In their article, published in the journal Cancer Cell,¹ the authors explain, “One of the dozens of unusual symptoms that have emerged in COVID-19 patients is a condition that’s informally called ‘COVID brain’ or ‘brain fog.’ It’s characterized by confusion, headaches, and loss of short-term memory. In severe cases, it can lead to psychosis and even […]

The authors described eye problems in lyme disease presenting with the following ophthalmologic findings: Follicular conjunctivitis Periorbital edema and mild photophobia Bell’s palsy, cranial nerve palsies and Horner syndrome Argyll Robertson pupil Keratitis Optic neuritis, papilledema, papillitis and neuroretinitis Myositis of extraocular muscles and dacryoadenitis Episcleritis, anterior and posterior scleritis Anterior, intermediate, posterior and panuveitis […]

This case series describes a broad range of Babesia symptoms in elderly patients, making the diagnosis particularly challenging. Case 1: A 78-year-old white female was admitted with fever, chills, lethargy, fatigue, and marked changes in sensorium. “She had a maximum temperature of 100.6° F (38.1° C); sepsis was considered for this patient,” writes Paparone, a […]

Tetracyclines, including doxycycline, are typically not recommended for treating young children with lyme disease because the antibiotic may cause permanent staining of the teeth, explains Wormser and colleagues in a recently published article, “Is Doxycycline Appropriate for Routine Treatment of Young Children With Erythema Migrans?” ¹ In the article, Wormser discusses the risk to benefit […]

In 2014, a small study found that some people may, in fact, develop strain-specific immunity to Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria causing Lyme disease. “Once infected with a particular strain of the disease-causing bacteria, humans appear to develop immunity against that strain that can last six to nine years,” the authors wrote. [1] Ask the Lyme […]

When a Lyme disease flare occurs, patients will notice a return of the symptoms they have experienced before or a worsening of existing symptoms. Some patients may also develop new symptoms. A flare-up can come and go and vary in intensity.  What does a Lyme flare-up feel like? The symptoms of a flare-up can include: […]

Can Lyme disease stay with you forever? Although many patients will improve with appropriate treatment, others will experience ongoing Lyme disease symptoms that may stay with them forever. A growing number of case studies continue to document patients with chronic illnesses associated with Lyme disease. Following are several examples: Chronic neurologic Lyme disease In the […]

In a recently published paper, Nykytyuk and colleagues describe the case of a 13-year-old boy with Lyme arthritis, a common manifestation of Lyme disease, who developed a Herxheimer reaction when treated with doxycycline. [1] “A 13-year-old boy was admitted to the regional hospital with complaints of left knee swelling, hip, ankle and cervical spine pain,” […]

The 40-year-old woman, who developed redness, swelling, pain, and a rash at the excision site, was treated with cephalexin and later switched to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX).  This case describes a case where Lyme disease mimics cellulitis. “Over the next 24 hours, there was a rapid expansion of abdominal redness and patchy areas of redness on her […]

There are several published papers that address the question: Can you have Lyme disease and not know it?  Logigian and colleagues described chronic neurologic Lyme disease patients who were ill for up to 14 years prior to being diagnosed. Their symptoms included fatigue, poor memory, a sleep disturbance, headaches, lightheadedness, and joint pain.1  Fallon and […]

Overall, the number of individuals contracting Babesia is rising. The annual number of cases per year climbed from 4 per 100,000 to 9 per 100,000 in the U.S. between 2006 and 2017. The annual number of cases of Babesia per year for individuals over the age of 85 was 4 out of 100,000. In comparison, […]

Powassan virus in children is not often reported. In this article, the authors describe powassan virus in children involving two infants with tick bites who developed Powassan virus encephalitis. As the authors point out, their case report not only demonstrates that rapid transmission of POWV can occur, but it highlights the importance for parents/caregivers to […]

Individuals who suffer from persistent symptoms may be diagnosed with a post-treatment lyme disease syndrome or ‘chronic Lyme disease.’  Studies estimate that between 34% and 62% of patients continue to have ongoing, chronic symptoms even after standard antibiotic therapy. Many remain ill for months to years. In fact, according to one study, 34% of a […]

Borrelia miyamotoi (BM) is another tick-borne pathogen and “unlike Lyme disease, erythema migrans rash, and arthralgias are uncommon,” the authors write in the journal Frontiers in Medicine. The infection is diagnosed with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) called glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase (GlpQ) enzyme immunoassay. Investigators looked at the incidence of BM in 82 patients who were seeking a […]

The Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) and the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) have each published their own set of evidence-based treatment guidelines. IDSA guidelines recommend a short course of antibiotics, typically 14 to 30 days. IDSA argues that the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria does not persist in a patient beyond this timeframe […]