Infectious Disease

I don't want to give everyone in Infectious Disease a bad rap. Some of them are outstanding at treating HIV and Hepatitis. But most lack even a basic understanding about Lyme or other tick born diseases. I was contact by a friend who went to her first appointment with infectious disease to discuss her Lyme. They insisted that the 4 weeks of antibiotic was enough and her progressively worsening symptoms would magically disappear with time. When she asked if he would test her for other tick born diseases such as Babesia or Bartonella he claimed that there was no point. That the 4 weeks of Doxycycline would have taken care of it. Oops - Wrong Answer.

Babesia is a malaria like parasite that requires Mepron and Azithromycin

Bartonella is a bacteria that is not ttreat by Doxycycline but rather trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, and rifampin. It is generally resistant to penicillin, amoxicillin, and nafcillin.

After seeing infectious disease myself I thought that my doctor so silly that he might have been high.

Misinformation abounds about tick born disease at Infectious Disease clinics across the US. Don't expect them to be of any help.