Last week, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, issued a press release announcing it has awarded five projects to research Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS), which is a collection of lingering symptoms after standard Lyme disease treatment. The projects will investigate the possible causes of PTLDS and aim to provide vital information on how to diagnose and treat this complex condition, the award recipients include Virginia Tech, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Tufts University, Johns Hopkins University, and Arizona State University.
“As tickborne diseases, including Lyme disease, become more common and widespread in the United States, it is increasingly urgent that we understand all facets of the disease, including the root causes of PTLDS. We anticipate that the research supported by these awards will provide vital information on how to diagnose and treat this complex set of symptoms.” National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Hugh Auchincloss.
According to a press release issued on July 21, five projects have received funding from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to help researchers better understand Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS), a group of symptoms like pain, fatigue, and mental confusion or "brain fog" that persist after standard Lyme disease treatment. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Lyme disease affects 476,000 people annually in the US. PTLDS affects between 10% and 20% of them.
Borrelia burgdorferi (and related species) is a bacterium that causes Lyme disease and is spread through the bite of an infected tick. The characteristic bullseye-shaped rash surrounding the tick bite is the hallmark symptom of early-stage Lyme disease. A late-stage disease that is connected with heart issues, exhaustion, severe headaches, dizziness, facial paralysis, and pain in the joints, muscles, tendons, and nerves can develop from an infection if it is not treated in its early stages. Oral antibiotics are an effective way to treat the majority of Lyme disease cases. Even when the active infection seems to be under control, some patients continue to experience symptoms even after finishing the initial course of antibiotics. Although the exact etiology of PTLDS is unknown, experts speculate that it might be brought on by a persistent, hard to detect Borrelia burgdorferi infection, an immune response to Borrelia burgdorferi that destroys the patient's own cells, or some other factor.
PTLDS, however, does not have a conventional treatment. Although prolonged antibiotic treatments are frequently employed, clinical trials have revealed that either these treatments are unsuccessful or that the hazards and side effects of prolonged antibiotic treatments outweigh any potential advantages. Additionally, because the symptoms are so variable and there is currently little proof that the patients have an active Borrelia burgdorferi infection, PTLDS is frequently difficult to diagnose. Increasing our knowledge of PTLDS may also help us better understand a wider range of chronic infections-related diseases, such Long COVID and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). It will be exceedingly challenging to create treatment solutions that are helpful without understanding the basic mechanisms underlying these disorders.
