Borrelia News and Research

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Scientists uncover why Lyme disease symptoms may linger after treatment

Symptoms that persist long after Lyme disease is treated are not uncommon - a 2022 study found that 14% of patients who were diagnosed and treated early with antibiotic therapy would still develop Post Treatment Lyme Disease (PTLD).

23 Apr 2025

Pheasants linked to higher risk of Lyme disease bacteria in ticks

Ticks are more likely to carry the bacteria that can cause Lyme disease in areas where pheasants are released, new research shows.

21 Apr 2025

Scientists engineer promising vaccine target for Lyme disease

Meeting the unmet need for a vaccine is the top priority for researchers studying Lyme disease, which infects about 476,000 people in the U.S. each year and can come with severe complications such as ongoing fatigue and joint issues.

7 Apr 2025

Case study: Bartonella, Babesia pathogens can be a cofactor in complex neurological illnesses

In a new case study, researchers from North Carolina State University found Bartonella henselae, Babesia odocoilei and Babesia divergens-like MO-1 DNA in brain tissue samples from a young child with seizures and suspected Rasmussen's encephalitis.

22 Mar 2025

New enzyme target could lead to breakthrough therapies for Lyme disease

Researchers have discovered that an enzyme can serve as an ideal target for developing new therapeutics against Lyme disease, and most likely other tick-borne diseases as well.

20 Mar 2025

Study reveals high prevalence of Lyme disease bacteria in Northeast ticks

Across most of the Northeast, getting bitten by a blacklegged tick- also called a deer tick - is a risk during spring, summer, and fall. A new Dartmouth study, published in Parasites and Vectors, finds that 50% of adult blacklegged ticks carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease while 20% to 25% of the younger (nymph) blacklegged ticks carry the bacteria.

17 Jan 2025

Scientists produce a genetic analysis of Lyme disease bacteria

A team led by CUNY Graduate Center biologists has produced a genetic analysis of Lyme disease bacteria that may pave the way for improved diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of the tick-borne ailment.

16 Aug 2024

Mapping Lyme bacteria for better patient care

A genetic analysis of Lyme disease bacteria may pave the way for improved diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the tick-borne ailment.

16 Aug 2024

CDC study reveals significantly higher Lyme disease rates among older adults than previously reported

The CDC and University of Iowa conducted an epidemiological study using Medicare data, revealing a seven-fold higher incidence of Lyme disease diagnoses among U.S. adults aged 65+ compared to public health surveillance data, particularly in high-incidence states.

15 Aug 2024

Evaluation and treatment of early Lyme disease

Every year in the United States, an estimated 476,000 people are diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease. The estimate comes from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

23 Jul 2024

New threshold for CXCL13 concentration revolutionizes neuroborreliosis diagnosis

A newly defined threshold for the concentration of the cytokine CXCL13 may improve the diagnosis of neuroborreliosis.

13 Jul 2024

Study finds human body lice can transmit plague bacteria

Researchers adapted a strain of human body lice to study their infection dynamics with Yersinia pestis, finding that lice can become infected and transmit the plague bacterium.

26 May 2024

Breakthrough research offers hope for patients with persistent Lyme disease symptoms

Tulane University researchers have identified a promising new approach to treating persistent neurological symptoms associated with Lyme disease, offering hope to patients who suffer from long-term effects of the bacterial infection, even after antibiotic treatment.

18 Apr 2024

Study exposes racial disparities in Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment times

Study reveals racial disparities in Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment, with Black patients experiencing longer delays and higher risks of disseminated disease compared to White patients.

14 Dec 2023

Lyme disease aftercare: new insights into persistent symptoms

Study explores the causes of persistent symptoms after Lyme borreliosis (LB) treatment, revealing that factors like social and physical functioning, psychological distress, and comorbidities are key determinants.

29 Nov 2023

Lyme disease bacteria adapt to animal hosts at the variant level, study finds

A study looks at the mechanisms behind genetic variation in the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. Lyme disease is the most common vector-transmitted disease in the United States, with around 476,000 human cases annually.

8 Aug 2023

Study reveals high microbial diversity in ticks from Yunnan Province, China

Announcing a new article publication for Zoonoses journal. Ticks are obligate blood-sucking vectors for multiple zoonotic diseases.

3 Aug 2023

NIAID funds research to better understand Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded five projects for research to better understand Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS), which is a collection of symptoms, such as pain, fatigue, and difficulty thinking or "brain fog," which linger following standard treatment for Lyme disease.

21 Jul 2023