In March 2017, a 68-year-old man was admitted to the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota with symptoms suggestive of heart failure. “He had a chronic cough and progressive dyspnea, which were consistent with New York Heart Association class IV symptoms of heart failure,” writes Fatima. “He also had atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response.” His […]

Both studies, published in 1996 and 1998, required that the participants meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) surveillance case definition for Lyme disease. This definition requires that the erythema migrans rash be at least 2 inches in diameter. But the incidence of an EM rash is lower in studies that are all-inclusive […]

The previously healthy woman presented to the emergency room with a sudden-onset of dyspnea and chest pain. She had reported a syncopal episode 4 days prior to being admitted to the hospital. Her EKG revealed a third degree heart block. The woman, who lived in Nuevo Leon, had traveled in the past 4 weeks to […]

The authors reviewed the records of 1,220 young, middle-aged and elderly patients, comparing disease course and long-term outcomes for each group. The patients had been treated at an outpatient clinic at the University Medical Center Ljubljana in Slovenia. The study included 224 elderly patients, with 173 between 65-74 years old, 48 between 75-84 years old […]

In the article “Interventions to prevent Lyme disease in humans: A systematic review,” Richardson writes, “In general the quality of evidence was low. There were typically only 1 to 3 studies and these had mixed results. [1] Following are several personal protective measures promoted to prevent Lyme disease: Tick repellents and protective clothing: “Tick repellents and […]

Following is a list of the most popular blogs for 2018! 1.) Lyme disease misdiagnosed as shingles in a 62-year-old man Case report: It appeared to be shingles but it was Lyme disease. 2.) More than 50% of mice in Kentucky infected with Lyme bacteria Study finds more than half of the mice in Kentucky […]

But with the emergence of different species of spirochetes and tick-borne co-infections, the one microbe, one disease Germ Theory has fallen apart. The growing number of concurrent tick-borne infections, such as Lyme disease and Babesia, demonstrates the involvement and concern of multiple microbes. One study found that an infection with both Lyme disease and Babesia […]

The authors estimate that the number of Lyme disease cases in Canada that go undetected is greater than the 10-fold difference in the U.S. For example, “Calculation of expected human Lyme disease cases based on tick and canine infections in New Brunswick indicates a minimum of 12.1 to 58.2-fold underestimation (1.7% to 8.3% cases detected).” […]

“Clinically, PTLDS is largely a diagnosis of exclusion, requiring documentation of prior Lyme disease, appropriate treatment, and onset of unexplained, subjective symptoms within six months after a Lyme disease diagnosis that persist for at least six months after completion of antibiotic treatment,” writes Moon from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. [4] Many patients […]

A study published in Healthcare (Basel) by Johnson and colleagues [1] summarizes information provided by 3,903 individuals registered with MyLymeData. The participants reported a delay in diagnosis. “More than half (51%) reported that it took them more than three years to be diagnosed and roughly the same proportion (54%) saw five or more clinicians before […]

In turn, investigators from ISDH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) examined specimens from 14 of the patients diagnosed with Lyme disease and B. microti.  They tested for Babesia infection by Giemsa-stained blood smears, PCR (polymerase chain reaction), and indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) for total immunoglobulin to B. microti. The only clinical […]

Medics found the boy to be pale, with a heart rate of 300 beats per minute and unstable regular wide complex tachyarrhythmia (WCT). He was given a dose of amiodarone but remained in ventricular tachycardia. At the hospital his blood pressure dropped to 66/30 mm Hg and his dizziness and shortness of breath worsened. “After […]

Using data from Geisinger electronic medical records, researchers identified 9657 Lyme disease cases diagnosed between 2006 and 2014 in central and northeastern Pennsylvania. [bctt tweet=”Are African-Americans less likely to be diagnosed with Lyme disease?” username=”DrDanielCameron”] Moon and colleagues found that more than 97% of the Lyme disease patients were white non-Hispanic. Only 0.9% were Hispanic […]

The woman was admitted to the emergency room with fever, chills, lethargy, fatigue, and marked changes in sensorium. Clinicians initially believed her symptoms were due to sepsis, but she was later diagnosed with concurrent Babesia and anaplasmosis. Her case demonstrates how “patients with babesiosis show a wide range of symptoms and clinical presentations,” writes Paparone. […]

Studies have found Borrelia burgdorferi in the blood of patients with early Lyme disease using culture tests. “Borrelia are likely to be found circulating in the blood sporadically or they may persist for a time period ranging from 2 to 5 weeks and in some cases beyond this time frame,” writes Pavia, citing a 2001 […]