Affiliation:
1. Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine
2. Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
Abstract
Purpose of review
Because both incidence and awareness of tick-borne infections is increasing, review of major infections and recent advances related to their diagnosis and management is important.
Recent findings
A new algorithm, termed modified two-tier testing, for testing for antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi, the cause of Lyme disease, has been approved and may replace traditional two-tier testing. In addition, doxycycline is now acceptable to use for treatment of and/or prophylaxis for Lyme disease for up to 21 days in children of any age. Borrelia miyamotoi, a bacterium in the relapsing fever type of Borrelia, is the first of this type of Borrelia that is transmitted by hard-bodied ticks such as Ixodes scapularis.
Summary
Awareness of these infections and advances in their diagnosis and treatment is important to assure the best outcomes for affected patients. Table 1 contains a summary of infections discussed.
Publisher
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Subject
Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health