Archive for the ‘Borrelia Miyamotoi (Relapsing Fever Group)’ Category

Lyme Disease Co-Infections: What You Need to Know

https://danielcameronmd.com/coinfections-backup/

Lyme Disease Loneliness
Jan31

Lyme Disease Co-infections: What You Need to Know

Posted By: Dr. Daniel Cameron

Lyme disease co-infections occur when a single tick bite transmits multiple pathogens. Up to 40% of Lyme patients in some regions also carry Babesia, Bartonella, Anaplasmosis, or Ehrlichia—yet these infections are frequently missed.

When co-infections go unrecognized, patients don’t fully recover. Standard Lyme treatment won’t clear a parasite like Babesia or intracellular bacteria like Anaplasmosis. Understanding lyme disease co-infections is essential for anyone who isn’t getting better despite treatment.

Why Co-infections Matter

Ticks don’t carry just one pathogen—they can harbor several at once. A single bite can transmit:

  1. Bacteria — Borrelia (Lyme), Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Bartonella
  2. Parasites — Babesia species
  3. Viruses — Powassan, others

Co-infections typically make symptoms more severe, treatment more complicated, and recovery longer. Patients with multiple infections often experience symptoms that don’t fit neatly into one diagnosis—which leads to confusion, misdiagnosis, and delayed care.

If you’ve been treated for Lyme disease but still feel sick, a co-infection may be the reason.

Babesia

Babesia is a malaria-like parasite that infects red blood cells. It’s the most common Lyme disease co-infection in the Northeast and Midwest, with up to 40% of Lyme patients in some areas also testing positive.

Key symptoms:

  1. Drenching night sweats
  2. Air hunger (shortness of breath with normal oxygen)
  3. Profound fatigue beyond typical Lyme exhaustion
  4. Cycling fevers and chills

Why it’s missed: Standard Lyme antibiotics don’t work against Babesia. Patients improve on doxycycline, then relapse—because the parasite was never treated.

Treatment: Requires antiparasitic medications (typically atovaquone + azithromycin), not standard Lyme antibiotics.

Babesia Resources

→ Babesia and Lyme: What Patients Need to Know — Comprehensive guide with 57 articles covering symptoms, testing, treatment, and more.

Bartonella

Bartonella species cause several human diseases, most famously “cat scratch fever.” While traditionally associated with flea bites and cat scratches, Bartonella has been found in ticks—including black-legged ticks that transmit Lyme.

Key symptoms:

  1. Streak-like rash (in some patients)
  2. Swollen lymph nodes
  3. Neuropsychiatric symptoms — anxiety, irritability, rage
  4. Fatigue, headaches, fever

Why it’s missed: Testing is unreliable, and many physicians don’t consider tick-borne Bartonella. Psychiatric symptoms may be attributed to stress or mental illness rather than infection.

Related Reading: Bartonella

  1. Case Reports: Bartonella Associated with Psychiatric Symptoms
  2. ALS and MS Suspected in Woman Later Diagnosed with Bartonella and Lyme
  3. Babesia Bartonella: Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Children

Anaplasmosis

Anaplasmosis (formerly Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis) is caused by the bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum. It’s transmitted by the same black-legged tick that carries Lyme disease.

Key symptoms:

  1. High fever, chills
  2. Severe headache
  3. Muscle aches
  4. Fatigue, malaise

Why it’s missed: Symptoms overlap with Lyme and other flu-like illnesses. Without specific testing, Anaplasmosis is often overlooked—especially when Lyme is already diagnosed.

Treatment: Responds to doxycycline, the same antibiotic used for Lyme. However, treatment duration and monitoring may differ when co-infection is present.

Related Reading: Anaplasmosis
  1. Babesia Anaplasmosis: Cognitive Impairment in Co-infection
  2. Tick Bite Multiple Co-infections: One Bite, Many Pathogens

Ehrlichia

Ehrlichiosis is caused primarily by Ehrlichia chaffeensis and transmitted by the Lone Star tick. It attacks white blood cells, potentially causing severe illness if untreated.

