Serious Bacterial Infections Acquired During Treatment of Patients Given a Diagnosis of Chronic Lyme Disease - United States

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017 Jun 16;66(23):607-609. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6623a3.

Abstract

The term "chronic Lyme disease" is used by some health care providers as a diagnosis for various constitutional, musculoskeletal, and neuropsychiatric symptoms (1,2). Patients with a diagnosis of chronic Lyme disease have been provided a wide range of medications as treatment, including long courses of intravenous (IV) antibiotics (3,4). Studies have not shown that such treatments lead to substantial long-term improvement for patients, and they can be harmful (1,5). This report describes cases of septic shock, osteomyelitis, Clostridium difficile colitis, and paraspinal abscess resulting from treatments for chronic Lyme disease. Patients, clinicians, and public health practitioners should be aware that treatments for chronic Lyme disease can carry serious risks.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Bacterial Infections / etiology*
  • Chronic Disease
  • Cross Infection*
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lyme Disease / diagnosis
  • Lyme Disease / therapy*
  • Middle Aged
  • Severity of Illness Index*
  • United States