Lyme Science Blog

A Closer Look at Nature’s Most Unwelcome Parasites They’re small, stealthy, and surprisingly dangerous. Ticks have long held a place among the most loathed creatures in the natural world—and not without reason. While they may appear harmless at first glance, these tiny arachnids are capable of causing serious harm to both humans and animals. In […]

When we think of tick-borne illnesses like Babesia, we often picture outdoor exposure in wooded, high-risk areas. But what happens when Babesia shows up in someone who hasn’t been outdoors—and hasn’t been bitten by a tick? One recent case reminds us that Babesia can travel silently through the bloodstream, sometimes delivered unintentionally through a blood

In a letter to the editor published in the Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology, Varma SY and colleagues¹ describe a rare and clinically significant case of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) triggered by Lyme disease in a 50-year-old woman. This case highlights the complex interplay between infectious diseases and autoimmune disorders. Initial Presentation and Symptoms The

This case involved a 25-year-old woman who experienced progressive numbness and tingling, beginning in her torso and eventually affecting her entire body. Over a four-week period, her neurological symptoms worsened, including a decrease in her reflexes (hyporeflexia), prompting her to seek care at a neurology clinic. Notably, she lacked the hallmark features typically associated with

Creating a tick-proof yard is one of the most effective ways to lower the risk of tick bites and Lyme disease. Ticks thrive in shady, moist, overgrown environments—and by making small changes to your landscaping, you can make your yard far less welcoming to them. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help keep ticks away from

Babesia is increasingly recognized as a serious and sometimes overlooked tick-borne infection. While many patients and providers are aware of Lyme disease, they may not consider co-infections like Babesia—especially when symptoms persist after Lyme treatment. Here’s what you need to know. Case Study 1: Missed Co-Infection I had a patient who didn’t get better after

The Symptoms Seemed to Fit Dizzy when standing. A racing heart. Constant fatigue.The diagnosis? POTS—Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. My patient followed all the usual advice: increase salt, drink more fluids, wear compression gear. But the symptoms didn’t go away. They lingered. Some even got worse. Something didn’t add up. When the Diagnosis Isn’t the Final

The Chronic Lyme Disease Controversy  I’ve been treating chronic Lyme disease for 37 years. In that time, I’ve witnessed firsthand the struggles of patients whose symptoms didn’t resolve after the standard course of antibiotics. I’ve also seen how the medical community has been deeply divided on the existence of chronic Lyme disease. Many of my

Back pain is one of the most common complaints in medicine. For most people, it’s caused by something mechanical—disc degeneration, a pinched nerve, or muscle strain. But sometimes, the cause isn’t physical at all. I had a patient whose back pain defied every explanation—until we found an answer where no one had thought to look: