Category: Tick Bourne Diseases
Illinois Confirms First Case of Rare Tick-Borne Powassan Virus
Infectious Disease Advisor Illinois health officials are warning residents to be on alert after the state’s first case of Powassan virus was confirmed in a resident who became seriously ill. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) hasn’t determined whether the person was infected in Illinois, but officials are now testing ticks statewide for the virus. “With […]
Oct 1, 2025
Lyme Immunity Shot Prepares for Next Stage of Trials
Vineyard Gazette Scientists in Massachusetts say they have produced a new shot that can prevent Lyme disease ready to go to later stage clinical trials. A team of researchers at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School announced last week that they have teamed up with a pharmaceutical company to shepherd an antibody to phase […]
Sep 24, 2025
First case of rare, tick-borne virus confirmed in Illinois
Chicago Sun Times Health experts are still investigating whether the Illinois resident got the Powassan virus in the state, but in the meantime, Illinoisans are advised to check for ticks after coming from outdoors and avoid wooded, bushy areas. An Illinois resident became “seriously ill” after being infected with Powassan, a tick-borne illness that has […]
Sep 24, 2025
Infectious Mimics of Bell’s Palsy: Facial Nerve Palsy Due to Lyme Neuroborreliosis
Cureus Facial nerve palsy (FNP) is a common neurological disorder. There are multiple causes of FNP, and Bell’s palsy is defined as an idiopathic cause of FNP. If a patient presents with facial palsy, a full investigation workup should be performed. Lyme disease can present with erythema migrans, fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, and […]
Sep 24, 2025
Unapproved tests and alternative treatments for Lyme disease are proliferating
PBS Lyme disease can cause serious harm, but so can bogus tests and treatments. The complexity of diagnosing the tick-borne disease has given rise to an entire industry of unapproved tests and unproven alternative treatments that experts say should be avoided, including lasers, herbal remedies and electromagnets “It really is a buyer-beware situation,” said Dr. […]
Sep 10, 2025
Sorting Lyme disease fact from fiction
Stanford Report An infectious disease expert explains the tick-borne illness and why it’s so often misunderstood by patients and the practitioners advising them. A significant portion of Jake Scott’s practice involves helping patients who believe they have “chronic Lyme disease” understand what may actually be causing their symptoms. “My role combines patient care with education,” said […]
Sep 3, 2025
A red meat allergy from tick bites is spreading – and the lone star tick isn’t the only alpha-gal carrier to worry about
The Conversation Hours after savoring that perfectly grilled steak on a beautiful summer evening, your body turns traitor, declaring war on the very meal you just enjoyed. You begin to feel excruciating itchiness, pain or even swelling that can escalate to the point of requiring emergency care. The culprit isn’t food poisoning – it’s the […]
Aug 27, 2025
How Tick Data is Busting Myths, Raising New Concerns of Lyme Disease
University of Guelph, Canada Encounters with ticks are no longer just a problem for someone trudging through the woods – they can happen right in your own backyard. That is one of the findings from ongoing research studying tick bites from the G. Magnotta Research Lab at the University of Guelph. Launched in 2022, the study is […]
Aug 20, 2025
Tick-borne Rocky Mountain spotted fever spreading in Canada
CBC Potentially deadly disease already found in Ontario and Quebec this year. Quebec has reported a case of the potentially deadly tick-borne disease Rocky Mountain spotted fever that was likely acquired in Ontario or Quebec. The disease was reported in dogs in Ontario earlier this year. Here’s what you need to know about preventing, identifying and treating the […]
Aug 20, 2025
Tick-borne disease spreads, causing meat, dairy allergies
The Hill mergency room visits have spiked across the Midwest this summer as millions of Americans grapple with tick bites, but a lesser-known tick-borne illness is causing particular alarm in some communities. Alpha-gal syndrome, transmitted by the lone star tick, creates severe allergies to meat and dairy products that can last for years. The condition essentially forces people to adopt vegan diets, with […]
Aug 20, 2025