Lyme wars

doi:10.1136/bmj.39363.530961.AD

BMJ 2007;335:910-912 (3 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.39363.530961.AD

Feature

Lyme wars

Alison Tonks, associate editor

BMJ, London WC1H 9JR

atonks@bmj.com

Patients with long term symptoms, lack of a scientific explanation,and insurance companies' reluctance to pay for treatment havecreated a perfect breeding ground for dissent, Alison Tonksreports

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Lyme disease is a simple bacterial infection spread by ticks.There is a fairly characteristic rash, a well documented patternof symptoms, and a safe effective treatment. But in the US,Lyme disease is at the centre of a long running and bitter controversy.It is no longer a disease but a legal and political battleground.At the core of the disagreement is the possibility that theLyme bacterium could survive initial treatment, evade detection,and cause disabling symptoms for months or even years. A growingand vociferous patient lobby thinks it can. Mainstream medicalopinion thinks it can't. Why does it matter? Because those whobelieve in chronic infection also believe in long term treatments,including repeated or prolonged courses of antibiotics thatdoctors are reluctant to prescribe and insurance companies arereluctant to pay for.

The latest exchange of fire between the two sides was triggeredby official . . . [Full text of this article]

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