Lyme disease

EMOttawa

What We Know About Lyme Disease

EMOttawa - November 11, 2016 - By Michael Ho

"Relative to its incidence and prevalence, Lyme disease has gathered a tremendous amount of attention, particularly in the last decade or so. This can be attributed, in part, to the perceived difficulty in properly diagnosing and treating the disease. However, the bulk of its recent attention stems around controversies surrounding chronic Lyme disease. It has made its way into mainstream pop culture, celebrities are becoming increasingly vocal and activists are devout.

What is all the buzz about? As healthcare providers, we owe it to our patients to know the facts in order to provide the best care possible...

Take home points

1. Remember the indications and rationale for Lyme disease prophylaxis
2. Erythema migrans is often appears as a red macule and not a bullseye rash in the first few days.
3. If you see a patient with a viral syndrome, carditis, neuritis (facial nerve palsy, subacute meningitis) or arthritis in the warm months, stop and ask yourself if this could be Lyme disease.
4. There exists some uncertainty with chronic Lyme disease, and controversies surrounding chronic Lyme disease are far from over."