Lyme Science Blog

Tick Bite Red Meat Allergy: What Is Alpha-Gal Syndrome? Quick Answer: A tick bite can trigger a delayed allergy to red meat known as alpha-gal syndrome, causing reactions hours after eating beef, pork, or lamb. Clinical Insight: Unlike typical food allergies, alpha-gal reactions are delayed—often occurring several hours after eating—making diagnosis difficult. Can a tick […]

Congenital Babesiosis: Transmission Risk in Infants of Mothers with Lyme Can Babesia be passed from mother to infant during pregnancy? Congenital babesiosis is rare but clinically significant. Two infants born to mothers with Lyme disease during pregnancy developed Babesia infections, highlighting the risk of unrecognized coinfection. These represent the first reported cases in which mothers

Borrelia miyamotoi in Canada: 10% Infection Rate Raises Coinfection Concerns Borrelia miyamotoi Canada cases may be more common than previously recognized. In a study from Manitoba, Kadkhoda and colleagues tested blood samples from 250 individuals with suspected or confirmed Lyme disease. Samples were collected between 2011 and 2014. The results were notable: 10% of participants

Babesia microti in Suffolk County: High Prevalence in Ticks Babesia microti Suffolk County infections are a growing concern, with tick surveillance studies showing high prevalence across multiple sites in New York and Connecticut. Babesia microti is a growing concern in Suffolk County, New York. Ticks were collected in 2015 and 2016 by tick dragging at

Ketamine for PTLDS Pain: Can It Help Refractory Lyme Symptoms? Ketamine PTLDS pain management may offer relief for patients with refractory symptoms when standard therapies fail. A 31-year-old woman with post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS) had pain that was refractory to radiofrequency ablation, vitamin infusion therapy, opioid analgesics, and other pharmacotherapies. Her pain began gradually

Lyme Disease Suicide Risk: An Underrecognized Patient Group Lyme disease suicide risk remains underrecognized despite growing evidence linking Lyme-associated diseases with psychiatric symptoms, including depression and suicidality. Bransfield’s colleagues from Howard University, Rush University Medical Center, and the University of North Dakota agree with his assessment, stating, “We would like to applaud the author for

Borrelia burgdorferi South America: Evidence Found in Brazil Borrelia burgdorferi South America findings provide important evidence supporting Lyme-like illness in Brazil and highlight gaps in surveillance. According to investigators, 2 of 35 Ixodes spp ticks tested positive for B. burgdorferi sensu lato (Bb s.l.). [1] This discovery was not entirely unexpected, given prior reports of

Chronic Lyme Disease Controversy: Doctors Seek Answers Chronic Lyme disease controversy continues as physicians debate the quality of evidence and the need for better treatment studies. Greenberg’s Letter to the Editor states, “The recently published article by Shapiro et al hoped to be topical in this age of ‘alternative facts’ but fell short, providing mainly

Pediatric PTLDS Symptoms: Children Remain Ill After Lyme Treatment Pediatric PTLDS symptoms can persist in some children after Lyme disease treatment, leaving families and clinicians searching for answers. The authors of a Netherlands study concluded that persistent symptoms were not due to active infection, largely because they lasted longer than 6 months. “As more than

Transfusion Transmitted Babesiosis in Non-Endemic States Transfusion transmitted babesiosis is an emerging risk even in regions where Babesia is not considered endemic, raising concerns about coinfections and blood supply safety. Transfusion-transmitted babesiosis (TTB) is a growing concern — even in states where Babesia isn’t endemic. Cases have been reported in Maryland, South Carolina, and Nebraska,