Does a History of Lyme Disease Increase the Risk of Severe COVID-19?
Researchers found higher rates of Borrelia antibodies in hospitalized COVID-19 patients
The findings suggest an association between prior tick-borne infections and severe COVID-19
The study does not establish causation
A new study examined whether a history of Lyme disease or exposure to Borrelia species might be associated with severe COVID-19. In their study “Correlation between COVID-19 severity and previous exposure of patients to Borrelia spp.”, Szewczyk-Dąbrowska and colleagues investigated whether Borrelia antibodies were more common among patients hospitalized with COVID-19 compared with individuals who experienced mild infections or were never infected with SARS-CoV-2.2
The investigators evaluated three groups of participants:
- Patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19
- Patients with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 managed at home
- Individuals who had never been infected with SARS-CoV-2
The authors identified previous Borrelia exposure using a 19-antigen antibody test.
Borrelia Antibodies Were More Common in Severe COVID-19
The most striking finding was that every hospitalized COVID-19 patient tested positive for Borrelia burgdorferi-specific IgG antibodies.
“The testing revealed that all patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 disease were positive for Borrelia burgdorferi-specific IgG (31 out of 31).”
The study found:
- Severe COVID-19 (hospitalized): 31 positive for Borrelia antibodies out of 31 patients
- Mild or asymptomatic COVID-19: 19 positive out of 28 patients
- No SARS-CoV-2 infection: 8 positive out of 28 participants
The incidence of positive Borrelia antibody tests was lower among participants who were not hospitalized for COVID-19.
“Increased levels of Borrelia-specific IgGs strongly correlated with COVID-19 severity and risk of hospitalization. This suggests that a history of tick bites and related infections may contribute to the risks in COVID-19.”
The authors concluded that previous exposure to Borrelia may be associated with a greater likelihood of severe COVID-19 illness.
Hospitalized Patients Were Also More Likely to Have Evidence of Anaplasma Exposure
The investigators reported that hospitalized COVID-19 patients were also more likely to test positive for antibodies associated with Anaplasma exposure.
According to the authors, this finding further supports the possibility that prior tick-borne infections may influence COVID-19 severity.
Learn more about Lyme disease coinfections and how multiple tick-borne infections can complicate illness.
Could Lyme Disease Affect the Immune Response to COVID-19?
The authors proposed several possible explanations for the association.
- “… prolonged Lyme disease might affect the immune system, decreasing its efficacy in antiviral responses in the viral infection.”
- “… co-stimulation from both B. burgdorferi and SARS-CoV-2 may result in even more pronounced excessive inflammatory response and a higher risk of severe COVID-19.”
- “Screening for antibodies targeting Borrelia may contribute to accurately assessing the odds of hospitalization for SARS-CoV-2 infected patients.”
One theory is that prolonged Lyme disease or prior tick-borne infections could alter immune function in a way that affects antiviral responses. Another possibility is that immune activation associated with both Borrelia exposure and COVID-19 could contribute to a stronger inflammatory response in some patients.
Additional discussion of immune mechanisms can be found in our review of persistent Lyme disease mechanisms.
What Does This Study Actually Show?
The authors emphasized that correlation does not establish causation.
Diagnostic testing for Lyme disease has limitations, and a positive Borrelia antibody test does not necessarily indicate active infection. The study demonstrates an association between Borrelia antibodies and severe COVID-19, but it does not prove that Lyme disease directly causes more severe COVID-19 outcomes.
Additional studies using different diagnostic methods and larger populations will be needed to determine whether prior tick-borne infections independently contribute to COVID-19 severity.
For additional discussion, see our article on experiences of individuals with a history of Lyme disease who contracted COVID-19.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a history of Lyme disease increase the risk of severe COVID-19?
This study found an association between Borrelia antibodies and severe COVID-19, but it did not establish that Lyme disease directly causes worse COVID-19 outcomes.
Were all hospitalized COVID-19 patients positive for Borrelia antibodies?
In this study, all 31 hospitalized COVID-19 patients tested positive for Borrelia burgdorferi-specific IgG antibodies.
Does a positive Borrelia antibody test prove active Lyme disease?
No. Antibody testing generally reflects previous exposure and does not necessarily indicate active infection.
Did the study identify other tick-borne infections?
Yes. Hospitalized COVID-19 patients were also more likely to have evidence of Anaplasma exposure.
Can Lyme disease affect the immune system?
Researchers have proposed that Lyme disease may influence immune responses in some individuals, but additional studies are needed to determine whether this contributes to severe COVID-19.
