LymeSci Blog

Lonnie Marcum

is a Licensed Physical Therapist, with a dual degree in health administration and physical therapy. She has a passion for helping people heal from illness and injury by treating the whole body. She became active in the Lyme community after her daughter was diagnosed with tick-borne diseases in 2013. She now devotes much time to learning about Lyme and related conditions, and sharing that knowledge via social media. Her blog, LymeSci, seeks to help patients understand the science of tick-borne diseases and new developments in research.

LYME SCI: My daughter tested positive for HIV at age 14

AUG

2017

It was a Thursday afternoon, five years ago in August. I remember it like it was yesterday. That sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. He looked at me and said “I have good news and bad news. The good news is: it’s not cancer. The bad news is: it’s not cancer.” I froze. What... Read More »

LYME SCI: The dreaded Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction

JUL

2017

Lyme disease and tick-borne diseases are complicated illnesses and because of that, treatment can be complex. Patients who’ve gone through treatment will often say “your symptoms get worse before they get better.” One of the reasons for this is something called a... Read More »

LYME SCI: Dealing with Lyme disease and mold illness at the same time

JUL

2017

Dr. Raj Patel discusses Lyme disease & mold illness

According to Dr. Raj Patel, if you have been treated for chronic Lyme disease and are not getting better, toxic mold could be a contributing factor. In his experience, one half of all unresolved Lyme disease cases are due in part to inflammation caused by mold illness. Dr. Patel... Read More »

LYME SCI: Dog maps provide important clue to human disease risk

JUL

2017

“One Health” is the concept that human health, animal health and the health of the environment are all connected. And that it’s important to understand and address health issues in each of these arenas—in order to solve the problems of all. An important example of this is... Read More »

LYME SCI: Tick-borne Powassan virus can be deadly

JUN

2017

After the 2017 death of two men in Cape Cod, many people are learning for the first time that ticks can carry viruses too, not just bacteria like Lyme disease. And that such tick-borne viruses can pose a significant threat to public health. Powassan virus (POWV) is considered ... Read More »

LYME SCI: Anaplasmosis, the “anti-freeze” co-infection

JUN

2017

According to Richard Ostfeld, an ecologist at New York’s Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, the number of white-footed mice (the primary host for Lyme disease on the East Coast) is a close indicator of how much Lyme disease will be seen the following year. And recent numbers... Read More »

LYMESCI: Ehrlichiosis — The Tick-Borne Disease No One Has Heard Of

JUN

2017

According to the experts, ticks and the diseases they carry are expanding into new geographic areas. While the majority of Americans have heard of Lyme disease, fewer than 2% have any knowledge of another tick-borne disease called ehrlichiosis. (1, 2) As a matter of fact, my own... Read More »

LYME SCI: A closer look at rickettsial infections

MAY

2017

Millions of Americans are likely to be bitten by ticks this year. Some of them may know enough to be concerned about Lyme disease. However, the public at large—and many medical professionals—are often oblivious to other dangers posed by ticks. (See my previous discussion of... Read More »

LYME SCI: Tick-borne co-infections are the rule, not the exception

MAY

2017

While Lyme disease is the fastest growing vector-borne disease in the United States, many other bacteria, parasites and viruses can also be transmitted by ticks. These are generally referred to as “co-infections” of Lyme, since people often have them at the same time as Lyme... Read More »