Key symptoms:

  1. Fever, headache
  2. Fatigue, muscle aches
  3. Nausea, vomiting
  4. Confusion (in severe cases)

Why it’s missed: Similar presentation to Anaplasmosis and other tick-borne diseases. Geographic distribution differs—Ehrlichiosis is more common in the Southeast and South-Central U.S.

Treatment: Doxycycline is the treatment of choice. Delayed treatment can lead to hospitalization.

Other Tick-Borne Infections

The list of tick-borne diseases continues to grow:

  1. STARI (Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness) — EM-like rash from Lone Star tick, causative agent unknown
  2. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever — Severe, potentially fatal if untreated
  3. Powassan Virus — Rare but serious neurological infection
  4. Borrelia miyamotoi — Relapsing fever-like illness
  5. Rickettsiosis — Various spotted fever group infections

When to Suspect Co-infections

Consider lyme disease co-infections if:

  1. Symptoms are unusually severe
  2. You’re not improving with standard Lyme treatment
  3. You relapse after completing antibiotics
  4. Night sweats, air hunger, or high fevers are prominent
  5. Neuropsychiatric symptoms don’t fit the typical Lyme pattern

Co-infections don’t always show up on tests. Clinical judgment—based on symptoms, exposure history, and treatment response—often guides diagnosis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you get multiple infections from one tick bite?

Yes. A single tick can carry several pathogens simultaneously, transmitting them all in one bite. This is why co-infections are so common in Lyme patients.

Why don’t standard Lyme antibiotics work for all co-infections?

Lyme disease is bacterial, but Babesia is a parasite—it requires antiparasitic medications. Bartonella may need different antibiotics than those used for Lyme. Each pathogen requires targeted treatment.

How are co-infections diagnosed?

Testing exists for most co-infections, but sensitivity varies. Blood smears, PCR, and antibody tests each have limitations. Clinical diagnosis based on symptoms is often necessary.

Do co-infections make Lyme disease worse?

Yes. Studies show that patients with co-infections experience more severe symptoms, longer illness duration, and slower recovery than those with Lyme alone.

What if I’ve been treated for Lyme but still feel sick?

Undiagnosed co-infection is one of the most common reasons for persistent symptoms after Lyme treatment. Evaluation for Babesia, Bartonella, and other pathogens should be considered.

Related Resources

  1. Babesia and Lyme: What Patients Need to Know — Complete Babesia hub
  2. Lyme Disease Symptoms
  3. Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS)
  4. Autonomic Dysfunction in Lyme Disease
  5. Lyme Disease Misconceptions

If you’re struggling with persistent symptoms despite Lyme treatment, co-infections may be part of the picture. Identifying and treating all tick-borne pathogens is often the key to recovery.

For more:

Category:

Anaplasmosis, Babesia, Bartonella, Borrelia Miyamotoi (Relapsing Fever Group), Ehrlichiosis, Lyme, Rickettsia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Viruses

Borrelia Miyamotoi DNA in Patient Suspected of Lyme Borreliosis

https://www.aaem.pl/-Borrelia-miyamotoi-DNA-in-a-patient-suspected-of-Lyme-borreliosis

Borrelia miyamotoi DNA in a patient suspected of Lyme borreliosis
Beata Fiecek 1, Tomasz Szewczyk 2, Grażyna Lewandowska 1, Tomasz Chmielewski 1
Ann Agric Environ Med. 2025;32(1):142-145

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26444/aaem/191046

Article (PDF, 771.39 kB)

