How serious is Babesia?
In some individuals, a Babesia infection can be fatal or cause serious complications in immunocompromised patients. In others, it can be asymptomatic and go unrecognized. In this study, investigators demonstrate how difficult it can be to eradicate Babesia.
Top 10 blogs for 2022!
The top 10 blogs for 2022 covered a range of topics, including treatments for Babesia; symptoms associated with anaplasmosis and Borrelia miyamotoi; misdiagnosis of Lyme disease and unusual symptom presentations such as vertigo and hearing loss.
Can Lyme disease mess with your thyroid?
Only a handful of studies have described an association between Lyme disease and thyroid dysfunction, while even fewer have shown Lyme disease to cause both thyroiditis and carditis.
MRI can help identify Lyme arthritis in children, avoid unnecessary surgery
In their article “Lyme Arthritis in the Pediatric Knee: Clinical and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Differentiators,” Yen and colleagues examine the usefulness of MRI testing in diagnosing Lyme arthritis in children and adolescents. [1]
Lyme disease presents as brachial plexopathy and meningitis
In this case report, the authors describe a 76-year-old man who was admitted to the hospital several times with escalating severity of symptoms which included arm and neck pain, body aches, headaches and night sweats.
Why are doctors reluctant to treat Lyme disease?
It can be extremely challenging for patients to locate a physician who is trained in treating Lyme disease or even, willing to treat the illness. So, why all the reluctance by clinicians?
Are Lyme disease patients at greater risk for developing severe COVID-19?
Cancer, chronic kidney diseases, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension have been associated with severe COVID-19, wrote Ng and colleagues in the journal mBio. [1] Could Lyme disease increase the risk of severe COVID-19?
Prolonged Babesia infection in patient with asplenia
Babesia is an increasingly common tick-borne illness which can be transmitted by the black-legged tick, the same type of tick that carries Lyme disease, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasmosis. Individuals infected with the Babesia parasite can be asymptomatic or may present with malaise, fatigue, fever, headache, chills, sweats, weight loss, and myalgia. The risk of a prolonged infection is increased in patients after splenectomy, as this study highlights.
Illinois clinicians demonstrate gaps in understanding of tick-borne co-infections
A tick bite can lead to an individual contracting Lyme disease and/or another tick-borne illness. Results from a recent survey of clinicians practicing in Illinois found gaps in understanding of Lyme disease and co-infections.
Powassan virus encephalitis contracted during winter months
Most individuals with Powassan virus are asymptomatic but the virus can cause serious complications, penetrating the central nervous system and causing severe encephalitis or meningitis. Investigators explore the case of a 62-year-old man who contracted the virus through a tick bite he received during the winter months, outside normal tick season.