Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 25, 2026
08:23
Feeding of Ticks on Animals for Transmission and Xenodiagnosis in Lyme Disease Research
Published on: August 31, 2013
13.5K
Case Report: PANDAS and Persistent Lyme Disease With Neuropsychiatric Symptoms: Treatment, Resolution, and Recovery
Amy Cross1, Denis Bouboulis2, Craig Shimasaki1
1Moleculera Labs, Oklahoma City, OK, United States.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
|February 19, 2021
Summary
A pediatric case report details a young girl with Lyme disease and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections (PANDAS). Successful treatment led to complete remission of debilitating neuropsychiatric symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Infectious Diseases
- Immunology
Background:
- Lyme disease and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections (PANDAS) can present with complex neuropsychiatric symptoms in children.
- Differentiating and managing co-occurring conditions poses a clinical challenge.
Observation:
- A 7-year-old female presented with neuropsychiatric symptoms following a tick exposure in a Lyme-endemic area.
- The patient concurrently met diagnostic criteria for PANDAS, with documented streptococcal pharyngitis episodes preceding symptom onset.
- Symptoms followed a relapsing-remitting course, significantly impacting the patient's daily life.
Findings:
- Serological evidence confirmed Lyme disease.
- The patient received 31 months of treatment, including antimicrobials and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg).
- Complete remission of neuropsychiatric symptoms was achieved.
Implications:
- This case highlights the potential overlap and diagnostic complexity of Lyme disease and PANDAS in pediatric patients.
- Aggressive and comprehensive treatment, including IVIg, may be effective in achieving remission for severe, co-occurring cases.
- Further research into the pathoneurobiology of these co-infections is warranted.
Related Concept Videos
01:03Long-term Depression
Long-term depression, or LTD, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTD is the process of synaptic weakening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic weakening of LTD works in opposition to synaptic strengthening by long-term potentiation (LTP) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
Calcium Ion Concentration Mechanism
If over time, all...
Calcium Ion Concentration Mechanism
If over time, all...
01:26Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a severe tick-borne illness caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, a Gram-negative, coccobacillary bacterium. This pathogen is an obligate intracellular parasite, requiring a host cell for replication. Transmission occurs through the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, the most important vectors are Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) and Dermacentor andersoni (Rocky Mountain wood tick), though other tick species may also serve as vectors.
01:14Atypical Pneumonia
Atypical pneumonia, often caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, is a form of pulmonary infection that differs from the classical presentation of bacterial pneumonia in both its cause and clinical symptoms. Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a pleomorphic bacterium notable for its lack of a rigid cell wall. This structural characteristic imparts resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics and significantly influences the bacterium’s behavior within the human host.Other pathogens responsible for the disease include...