ABSTRACT
Introduction and Objective.
Manifestations of infection caused by Borrelia miyamotoi can mimic highly variable symptoms of Lyme borreliosis. The aim of the study was to detect DNA from B. miyamotoi samples from patients with suspected neuroborreliosis.
Materials and Method. Samples of blood serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were collected from 133 patients. Diagnosis was established by the detection of specific antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) with ELISA and immunoblot. All Borrelia-positive samples were tested by nested PCR for the B. miyamotoi and B. burgdorferi s.l. DNA.
Results. B. miyamotoi DNA was detected in the CSF of one (0.8%) patient. DNA of B. burgdorferi s.l. was not found in any samples.
Conclusions. Detection of the B. miyamotoi in patients with central nervous system infections expand the development of knowledge on infections caused by Borrelia spirochetes.
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**Comment**
Just like STARI, B. miyamotoi looks, smells, and feels just like Lyme but will never be picked up on standard CDC 2-tiered testing for Lyme.
While there are both PCR and antibody tests for Borrelia miyamotoi, they are offered at specialty labs which many mainstream doctors just assume are pure evil because that’s what the CDC has beat into their heads for decades.
For more:

“In vitro analysis has shown the susceptibility of B. miyamotoi to ceftriaxone, azithromycin, and doxycycline, with resistance to amoxicillin,” the authors explain.

Since Borrelia miyamotoi is not a reportable illness to the CDC, no one has any clue about prevalence but reports are coming in continually that it’s highly likely to be a much bigger problem than ‘authorities’ believe.

It was recently discovered that:

Category:

Borrelia Miyamotoi (Relapsing Fever Group), Lyme, research, Testing, Ticks

Molecular Detection of Lyme, Babesia, and Anaplasma in Canadian Ixodes Ticks

https://www.jelsciences.com/abstracts/1838

Molecular Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Borrelia miyamotoi, Babesia odocoilei, Babesia microti and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Ixodes Ticks Collected across Canada

John D Scott* and Catherine M Scott

Volume5-Issue10
Dates: Received: 2024-09-28 | Accepted: 2024-10-18 | Published: 2024-10-22
Pages: 1321-1337

Abstract

Tick-borne zoonotic diseases are a profound challenge to healthcare practitioners, and an overwhelming scourge to patients worldwide. On the whole, patients have great difficulty getting diagnosed and treated, and often become chronically ill. In this study, we tested 224 ticks consisting of Ixodes angustus, Ixodes pacificus, and Ixodes scapularis. Using real-time PCR and nested PCR, we obtained the following positives:

  • Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (n = 74)
  • Borrelia miyamotoi (n = 4)
  • Babesia odocoilei (n = 82)
  • Babesia microti (n = 1)
  • Anaplasma phagocytophilum (n = 8)

Markedly, B. odocoilei and B. burgdorferi were detected in I. scapularis ticks nationwide. As well, the Canada-wide prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. and B. odocoilei in I. scapularis adults was 40% and 36%, respectively. The statistical ratio of B. odocoilei to B. microti in I. scapularis adults was 60 to 1. Babesia odocoilei is, unquestionably, the predominant Babesia sp. across Canada. We provide the first report of B. odocoilei in an I. angustus tick. In addition, we unfurl the first report of B. odocoilei in I. scapularis in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

From a professional healthcare standpoint, I. scapularis ticks are just as likely to be infected with Babesia odocoilei as Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. Since people spend considerable time in outdoor areas, clinicians must be familiar with current acumen in tick-borne zoonotic diseases.

Category:

Babesia, Borrelia Miyamotoi (Relapsing Fever Group), Lyme, research, Ticks

Review: Borrelia Miyamotoi

https://danielcameronmd.com/review-borrelia-miyamotoi/

REVIEW: BORRELIA MIYAMOTOI

borrelia-miyamotoi

Borrelia miyamotoi is an emerging tick-borne illness that is transmitted by the deer tick. The most common symptoms of a B. miyamotoi infection include fever, fatigue, headache, chills, myalgia, arthralgia, and nausea.

