title: Chronic Lyme disease.
abstract: Chronic Lyme disease is a poorly defined diagnosis that is usually given to patients with prolonged, unexplained symptoms or with alternative medical diagnoses. Data do not support the proposition that chronic, treatment-refractory infection with Borrelia burgdorferi is responsible for the many conditions that get labeled as chronic Lyme disease. Prolonged symptoms after successful treatment of Lyme disease are uncommon, but in rare cases may be severe. Prolonged courses of antibiotics neither prevent nor ameliorate these symptoms and are associated with considerable harm.
authors.affiliation: Divisions of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and General Internal Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, DUMC 100800, Durham, NC 27710, USA. Electronic address: paul.lantos@duke.edu.
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Lantos
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi; D002908:Chronic Disease; D060085:Coinfection; D006801:Humans; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Antibiotics; Borrelia burgdorferi; Chronic Lyme disease; Chronic fatigue; Chronic pain; Lyme disease