Neurological manifestations of Babesiosis
Babesiosis is an infectious disease caused by Babesia, microscopic parasites that infect a person’s red blood cells. Babesia can be transmitted through the bite of an infected deer tick. In their study, Venigalla and colleagues highlight the severe neurologic symptoms which occurred in two individuals with the disease. [1]
Mother describes challenges in getting treatment for newborn with Lyme disease
In the Canadian Medical Association Journal, Victoria Saigle, a nurse, described the difficulties in getting the care she needed for her newborn child (only 4 lbs.) with Lyme disease. [1] She is not alone.
Can Lyme disease trigger a cascade of costly, unnecessary tests?
In an article published in JAMA Internal Medicine, Dr. Meredith Niess described a case where routine medical tests triggered a cascade of costly, unnecessary care.
Anesthetic concerns for Lyme disease patients
Some Lyme disease patients require anesthetic evaluation before a procedure. Tammy Smit, MSNA, CRNA discussed a helpful approach for patients who required anesthesia for a surgical procedure in the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) journal. [1]
Lyme disease and herxheimer reaction in newborn
The Herxheimer reaction, also referred to as a Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction, is "a transient clinical phenomenon that occurs in patients infected by spirochetes who undergo antibiotic treatment."¹ It was first described in patients with syphilis but has also been associated with other spirochetal infections including leptospirosis, Lyme disease, and relapsing fever. The reaction is associated with the onset of new symptoms or a worsening of existing symptoms in patients receiving antibiotic treatment.
Successful removal of pacemakers in patients with Lyme carditis
Some patients with Lyme carditis may require a pacemaker for conduction abnormalities. In a recent study, investigators described the successful removal of pacemakers in two patients with Lyme carditis who recovered normal atrioventricular node conduction.
Neck pain in a child with Lyme disease due to radiculoneuritis
Doctors typically look for Bell’s palsy or erythema migrans rash when diagnosing Lyme disease. However, Baker and colleagues described a 10-year-old boy with Lyme disease with neck pain without Bell’s palsy or an erythema migrans rash. [1]
‘Near-universal’ negative experiences with healthcare providers reported by Lyme disease patients
Lyme disease can be a challenging illness for both physicians and their patients. In an article entitled “Knowing the entire story - a focus group study on patient experiences with chronic Lyme-associated symptoms (chronic Lyme disease),” Baarsma et al. share various perspectives of self-identified chronic Lyme disease patients from the Dutch Lyme community.
Lyme meningitis leading to hyponatremia
In their article “A Tick-borne Cause of Hyponatremia: SIADH Due to Lyme Meningitis,” Windpessl and colleagues describe a patient who was initially treated for sudden onset of shoulder pain associated with hyponatremia but later diagnosed with Lyme meningitis. [1]
Lyme arthritis with rheumatoid arthritis leads to poor quality of life
Lyme Arthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis can greatly impair a person’s quality of life. A recent study examines survey results from 90 patients to assess the levels of impairment for patients with both these conditions.