By 

In their article, “Human Borrelia miyamotoi Infection in North America,” Burde and colleagues discuss the frequency and location of infection in ticks and people, clinical presentation and complications, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

Prevalence of B. miyamotoi

B. miyamotoi-infected ticks have been reported throughout the northeastern, northern Midwestern, and western United States. They’ve also been detected in all Canadian provinces except Newfoundland and Labrador.

The prevalence of Borrelia miyamotoi infections is difficult to determine, since the illness is not nationally reportable in the U.S. but reportable in only a few states including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Vermont, and Wisconsin. And, confirmation of the diagnosis depends upon laboratory testing, which is not always available.

Furthermore, diagnosis can be challenging. “The discrepancy between diagnosed and undiagnosed infection is probably even greater for B. miyamotoi, a tick-borne disease that lacks an easily identifiable clinical marker, such as the erythema migrans rash, and is less well known by health care workers and the general public,” the authors write.

Transmission

B. miyamotoi can be transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected black-legged (deer) tick. Several studies have found that it may be transmitted through blood transfusions, as well.

The B. miyamotoi pathogen can be transmitted from an infected female tick to her eggs, which may result in some larval ticks harboring the infection and transmitting it to a host. “Other larvae become infected after taking a blood meal on an infected mouse reservoir host, molt to the nymphal stage, and then transmit infection to another mouse or human,” they write.

Symptoms & Treatment

B. miyamotoi symptoms can be non-specific and an individual may appear to have a viral-like illness with fever, chills, headache, myalgia, fatigue, arthralgia, and gastrointestinal complaints, according to the authors.

“The most striking clinical feature of B. miyamotoi is relapsing fever with an initial febrile episode followed by a period of wellness and then one or more additional febrile episodes,” the authors write.

Some studies have found that the “average time between relapses was 9 days with a range of 2 days to 2 weeks.”

However, not all individuals develop relapsing fever. “In the largest case series of B. miyamotoi cases in the US, only 2 of 51 cases (4%) developed relapsing fever.”

READ: Don’t Rely on Relapsing Fever to Diagnose B. miyamotoi 

Treatment of B. miyamotoi disease typically involves using the same antibiotics to treat Lyme disease: doxycycline, tetracycline, erythromycin, penicillin, and ceftriaxone. However, there have been no trials to evaluate the effectiveness of these treatments.

Co-infections worsen disease

Co-infections can worsen the illness. There have been reported cases of B. miyamotoi co-infection with B. burgdorferi and/or Babesia microti.

“Previous studies have found that coinfection of B. burgdorferi with either Babesia microti or with Anaplasma phagocytophilum are often associated with more severe disease compared with that caused by B. burgdorferi infection alone,” the authors write.

Testing for the infection can include blood smear, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and/or antibody detection.

Authors’ Conclude:

“The possibility of B. miyamotoi infection should be considered in any patient with a febrile illness who resides in or has recently traveled to a region where Lyme disease is endemic, especially during the late spring, summer, or early fall.”

Related Articles:

B. miyamotoi can be transmitted from mother ticks to offspring

Could B. miyamotoi infections explain persistent Lyme disease symptoms?

References:
  1. Burde J, Bloch EM, Kelly JR, Krause PJ. Human Borrelia miyamotoi Infection in North America. Pathogens. 2023 Apr 3;12(4):553. doi: 10.3390/pathogens12040553. PMID: 37111439; PMCID: PMC10145171.

_______________

For more:

Since Borrelia miyamotoi is not a reportable illness to the CDC, no one has any clue about prevalence but reports are coming in continually that it’s highly likely to be a much bigger problem than ‘authorities’ believe.
It was recently discovered that:

Also, Borrelia miyamotoi has been in California ticks for a long time:

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/02/15/b-miyamotoi-in-ca-ticks-for-a-long-time/

The following case shows how you can become infected while traveling:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/10/24/a-case-of-borrelia-miyamotoi/

Category:

Activism, Borrelia Miyamotoi (Relapsing Fever Group), research, Testing, Ticks, Transmission, Treatment, Uncategorized

CDC’s New Online Tool Gives Useful, If Slightly Flawed, Information

https://www.lymedisease.org/cdc-tick-bite-data-tracker/

CDC’s new online tool gives useful, if slightly flawed, information

May 16, 2023

By Lonnie Marcum

The CDC has recently updated its website regarding ticks and their diseases.

