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LDA NEWS & UPDATES 
October 2021
In a recently published review article,* authors provide a comprehensive summary of treatment options for pregnant patients with less common bacterial, fungal, and viral infections, including several tick-borne diseases (Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, human monocytic ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever). This review provides guidance to clinicians based on the most recently published evidence-based research and expert recommendations.

Also included are a search of MEDLINE (inception to March 2021), clinical practice guidelines (both national and international), the CDC website, and additional references from bibliographies of noteworthy articles. A list of medications on the WHO Essential Medications
List that are used to treat the above infections is also provided (*Alyssa P. Gould et al., Drugs in Context-peer reviewed). Read more.


NOTE: The information presented is for informational purposes only. LDA does not give medical or legal advice.
2021 Annual Scientific Conference - The Lyme Disease Association Inc. and Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons jointly provided the 21st annual CME scientific conference, Lyme & Other Tick-Borne Diseases: Research for a Cure, virtually, on October 2, 2021. This conference was designed to meet the high standards for continuing medical education credits for medical & health professionals and researchers. It was also open to the general public (adults only). A limited number of scholarships were available for certain medical students, researchers, recent medical professionals. The conference was sponsored by the Stephen & Alexandra Cohen Foundation and IGeneX Inc. Read more.
HISTORY - Forty-six years after a mother alerted public health about an unknown disease affecting her Connecticut neighborhood, patients still await answers about Lyme disease and help from the federal government − little has been forthcoming. It’s been 37 years since I first saw Lyme as a board of education member and 29 years since I first contacted Congressman Chris Smith for help regarding Lyme disease.  

I approached him because my district had many seriously ill students and staff members who could find little medical help and no assistance for disrupted educations. Congressman Smith set up a DC meeting for me with CDC and NIH officials to present a report on nine Monmouth/Ocean NJ school districts in the same situation, yet no public health authorities were involved to help. Officials were shocked and could not believe the devastation I described to them. Read more.
A recent study published in the CDC’s Emerging Infectious Diseases journal finds ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis can also be transmitted through blood transfusions or organ transplants. The article states, “Since 2000, ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis cases in the United States have increased substantially, resulting in potential risk to transplant and transfusion recipients.”

The investigating clinicians reviewed cases of ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis among blood transfusion and solid organ transplant recipients in the U.S. from peer-reviewed literature and CDC studies. They identified 132 cases during 1997–2020, including 12 transfusion-associated cases and 120 cases in transplant recipients. Read more.
A study published in JAMA Network Open examined the cognitive function in patients following COVID-19 Infection. The researchers analyzed data from a cohort of COVID-19 patients from April 2020 through May 2021 and investigated rates of cognitive impairment in survivors who were treated in outpatient, emergency department, or inpatient hospital settings. Prior studies were hindered by limited sample sizes and substandard evaluation of cognitive functioning.

In this recent, more extensive study, researchers discovered a rather high frequency of cognitive impairment several months after patients contracted COVID-19. Among
hospitalized patients, impairments in executive functioning, processing speed, category fluency, memory encoding, and recall were prevalent. Read more.

Giving Tuesday is Around the Corner
LDA's Annual Giving Campaign
GivingTuesday 11/30/21 is just around the corner. It is an International Day of Giving.
LDA will continue our Annual Giving Campaign in conjunction with #GivingTuesday. This year LDA will focus on the four pillars of our mission: education, prevention, research, and patient support. Your donations will help LDA fulfill our mission.

Our Giving Campaign will begin on 11/6 and end on 12/6. A page will be dedicated on the LDA website to the campaign with interesting information about our objectives and how you can support LDA.
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