Clinical Takeaway
This study found a strong association between Borrelia antibodies and severe COVID-19, with all hospitalized patients testing positive for Borrelia burgdorferi-specific IgG antibodies.
Although the findings do not prove causation, they raise important questions about whether a history of tick-borne infections could influence the risk of severe COVID-19 and warrant further investigation.
Related Articles
COVID-19: When Lyme Disease and Tick-Borne Illnesses May Not Be Considered
Podcast: No Lyme Disease Evaluation as Part of Post-COVID Assessment?
Brain Fog in Lyme Disease
Autonomic Dysfunction in Lyme Disease
References
- Ng WH, Tipih T, Makoah NA, et al. Comorbidities in SARS-CoV-2 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. mBio. 2021;12(1).
- Szewczyk-Dąbrowska A, Strzelecki D, Młynarczyk G, et al. Correlation Between COVID-19 Severity and Previous Exposure of Patients to Borrelia spp. Sci Rep. 2022;12(1):15944.
Dr. Daniel Cameron, MD, MPH
Lyme disease clinician with over 30 years of experience and past president of ILADS.
Symptoms • Testing • Coinfections • Recovery • Pediatric • Prevention
I have tested positive for Lyme disease, earlier this year I was hospitalised with Covid 19. I would like to point out that it would not have taken a study to come to the conclusion that people with Lyme disease are more at risk of being hospitalised. It has long been known that folk with Lyme disease are inclined to have a suppressed immune system, therefore, susceptible to infection and less able to fight infections. Having said that, I also have Myasthenia gravis and I was taking steroids to actively suppress my immune system in order to treat the condition, so it would be difficult to say anything other than Lyme disease may have been a contributory factor. Logic would, therfore, dictate that there could be other contributory factors beside Lyme disease.
Most of the individuals completing my Lyme Disease and COVID Survey were not hospitalized. I covered this article in my blog to stress the need for further study.
Lyme patients are are increased risk of severe infections – IF they have taken 1-4 shots of mRNA gene therapy to modulate their immune systems unnecessarily. Authorities and sections of the medical profession have supported unethical, coercive, and misinformed policies such as vaccine mandates and vaccine passports, undermining the principles of ethical evidence-based medical practice and informed consent. These regrettable actions are a symptom of the ‘medical information mess’: The tip of a mortality iceberg where prescribed medications are estimated to be the third most common cause of death globally after heart disease and cancer.
There is a strong scientific, ethical and moral case to be made that the current COVID vaccine administration must stop until all the raw data has been subjected to fully independent scrutiny. Looking to the future the medical and public health professions must recognise these failings and eschew the tainted dollar of the medical-industrial complex. It will take a lot of time and effort to rebuild trust in these institutions, but the health – of both humanity and the medical profession – depends on it.
I had a pretty bad experience after my Pfizer shots. I wonder if my history of lyne and MTBD had any effect on my reaction. I agree much more research is needed but go figure… we ARE the research!
I have Lyme and Chaga’s diseases
I got what I believe was Covid early in 2020, did a Bioenergetic test using Qest4, and it chose two homeopathic remedies which are too similar to be used at the same time . I chose Causticum over Phosphorus and felt Much Better after the very first dose. The cough was MUCH less and I was able to continue with my mostly after school hours music teaching . The following week I continued with the bands with whom I play for rehearsals two evenings a week and did not cough even once playing my clarinet. I started the treatment before it really took hold, because the cough was so awful from the very beginning. That first day I had symptoms I slept from midnight to 4pm the next day. This is what was improved dramatically after the dose of Causticum. I repeated it nightly , plussing it to increase the potency, and was completely free of any symptoms at all of Covid within 3 weeks. Bear in mind the lyme and Chaga’s for which I take a cocktail of homeopathic nutritional remedies to deprive both Lyme and Chagas of the nutrients they both steal from me, so vitamins, minerals , fructose, and occasionally just homeopathic Magnesium in a very high potency at night, and the cocktail during the day. This was before any real publicity about the illness and before any requirements to wear a mask or to teach via zoom . It was in fact a full two months before the lockdown started in the UK. So because I started the Causticum the day after the first symptoms , I experienced no loss of taste and certainly had no Long Covid.
From the date of Lockdown, towards the end of March 2020, all my teaching needed to be done via zoom. I have had Lyme since 2011, and the Chaga’s first showed up in a Bioenergetic test using Asyra (as qest4 was then known ) in 2015. I am still teaching Recorder, Piano and Clarinet mostly wearing a mask and protective gloves to minimise the exposure to Chaga’s for my students.