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Natural history and long-term consequences of Lyme disease in children

J Berglund1

  • 1Department of Community Medicine, University of Lund, Malmö University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden. johan.berglund@alinks.se

Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases
|October 13, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Children treated for Lyme disease, a common tick-borne illness, generally have a very positive long-term outlook. Available research indicates favorable prognoses despite public concerns about lasting effects.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric infectious diseases
  • Epidemiology of vector-borne illnesses

Background:

  • Lyme disease is a prevalent tick-borne infection in children within temperate regions.
  • Public anxiety exists regarding potential long-term health consequences of Lyme disease in pediatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the long-term prognosis of Lyme disease in children.
  • To address public and clinical concerns about the enduring effects of pediatric Lyme disease.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on pediatric Lyme disease.
  • Analysis of long-term follow-up studies concerning treated children.

Main Results:

  • Limited long-term follow-up data are available.
  • The prognosis for children treated for Lyme disease appears to be highly favorable.

Conclusions:

  • Current literature suggests a favorable prognosis for children treated for Lyme disease.
  • Widespread anxiety regarding long-term consequences is not supported by available scientific evidence.

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