Articles tagged with Lyme Disease
A randomized trial found that patients with early Lyme disease and no heart, joint or neurologic abnormalities can be effectively treated with 10 days of doxycycline therapy. The study showed that approximately two-thirds of patients responded to treatment within 20 days.
A study found that 10 days of doxycycline antibiotic therapy is as effective as a 20-day course for early Lyme disease. Additionally, researchers discovered that many people cannot accurately recall if they or family members had skin diseases contraindicating smallpox vaccination, potentially increasing the risk of widespread vaccination.
Research finds that forest fragmentation leads to increased blacklegged tick populations, particularly in areas with small forest fragments. This could lead to a higher risk of Lyme disease for people living nearby, as these ticks are the primary carriers of the bacteria.
A double-blind clinical trial of 55 Lyme disease patients with severe fatigue revealed that while ceftriaxone showed promise in reducing fatigue, it was not without significant adverse effects. The study's results do not support the use of repeated courses of ceftriaxone due to these risks.
University of Rhode Island researchers, Thomas Mather and David Nelson, are developing a new Lyme disease vaccine using tick saliva genes. They have received $2.3 million NIH grant to identify promising genes over five years.
A study of 118 people with early Lyme disease found most had a red rash with central redness, not the traditional bull's-eye description. The patients' liver function returned to normal after treatment with antibiotics. Meanwhile, a case report describes pioglitazone causing liver damage in a diabetic patient.
Researchers track Lyme disease ticks along riverbeds in Illinois and find they are migrating south-southwest towards the Mississippi River. The ticks need small mammals as hosts to become infected and deer as a preferred host for adult ticks.
Patients undergoing endoscopic surgery for Crohn's disease experienced reduced hospital stays, quicker return to regular diets, and lower narcotics use compared to open procedures. The study also found significant cost savings of nearly $3,400.
A recent study found that areas with greater biodiversity of small mammals have lower rates of Lyme disease. This is due to a decrease in the number of infected tick nymphs, which are most active during summer and hard to detect.
Scientists at the University of Georgia discovered that Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme disease bacterium, can survive without iron. This finding may lead to new ways to prevent and control the disorder, as the bacterium's unique strategy could be used to limit its occurrence and severity.
A Veterans Affairs hospital found that adopting a policy of immediate disclosure to patients injured by medical mistakes and fair compensation reduced overall lawsuit costs. No increase in lawsuits was observed despite the implementation of the policy, highlighting its effectiveness.
Researchers have developed a new method to explore autoimmune mechanisms in chronic Lyme disease, which could lead to better diagnosis and treatment. The technique identifies specific bits of the Lyme agent that trigger an immune response against the body's own cells.
Researchers found that 70% of Southeastern adults with Lyme-like symptoms were not infected with the standard Borrelia burgdorferi strain. Instead, a genetically variant strain was detected, which may be more responsive to antibiotic therapy and less virulent than traditional Lyme disease.
Researchers have identified a new tick-borne disease in North Carolina and the Southeast that is distinct from Lyme disease. The disease, caused by an unknown organism, produces symptoms similar to ehrlichiosis but without a telltale rash. Investigation led by Dr. Kathryn Kirkland suggests the infection can be cured with antibiotics.