Author: Dr. Daniel Cameron

The young woman was admitted to the emergency department with acute pleuritic chest pain and shortness of breath. (Pleuritic chest pain is characterized by sudden and intense sharp, stabbing, or burning pain in the chest when inhaling and exhaling.) The woman exhibited only mild tachycardia (100/min). However, “Considering the suspicion of acute myocarditis, the patient…

An 80-year-old man was admitted to a hospital in Pennsylvania, an area endemic for Lyme disease, due to increased weakness and confusion. He had “several days of nausea with decreased appetite, generalized malaise, fatigue, and weakness,” according to the authors. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) studies suggested aseptic meningitis. And a CT scan showed dilated ventricles. Treatment…

How many patients who underwent surgery for coronary heart disease (CHD) had evidence of a prior infection with Borrelia burgdorferi (the bacterium which causes Lyme disease)? A study by Pietruszka and colleagues, “Serologic Status of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Patients with Cardiovascular Changes,” sought to answer that question.¹ The authors examined the level of…

In their article “Lyme Borreliosis as a Trigger for Autoimmune Disease,” Yehudina and colleagues present a unique case in which an infection with Borrelia burgdorferi (the bacteria which causes Lyme disease) triggered the autoimmune condition, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), also referred to as lupus.¹ As the authors point out, “long-term exposure of the host’s immune…

Lyme carditis often presents with non-specific symptoms, such as lightheadedness, syncope, dyspnea, palpitations, and chest pain, the authors explain. While an estimated 30% of patients exhibit no symptoms. The most common clinical manifestation “is AV block, which can be acute in onset and can rapidly progress to complete heart block,” writes Carnazzo. In their article,…

In their article “Through the Eyes of Uncertainty: Giant Cell Arteritis and Lyme Neuroborreliosis in a Story of Vision Loss,” Wan and colleagues describe a unique case in which an elderly woman, who tested positive for both giant cell arteritis and Lyme disease, developed vision problems including an abrupt loss of vision.¹ An acute loss…

Murison and colleagues discuss the findings in their report “Epidemiology and clinical manifestations of reported Lyme disease cases: Data from the Canadian Lyme disease enhanced surveillance system.”¹ “The results from this analysis describe the clinical manifestations associated with Canadian [Lyme disease] cases from the LDES system and show trends of LD diagnosis in several Canadian…

In their article, “Bartonella- and Borrelia-Related Disease Presenting as a Neurological Condition Revealing the Need for Better Diagnostics,” Ericson and colleagues describe the case of a 61-year-old female, who experienced a painful bite while hiking in Minnesota.¹ It was diagnosed as a spider bite because of the two large bite marks present and the painful…

A 37-year-old pregnant woman was admitted to the hospital at 31 weeks gestation due to severe headaches and a fever that had been ongoing for 1 week. A few days prior to admission, she developed night sweats, chills, sweating, dyspnea and diarrhea. Her symptoms began while travelling in Washington. She reported hiking outdoors but did…

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is a rare red blood cell disorder that occurs when antibodies directed against a person’s own red blood cells cause them to burst, leading to insufficient concentration in the blood. The disorder has only rarely been associated with a Babesia infection. An elderly man, with an intact spleen, was admitted to…