The changes include a new online tool called the Tick Bite Data Tracker.  It allows users to track and visualize tick-borne disease data in the United States, advancing our ability to raise awareness.

The new tool provides information on diseases transmitted by ticks such as Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and ehrlichiosis.

The CDC webpage also gives information on the most common North American types of ticks and 16 known diseases transmitted by ticks such as babesiosis, Borrelia miyamotoi, Powassan virus, STARI, Colorado tick fever and more.

In addition, the CDC offers an updated page on Alpha-gal syndrome, an allergy to red meat and products derived from mammals. The condition is triggered by the bite of a tick.

National collaboration

The Tick Bite Data Tracker is part of the National Syndromic Surveillance Program (NSSP) which is a collaboration among the CDC, local health agencies, state health departments and private sector partners. The NSSP allows these partners to collect, share and analyze electronic healthcare data in near real-time as it is processed.

Because there is no medical diagnostic ICD code for “tick bite,” the emergency department visits for tick bites are identified by specific words used in the medical record. For example, “tick” or “tick” and “bite.”

The Tick Bite Data Tracker includes interactive maps, graphs and tables that allow users to explore the data in different ways. Users can view data on a national or state level, as well as by county or even zip code in some areas.

One of the most interesting aspects of this new site is the ability to track emergency department visits for tick bites by week and month. This eliminates the strict reporting criteria that adversely affects statistics in lower incidence states like Florida, Texas and California.

What we see on the Tick Bite Data Tracker is simply the number of persons per 100,000 with reported tick bites who sought care in an emergency room. The new data can indicate when tick bites are most common in a region, and unlike other CDC surveillance data, it is updated weekly, rather than annually.

Tick bites peak in Spring

You can clearly see in the graph below how tick bites peak in the spring in almost all regions of the United States.

Unfortunately, the CDC lumps every state west of Nebraska as the “West.” Therefore, areas with higher incidence of tick bites, like California, are averaged with areas of lower incidence like Wyoming—giving an inaccurate picture.

In my opinion, at the very least, the CDC should have divided this huge region into the southwest and northwest to offer better representation of what is happening in those zones—but that’s another topic.

The site also points out several limitations of the tracker tool: “Results might not be generalizable to emergency departments that are not contributing data to the BioSense Platform. The keywords used to identify tick bite visits may under- or overestimate emergency department visits related to tick bites because of differences in coding, reporting, and availability of chief complaint text data between jurisdictions or over time. Finally, aggregated data by region might be less useful than state or local data.”

So essentially, you have to take this data for what it is: a slightly flawed tool that gives us a glimpse into what is happening in the tick-borne disease world.

Lyme Awareness Month is an opportunity to educate the public about the risks of Lyme disease and promote strategies for prevention and early detection. I hope you’ll use the Tick Bite Data Tracker, as well as additional information spread throughout the pages of our website to spread awareness.

LymeSci is written by Lonnie Marcum, a Licensed Physical Therapist and mother of a daughter with Lyme. She served two terms on a subcommittee of the federal Tick-Borne Disease Working Group. Follow her on Twitter: @LonnieRhea  Email her at: lmarcum@lymedisease.org.

___________________

**Comment**

A flawed tool that will  continued to be used against patients like the Iron Curtain.

For more:

Category:

Activism, Alpha Gal Meat Allergy, Anaplasmosis, Babesia, Borrelia Miyamotoi (Relapsing Fever Group), Ehrlichiosis, Lyme, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ticks, Viruses