Common Misconceptions About Lyme Disease

Authors

John J Halperin
Phillip Baker
Gary Wormser, New York Medical CollegeFollow

Author Type(s)

Faculty

DOI

10.1016/j.amjmed.2012.10.008

Journal Title

The American Journal of Medicine

First Page

1

Last Page

7

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-2013

Department

Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Second Department

Pharmacology

Keywords

Anti-Bacterial Agents, Cognition Disorders, Erythema Chronicum Migrans, False Negative Reactions, False Positive Reactions, Fatigue, Humans, Lyme Disease, Lyme Neuroborreliosis, Serologic Tests

Disciplines

Infectious Disease | Medicine and Health Sciences | Pathology

Abstract

Lyme disease, infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, is a focally endemic tick-transmitted zoonosis. During the 3 decades since the responsible spirochete was identified, a series of misconceptions and misunderstandings have become widely prevalent, leading to frequent misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. Persistent misconceptions concern the reliability of available diagnostic tools, the signs and symptoms of nervous system involvement, the appropriate choice and duration of antimicrobial therapy, the curability of the infection, and the cause of symptoms that may persist in some patients after treatment. Concern about disparate perspectives led the Institute of Medicine to review the subject. In this article we review the principal misconceptions, discussing their origins and the best currently available scientific evidence related to each one.

Recommended Citation

Halperin, J., Baker, P., & Wormser, G. (2013). Common Misconceptions About Lyme Disease. The American Journal of Medicine, 126 (3), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2012.10.008