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18h ago

Justin Timberlake’s Lyme Diagnosis Highlights Tick-Borne Disease Challenges

Medical experts are expanding patient resources with myth-busting guidance during the worst tick season since 2019

"I’ve been battling some health issues, and was diagnosed with Lyme disease," singer Justin Timberlake wrote in a social media post this week. 
Justin Timberlake (left); the Spirochaete Borrelia bacteria, which causes Lyme disease (right)
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Overview

  • Justin Timberlake disclosed on Instagram that he has Lyme disease, describing nerve pain, extreme fatigue and sickness during performances on his recent tour.
  • The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines Lyme disease as a bacterial infection spread by blacklegged ticks, with early symptoms that often mimic the flu.
  • Current diagnostic tests, including PCR assays used by the NHS, can take weeks to detect infection and are prone to false negatives and false positives, delaying treatment.
  • Long-term sufferers like British patients Kirstie and Harriet Haysman report crippling joint pain, chronic fatigue and nutritional deficiencies that persist even after treatment.
  • Public health officials are urging vigilant tick checks, proper removal techniques and use of repellents as authorities warn this season is on track to be the worst for tick activity since 2019.