythema migrans rash. (She was allergic to doxycycline.)