Title : 1 + 1 = 0: Challenges in managing early lyme disease with anaplasmosis co-infection
Abstract:
Lyme disease, the leading vector-borne illness in the United States, impacts roughly 476,000 individuals each year. As its geographical reach expands, healthcare providers face increasing hurdles in diagnosing and treating the disease, especially in its early stages. Despite being nationally notifiable since 1991, Lyme disease presents ongoing challenges, highlighting the imperative for more effective management strategies. This clinical case underscores some of these challenges and offers practical insights for improving the management of early Lyme disease with concurrent anaplasmosis infection. Tickborne rickettsial diseases (TBRD) can result in severe illness and fatalities in otherwise healthy individuals, despite the wide availability of effective and affordable treatments. The primary barrier lies in promptly diagnosing these diseases and administering appropriate treatment. Given the rising prevalence of LD and other tick-borne illnesses, alongside the potential for significant long-term health consequences, healthcare providers require better guidelines for diagnosis and treatment. Existing clinical reference tools often lack the necessary depth or efficiency to address this growing demand, leaving primary care providers grappling with these challenges. This paper aims to illuminate some of the obstacles and crucial considerations in the management of early Lyme disease, particularly when co-infection with anaplasmosis is suspected.
